Leadoff Edition

Staff Notes: Spotlight on Teddy P. The world of music lost a soul icon earlier this week with the passing of Teddy Pendergrass. Before launching a successful solo career, the Philadelphia native fronted Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and cut hits like "If You Don't Know Me By Now", "The Love I Lost" and "Wake Up Everybody". Pendergrass helped define the Philadelphia soul sound of the 1970s. About 12 years ago I was fortune enough to spend some time in Sigma Sound Studios where the legendary singer recorded so many classic songs. R.I.P.

1. Excursions- A Tribe Called Quest

• "Back in the days when I was a teenager, before I had status and before I had a pager, you could find the abstract listening to hip hop, my pops used to say it reminded him of be-bop." "What you gotta do is know that the tribe is in the sphere, the abstract poet, prominent like Shakespeare." Most great albums start off with a great song. "Excursions" kicks off things in style for A Tribe Called Quest's "Low End Theory". MC Q-Tip delivers his trade mark laid back flow over a jazzy baseline, drums and horns. The chorus samples vocals from The Last Poets, who along with Gil Scott-Heron stand as undeniable hip hop progenitors. I love the pager reference- it may see dated now but in 1991 it was cutting edge. My first "real job" after college set me up with a pager. Even when cell phones came in vogue it broke my heart to part ways with my pager.

2. Jane- Barenaked Ladies

• "I bring her gold and frankincense an myrrh, she thought that I was making fun of her, she made me feel I was fourteen again, that's why she thinks it's cooler if we just stay friends." "No promises as vague as heaven, no Juliana next to my Evan." "Jane" is the lead song from the 1995 album "Maybe You Should Drive" from the Barenaked Ladies. It went on to become a live favorite and was featured on the band's greatest hits compilation. Built on a gorgeous acoustic guitar riff the song features a number of memorable lyrics. My favorite lyric may be the reference to the then-popular Lemonheads. Sadly, in the liner notes for the greatest hits CD, lead singer and songwriter Steven Page wrote that he regretted that reference as he felt it dated the song. As a vocally challenged guitar player I'm still searching for the "Juliana next to my Evan". If you enjoy trivia- the inspiration for the title character (Jane St. Clair) in the song came from the intersection of two streets (Jane Street and St. Clair Avenue) in Toronto.

3. Burning in the Sun- Blue Merle

• "Well I had a girl, she was the best around, and I was in love, now I'm just hanging out." "And I'm burning in the sun, and losing my mind, hearts break in the summertime, I'm burning in the sun, and losing my mind." In the spring of 2005 I stumbled upon Blue Merle as an opening act at a concert in Baltimore. Later that summer I made a point to see them headline at the famous Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach while on vacation in California. I picked up their debut CD after the show (which sadly would be their only full length CD) and it became the soundtrack to my vacation which included a drive up and down the coast from San Diego to Pasadena and back again. "Burning in the Sun" is the lead song and title track for the album; an album I'd put in my all time top 10. After Blue Merle disbanded, front man Lucas Reynolds went on to form Pictures and Sound. I saw Pictures and Sound in concert in Philadelphia and the band played a new arrangement of "Burning in the Sun" that was one of the show's highlights. I chatted Lucas up after his set at the merch table and was pleased to learn that he's as down to earth as they come.