Stax o' melting wax!

MOG Post: 08/09/2007
Artist: Booker T. & The MG's
Album: The Best Of Booker T. & The MG's
Track: "Summertime"

Just recently we were chatting about favorite albums, and someone nicely suggested Porgy and Bess. Mind you, they were referring to the fabulous arrangement by Miles Davis and Gil Evans from 1958, not the original from 1933 by George Gershwin. "Summertime" was the first tune Gershwin wrote for his opera; outside of The Beatles "Yesterday", it's likely the most covered song ever done. I'm very fond of the Sarah Vaughan version myself, but this recent STAX Records special got me thinkin' (plus MasonJar has got me thinkin' cover tunes all nutty-like). I'm a huge fan of Booker T. & The MG's - the band cuts the standard on perfection. There's so much material to pick and choose from these guys, really, they are prolific and pervade every niche of the music scene. No doubt we all remember the MGs fondly behind Jake & Elwood Blues. They recently could be seen backing Joe Walsh at Eric Clapton's Crossroads guitar festival in Texas - solid man...rockin' solid.
Given the times and the heat 'round here this summer - seems fitting for a nice sloooo Hammond B-3 teased by Booker T. Jones to woo your cool meter. Want to chill some more with Steve Cropper? Check out his cool licks as well on Otis Redding's "Dock Of The Bay" Ahhhhhhhhh <--listen to this

Summertime, an' the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' an' the cotton is high
Oh, Yo daddy's rich an' yo' ma is good lookin'
So hush, little baby, don't you cry
One of these mornin's, you goin' to rise up singin'
Then you'll spread yo' wings an' you'll take the sky
But till that mornin', there's a nothin' can harm you
With daddy & mammy standin' by