Inside Music: Juxtapositions

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by Richard Middleton

"Juxtapositions"

I sort my LP’s alphabetically (yes, some of us still have LP’s, despite the fact that they’re not very “L” any more, and some of them can barely “P” -- but that’s a subject for another column). As I was saying, I sort my albums alphabetically, so I always know exactly where to find the artist I’m looking for. I’ve noticed that this arrangement leads to some interesting juxtapositions. Artists who probably never met (and most likely would have been at each other’s throats in minutes if they had) are nestled snugly alongside each other on my record shelves like old friends.

For example: Prince and John Prine; the Modern Lovers and Thelonious Monk; Jimmy Cliff and Patsy Cline; and (one of my favorite twosomes) Miles Davis and Doris Day.

Another favorite is Pete Seeger and the Sex Pistols. I can just imagine the conversation they might have had if they’d ever crossed paths -- the Patron Saint of the modern American folk revival meets the strung-out lads who brought us “Anarchy in the U.K.” Look out. But on second thought, there may be more common ground between them than you’d think -- Seeger’s criticisms of commercial music differ only in degree from the Sex Pistols’ sardonic send-up of the music business, “The Great Rock and Roll Swindle.” OK, they differ in degree, taste, style, philosophy, and just about everything else, but there is at least some small basis for discussion, no? Maybe even friendship, or better yet.... collaboration! (Meanwhile, a more volatile culture clash is going down in the “D” section between the Dead Kennedys and Claude Debussy.)

Imagine these amazing collaborations that, alas, will never be: Frank Sinatra and the Singing Nun; James Taylor and Art Tatum; Judy Collins and John Coltrane. The aforementioned duo of Prince and John Prine could work well -- they’re both masters of the popular song, and hey, they’re both alive.

Here’s an act that could have been huge: Ray Charles and Maurice Chevalier. I can just hear Ray and Mo trading fours on “Thank Heaven for Little Girls,” or harmonizing on a Paris cafe version of “Georgia.” Guaranteed would-have-been-classics.
Other tantalizing possibilities: Brian Eno (Talking Heads producer and creator of “Music for Airports”) and jazz pianist Bill Evans. Now that would be an interesting album. Or better yet, classical pianist Vladimir Horowitz and blues master Howlin’ Wolf. World music? I got yer world music right here.

Sometimes the intrepid collaborators on my record shelves invite a few of their next-door neighbors along to form some scintillating trios and quartets. Pete Seeger and the Sex Pistols are joined by... Ravi Shankar! WOMAD here we come. Frank Sinatra and the Singing Nun are joined on either side by Sly and the Family Stone and the Smiths -- the super-group to end all super-groups. And Miles and Doris are hooking up later with Debussy and the Dead Kennedys (if they’re speaking to each other) for an after-hours jam session that you do not want to miss.

We have something for everyone. If your penchant is music and the spoken word, we’ve got guitar electronics wiz Robert Fripp backing up poet Robert Frost, the speeches of Martin Luther King accompanied by the devilish fusion of King Crimson, and (one of my favorites) stories from Winnie-the-Pooh set to the 70’s stadium rock of the Edgar Winter Group. This could be a major multi-media event.

But must we merely dream? If Natalie Cole can sing “Unforgettable” as a duet with her deceased dad, surely the talents of Sam Cooke and Aaron Copland can be combined into something greater than the sum of its parts. Surely Janis Joplin can reign once again, this time as the lead singer for Spike Jones and his City Slickers. And surely Van Halen can breathe new life into the ultra-conservative 60’s musical revue, Up With People. I can only offer the vision.... One of you brave souls must bring the vision to life.

Now where the hell is my autographed copy of “An Evening with Django Reinhardt and the Ramones?” It should be right HERE.

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