#4905, Theme & Variations - Blackbird
Photo of eighth blackbird, courtesy of the artist
Covered by countless musicians, "Blackbird", the song from the Beatles' White Album, has inspired a wide range of jazz, folk, and classical artists. Hear some of those variations. Listen to vocalist and composer Bobby McFerrin’s arrangement for solo voice, a quartet of musicians made up of members of The Jazz Passengers, and a version sung in Scots Gaelic from Julie Fowlis. Plus, variations from jazz pianist Hiromi, Danish composer Per Norgaard for Japanese pianist Aki Takahashi, and excerpts of classical compositions linked to each other and “Blackbird”’s lyrics from the Bang on a Can Co-Founders, written for the Chicago new music band, Eighth Blackbird. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4905, Theme & Variations - Blackbird (First aired 7/17/2024)
ARTIST: The Beatles
WORK: Blackbird [2:01]
RECORDING: The Beatles (White Album)
SOURCE: Apple / Capitol Records
INFO: Available at Amazon.com, AppleMusic, Spotify, YouTube
ARTIST: Bobby McFerrin
WORK: Blackbird [2:35]
RECORDING: The Voice
SOURCE: Elektra Musician
INFO: try Discogs.com
ARTIST: Endangered Quartet
WORK: Blackbird [3:26]
RECORDING: Heart
SOURCE: New Focus Recordings
INFO: https://newfocusrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/heart
ARTIST: eighth blackbird
WORK: David Lang: these broken wings, part 2 (passacaille) [5:57]
RECORDING: Singing in the Dead of Night
SOURCE: Cedille Records
INFO: https://www.eighthblackbird.org
ARTIST: Aki Takahashi
WORK: Per Norgaard: Light Of A Night (Paul Meets Bird) (Blackbird) [5:43]
RECORDING: Hyper Beatles
SOURCE: Eastworld #6655 Japanese import, now out of print.
INFO: Try discogs.com
ARTIST: Aki Takahashi
WORK: blackbird [5:43]
RECORDING: Hyper Beatles
SOURCE: Eastworld #6655 Japanese import, now out of print.
INFO: Try discogs.com
ARTIST: Hiromi
WORK: blackbird [5:21]
RECORDING: Spectrum
SOURCE: Concord Records
INFO: https://found.ee/HiromiSpectrum
ARTIST: eighth blackbird
WORK: Julia Wolfe: singing in the dead of night [7:08]
RECORDING: Singing in the Dead of Night
SOURCE: Cedille Records
INFO: https://www.eighthblackbird.org
ARTIST: Julie Fowlis
WORK: Lon-Dubh (Blackbird) [2:42]
RECORDING: Putumayo Presents Café Del Mundo
SOURCE: Putumayo
INFO: https://putumayo.bandcamp.com/album/caf-del-mundo
ARTIST: Night Ark
WORK: Blackbird [3:41]
RECORDING: Picture
SOURCE: Traditional Crossroads
INFO: Try Discogs.com
ARTIST: eighth blackbird
WORK: Michael Gordon: the light of the dark [4:52]
RECORDING: Singing in the Dead of Night
SOURCE: Cedille Records
INFO: https://www.eighthblackbird.org
