Musical generations

As readers of this blog know, I love the music of my generation. I can't think of a better time to be a teenager than at the birth of rock-n-roll in the early 50s. At the same time, I must admit it's not the "best" generational music I've heard over almost seven decades.


This was brought to mind as I listened to the jazz station on the way to the store for last minute holiday shopping. They were featuring big bands from the 30s and 40s. The music of my parents' generation -- and I think, in sum, they had the best music of any of the generational eras. Not only the great big bands like Glenn Miller but the incredible songwriters like Cole Porter. To my tastes, no generation has created better popular music.


And I think the generation after mine, the music of the 60s and 70s, comes in second. All that great early electric rock and, of course, the incredible songwriting and performance talents of the Beattles. I'd put this music, too, ahead of my own generation for its lasting musical value. But here the call is a close one. It's a photo finish for second place. The big band era ran away with the winner's trophy.


At the store I picked up the makings for what used to be a Thanksgiving specialty of mine, which I haven't made in years. Shrimp aspic. 3 parts tomato juice, 1 part clamato, gelatin, cocktail shrimp, sliced black olives. Yum, yum! Goes right next to the cranberry sauce.