In many way, it’s our first instrument: hand clapping percussion. It’s certainly enlivened a number of great songs over the decades, even as it encouraged to clap along. So played a bunch of songs that encouraged that joyful communal activity; then a bunch that demonstrated it, getting more complex as we went along, culminating with the 12/8 time signature in a Steve Reich-flavored remix of David Bowie.
Also noted the recent deaths of original Cricket Jerry Alison and jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco; and the death last year on this date of Lee “Scratch” Perry. It was also the birthday of Charlie Parker, Michael Jackson, Dinah Washington and country songwriter Don Schlitz. For Ingrid Bergman, it was both the anniversary of both her birth and the day she died. Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison would die the day after his 53rd birthday in 1995.
Here’s a link to the whole show; the playlist follows.