Waking up to Tom Sawyer

Most mornings, after the radio sounds - my mind remains muzzy.  It is warm and comfortable, clinging to precious unconsciousness.  Today... playing at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Jazz 91.1... today I discovered The Lost Fingers' cover of Tom Sawyer.  Yes THAT Tom Sawyer.  The one by Rush.  As a 1930's style gypsy jazz tune.

http:/www.thelostfingers.com/disco/

I'm not saying that my life will be forever altered, but my day certainly has been.  I will be going to ITunes and purchasing at least one of their albums - Lost in the 80s is looking to be top of my list, although Gypsy Kameleon is pulling  a close 2nd.  Usually David whacks the snooze button immediately - or maybe I've been sleeping more soundly lately, but this morning had me leaping from the bed on a veritable quest to discover who had done this mind-blowing cover.

And you know something?  You can't get through to Jazz 91.1 until 9:00 a.m.  WHAT THE WHAT??  I KNOW there are people in that building - I was LISTENING to them on the radio - but I can't ask the producer who did the song.  There are those of you who are shaking their heads - why didn't she look at the playlist?  I DID!  I looked at the stupid playlist and it made no mention of ANY band playing a fabulous version of Tom Sawyer.  It goes from 6:34:56 Benny Green - Opus de Funk to 6:48:52 Scott Hamilton - Swingin' Till the Girls Come Home.  A blank spot where I NEEDED to know the band.  So I went to YouTube searching for "Tom Sawyer Jazz Version."  That led me to a cool jazz trio, The Bad Plus, that played an instrumental of it.  But NOT the version I had heard mere minutes before.  I had to hunt for a good 7-9 minutes before I found the Lost Fingers' cover.  Then I did a little happy dance in my rolly desk chair.

I love, I mean, ABSOLUTELY FREAKING ADORE, finding new cool music.  I admit, my tastes run from the sublime to the ridiculous - this being sublimely ridiculous in the tastiest way possible.  I love bad lounge music - swing - torch songs... I know that part of me must have been from an earlier era.  But I also love alternative and prog rock and classic rock and classical and Philip Glass, the Violent Femmes and Nina Simone.  I like tasty things.  Music with bite or humour or that extra kick to the gut when you listen to it.  Affecting Art.  Inventive Theatre.  Film that surprises.  This morning - waking to this song was surprising in the best possible way.  Thank you The Lost Fingers - you really made my day!