September 30 - Buddy Rich (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 30th are here: Charles Villiers Stanford (2019), Donald Swann (2020), and Johnny Mathis (2021)

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Buddy Rich (30 September 1917 – 2 April 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. -- Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I Were a Rich Man

Rich had a strong dislike of bandleaders. He claimed that the musicians "hardly look at the bandleader", and that the drummer is the real "quarterback" of the band. – Wikipedia

Buddy Rich, while drumming, panned

The hapless men who led the band.

He claimed the bands ignored such hacks,

While drummers were the quarterbacks.

 

 

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September 29 - Jerry Lee Lewis (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 29th are here: Richard Bonynge; Gene Autry (2019), Vincent Lübeck (2020), and Madeline Kahn; Maria Hester Park (2021)

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Jerry Lee Lewis (b. 29 September 1935) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Ways of Saying the Same Thing

Lewis was an incendiary showman who often played with his fists, elbows, feet, and backside, sometimes climbing on top of the piano during gigs. Like Chuck Berry's guitar playing, Lewis's piano style has become synonymous with rock and roll, having influenced generations of piano players. – adapted from Wikipedia

JLL Explains

As part of his signature branding

He pummeled the piano while standing.

“I could practice my scales,

And invest in some tails,

But it’s not what my fans are demanding!”

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JLL Triumphans

In his rollicking rock-n-roll act,

Young Jerry Lee Lewis attacked

The piano in ways

That created a craze, —

There’s no doubt of the punch that he packed.

 

 

 

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September 28 - Maria Franziska von Trapp (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 28th are here: Johann Mattheson; Moon Unit Zappa (2019), Johann Mattheson (2020), and Giovanni Punto (2021)

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Maria Franziska von Trapp (28 September 1914 – 18 February 2014) was the last surviving member of the original von Trapp Family Singers.  After the dissolution of that group she became a missionary Papua New Guinea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When You Know the Notes to Sing

(1)

Maria Franziska von Trapp

Had travels all over the map

With her family troupe,

An echt Austrian group

With ländler and yodels on tap.

 

(2)

If her family’s escape from the War

Is undying in show business lore,

The credit belongs

To the lyrics and songs

In Rodgers and Hammerstein’s score.

 

 

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September 27 - Shaun Cassidy; Cyril Scott (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 27th are here: Vincent Youmans; Jean Berger (2019), Igor Kipnis (2020), and Cyril Scott; Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari (2021)

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Shaun Cassidy (b. 27 September 1958) is an American singer, actor, writer, and producer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing Pains

 

Cassidy concentrated on stage acting for most of the 1980s and early 1990s. He appeared on Broadway and West End productions. Since then, he has created, written, and produced numerous shows for network and cable. Cassidy currently serves as executive producer and writer for New Amsterdam on NBC. -- adapted from Wikipedia

In early years the teenage star Shaun Cassidy

Used hair and smiles for innocent seduction,

But then went on to demonstrate capacity

At every stage of show business production.

No matter how extravagantly bound,

Don’t ever judge a volume by its looks;

And this advice, so simple yet profound,

Is just as true for people as for books.

 

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 

 

Cyril Scott (27 September 1879 – 31 December 1970) was an English composer, writer, poet, and occultist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compare and Contrast

He used to be known as 'the English Debussy', though this reflected little knowledge of Scott and little understanding of Debussy. – Wikipedia

Comparing Debussy with Scott

Made things alike when they were not

Although it seemed like clever branding

It showed a lack of understanding.

 

And now it’s much more rare that we

Link Cyril Scott with Debussy.

 

 

 

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September 26 - George Gershwin (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 26th are here: George Gershwin (2019) and (2020), and William L. Dawson; Fritz Wunderlich (2021)

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George Gershwin (26 September 1898 – 11 July 1937) was an American composer and pianist, initially of popular songs, but later, in larger forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steps to Parnassus

When Gershwin inquired about composition lessons, Maurice Ravel's rejection letter to Gershwin told him, "Why become a second-rate Ravel when you're already a first-rate Gershwin?" – adapted from Wikipedia

Though Gershwin was known to aspire

To a place in his Art that was higher,

He was told by Ravel,

“What you do, you do well,

Which is all that the Muses require.”

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]