I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: CORY HENRY AND THE FUNK APOSTLES-Tiny Desk Concert #792 (October 5, 2018).

Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles blew me away with the first song of this Concert.  “Love Will Find A Way” opens with a deep bass sound as the funk starts.  And then Henry adds the great sound of the Hammond.

There’s so much joy in the sound of the Hammond organ, especially for those of us of a certain age. Hearing it can transport you to the early ’70s, when every rock band seemed to have one in its arsenal: The Allman Brothers, Santana, Deep Purple. In the hands of true masters — like the late Billy Preston and the very-much-alive Booker T. Jones — the organ can be a melodic, funky rhythm machine.

Cory Henry’s name belongs in the same breath as the Hammond organ masters of the past. The instrument creates the central sound of his dynamic, neo-soul- and funk-infused musical identity, and he opens his turn behind the Tiny Desk with what feels like an encore: the full-on soul assault of “Love Will Find a Way.” The song twists and turns, then winds up as a full-on celebration — and it’s only the first song in his set.

The song does have several part including a lengthy middle solo section.  Over the heavy organ chords there’s a wailing guitar solo and a keyboard solo from the synth player.

By the end of its six minutes it absolutely feels like an encore–a show ender.  It’s awesome.

“Trade It All” is a bit more soul, less funk, which means I don’t like it as much.  B

Henry’s keyboard skills are on full display during a synth solo in “Trade It All,” which also spotlights his entire band. To my mind, they’d have sounded right at home on Stax Records in the ’70s — no small accomplishment.

The middle shows a softer, quieter side of the Hammond–one that sounds a bit cheesier to my ear.  And yet there’s no denying Henry’s deft finger work (there’ a hint of Stevie Wonder in there for sure).

The final song, the ten-minute “Send Me a Sign” has a lengthy, almost preacher-like quality and is clearly gopsel-inspired.

It showcases some of the roots of Henry’s songwriting; it’s inspired by church sermons that bloom into group sing-alongs. Just another way Cory Henry digs way back to give us something new and exciting.

[READ: October 11, 2017] “One Saturday Morning”

I have never been disappointed with a story from Tessa Hadley.  She might be one of my favorite writers whom I’ve never read outside of magazines.

This story is wonderful because the we learn so much about so many people through the eyes of one woman.

Valerie is Gil’s second wife.  Gil is in his fifties and Valerie is twenty-four.  Gil is a successful professor and she was (as someone described her with disdain) a typist.

But as the story opens, Valerie is trying to cope with Gil’s daughter.  Robyn is nine years old, can’t button her own dress and is utterly unprepared for several days at another house.  This was the first time Valerie had met her…stepdaughter?  And Robyn was plain and kind of dull.  She was polite but had no toys (she played cleverly with scraps of fabric, but would not engage when asked about them).

She was certainly a dullard when it came to food–toast was all she could think of.

Worst of all was that Gil had insisted that the girl come to visit but he spent almost all of her time at his office doing research.  Robyn barely even seemed to recognize him since he left her when she was 3 years old.

Valerie didn’t know what to do with the girl and certainly didn’t want the responsibility, but what could she do?

Midweek, Gil was supposed to be driving Robyn back to her mother’s.  But he came home the night before acting all contrite and playing at he helpless baby routine (“which I found instantly distasteful.”  He was unable to take Robyn back Wednesday because of a work problem.  They could wait until the week’s end or she could take her back on the train.

Valerie was really looking forward to a free day but she decided it was easier to take the girl back.  Plus, then she could spy on her home life–what kind of mother lets her child go away for a few days with one pair of knickers?  Her own mother lived nearby and she would stay with her overnight.

When she got to Robyn’s house, the door was answered by a dopey guy in a small T-shirt ad pink hipster trousers.  He smelled like a zoo animal .

When they asked for Marie, she flounced into the room acting all put out  “Oh Christ, is it today?  Shit! Is that the kid?”  Give Mummy a million million kisses.  Give Jamie kisses,  This is Jamie. Don’t you remember him>?  He’s in a band.”  Robyn said hello, gazing at Jamie without much interest and not moving to kiss anyone.

Marise looked at Valerie and said “I thought he might have chosen someone like you.”
Valerie doesn’t aback down though she says  she hopes she’ll be offered a cup of tea.  Turns out they only have Bloody Marys.

By the end of the “visit” Robyn wants to show Auntie Valerie her room, which makes Marise laugh.  Robyn says she knows that Valerie is her stepmother “Your wicked stepmother, don’t forget.”

Finally, Valerie left and went to her mother’s house.  That night it snowed heavily and everything was at a standstill .  Valerie tries to get home but ultimately decides to take one more look at Marise’s house, surreptitiously .

When she walked on the street Robyn was looking out the window and saw her.  Robyn pleads for her to come in and when Valerie does, she pleads to go back to her dad;s house.

What is a stepmother to do?

There were so many wonderful little moments in this story, it was terrific.