Travlin' the Tracks with DJ Action Slacks Every FRIDAY Evening 6 to 8 pm! 89.1 fm in #Portland stream it live at KMHD.org (8 pm central, 9 pm eastern)
Back in November when I was madly preparing for my holiday outdoor light display event Sugar Town Illuminated, I kept the tv on to keep me company while making decorations. After running out of things to watch I reluctantly put on the Peter Jackson documentary about the making of the Beatles Let It Be LP.
I didn't expect to learn anything new because I was obsessed with the Beatles in my early high school days. In fact, my claim to fame at my Catholic high school was a psychedelic, peace-themed painting I made with late 1960s portraits of each Beatle. YES, this was pretty dorky, but I felt like a rebel making a political statement in a conservative, drab setting where all the students were expected to conform (and most did) and required to wear navy blue and grey uniforms. (PS. I painted my black uniform penny loafers with psychedelic swirls at the same time. A girl named Joy turned me in. Contrary to what her name suggests, Joy was a buzzkill and NARK!)
Anyways, back from THAT flashback tangent - I was pleasantly surprised to find the three part docuseries Get Back, very illuminating. It was a counter-narrative to the widely accepted myth that the Beatles were at each other's throats by the end of their time together.
However, I think the most exciting part for me was actually seeing Billy Preston's contribution to the band. I had only read references over the years, but nothing that offered an in-depth account. Peter Jackson spotlighted Billy helping to transform the sound of that album, blending soul with rock n roll.
It made me realize that it's time to share some of the seemingly endless soul (and jazz) covers of Beatles songs I've collected over the years. I've been gathering the covers with the intention to recreate all the Beatles LPs using soul, jazz, and blues versions of their songs. I haven't accomplished acquiring versions of all the songs yet, but I have enough to generally recreate the albums, and that's what I'm presenting on KMHD tonight, starting with LATE 1960s Beatles LPs: Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be. (I wanted to do Sgt Peppers too but I couldn't fit it in).
Please join me for a Magical Mystery Tour with travel buddies: Sarah Vaughan, the Impressions, Ella Fitzgerald, Larry Graham, The Supremes, Larry Harlow, Shirley Scott, Ramsey Lewis, Tina Turner, Charles Wright, Aretha Franklin and TONS of other soulful folks!