One one of the most technically fraught Capital Radio broadcasts yet was caused by a weak WiFi signal at my end, allowing the station’s auto-stream to intermittently and annoyingly interrupt. Luckily, the recorded archive program survives intact and without interruption here.
Started with brief appreciations of the recently deceased: Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died last week at 71; record impresario Seymour Stein, who died yesterday at 80; and Keith Reid, the Procol Harum lyricist who died last week, aged 76.
The coming of April and the baseball season took up the next set. Then it was a musical review of recent travels in Italy and Spain, including a trio of English pop songs sung in Italian and a Jonathan Richman flamenco workout.
Celebrated the birthdays today of Richard Thompson (74), Tony Orlando (79), Doris Day (born this day in 1922) and Billy Joe Royal (1942). A specific spotlight was shone on Richard Manuel of The Band, who would have turned 80 today. (He died in 1986 at 42 after a gig in Florida). Not only did we hear a few of his own celestial cuts, but a number of songs written about him since his passing. Closed with a Joni Mitchell singalong with James Taylor.
The full setlist follows.