Jay "Bird" Koder
Everyone in the place knows the song as soon as Jay “Bird” Koder plays the opening riff. He begins with what has become a signature line for about two bars before Reinhardt joins in on the high hat. Another 3-4 bars and Jarrod joins in on keys, then vocals. The ascending chords crescendo to a quick stop before the first lyrics are sung.
It may be the most requested song in SoulMates’ repertoire. It always brings oohs and aahs from the audience as soon as they recognize what is coming at them. The song is subtle and graceful and was written to the love of Bird’s life… who is also subtle and graceful.
The song is called Man4U.
First verse:
Sweet lady, My heart flies for you
'Cause you are on my mind all of the time
Moonbeam lover, I want to be with you
At this point Bird plays this cool little repeating couplet that absolutely calls to mind dreams of moonbeams and starlight reflected on a watery pool. In fact, it almost puts one in mind of a tone poem like Smetana’s Moldau or Sibelius’ Swan of Tuonela.
Help me find the words to make it right is sung over a guitar gliss that is full of optimism and hope. This is also the first mention of the shared efforts of the couple in finding their life together. It will be repeated in various ways to drive home the cooperative nature of serious love.
Chorus:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The chorus carries that familiar guitar riff again throughout these three lines. They conclude the stanza with the assertion that he could be what she wants. “I could be the man…”isn’t an expression of uncertainty. It is rather saying that he will be the man for her if she chooses him to be the man for her. It is not the assertion of a domineering man; it is the cooperative man who knows (and acknowledges to her) that she has a choice. This is a love song from a grown-up. It is rich and wise and understanding.
In the second line of the chorus above, I am certain that I hear a little wolf-call from the guitar. With all this serious attraction, there is also a playfulness. The chorus ascends to a crescendo and then again to a full stop.
In the following verse, the listener has to “listen with both ears” because Jarrod is singing the verse melody but Bird is playing something else underneath it all.
Second verse:
Lovely lady, Walk a while with me
So maybe we can help each other understand is a refrain of the co-operative theme of the song.
We can sing a song in the key of life is accompanied by an almost-lullaby phrase that is very sweet.
All you’ve got to do is take a hold of my hand
The crescendo/stop is repeated after a change from lullaby to funky ballad and the chorus is then pronounced in an almost staccato drive. It is single-minded in its thrice-repeated line.
Chorus:
And I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
It may be the most requested song in SoulMates’ repertoire. It always brings oohs and aahs from the audience as soon as they recognize what is coming at them. The song is subtle and graceful and was written to the love of Bird’s life… who is also subtle and graceful.
The song is called Man4U.
First verse:
Sweet lady, My heart flies for you
'Cause you are on my mind all of the time
Moonbeam lover, I want to be with you
At this point Bird plays this cool little repeating couplet that absolutely calls to mind dreams of moonbeams and starlight reflected on a watery pool. In fact, it almost puts one in mind of a tone poem like Smetana’s Moldau or Sibelius’ Swan of Tuonela.
Help me find the words to make it right is sung over a guitar gliss that is full of optimism and hope. This is also the first mention of the shared efforts of the couple in finding their life together. It will be repeated in various ways to drive home the cooperative nature of serious love.
Chorus:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The chorus carries that familiar guitar riff again throughout these three lines. They conclude the stanza with the assertion that he could be what she wants. “I could be the man…”isn’t an expression of uncertainty. It is rather saying that he will be the man for her if she chooses him to be the man for her. It is not the assertion of a domineering man; it is the cooperative man who knows (and acknowledges to her) that she has a choice. This is a love song from a grown-up. It is rich and wise and understanding.
In the second line of the chorus above, I am certain that I hear a little wolf-call from the guitar. With all this serious attraction, there is also a playfulness. The chorus ascends to a crescendo and then again to a full stop.
In the following verse, the listener has to “listen with both ears” because Jarrod is singing the verse melody but Bird is playing something else underneath it all.
Second verse:
Lovely lady, Walk a while with me
So maybe we can help each other understand is a refrain of the co-operative theme of the song.
We can sing a song in the key of life is accompanied by an almost-lullaby phrase that is very sweet.
All you’ve got to do is take a hold of my hand
The crescendo/stop is repeated after a change from lullaby to funky ballad and the chorus is then pronounced in an almost staccato drive. It is single-minded in its thrice-repeated line.
Chorus:
And I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
Another crescendo before the bridge opens onto the most
beautiful harmonic imagery of support and devotion. Again, the tone poem is called to mind because that imagery is remarkably and clearly projected with the music alone. The bridge is my favorite part of the whole song and I love the whole song!
Bridge:
Let me be the one that you can turn to
When everybody else lets you down
I want to be the man inside your eyes
Feel your heart, your soul in mine
If you don’t know by now let me say it again
Chorus:
That I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
The sexy guitar sounds like pure desire. Yet again appears the wolf-call in the guitar lick. Meanwhile, Bird’s running arpeggios uniquely build this feeling of longing in the music. The bridge serves as an interlude of reflection in the midst of the wooing where Bird writes of his own desires before returning to verse and chorus of winning her over.
Jarrod gets to improvise in between chorus and verse and Bird always acknowledges him with “J-Law is the man for you.” It Bird’s composition but he gives Jarrod all the space he needs.
Then follows another guitar solo which is more raw but still contains the beauty and sexiness of the earlier, more delicate, solo. While there is a delicacy mixed in, the listener gets the feeling that in the winning over of his loved one, he is becoming bolder and then following lyrics of the final verse move to assertion and a straightforward declaration of their own reality, especially as the improvisational section returns to this final verse.
Third verse:
Lovely lady, Let me love you girl
I need to let you know that this is for real
This life we share is no fantasy
Baby, let me show you how much I feel
Chorus:
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The final proclamation has been made and it can only bear repeating during the extended coda wherein guitars, vocals,
keys, and drums drive the point home.
Coda:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The masterpiece concludes on the sweetest and most delicate of phrases. This work has run the emotions of the whole courtship/pursuing relationship; from shy intention to boldness to urgency to victory. It is not, however, the victory of conquest but the sweet victory of relationship and belonging. It is not the conquest of one person’s will over another but the victory of two souls who have become one soul.
This is the music of the soul. It has come from the most personal of experiences and is shared with those whose souls are open to such sharing.
Ah, sweet sexy soul…
beautiful harmonic imagery of support and devotion. Again, the tone poem is called to mind because that imagery is remarkably and clearly projected with the music alone. The bridge is my favorite part of the whole song and I love the whole song!
Bridge:
Let me be the one that you can turn to
When everybody else lets you down
I want to be the man inside your eyes
Feel your heart, your soul in mine
If you don’t know by now let me say it again
Chorus:
That I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
The sexy guitar sounds like pure desire. Yet again appears the wolf-call in the guitar lick. Meanwhile, Bird’s running arpeggios uniquely build this feeling of longing in the music. The bridge serves as an interlude of reflection in the midst of the wooing where Bird writes of his own desires before returning to verse and chorus of winning her over.
Jarrod gets to improvise in between chorus and verse and Bird always acknowledges him with “J-Law is the man for you.” It Bird’s composition but he gives Jarrod all the space he needs.
Then follows another guitar solo which is more raw but still contains the beauty and sexiness of the earlier, more delicate, solo. While there is a delicacy mixed in, the listener gets the feeling that in the winning over of his loved one, he is becoming bolder and then following lyrics of the final verse move to assertion and a straightforward declaration of their own reality, especially as the improvisational section returns to this final verse.
Third verse:
Lovely lady, Let me love you girl
I need to let you know that this is for real
This life we share is no fantasy
Baby, let me show you how much I feel
Chorus:
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The final proclamation has been made and it can only bear repeating during the extended coda wherein guitars, vocals,
keys, and drums drive the point home.
Coda:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The masterpiece concludes on the sweetest and most delicate of phrases. This work has run the emotions of the whole courtship/pursuing relationship; from shy intention to boldness to urgency to victory. It is not, however, the victory of conquest but the sweet victory of relationship and belonging. It is not the conquest of one person’s will over another but the victory of two souls who have become one soul.
This is the music of the soul. It has come from the most personal of experiences and is shared with those whose souls are open to such sharing.
Ah, sweet sexy soul…
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