This year I decided to dig them out, and eventully play each and every one, then record a few on CD, give them as gifts, and teach my son how to do it.
First I needed a record player, which sounds ironic as I grew up in the 1970s and owned a few. My husband bought me one for my birthday, so I was all set!
The following are ten albums that I pulled from the pile, and what they mean to me now.
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| The Great French Carousel Organs, 1975. |
I grew up in San Francisco where there was (and still is) an old-time carousel in Golden Gate Park. Now my son gets the chance to ride on the colorful animals and watch the lights and listen to music he probably would not hear any where else.
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| Old Time Circus Calliope, 1964. |
Who doesn't remember the circus as a child? My dad took me to the circus every year, I loved the cotton candy and funny clowns. I have yet to take my son, but there is plenty of time.
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| Greek Folk Songs & Dances, 1972. |
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| Mountain Music Played on the Autoharp, 1962. |
When I was ten, my dad bought me an autoharp and for the next several years he taught me how to play it. I tried other musical instruments at school, and I attempted to learn how to play my dad's guitar and harmonica, but in the end I liked the autoharp the most.
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| New Orleans' Billie and De De and Their Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 1966. |
Stern Grove is a large park and public access area where I used go and catch crawdads with my friends. It was the closest experience we had to being in the county, while never leaving the city. The grove also holds free, summer concerts where thousands of people descend on the park with blankets and picnic baskets. My favorite band that played was The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. No human being can sit still when listening to their lively jazz and blues. My husband and I took our son to the fair a few years ago and were lucky to see them play, with a few new faces in the band.
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| Billie Holiday at Jazz at the Philharmonic, 1946. |
My mother was a jazz lover and lived in Chicago during the 1940s and 50s. She proudly told the story of how she saw Billie Holiday sing at a local club in the windy city when my mom was a young, budding street artist. I grew up listening to my mom's jazz records and a KJazz on the radio.
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| Saturday Night Fever, 1977. |
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| Pink Floyd's Ummagumma, 1969. |
When I was in sixth grade, my dad bought me my first Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of the Moon. Sadly, it got damaged during one of my many moves when I was a college student. I collected and listened to all their albums, and they continue to be one of my all-time favorite rock bands.
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| Music to Strip By |
I saved this one for last! And how could I not include it! I can only guess it was my dad's album, I never heard him play it, and since my mom divorced him when I was less than a year old, I know she never played it. Will I play it? Of course. Sadly, I don't have a stripper pole!
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