Waking up to Tom Sawyer
Most mornings, after the radio sounds – my mind remains muzzy. It is warm and comfortable, clinging to precious unconsciousness. Today… playing at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Jazz 91.1… today I discovered The Lost Fingers’ cover of Tom Sawyer. Yes THAT Tom Sawyer. The one by Rush. As a 1930’s style gypsy jazz tune.
I’m not saying that my life will be forever altered, but my day certainly has been. I will be going to ITunes and purchasing at least one of their albums – Lost in the 80s is looking to be top of my list, although Gypsy Kameleon is pulling a close 2nd. Usually David whacks the snooze button immediately – or maybe I’ve been sleeping more soundly lately, but this morning had me leaping from the bed on a veritable quest to discover who had done this mind-blowing cover.
And you know something? You can’t get through to Jazz 91.1 until 9:00 a.m. WHAT THE WHAT?? I KNOW there are people in that building – I was LISTENING to them on the radio – but I can’t ask the producer who did the song. There are those of you who are shaking their heads – why didn’t she look at the playlist? I DID! I looked at the stupid playlist and it made no mention of ANY band playing a fabulous version of Tom Sawyer. It goes from 6:34:56 Benny Green – Opus de Funk to 6:48:52 Scott Hamilton – Swingin’ Till the Girls Come Home. A blank spot where I NEEDED to know the band. So I went to YouTube searching for “Tom Sawyer Jazz Version.” That led me to a cool jazz trio, The Bad Plus, that played an instrumental of it. But NOT the version I had heard mere minutes before. I had to hunt for a good 7-9 minutes before I found the Lost Fingers’ cover. Then I did a little happy dance in my rolly desk chair.
I love, I mean, ABSOLUTELY FREAKING ADORE, finding new cool music. I admit, my tastes run from the sublime to the ridiculous – this being sublimely ridiculous in the tastiest way possible. I love bad lounge music – swing – torch songs… I know that part of me must have been from an earlier era. But I also love alternative and prog rock and classic rock and classical and Philip Glass, the Violent Femmes and Nina Simone. I like tasty things. Music with bite or humour or that extra kick to the gut when you listen to it. Affecting Art. Inventive Theatre. Film that surprises. This morning – waking to this song was surprising in the best possible way. Thank you The Lost Fingers – you really made my day!
