In the United States this is Labor Day, since 1894 a national holiday that celebrates working peoples’ contributions to the nation. Although the calendar says that summer doesn’t end until September 21 this year, 
many Americans consider that Labor Day marks the close of the season. This three-day weekend, they pile into their automobiles despite four-dollars-a-gallon gasoline. They range through the land to camp out, have picnics, visit lakes and ocean beaches, and watch fireworks. This being an election year, some seek out rallies and listen to candidates. It is also a day when many working people go to work because the stores that employ them have huge Labor Day sales. The irony.
There is no official song for this holiday, although Pete Seeger’s “Solidarity Forever,” Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons” and Dolly Parton’s “9 To 5” always get Labor Day airplay. From 1962—when the average price of a gallon of regular gas was 31 cents—here is the unofficial Rifftides Labor Day song for 2012. Cannonball Adderley introduces it. His sextet has Nat Adderley, Joe Zawinul, Yusef Lateef, Louis Hayes and Sam Jones.
Happy Labor Day.
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
Another possible Labor Day Anthem for 2012 might be “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” as it is played in the Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond version from 1955. The implied lyrics are apt, and it has a lot of counterpoint in it!
The link in Mr. Smith’s comment takes you to the Brubeck Quartet recording from their Brubeck Time album (1954). On YouTube, it is decorated, if that’s the word, with depression-era still photos showing working people out of work.
Here is a little-known film of the quartet playing the piece in a short subject supporting solicitations for the March Of Dimes. The arrangement is the same, but Desmond does not solo.
Yes, Terence, beside Benny Goodman’s, respectively Alec Templeton’s “Bach Goes To Town,” or George Shearing’s “Get Off My Bach”, another perfect example for Johann Sebastian Bach’s influence on jazz.
And now? — Let’s go to work out some other counterpoint:
Tomorrow will be John Cage’s 100th anniversary