Summer Mix Series IV

After finishing my freshman year of college I knew I didn’t want to move back home to Minneapolis for the summer but I didn’t have the money to travel all summer or rent a place so instead I decided to live in the guest cabin of my family’s lake home in northwest Wisconsin. I found a job tending bar and waiting tables at a mexican jazz joint in the nearest town – the metropolis otherwise known as Spooner. I suppose I should clarify that they didn’t feature solely mexican jazz bands rather, they made mexican food and booked jazz bands. The owners had connections with some of the bookers in the Twin Cities so they were able to lure a number of excellent acts -wanting to write off a vacation to cabin country by playing a gig- up for a couple of shows a week. The only major problem was that there wasn’t much of a demand for jazz nor authentic mexican food in that part of Wisconsin and marketing budget was non existant so the shows were usually myself, the owners, a few curious vacationers and the bar regulars (who didn’t give a hoot what was playing as long as the Leinies was cold). While I failed to make much money that summer I did get to hear some incredible jazz and get my first taste of grilling musicians about their passion.

When I wasn’t working I was usually reading, lounging on the dock or kayaking around the lake. I brought my dog Al up to keep me company for the summer and we had some major bonding moments – he was particularly fond of the late night swims we’d do when I got home from work around 3am and wanted to wash off the smoke and greasy smell in the lake – as I learned what was, and will probably always be, one of the greatest lessons of my life – how to be totally ok with being alone. Naturally I also spent a lot of time listening to music. My mother kept her entire record collection at the lake so I often I threw on some of her LPs when I was in the mood. I also inhaled all the classic jazz recommendations my boss gave me which was a great way to learn more about what jazz I liked and what I didn’t.  The rest of the soundtrack for that summer was comprised of classic country and oldies which were the only two radio stations I could bare to listen to during my 25 minute commute to work. Those three months were perhaps some of the more random three months of my life – going to a tractor pull/meat raffle, surviving a f5 tornado, cutting 15 lbs of celery for a massive batch of menudo (which imparts a scent so vile and pervasive it took me years to me ok with the vegetable), learning the danger of Long Island Ice Teas – but definitely provided me with a lot of amazing memories and fodder for mah memoirs.

Walk Like A Man – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Thats Life (Frank Sinatra) – The Eels

Cherry Bomb – John Mellencamp

Let It Be Me (Everly Brothers) – Reid Jameson

Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright (Bob Dylan Cover) – Metric

Jackson – Johnny Cash

Cuerpo Y Alma (Body & Soul) – Esperanza Spalding

Night Swimming (REM Cover) – Coldplay (live at ACL)

Mood Indigo – Charles Mingus

Full Mix