Big Leather Couch

Each week TRAVIS from "Trav's Thoughts" hosts Five On Friday where we get to select five songs of any mix we care....

Check out the other participants by clicking on his link above...and join in!

You can register for free at playlist.com and type in a band name and BAM the song will be there to assist in building your playlist.

Travis lays out some guidelines for this meme and they go like this:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. Choose a particular theme to share with us. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

3. I don't know how to make a specific linky, so be sure to leave me a comment to let me know that you participated.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

This week, we bring you Blood Sweat & Tears. Formed in 1967 in New York City, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles. What the band is most known for, from its start, is the fusing of rock, blues, pop music, horn arrangements and jazz improvisation into a hybrid that came to be known as "jazz-rock".

Al Kooper, Jim Fielder, Fred Lipsius, Randy Brecker, Jerry Weiss, Dick Halligan, Steve Katz, and Bobby Colomby formed the original band.

The current roster is:
Steve Katz : guitar, harmonica, vocals
Rob Paparozzi : vocals, harmonica
Dave Gellis : guitar
Glenn McClelland : keyboards
Gary Foote : bass
Andrea Valentini : drums
Teddy Mulet : trumpet
Steve Jankowski : trumpet
Jens Wendelboe : trombone
Tom Timko : sax

This band may have used more musicians than any other band in their long history. I listed all of the musicians that have played with the band after the player...be warned, the list is LONG!!

HAVE A GRAND WEEKEND!!!

Al Kooper : keyboards, vocals (1967–1968)
Randy Brecker : trumpet, flugelhorn (1967–1968)
Jerry Weiss : trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals (1967–1968)
Fred Lipsius : alto sax, keyboards (1967–1972)
Dick Halligan : keyboards, trombone, horns, flute, backing vocals (1967–1972)
Steve Katz : guitar, harmonica, lute, mandolin, vocals (1967–1973, 2008– )
Jim Fielder : bass, guitar, backing vocals (1967–1974)
Bobby Colomby : drums, percussion, backing vocals (1967–1977)
David Clayton-Thomas : vocals, guitar (1968–1972, 1974–1981, 1984–2004)
Lew Soloff : trumpet, flugelhorn (1968–1974)
Chuck Winfield : trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals (1968–1973)
Jerry Hyman : trombones, recorder (1968–1970)
Dave Bargeron : trombone, tuba, horns, bass, backing vocals (1970–1978)
Bobby Doyle : vocals, piano (1972)
Joe Henderson : tenor sax (1972)
Lou Marini Jr. : tenor & soprano sax, flute (1972–1974)
Larry Willis : keyboards (1972–1978)
Georg Wadenius : guitar, vocals (1972–1975)
Jerry Fisher : vocals (1972–1974)
Tom Malone : trombone, trumpet, flugelhorn, alto sax, bass (1973–1974)
Jerry LaCroix : vocals, alto sax, flute, harmonica (1974)
Ron McClure : bass (1974–1975, 1976)
Tony Klatka : trumpet, horns (1974–1978)
Bill Tillman : alto sax, flute, clarinet, backing vocals (1974–1977)
Luther Kent : vocals (1974–1976)
Joe Giorgianni : trumpet, flugelhorn (1974–1975)
Jaco Pastorius : bass (1975–1976)
Steve Khan : guitar (1975)
Mike Stern : guitar (1975–1977)
Keith Jones : bass (1976)
Danny Trifan : bass (1976–1977)
Forrest Buchtell : trumpet (1975–1977)
Don Alias : percussion (1975–1976)
Roy McCurdy : drums (1976–1977)
Jeff Richman : guitar (1976 fill in for Stern)
Randy Bernsen : guitar (1977)
Barry Finnerty : guitar (1977–1978)
Neil Stubenhaus : bass (1977–1978)
Gregory Herbert : saxophone (1977–1978)
Michael Lawrence ; trumpet (1977)
Chris Albert : trumpet (1977–1978)
Bobby Economou : drums (1977–1978, 1979–1981, 1994–1995)
Kenny Marco : guitar (1979)
David Piltch : bass (1979–1980)
Joe Sealy : keyboards (1979)
Bruce Cassidy : trumpet, flugelhorn (1979–1980)
Earl Seymour : sax, flute (1979–1981)
Steve Kennedy : sax, flute (1979)
Sally Chappis : drums (1979)
Harvey Kogan : sax, flute (1979)
Jack Scarangella : drums (1979)
Vernon Dorge : sax, flute, vuvuzela (1979–1981)
Robert Piltch : guitar (1979–1980)
Richard Martinez : keyboards (1979–1980)
Wayne Pedzwater : bass (1980–1981)
Peter Harris : guitar (1980–1981)
Lou Pomanti : keyboards (1980–1981)
Mic Gillette : trumpet (1980–1981)
James Kidwell : guitar (1984–1985)
Jeff Andrews : bass (1984–1985)
Taras Kovayl : keyboards (1984–1985)
Tim Ouimette : trumpet, horns (1984–1985)
Mario Cruz : sax, flute (1984–1985)
Ricky Sebastian : drums (1984–1985)
Steve Guttman : trumpet (1985–2004)
Dave Gellis : guitar (1985–1990, 1996, 1998 fill in, 2005– )
Ray Peterson : bass (1985–1986)
Scott Kreitzer : sax, flute (1985–1986)
Teddy Mulet : trombone (1985–1986), trumpet (2005– )
Barry Danielian : trumpet (1985–1986)
Richard Sussman : keyboards (1985–1987)
Randy Andos : trombone (1986)
Tom Timko : sax, flute (1986–1987, 1995, 1998–2001, 2005–2008)
Tom DeFaria : drums (1985–1986)
John Conte : bass (1986–1987)
Steve Conte : guitar (1986 fill in)
Jeff Gellis : bass (1987–1990)
Dave Panichi : trombone (1987–1988, 1997–1998)
Glenn McClelland : keyboards (1987–1993, 1998, 2005– )
David Riekenberg : sax, flute (1987–1990, 1995–1998)
Jerry Sokolov : trumpet (1987–1994)
Graham Hawthorne : drums (1987–1988, 1989–1991)
Van Romaine : drums (1988–1989)
Neil Capolongo : drums (1991–1993)
Peter Abbott : drums (fill in early 1990s)
Charley Gordon : trombone (1987–1994, 2001)
Wayne Schuster : sax, flute (1990–1991)
Larry DeBari : guitar, vocals (1990–1997)
Gary Foote : bass (1990–1994, 1996–2004, 2005– )
Chuck Fisher : sax, flute (1991)
Jack Bashcow : sax, flute (1992)
Tim Ries : sax, flute (1992–1993, 1993–1995)
Charlie Cole : sax, flute (1993)
Matt King keyboards (1994–1998)
Mike Mancini (musician)|Mike Mancini : keyboards (fill in '80s/'90s)
Franck Amsallem keyboards (fill in mid '90s)
Henry Hey : keyboards (fill in mid '90s)
Ted Kooshian keyboards (fill in mid '90s)
Cliff Korman keyboards (fill in mid '90s)
Mike DuClos bass : (1994–1996)
Jonathan Peretz : drums (1995–1997)
Craig Johnson : trumpet (1994–1998)
Matt Milmerstadt drums : (1995, 1998)
Tom Guarna : guitar (1997–1998)
Jon Owens : trumpet (1998–2000)
Chuck Pillow : sax, flute (fill in 1998)
Brian Delaney : drums (1998, 2001)
Dave Stahl : trumpet (fill in 1995–1998)
Winston Byrd : trumpet (fill in 1998)
Dave Pietro : sax, flute (fill in 1998)
Dale Kirkland : trombone (1995–1996, 1998, 1999–2001, 2002–2006)
Pat Hallaran : trombone (1998–1999)
James Fox : guitar (1998–2000)
Dan Zank : keyboards (1998–2000)
Zach Danziger : drums (1998–2001)
Joe Mosello : trumpet (2000–2002)
Phil Magallanes : keyboards (2000–2001)
Andrea Valentini : drums (2001– )
Darcy Hepner : sax, flute (1999 fill in, 2001–2004)
John Samorian : keyboards (2001–2003)
Nick Marchione : trumpet (2002–2004)
Eric Cortright : keyboards (2003–2004)
Leo Huppert: bass (2004)
Steve Jankowski: trumpet (2005– )
Rob Paparozzi: vocals, harmonica (2005– )
Scottie Wallace: vocals (alternating with Rob P. 2005–2006)
Thomas Conner : vocals (fill in 2006 & 2007)
Jens Wendelboe: trombone (2006– )
Chris Tedesco : trumpet (fill in for Mulet 2006–2007)
Brian Steel : trumpet (fill in for Mulet 2008)
Bill Churchville : sax (fill in for Timko 2008)
Ken Gioffre : sax (fill in for Timko 2010)

Bob Dylan's award-winning XM music show, "Theme Time Radio Hour," launched its highly-anticipated third season on last evening, Wednesday, October 8 at 10:00am (ET) on XM Satellite Radio.

Additionally, in what promises to be a banner week for Bob Dylan fans, Tell Tale Signs – the 8th installment in the best-selling and critically heralded Bootleg Series which launched 1991 - is in stores now.

The advance critical response to Tell Tale Signs has been overwhelmingly ecstatic:

Robert Hilburn, writing in the Los Angeles Times (September 30, 2008), observed that "Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 is a rich, revealing look at how this master songwriter put together one of the most dramatic creative renaissances in pop history….Tell Tale Signs is not just "extra" Dylan. It's essential Dylan."

Chris Willman, giving the album an "A" review in Entertainment Weekly (September 30, 2008), made this analysis: "Excitingly, Tell Tale Signs jumps decades ahead to offer an alternate history of … the creative renaissance that started at the end of the 1980s and has been bearing fruit ever since….the generally superb Tell Tale Signs repurposes known material in simple, languid, semi-acoustic settings that hark back to '70s classics like Blood on the Tracks."

A treasure-trove of 27 songs spanning two discs, Tell Tale Signs features previously unreleased recordings and alternate versions of tracks from sessions which generated some of Bob Dylan's most acclaimed and commercially successful albums from the last two decades, including Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft, Modern Times and Oh Mercy. A limited-edition deluxe three-CD package of Tell Tale Signs -- featuring all of the elements of the two-disc set, plus an exclusive bonus disc of 12 additional rare and unreleased recordings and a hardcover book of Bob Dylan singles artwork spanning his entire career, presented in a specially-designed hardcover slipcase -- is also available now.

Bob Dylan's weekly radio program will air on Deep Tracks XM channel 40 on Wednesdays at 10:00 am (ET), The Village XM channel 15 at 12:00 pm (ET) and all day every Wednesday on XMX XM channel 2, the channel showcasing XM's most popular and critically-acclaimed original music shows all in one place.

Themes on season three of "Theme Time Radio Hour" will include "Money," "War," "Presidents," "Cats" and "Famous People."

"Theme Time Radio Hour," an hour-long radio program hosted by Bob Dylan, has been described as "revelatory" by Rolling Stone magazine. Each episode features an eclectic mix of songs, from a wide variety of musical genres, related to that week's theme with Dylan's on-air thoughts and commentary interspersed with phone calls, email readings, contributions from special guests and an array of classic radio IDs, jingles and promos from the past.

I found out yesterday, I will be getting a copy of Tell Tale Signs to review shortly. I did try and get a second copy to use as a give-away but was not able to do so, but you know in the past I have acquiesced and after transferring the music, passed along my copy to a lucky guest here on The Couch....

We shall see...

I am off to DMA08 Conference & Exhibit in the quiet, non-assuming city of Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday. The Conference runs through Wednesday and I return home on Thursday.

This is the first time in quite a few years that I have been able to attend this event and I am looking forward to it. There are a number of seminars that I am interested in attending and the Exhibit Hall always allows me to renew old friendships and begin new ones.

Then there are the parties! Many of the vendor companies host cocktail parties and events which turn into great networking opportunities (and free drinks! LOL).

I am not sure if I will have time to post, and am considering writing up some posts and scheduling them for posting while I am gone. I have a post for Ruby Tuesday and also another for Roger's Photo Contest, so that is two days!

Believe it or not, this is my first trip to the Oasis in the Desert. It will also afford me the opportunity to get together with an old friend who moved out there a few years ago. Plans are for me to spend Wednesday evening with he and his wife and he has already mentioned a great jazz club he wants to introduce me to.

Back a number of years ago I wrote industry related articles for a number of web-sites dedicated to the print and direct mail industry. Recently, my company asked me to contribute to an article for Direct Magazine. Yesterday, I was made aware the article was published and also appears on their online version.

Dry stuff to those who are not in the industry, but in case you are interested, you can read the article HERE

NOTE: The article is back!

Have always loved this band...


Blood Sweat & Tears
"You've Made Me So Very Happy"
Brenda Holloway (with Berry Gordy, Frank Wilson and Patrice Holloway)

I lost at love before
Got mad and closed the door
But you said "Try, just once more"
I chose you for the one
Now we're having so much fun
You treated me so kind
I'm about to lose my mind
You made me so very happy

The others were untrue
But when it came to loving you
I'd spend my whole life with you
Cause you came and you took control
You touched my very soul
You always showed me that
Loving you was where it's at
You made me so very happy
I'm so glad you came into my life yeah

I love you so much you see
You're even in my dreams
I can hear you, I can hear you callin me
I'm so in love with you
All I ever want to do is
Thank you baby, thank you baby

You made me so very happy
I'm so glad you came into my life
You made me so very happy
You made me so so very happy baby
I'm so glad you came
Into my life
I want to thank you girl
Every day of my life
I want to thank you
You made me so very happy