This track below, "Mojave," is from Antonio Carlos Jobim's 1967 album, Wave. I think my parents must have acquired this album not long after it first came out, because I distinctly remember seeing the black disk playing on the turntable when I was age 7 or so, and thinking it was the grooviest thing imaginable. At age 7, following my parents' taste to some extent (minus the classical, which seemed too "slow" to my childish sensibilities), I was mostly interested in Simon and Garfunkle, The Greatful Dead, the Beatles, Cat Stevens, and suchlike. And then there was this. My parents were not into jazz, typically, but somehow this album was in rotation.
When I played this album for the first time – still with fondness – for my college roommate (a music geek if ever the was one), his reaction was simple: "That sounds like elevator music." I had never thought of this before, but I took it with pride – as if I (or my parents) had discovered the genre of elevator music before it became "popular."
I think having this track on my mp3 rotation these days means it's one of the oldest continuously-listened-to pieces in my life.
What I'm listening to right now.
Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Mojave."
The video is weird – I rather like it, as it appears to be archival footage of a 100-year-old train trip. But my brain rebels against the idea of an Edwardian British train trip being accompanied by 60's bossa nova. It's painfully anachronistic. But… anyway. It's the version I was able to find via quick googlification.
[daily log: uh oh – I became lazy]
I’m not sure whether I am the aforementioned music geek or whether you meant our roommate Ken, since I believe we were all roommates at the time you brought this album to our attention. In any case, I loved it then, and I still listen to the cassette tape dub I made of your lp those many years ago. Now my kids are also Jobim fans. Long live the original elevator music!
Actually I was thinking it was you, but your comment makes me realize it was, in fact, Ken, who first made the elevator music observation. But you guys both ran with it. I have fond memories of the Dupree Hall Elevator, because of it.
It really is interesting music, to me. Very unassuming and unambitious yet ends up seeming pretty deep.