I was sitting in a restaurant last night when I spaced out and started listening to the jazz they were playing.  The song sounded familiar.  Perhaps the singer was Diana Krall?

I was wrong on the singer.   There’s no way Diana K would stoop so low as to sing the song I recognized –  “Everybody wants to rule the world” by Tears for Fears. It was followed by “Every breath you take” by the Police and, amazingly, “Boys don’t cry” by the Cure. All songs from my youth.  I never listen to them now.  They seem too childish.

In jazz format, (and I’m not kidding!) they initially take on the patina of sophistication.  Plus they transport you back to key events in your life – underage drinking, smoking etc….- that were accompanied by the songs.  So, doing Cure covers in a jazz format is going to open up a huge market if you do it right.  Wistful middle-aged adults with disposable income.  The problem is that listening to ten or more of these covers is going to make you throw up.  This was the flaw in the CD playing in the restaurant.  You have to mix things up with some real jazz.  You have to get Dina Krall to do the covers.  She’s married to Elvis Costello and has already compromised any purist principles she may once have held.  I want to hear her do some Dr Dre or Gnarls Barkley.  I’d buy that.