A Penchant. . .

I've always had a penchant for humor in music.  It doesn't always have to be in-your-face silly (not that I'm against THAT!), but for me, humor makes everything, especially music, more real, more fallible, more entertaining, more universal and maybe even more palatable.  And instrumental music can contain just as much humor as lyrics.

Laughter always attracted me as a child, whether it be an adult with a wry grin that does magic tricks, Jerry Lewis mugging for a crowd in ape-fashion or  the outrageous puns and sight gags on old television programs like 'Green Acres.'  That was always my preference when it was up to me.

Musically, I always searched for the novelty songs (mostly by [Noel] Paul Stookey) when I purchased a new Peter, Paul and Mary LP.  I discovered Spike Jones in old movies on television.  Louis Prima could always swing, croon and entertain with a twinkle in his eye and laughter in the music.  Later it was Frank Zappa (who also named Spike Jones as an influence), Jim Stafford (more subtle than Spike) and even Fishbone.

Then there is the humor that is unspoken but still ever present in the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Dexter Gordon (constantly quoting pop, children or seasonal songs in solos), Roland Kirk, Eric Dolphy laughed much in his leaping intervals and birdsong impersonations, Dave Frishberg (subtle, dry and sophisticated lyrics), Cannonball Adderley, Sun Ra and even David Murray.  I love it ALL.

(Thinking of this song today was the seed for my reflection on humor. . .) 

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OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
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