today's songs

I get into ruts sometimes. Well, not exactly ruts--more like grooves. I suppose all of us have problems playing certain songs within an inch of their lives for certain time periods.

Right now, over and over, I keep playing several songs. One is Basie's "April in Paris," and I do sincerely hope that one day I will no longer associate it with Blazing Saddles, when the entire orchestra is in the desert playing it. Another is Basie's "Corner Pocket."

I also keep playing a couple of Tito Puente songs: "Cual es la idea" and "Baile como es."

Virtually unknown "pieces" to most of my readers that get me going these days:
Sans frayeur dans ce bois - Chaconne H. 467 from Charpentier's Divertissements, as well as Charpentier's La Pierre Philosophale, H 501: Menuet pour la petite gnomide. So fun. The first has an absolutely fabulous bass line, as I'm finding most Chaconnes from the early 17th century do. It makes me want to learn viola da gamba something awful. But more than anything I want to learn theorbo. Which means I really, really ought to get back to playing the lute (or relearning it in my case since I only played it for a YEAR over ten years ago). The reason I didn't continue is that I ought to get my own freaking lute--I can't keep borrowing them. And they're not exactly available on any old street corner. But for any interested reader's information, I've attached pictures of a lute and a theorbo to this post. :)

Lute (theorbo at top):