Monday, June 25, 2012

Monday music - Rosanna X 3

First, just in case you don't know the tune, here's Toto's original studio version of Rosanna. It's worth listening to, if only for the slammin' horn arrangement by Chicago's Jimmy Pankow.


Then, since I always try to go-live at least once on Mondays, a more recent live performance. On the one hand, unfortunately sans horns; on the other — hey, Gandalf on bass!


Then finally a double-treat. This version is a Capella, and it's by a Slovenian choir called Perpetuum Jazzile. I've listened over and over, and still really like it. Enjoy! (You will.)


10 comments:

Paula Bolyard said...

Wow! That last one was quite a treat! Thanks for digging it up. I'll be listening to that a few more times!

And thanks for this history lesson on the song. I didn't realize that it was Jimmy Pankow (who also makes fabulous bread crumbs, BTW). After listening to it I thought it sounded reminiscent of Chicago 16, which came out the same year; sure enough, Wiki came up with this:

"Chicago 16 also features Toto band members Steve Lukather, Joseph Williams, David Paich, and Steve Porcaro, all of whom were once Chicago's labelmates at Columbia, which Toto was still signed to."

Huhn. I like a lot more Toto songs than I do Chicago 16 songs.

Oh, and I'm fairly sure that's the ZZ Top bass player, not Gandalf. I think he wandered onto the wrong tour bus. He looks a little dazed, but a good bass player can catch on quickly.

The Squirrel said...

Toto IV is one of my all time favorite albums. Just great rock-n-roll!

Merrilee Stevenson said...

Sad, growing up in the 80's on synthesizer muzik. My ear wasn't so discerning then to tell the difference between real horns and electro-hornz. And since then, they've been completely done away with--though the keyboardist does have the talent!

I really enjoyed the last video. They all looked like they were having a great time. What's more impressive is the number of microphones! (Says the wife of a sound guy.)

jmb said...

Very nice. I'm not sure, but I think the song was "inspired" by actress Rosanna Arquette.

Mark said...

Gandalf looks alot like Leland Sklar. Nice videos.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Gotta say I love the a capella version best. Love their energy!

threegirldad said...

jmb,

David Paich has said that "Rosanna" represents many different girls he had known up to that point. Some fans jumped to the conclusion that the song was about Rosanna Arquette because she was dating Steve Porcaro at the time. And the rumor got fueled by the band playing along with it.

David Regier said...

If you look at Gandalf's resume, you would be forgiven for thinking that no one else ever played the bass on anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Sklar

jmb said...

threegirldad,

Thanks for the info.

CR said...

Nice.