The late Harrison Ridley Jr. (WRTI-Temple University Radio) interviews drummer George "Butch" Ballard. 2001 Part 2. Butch talks about Arnett Cobb, Clark Terry, Louis Armstrong, Shirley Scott and Evelyn Simms. All songs played feature Butch Ballard on drums.

Recorded by volunteer archivist Robert Smith

Ballard Butch 2001 - 02 Part 2

This is a Cedar Walton tune with additional lyrics by Suzanne Cloud, which turns this song into a dark and satirical travel commercial for clueless Americans to visit exotic Bolivia - a country the West (especially the USA) helped to corrupt in so many different ways. Personnel: Jef Lee Johnson (guitar), Chico Huff (bass), Jim Miller (drums), Dave DiPalma (saxophone and horn arrangement), Dave Buffington (trumpet), and Suzanne Cloud (vocals)

Bolivia

Music by Jim Miller and lyrics by Suzanne Cloud. Musicians: keyboardist Mark Knox, drummer Jim Miller, vocals Suzanne Cloud and Mark Knox

If you are absolutely put off by today's media coverage of our world - please listen. Most of the lyrics are composed of industry jargon insiders use in the biz. Here they are and their meanings:
"SLAP shot (=stupid, live and pointless), talking bean (=vacuous taking head)
Cable, keeps it cheese (=schmaltzy story or anchor chat producers hate but viewers love)
Greta (Van Susteran from Fox News), back to you. We know you’ve got things to do.
Hair cut (=the on-camera talent), mike stand (=photographer's term for reporters), too
Bird block (=satellite-feed newscast segment), Brady Bunch (=team coverage video effect; the screen is split into boxes)
Bat phone (=direct line from producers to anchors), out to lunch
Dog lick (=live shot irrelevant to story), neat trick
Straight live (=reporter stands there and explains what's happening, no tape), oh my!
Three A's (='ask any asshole'), slow fade, train wreck (=on-air newscast crash)
Newsroom, boom boom, all jive.

Christie’s (Chris Christie – Gov of NJ) grip and grin (=candidate photo-op)
Hot roll (=rolling tape from the live truck during the newscast), newsgasm (=big disaster story)
Big board (=giant TV screen in back of reporter) with anchorettes (=attractive but inexperienced female anchors)
Dave’s (David Gregory) gone from Meet the Press
War zones with standup tease (=upcoming story promo)
BOPSA (=generic shot of a 'bunch of people standing around'), diggin' sleaze
Go get what's next, forget context
Warm props (=background newsroom employees seen in wide shots of the studio floor during newscasts), don't stop, train wreck
Newsroom, boom boom, all jive

Newtown (Sandy Hook massacre), hose and go (=shoot as much video as possible)
Smotherage (=teams of reporters on the same story), never slow
Truth told? Let's get real! Fuzz was (=any sensational story with cops and dead bodies), sex appeal
Stakeout (=packs of photographers and reporters waiting for something or someone), scandal rules, ratings, silly fools.
Wire fire (=wiring a mic' on a remote interview guest so the studio anchor can fire questions), old liars, flop sweat
Newsroom, boom boom, all jive.
Push the suck button (=a directorial or other major on-air technical mistake) and cue the Jesus lights" (=camera filters that create a 'star effect' on the studio lighting).*


Broadcast Snooze

Written by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne, this tune had incredible meaning for me when I saw the incredible Mary Martin in the TV presentation of "Peter Pan." I was jumping off our living room couch for weeks. Played sensitively by everyone - pianist Jim Ridl, bassist Darryl Hall, Denis DiBlasio on alto and Jim Miller on drums - and we killed it in one take.  Arrangement by Denis DiBlasio!

Never Never Land

I wrote the music and the lyrics inspired by a friend's young daughter's fascination with Barbie Dolls. This song was also recorded by British jazz singer Claire Martin and numerous cabaret singers in NYC.  Performers: piano - Marty Mellinger, bassist Steve Varner, drummer Jim Miller, and Suzanne Cloud on vocals. Horn arrangement by trombonist Dale DeVoe

Collagen Lips

I wrote this song for all my sons, but it's named after my youngest - Joshua. They grow up so fast that before long they're up and out of the house, leaving you with small, remembered pieces of their childhood. Personnel: Denis DiBlasio (flute), Jim Rid (piano), Darryl Hall (bass), and Jim Miller (drums), Suzanne Cloud (vocal, composer, lyricist)

Joshua

This tune, written by the late Steve Allen, was recorded live at Victory Studios in 1995. Engineer was Gene Leone. Personnel: pianist Eddie Green, bassist Tyrone Brown, drummer Jim Miller, and Suzanne Cloud on vocals. Steve Allen had heard Cloud's first LP on an LA station, called the record label, and asked her to record some of his songs. This was one of them.

Impossible

Drummer Billy Jones asked me to sing on his debut record date as a leader: "3's a Crowd". I felt honored, so I chose this favorite of mine. This tune was written by the late pianist Eddie Green and myself and it appears on our first album together "I Like It!"

Just Dreamin'

This is a song composed by Tom Glenn with lyrics by Suzanne Cloud. It's about couples who find love again later in life. This was a live recording performed at the Collingswood Community Center in Collingswood, NJ on May 2, 2019. Personnel: Suzanne Cloud (v), Tom Glenn (g), Louis Taylor (as),  Tyrone Brown (b), Craig McIver (d)

Sound and Recording: Randy Sutin

Live At Collingswood

A Perfect Time

A beautiful ballad written by the late, great composer/guitarist Jef Lee Johnson and lyricist/vocalist Suzanne Cloud dedicated to Thelonious Monk. This was first recorded by Johnson and Cloud in 1996 for her CD "With a Little Help From My Friends" on Dreambox. 

This is a live recording by guitarist Tom Glenn and Suzanne Cloud and is included in the upcoming Real Philadelphia Book being published by Temple University Press. Recorded May 2, 2019 in Collingswood, NJ

A Lullaby, Dear Monk

This tune was written by the late, great composer/guitarist Jef Lee Johnson and lyricist/singer Suzanne Cloud for the 1996 CD "With a Little Help From My Friends". 

This was recorded live on May 2, 2019 in Collingswood, NJ.Personnel: Tim Glenn (g), Louis Taylor (as), Tyrone Brown (b), Craig McIver (d) Suzanne Cloud (v)

Below the Beltway

Jazz singer-songwriter, writer, and founding director of Jazz Bridge, a nonprofit that aids jazz and blues musicians in the Philadelphia Metro area in crisis.

Popular tracks by Suzanne Cloud