Summer Mix 2017

This year's summer mix spans 48 years over 28 tracks from 1969 to 2017, and touches all decades in between.



A few months ago I heard "FM" by Steely Dan for the first time in years. Almost immediately I knew I had to include it in the mix, but I also used the track to build the rest of the mix around. It has this blend of jazz, blues, rock, soul and R&B that I wanted to use throughout the mix.

Next, I wanted a track at or near the end that was a little unexpected, but still felt right, like the country track by The Band Perry, which closed out the 2013 summer mix. Once I had those, then it was a matter of finding the right blend of new and old tracks to compliment each other and mesh the styles mentioned above, but this year I did it with a slight twist.

In March, when I saw Tedeschi Trucks Band in Nashville, I noticed that the setlist on 3/3 was put together with not just one song leading up to the next, but sometimes two and three songs leading the way. For example, the first set closed with "Get Out of My Life, Woman," "Don't Drift Away" and "Key to the Highway." After each of these songs, I think the entire audience (at least in my vicinity) expected to hear "Bound For Glory," but was not to be. Finally, they played "Bound For Glory" for the second song of the second set. By that time, it seemed like such a natural fit, and all that came before led up to that song. I had this in mind as I selected songs and placed them in the mix. When "FM" comes up in the 5th spot, it eases in like a pair of old comfortable shoes (or "high-heeled sneakers" if you will) due to the four songs that precede it. I think the same could be said for "Take Me To The River," "Hello Stranger" and some others.

One of my favorite parts of the mix is the last half that bounces back and forth from style to style, going from blues to soul and R&B and back again. I also wanted to acknowledge the current, crazy political climate we're in, but without being heavy-handed. I think "Virtual Insanity" and "Morning Light" give a proper nod to this. I'm really pleased how this year's mix turned out and hope you enjoy it as well - Salud!

Summer Mix 2017
Bottle Rocket - The Weeks (2017)
Little Silver Cross - White Reaper (2017)
Sarah, Surrender - Gov't Mule (2017)
Can I Sit Next to You - Spoon (2017)
FM - Steely Dan (1978)
Empty Heart - Grace Potter (2015)
Take Me To The River - Talking Heads (1978)
Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai (1996)
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Live) - Billy Joel (1997)
Hello Stranger - Samantha Fish (2017)
All the Pretty Girls - Kaleo (2016)
Kodachrome - Paul Simon (1973)
Down So Long (Live) - Jewel (1999)
Don't Drift Away - Tedeschi Trucks Band (2017)
California Soul - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1969)
Morning Light - Soulive (2007)
Where Did Our Love Go (Live) - The J. Geils Band (1979)
Lazy Days - Eric Lindell (2006)
I Go Crazy - Buddy Guy (1993)
Get What You Deserve (Live) - The Derek Trucks Band (2010)
Staying In Love - Raphael Saadiq (2008)
The Stars Are Ours - Mayer Hawthorne (2013)
You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates (1980)
What Is Life - George Harrison (1970)
Dim All the Lights - Donna Summer (1979)
Waiting In Vain - Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)
A Pirate Looks At Forty (Live) - Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds (2012)
Moonglow - Diana Krall (2017)

Bottle Rocket - The Weeks (2017)
I added some ocean waves and fireworks/bottle rocket sound effects and we're off and running with this new track from the Nashville-based band.

Little Silver Cross - White Reaper (2017)
A cool new rocker with a nice blend of old and new.

Sarah, Surrender - Gov't Mule (2017)
Bring it down slightly with this new track from the Warren Haynes-fronted group. The opening drum beat is very similar to the opening for "Take Me To The River," and helps set up the Steely Dan song.

Can I Sit Next to You - Spoon (2017)
New tune from Spoon and the third time I've included one of their tracks in a summer mix. I especially like some of the throwback sounds, which like many of the opening tracks, allude to what's to come.

FM - Steely Dan (1978)
A classic, timeless tune that for a short time I had in the opening slot, but I like where it ended up.

Empty Heart - Grace Potter (2015)
Not sure why I overlooked this track when it came out a couple years ago, so finding it this year was a nice rediscovery.

Take Me To The River - Talking Heads (1978)
This song always takes me back to summers working at the lake in NJ.

Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai (1996)
Timely, fitting and a salute to founding Jamiroquai keyboardist and songwriter Toby Smith, who passed away earlier this year.

Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Live) - Billy Joel (1997)
Far and away, my favorite version of one of Billy Joel's signature tunes.

Hello Stranger - Samantha Fish (2017)
Great new cover of this Barbara Lewis track from 1963.

All the Pretty Girls - Kaleo (2016)
Funny, they don't sound Icelandic.

Kodachrome - Paul Simon (1973)
While Kodachrome film has become obsolete in our digital world, this song remains a reminder of summer days gone by.

Down So Long (Live) - Jewel (1999)
My favorite Jewel song and performance since watching it live via the Woodstock 30th anniversary concert pay-per-view event. I recall wanting to go to the actual concert, but had no takers to join me so I ordered the pay-per-view and spent the weekend on the couch. Money well spent, and became a Dave Matthews Band fan as well after seeing their performance of "#41" that opened their sun-soaked set.

Don't Drift Away - Tedeschi Trucks Band (2017)
For me, this may turn out to be the song of the summer. Amazing tune with a laid-back vibe that reminds me of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay."

California Soul - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1969)
I've wanted to include this classic track in a summer mix for a number of years, but never had the right fit until now.

Morning Light - Soulive (2007)
Another cool cut off their "No Place Like Soul" album.

Where Did Our Love Go (Live) - The J. Geils Band (1979)
A salute to guitarist J. Geils, who passed away this year, and this cover of the 1964 Motown gem flows nicely as a link between the styles going on in the mix.

Lazy Days - Eric Lindell (2006)
If you don't have Eric Lindell's 2006 release "Change in the Weather," you should.

I Go Crazy - Buddy Guy (1993)
I first heard this track some time in the late '90s, but never knew who recorded it. I remember there was this great blues track on a "Jim Beam Blues" sampler CD a friend played for me once at her apartment. Thanks to some web research, I found the track and discovered it was actually on a CD I already owned, kooky.

Get What You Deserve (Live) - The Derek Trucks Band (2010)
One of my favorites from one of my favorites.

Staying In Love - Raphael Saadiq (2008)
A track from the Winter's Eve Mix 2015, and such a good fit here I used it again.

The Stars Are Ours - Mayer Hawthorne (2013)
The throwback sound and an ode to the days of misspent youth, a must listen.

You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates (1980)
This is another one I've wanted to include in a summer mix for some time... glad I waited.

What Is Life - George Harrison (1970)
At first title/artist glance this may not seem a likely spot for this classic, but on listening it does.

Dim All the Lights - Donna Summer (1979)
And all that's come before leads here. I guess because I planned to have this track near the end, I feel like all the songs that preceded it have culminated here.

Waiting In Vain - Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)
I was actually surprised that I've never used this in a summer mix, ageless. Also, a "cool down" begins here as we make our way to the final song.

A Pirate Looks At Forty (Live) - Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds (2012)
Heard this cover a couple years ago and immediately added it to my music library, and nice inclusion as Dave & Tim are on tour this summer.

Moonglow - Diana Krall (2017)
Close it out with a great new cover of the 1933 track with some added sound effects of ocean waves crashing at the end.