Chuck Berry, along with opera director Peter Sellars announced today as winners of the Polar Music Prize. Why?
In its citation for Mr. Berry the award committee wrote that “every riff and solo played by rock guitarists over the last 60 years contains DNA that can be traced right back to Chuck Berry. The Rolling Stones, the Beatles and a million other groups began to learn their craft by playing Chuck Berry songs.”
‘Nuff said. Now, do you suppose the esteemed Mr. Berry will he hiring a Swedish bar band to back him up when he comes to Stockholm to accept his prize from King Carl Gustaf himself?
I do love the eclectic nature of this Swedish prize. As the Times puts it,
Last year’s winners were Kaija Saariaho and Yossou N’Dour; in 2006, they were Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin; and in 2004 they were B.B. King and Gyorgy Ligeti. (In 2003, Keith Jarrett – who works in both classical music and jazz, became the first and so far only musician to win the prize on his own.)
Now, back to Chuck Berry: The album pictured above is from his second LP, released in 1958, and one of my prized vinyl collections. Sure, it’s got the hits “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Rock & Roll Music,” and “Reelin’ and a Rockin'”….but have you ever heard this classic before: “Rockin’ At the Philharmonic?” I tend to agree with the All Music Guide characterization: “Rocking at the Philharmonic” is a rippling guitar/piano workout, a compendium of the sounds that lay beneath those hit singles, and a killer showcase not only for Berry, but also for Lafayette Leake at the ivories, and also a decent showcase for Willie Dixon‘s bass playing.”
Roedeo Productions 