A Big Man Moves On...In Honor of Clarence Clemmons

I was introduced in full to Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band via my first husband, and I thank him so much for really schooling me on the Asbury Park, anthemic, rock-n-roll group that was so much better than the songs that made pop-culture charts during my years of notice (i.e. Dancing in the Dark, Born in the USA).  If you watch old footage of the whole group, what strikes me beyond the great musicianship of all the players is their sense of camaraderie.  They look like they are having fun...and most notable in the FUN department was the "Big Man", Clarence Clemmons.

The sax is not one of my favorite instruments; in fact, I feel nauseated whenever I hear Kenny G; but I always found that Clarence's sax portions seriously added to the sound and sometimes sultry flair of the E-Street Band and his smile always make me do the same.  So in honor of a great musician I wanted to highlight a few of the songs where his artistry really stick out for me.

SPIRITS IN THE NIGHT....you can't deny the sax makes this song.

BORN TO RUN...the sax phone part into the crescendo really just hits me like a ton of bricks.

R.I.P. Clarence Clemmons...6/18/11.