Artist: Cheryl Ladd
LP: Dance Forever
Song: "Dance Forever"
If there's one thing I've always admired about Cheryl Ladd, it's her ability to pull herself up by the boot-straps and keep on going, through the good times and the bad.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Men's Recovery Project
Artist: Men's Recovery ProjectLast night I went to see three movies at the Seattle International Film Festival that put me in the mood for music with a Middle Eastern theme. First there was MELODRAMA HABIBI from France (but mostly filmed in Lebanon), which was lots better than the SIFF catalog's pic and description led me to expect. ABOUT ELLY, an Iranian thriller which takes place on the shores of the Caspian Sea, was engrossing in spite of the fact that the film's reels were played in the wrong order. The version we saw opened with the "alarming incident," then stepped back a few hours in time, and then the opening credits suddenly appeared on the screen about 45 minutes into the show. I ended my evening with the North American premiere of BLACK DOGS BARKING, a sort of Turkish MEAN STREETS with great characters and story. Someone from the festival evidently had to fly down to Los Angeles yesterday morning, collect the film print from the Turkish Consolate there and then fly back to Seattle with it, arriving just in time for our 9:30pm screening.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Los Macovals
Artist: Los MacovalsLP: 7" single
Here's one of a pair of jaunty 7" singles by Los Macovals found during a weekend getaway to Vancouver, Canada in the spring of 2008. If you'd like your own copy, looks like you can get one here for 10 Euros. And if you're interested in your own weekend getaway to Vancouver, Canada and you'd like some neat, reasonable accommodations in the center of the city, I recommend the Moda Hotel.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Earl Grant
Artist: Earl GrantLP: Earl After Dark
Here's some more great organ music for early on a Monday morning—though according to my radio alarm clock it's somehow already Tuesday. Earl Grant would be 78 if he was alive today, but, sadly, he died in a car crash in New Mexico when he was only 39 years old. More info on the talented Earl Grant can be found here and here, and notes from the back of his 1961 "Earl After Dark" LP are included here:
A remarkably versatile musician and a dynamic showman,
Earl Grant can with equitable ease and facility perform at
the piano, at the organ, or as a vocalist.
This album showcases the instrumental side of Mr. Grant's
talents. We hear him, at the organ, performing a collection
of show tunes, movie themes, evergreens and new melodies...
a variety designed to suit many tastes and moods and to
give full rein to Earl's imaginative artistry.
Introducing each melody by playing it "straight," Earl
then goes into the colorfully inventive improvisation for
which he is so well known. you will hear a wistful interpretation
of Moonlight In Vermont, with a tonal effect suggestive of
strings and reeds; All the Way, the hit tune from "The Joker
Is Wild"; the bluesy Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You; Raymond
Scott's musically witty Mountain High, Valley Low; Duke
Ellington's classic Mood Indigo; Old Devil Moon, from "Finian's
Rainbow," played in a delightful beguine tempo; the "South
Pacific" show stopper, Bali Ha'i; Cole Porter's sophisticated Get
Out of Town; Then I'll Be Tired of You, played at a bright and
breezy pace; Victor Young's bouncy A Hundred Years From
Today; the "My Fair Lady" favorite, On the Street Where
You Live; and Illinois Jacquet's Robbin's Nest.
EARL AFTER DARK is a musical thriller. Soundwise it is a
presentation of startling depth and clarity.
Earl Grant can with equitable ease and facility perform at
the piano, at the organ, or as a vocalist.
This album showcases the instrumental side of Mr. Grant's
talents. We hear him, at the organ, performing a collection
of show tunes, movie themes, evergreens and new melodies...
a variety designed to suit many tastes and moods and to
give full rein to Earl's imaginative artistry.
Introducing each melody by playing it "straight," Earl
then goes into the colorfully inventive improvisation for
which he is so well known. you will hear a wistful interpretation
of Moonlight In Vermont, with a tonal effect suggestive of
strings and reeds; All the Way, the hit tune from "The Joker
Is Wild"; the bluesy Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You; Raymond
Scott's musically witty Mountain High, Valley Low; Duke
Ellington's classic Mood Indigo; Old Devil Moon, from "Finian's
Rainbow," played in a delightful beguine tempo; the "South
Pacific" show stopper, Bali Ha'i; Cole Porter's sophisticated Get
Out of Town; Then I'll Be Tired of You, played at a bright and
breezy pace; Victor Young's bouncy A Hundred Years From
Today; the "My Fair Lady" favorite, On the Street Where
You Live; and Illinois Jacquet's Robbin's Nest.
EARL AFTER DARK is a musical thriller. Soundwise it is a
presentation of startling depth and clarity.
[ Earl Grant: January 20, 1931 — June 11, 1970 ]Friday, May 22, 2009
Creation
Artist: Creation
LP: Creation
Song: "It's Gotta Be This Way"[ listen ]
"It's Gotta Be This Way" from Creation's self-titled 1974 LP perfectly demonstrates the power of the well-placed hand-clap. There have been several musical groups with the name Creation over the years; the lineup for this one can be found here.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Colosseum II
Artist: Colosseum IILP: Electric Savage
It's one of those rare occasions where the sequel is even better than the original! You can see Colosseum II's live performance of "The Inquisition" here.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Pete and Sheila Escovedo
Artist: Pete and Sheila EscovedoLP: Happy Together
A son of Mexican immigrants, Pete Escovedo has been a major force in the American Latin Jazz scene, as you can read here. The oldest of Pete's six children, Sheila Escovedo was just 16 in 1973 when she was invited to tour South America with her father's band, Azteca, filling in for the group's conga player who wasn't able to make the trip. Sheila continued to play in her father's group until meeting Prince at a concert in the 1980s, after which she dropped the "scovedo," then sang and purcussionized her way to international stardom with hits like "The Glamorous Life," "The Belle of St. Mark" and "A Love Bizarre."
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Atanas
Artist: AtanasLP: Shadows
It was August of 1985 and the final U.S. box office totals for A VIEW TO A KILL were in... and they did not look good. The James Bond franchise was desperately in need of an overhaul and both Albert and Barbara Broccoli knew it. Roger Moore had announced that he would not be renewing his license to kill, and the fiasco known as NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN just a few years earlier had only confirmed what critics had been saying all along: Sean Connery was simply too old to continue playing the globe-trotting sex maniac/spy known affectionately as Secret Agent 007.
With the bigwigs at MGM unwilling to deviate from the same old formula that had brought the studio so much success in the past, the Broccolis realized it was up to them to come up with a plan that would give James Bond the modern makeover he needed and deserved. After lots of brainstorming and two arguments, a few basic things were finally decided: For the roles of James Bond and his arch nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld of SPECTRE, actors with no previous film experience would need to be found. Also, the next Bond film would be a musical.
Albert had Barbara arrange several dozen auditions at locations all around the globe. Hopeful applicants were instructed to bring several things with them in order to try out for the roles. First, they should have a photo of themselves pictured in character for the part they wanted to play. The Bond photo, they were told, should illustrate what the secret agent would look like when entering a glitzy Monte Carlo casino. For the role of Blofeld, applicants should be pictured stroking a cat—while simultaneously giving the impression that they would like to destroy the world.
The Broccolis required audition participants to prepare a 3-minute monologue which would be presented to a panel of judges, who would then determine each actor's dramatic range. Applicants were also instructed to write, record and hand over two songs that could be used in the new Bond film. One should be an upbeat number that would serve as the film's opening credits theme song; the other, a tender ballad that the Bond actor would actually perform on-screen at some point in the story—with orchestral variations to then be used during 007's passionate liaisons and romantic interludes—or whenever there was a slow spot in the film.To make a long story short, after only three audition sessions (Dallas, Buenos Aires, Duluth), the studio heads got wind of what the Broccolis were up to and put a stop to it—pronto. They gathered and destroyed all audition photos and tapes, hired a few reliable hacks to knock out a new Bond script, stuffed an unknown British actor into the lead role and the 007 series lumbered on exactly as it had before.
Of course, the details from the Broccolis' three secretive musical Bond auditions have been lost in the mists of time—yet there is one bizarre artifact that remains to bear testimony to this fascinating turn of events. A young man known only by the name Atanas had participated in the Duluth auditions, trying out for the roles of both Blofeld and James Bond. A wiry, sandy-haired man named Ricky Glomwood who was on the panel of judges was so taken with Atanas' talent that he had tucked the actor's photos into his personal briefcase—along with his two musical recordings and a black-and-white photo he'd secretly snapped of the swarthy Bond hopeful presenting his monologue from the police station scene of A REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE.
Several months after production on MGM's new Bond film, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, got underway, Ricky Glomwood tracked down Atanas and convinced him to record several additional tracks with a producer named Pat Hand who had a studio on the outskirts of Detroit. Atanas' original Bond opening credits theme song, "Shoot the Gun," was reworked slightly and some breathy backing vocals were added to "Talk to Me Like the Rain," the Bond love theme Atanas had penned for his audition. Then, using the three photos from Glomwood's personal briefcase for the LP artwork, Atanas' only record album, "Shadows," was released in September of 1986 to lackluster reviews and a largely disinterested public.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Ethel Smith
Artist: Ethel Smith
LP: Souvenir Album [10" EP]
Monday mornings and organ music seem to go together lately like bagels and cream cheese. Ethel Smith is another one of my organ-playing favorites, and this is the 50¢ record through which I first discovered her. You can read all about Ethel here, here and here, and see a clip here of Ethel Smith performing her hit song "Tico-Tico" in the 1944 Esther Williams vehicle "Bathing Beauty." The biographical notes from the back of this 10" souvenir EP can be found below.
You couldn't call Ethel Smith a "Latin from Manhattan,"
because she's originally from Pittsburgh. But if she had
decided to be born on Father Knickerbocker's island, the
phrase would have fitted her perfectly—for Ethel has been
in love with Latin America and its music since she was ten.
Her most ardent childhood desire was some day to go
south of the equator. Not only did she realize that wish
before she was twenty-three, but she also became the
foremost exponent of Latin rhythms on the electric organ.
But let's go back to the beginning—back to Pittsburgh, for
it was here that Ethel received much of her sound musical
background at Carnegie Tech. Institute where she studied
piano, organ and, incidentally, Spanish. After graduation,
she got a job playing in the pit for a Shubert show. It was
her first taste of commercial musical life and she liked it well
enough to tour with the company for twenty-eight weeks.
Next came an offer to accompany a singer in one of
Hollywood's studios. One day, on the set, she noticed
a Hammond Electric Organ—at that time, only recently
developed. She took to it immediately. Apparently, it
took to her, too, for an alert and advertising-wise dealer
saw in her nimble-fingered playing an excellent way to
demonstrate the new Hammond. He not only let her
practice on it to her heart's content, but also allowed
her to take it with her to Florida where she was booked
for an engagement playing accompaniment for a trio
in a little Bavarian restaurant. Ethel soon adopted the
electric organ as her chosen solo instrument—mainly be-
cause it responded so sensitively to the highly colorful
tropical rhythms she loved so well.
When Cordell Hull sailed southward to attend the first
Pan-American conference, Ethel was one of the few
women who traveled with his party. She had managed
to snare the post of chairman of the entertainment
committee. Her first and long-dreamed-of South
American trip, it served to whet her appetite for
other more extenswive expeditions—for she had
decided to make a first-hand study of the native
music. Her travels below the border eventually encom-
passed some seventeen Caribbean and South American
countries. "For a while," she says, "I became a regular
tropical hep chick. I stuck my nose into every smoky
cabaret that boasted a native orchestra. Whenever
they let me, I'd sit in with the boys for a little Latin
jam session. That way it didn't take long to collect a
trunk-load of authentic and out-of-the-way rhythms
and melodies—including such lush and sultry-sounding
ones as chacareras, milongas, bambucos, pasillos,
guarachas, habaneras and, of course, the traditional
sambas, rumbas and congas."
So well did Ethel learn to interpret the music of South
America that she was offered an engagement at one
of its most celebrated night spots—Rio De Janeiro's
Copacabana. While she was playing here, an executive
of a tobacco company invited her to return to New York
for the "Hit Parade" radio show. Ethel was featured as
one of its stars for over a year. Then a talent scout
from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer suddenly awoke to the
fact that not only was Ethel's music a delight to the
ear, but that Ethel, herself, was extremely photogenic.
She was offered a contract, at what she considered a
"fantastic figure" and, modestly but definitely, accepted.
Since that time she has been featured in a wide variety
of films, sharing musical sequences with such men as
Harry James, Gene Krupa, and Van Johnson. Whether
she is heard in sweet music or swing, she is as
entertaining and as authentic as she is original.
[ Ethel Smith: November 22, 1910 — May 10, 1996 ]
because she's originally from Pittsburgh. But if she had
decided to be born on Father Knickerbocker's island, the
phrase would have fitted her perfectly—for Ethel has been
in love with Latin America and its music since she was ten.
Her most ardent childhood desire was some day to go
south of the equator. Not only did she realize that wish
before she was twenty-three, but she also became the
foremost exponent of Latin rhythms on the electric organ.
But let's go back to the beginning—back to Pittsburgh, for
it was here that Ethel received much of her sound musical
background at Carnegie Tech. Institute where she studied
piano, organ and, incidentally, Spanish. After graduation,
she got a job playing in the pit for a Shubert show. It was
her first taste of commercial musical life and she liked it well
enough to tour with the company for twenty-eight weeks.
Next came an offer to accompany a singer in one of
Hollywood's studios. One day, on the set, she noticed
a Hammond Electric Organ—at that time, only recently
developed. She took to it immediately. Apparently, it
took to her, too, for an alert and advertising-wise dealer
saw in her nimble-fingered playing an excellent way to
demonstrate the new Hammond. He not only let her
practice on it to her heart's content, but also allowed
her to take it with her to Florida where she was booked
for an engagement playing accompaniment for a trio
in a little Bavarian restaurant. Ethel soon adopted the
electric organ as her chosen solo instrument—mainly be-
cause it responded so sensitively to the highly colorful
tropical rhythms she loved so well.
When Cordell Hull sailed southward to attend the first
Pan-American conference, Ethel was one of the few
women who traveled with his party. She had managed
to snare the post of chairman of the entertainment
committee. Her first and long-dreamed-of South
American trip, it served to whet her appetite for
other more extenswive expeditions—for she had
decided to make a first-hand study of the native
music. Her travels below the border eventually encom-
passed some seventeen Caribbean and South American
countries. "For a while," she says, "I became a regular
tropical hep chick. I stuck my nose into every smoky
cabaret that boasted a native orchestra. Whenever
they let me, I'd sit in with the boys for a little Latin
jam session. That way it didn't take long to collect a
trunk-load of authentic and out-of-the-way rhythms
and melodies—including such lush and sultry-sounding
ones as chacareras, milongas, bambucos, pasillos,
guarachas, habaneras and, of course, the traditional
sambas, rumbas and congas."
So well did Ethel learn to interpret the music of South
America that she was offered an engagement at one
of its most celebrated night spots—Rio De Janeiro's
Copacabana. While she was playing here, an executive
of a tobacco company invited her to return to New York
for the "Hit Parade" radio show. Ethel was featured as
one of its stars for over a year. Then a talent scout
from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer suddenly awoke to the
fact that not only was Ethel's music a delight to the
ear, but that Ethel, herself, was extremely photogenic.
She was offered a contract, at what she considered a
"fantastic figure" and, modestly but definitely, accepted.
Since that time she has been featured in a wide variety
of films, sharing musical sequences with such men as
Harry James, Gene Krupa, and Van Johnson. Whether
she is heard in sweet music or swing, she is as
entertaining and as authentic as she is original.
[ Ethel Smith: November 22, 1910 — May 10, 1996 ]Friday, May 15, 2009
Vic Dana
Artist: Vic DanaLP: 7" single
With eyes like midnight and rolling waves of ebony hair, boyishly handsome Vic Dana reportedly wrote the song "Danger" after just a single date with Annette Funicello, whom he'd met on the set of her film "Beach Party." The song became a minor hit, climbing all the way to #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles charts in June of 1963. Humiliated, Funicello took the advice of good friend Shelley Fabares and swore she'd never speak to Dana again. She's kept her promise to this very day—except for that time in 2003 when she unwittingly bought a used car from him in Paducah, Kentucky.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Rainbows In the River
It's been raining in Seattle for the past 5 days, so this one turned out kinda sad and cloudy. Some of my favorite new releases are mixed in here. side one:
01. Les Mains de Femmes - Mayol
02. Chimaerica - Jóhann Jóhannsson
03. Velvet - The Big Pink
04. My Love and the Sea - Les Baxter & His Orchestra
05. Don't Break My Pretty Balloon - Vikki Carr
06. Ox Baker Triumphant - The Mountain Goats
07. Laughing With a Mouth of Blood - St. Vincent
08. The Three Day Man - The Waterboys
09. Angel of the Morning - Juice Newton
10. Silver Mountain - The Gentleman Losers
11. People - El Perro Del Mar
12. Ramona - Saint Granier
13. Here Comes the Rain, Baby - Wilma Burgess
14. Mood Indigo - Charles Mingus
[ listen ]
side two:
01. Cataclismo - Los Violines Romanticos de Mexico
02. I'll Be Home - The Platters
03. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set - Sarah Vaughan
04. Careless Love - Camera Obscura
05. See You When I Get There - Lou Rawls
06. Theme For Someone In Love - The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett
07. Lost Love - Rod McKuen
08. La Llorona - Beirut
09. Do I Have a Chance - Rajah
10. Mon Homme - Mistinguett
11. El Irresistible - Aníbal Troilo y su Orquesta Típica
12. Ou Es-Tu Ma Joie - Caterina Valente
13. Ljubav - Mahir Paloš
14. Korean Dogwood - Devendra Banhart
[ listen ]
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Blue Goose
Artist: Blue GooseLP: Blue Goose
Out of every 50 generic-looking used LPs I sample by unknown '70s rock bands, there are usually 3 or 4 that are really dynamite and that make the tedious search worthwhile. Here's one of the gems, by a band called Blue Goose—whose lineup briefly included Eddie Clark of Motörhead and Fastway. Unfortunately, Blue Goose evidently split up after recording this self-titled LP back in 1975.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Ronnie Dyson
Artist: Ronnie Dyson
LP: (If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?
Song: "She's Gone"[ listen ]
After reading the exuberant notes on the back of Ronnie Dyson's debut LP, I felt like I needed to apologize to someone for never having heard of him. Dyson does have an incredible voice, so I can see why his producer's hopes and expectations were so high—perhaps a little too high. After starring in the stage musical "Hair" and landing several top ten hits from this 1969 album, Ronnie Dyson's popularity diminished and he died of heart failure in 1990 when he was just 40 years old. You can read about Ronnie Dyson on Wikipedia here and the liner notes from producer Billy Jackson and Columbia rep. Don DeVito are included here:
From the producer's viewpoint:
"If Ronnie ever unleashes all his God-given talent..." "For one
so young to be so talented..." "Aretha has it, Otis had it, Ray
has it, The Beatles have it, you can go on all day. Ronnie has
it also..." "He sings, swings, and brings it to you, ready or not..."
"You owe it to yourself to catch his performance..."
All these superlatives are described by the great musicians
and background vocalists you hear performing on the album.
What a defensive position to be placed in. "If you handle this
kid right, you have a superstar..." "Find the right combination
and you will create a monster..." "Just lead him to a piano..."
"Wow!"
This producer was called into John Hammond's office to
audition Ronnie. John, who had discovered and signed such
great artists as Aretha, Dylan, Donovan, and Benny Goodman,
and has been so instrumental in the career of many of our
great jazz and pop artists of this decade, has done it again.
Ronnie Dyson is an artist. His natural ability, coupled with
ageless experience, will place him among the new faces of
the next decade. There is not too much I can say about him
that hasn't been said before or that you won't hear once you
set the needle down on this album. Ronnie is the artist's
artist, and I am glad to be associated with him.
— Billy Jackson
* * * * * * *
Life is stranger than fiction...and show business is stranger
than life. For example, Ronnie Dyson sang Aquarius in the smash
musical "Hair" (a song especially written for him)—he did not
record it, and of course, he did not have the hit recording.
Along came another hit show, "Salvation," with more good
music. Ronnie took a song from that show, Why Can't I
Touch You?, and the rest is history.
Ronnie's musical talent is so broad, you'll find songs for
everyone in this album. Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over
Troubled Water takes on a completely new feeling, reflecting
Ronnie's gospel background. Emmie is a song written by Laura
Nyro, one of the great contemporary writers. The album contains
current hits such as Band of Gold, I Just Can't Help Believin',
and Make It With You. To round out the music, you should
remember I Don't Wanna Cry and the classic Fever.
Ronnie treats the new songs in this album, She's Gone, Do
What Your Heart Tells You to Do and A Touch of Baby his
own way and makes them instant hits.
Ronnie is only 19 years old. He was born in Washington, D.C.,
moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was one, and has lived
there ever since. He still sings in his church choir (tours, too).
A whole lot of talent in this album. Listen and become part
of the beginning of Ronnie Dyson.
— Don DeVito
"If Ronnie ever unleashes all his God-given talent..." "For one
so young to be so talented..." "Aretha has it, Otis had it, Ray
has it, The Beatles have it, you can go on all day. Ronnie has
it also..." "He sings, swings, and brings it to you, ready or not..."
"You owe it to yourself to catch his performance..."
All these superlatives are described by the great musicians
and background vocalists you hear performing on the album.
What a defensive position to be placed in. "If you handle this
kid right, you have a superstar..." "Find the right combination
and you will create a monster..." "Just lead him to a piano..."
"Wow!"
This producer was called into John Hammond's office to
audition Ronnie. John, who had discovered and signed such
great artists as Aretha, Dylan, Donovan, and Benny Goodman,
and has been so instrumental in the career of many of our
great jazz and pop artists of this decade, has done it again.
Ronnie Dyson is an artist. His natural ability, coupled with
ageless experience, will place him among the new faces of
the next decade. There is not too much I can say about him
that hasn't been said before or that you won't hear once you
set the needle down on this album. Ronnie is the artist's
artist, and I am glad to be associated with him.
— Billy Jackson
* * * * * * *
Life is stranger than fiction...and show business is stranger
than life. For example, Ronnie Dyson sang Aquarius in the smash
musical "Hair" (a song especially written for him)—he did not
record it, and of course, he did not have the hit recording.
Along came another hit show, "Salvation," with more good
music. Ronnie took a song from that show, Why Can't I
Touch You?, and the rest is history.
Ronnie's musical talent is so broad, you'll find songs for
everyone in this album. Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over
Troubled Water takes on a completely new feeling, reflecting
Ronnie's gospel background. Emmie is a song written by Laura
Nyro, one of the great contemporary writers. The album contains
current hits such as Band of Gold, I Just Can't Help Believin',
and Make It With You. To round out the music, you should
remember I Don't Wanna Cry and the classic Fever.
Ronnie treats the new songs in this album, She's Gone, Do
What Your Heart Tells You to Do and A Touch of Baby his
own way and makes them instant hits.
Ronnie is only 19 years old. He was born in Washington, D.C.,
moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was one, and has lived
there ever since. He still sings in his church choir (tours, too).
A whole lot of talent in this album. Listen and become part
of the beginning of Ronnie Dyson.
— Don DeVito
[ Ronnie Dyson: June 5, 1950 — November 10, 1990 ]Monday, May 11, 2009
Sir Lancelot
Artist: Sir LancelotLP: Calypso
Song: "Chinese Cricket Match"
[ listen ]
[ listen ]
Born in Trinidad in 1903, Lancelot Victor Edward Pinard (aka. Sir Lancelot) appeared in a number of Hollywood films in the 1940s and '50s, including the 1948 Doris Day vehicle Romance On the High Seas and 1944's To Have and Have Not with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. He also appeared in the 1943 Val Lewton horror classic I Walked With a Zombie, where he performed the song "Shame and Scandal In the Family," as you can see here. You can read about Sir Lancelot's life and career here and here and see a list of his other film appearances and read his Los Angeles Times obituary here. In the song I've posted above, Sir Lancelot is having trouble pronouncing the names of the players on a Chinese cricket team—names which, according to the song, derive from the sounds of steel drums.
[ Sir Lancelot: May 24, 1903 — March 12, 2001 ][ still from: Curse of the Cat People — 1944 ]
Friday, May 8, 2009
Miquel Brown
Artist: Miquel BrownLP: Symphony of Love
This song makes me want to hear what it sounded like the day that they got disco in Poland, in Fiji, in Angola and in lots of other places. You can read about popular gay icon Miquel Brown on Wikipedia here and see her perform the 1984 dance hit "He's a Saint, He's a Sinner" here. (Well, can't say for sure that Miquel actually appears in the video, since my eyes were glued to the gyrating guy in the assless pants.)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Incorporated Thang Band
Artist: Incorporated Thang Band
LP: 7" single
When I went to buy some tape and use the ATM at Fred Meyer last night, there were three guys in the parking lot who were up to something strange... pretty sure they were body jackin'.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
John Norris and the New Orleans Jazz Band of Hawaii
Artist: John Norris and the New Orleans Jazz Band of HawaiiLP: At the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, Waikiki
Did you ever wonder what it would sound like if Dixieland was a Honolulu suburb?The Garden Bar Jam Sessions
These Sunday afternoon jam sessions began back in 1965
when Bernie Hal-Mann organized the Hawaiian Village Stompers.
Trummy Young was the leader-man from 1967 till 1973. The
session has had many of the "greats" drop by to sit in for a
few numbers. These include Earl "Father" Hines, Casey Cole,
Al Hirt, Matty Mattlock, Zoot Sims, Nick Fatool, Bud Freeman,
The Ink Spots, and even Joe Frazier sang one with us. Since
March of '73 it has been John Norris and the New Orleans
Jazz Band carrying on the familiar format and trying to preserve
our traditional music in its authentic New Orleans style with
an equally authentic repertoire. To preserve the spontaneous
freshness of an authentic jam session, the band has never had
a rehearsal, and guest performers call out a key, set a tempo,
and take their chances, along with the audience.
The Garden Bar at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel is right
ON THE BEACH AT WAIKIKI where swimmers and sun bathers
mingle with tourists and local jazz lovers every Sunday
afternoon for a weekly celebration of the sounds of those
"good ol' jazz" tunes. The musicians of the New Orleans
Jazz Band of Hawaii work elsewhere in Honolulu during the
week, but get together on Sundays for these popular four
hour jams. After the first hour, which the band plays like a
narrated concert of the most authentic New Orleans music,
talent from the audience is called up to "sit in" with the band.
In the crowd, which averages about 350 inside and many
more out on the sand, are people of all ages, and the happy
sounds of this music often generates improvised dancing and
always a parade at the end of the day. The sessions are
memorable experiences which are never predictable, never
the same, but always fun, especially for the guys and gals
of the new Orleans Jazz Band of Hawaii who seem to
have the most fun of all.
These Sunday afternoon jam sessions began back in 1965
when Bernie Hal-Mann organized the Hawaiian Village Stompers.
Trummy Young was the leader-man from 1967 till 1973. The
session has had many of the "greats" drop by to sit in for a
few numbers. These include Earl "Father" Hines, Casey Cole,
Al Hirt, Matty Mattlock, Zoot Sims, Nick Fatool, Bud Freeman,
The Ink Spots, and even Joe Frazier sang one with us. Since
March of '73 it has been John Norris and the New Orleans
Jazz Band carrying on the familiar format and trying to preserve
our traditional music in its authentic New Orleans style with
an equally authentic repertoire. To preserve the spontaneous
freshness of an authentic jam session, the band has never had
a rehearsal, and guest performers call out a key, set a tempo,
and take their chances, along with the audience.
The Garden Bar at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel is right
ON THE BEACH AT WAIKIKI where swimmers and sun bathers
mingle with tourists and local jazz lovers every Sunday
afternoon for a weekly celebration of the sounds of those
"good ol' jazz" tunes. The musicians of the New Orleans
Jazz Band of Hawaii work elsewhere in Honolulu during the
week, but get together on Sundays for these popular four
hour jams. After the first hour, which the band plays like a
narrated concert of the most authentic New Orleans music,
talent from the audience is called up to "sit in" with the band.
In the crowd, which averages about 350 inside and many
more out on the sand, are people of all ages, and the happy
sounds of this music often generates improvised dancing and
always a parade at the end of the day. The sessions are
memorable experiences which are never predictable, never
the same, but always fun, especially for the guys and gals
of the new Orleans Jazz Band of Hawaii who seem to
have the most fun of all.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Drupi
Artist: DrupiLP: Canta
This song from Drupi's 1983 "Canta" LP goes nicely with hot coffee and rain—the two main topics I've had to deal with today so far. You can find out all sorts of things about Drupi, see some photos and become his friend on MySpace by visiting his official website and there's a nice video here of the handsome singer performing "Sambarió" in 1976 (with two pretty backup singers recruited from the local middle school). The Italian-language "Fa Che Non Mi Manchi" song lyrics are included below, along with an English translation provided by BabelFish.
Fa che non mi manchi mai il caldo della tua manofa che non mi manchi mai il tuo respiro sul mio seno
Fa che non mi manchi mai un po' di gelosia
buttata sulle spalle ma con il cuore in allarme
Fa che non mi manchi mai il suono dell'amore
e che io possa dedicarti ogni giorno una canzone
Mi ubriaca amaro la voglia di tenerezza
ma è un respiro nella pace
il tocco della tua carezza una carezza
Fa che non mi manchi mai un po' di fantasia
fa che sopra il davanzale ci sia una stella solo mia
Fa che non mi manchi mai un po' di vanità
nascosti fra i capelli ho desideri tanto belli
It makes that the warmth never does not lack me your handmakes that your breath never does not lack me on my breast
It makes that a po' never does not lack me of jealousy
thrown on the shoulders but with the heart in alarm
It makes that the sound never does not lack me of love
and that I can dedicate to you every day a song
Me drunk bitter the tenderness
wish but it is a breath in the peace
the touch of your caress a caress
It makes that a po' never does not lack me of fantasy
it makes that over the windowsill us it is a star only mine
It makes that a po' never does not lack me of vanity
hidden between hats I have beautiful desires much
Saturday, May 2, 2009
When You Wish Upon a Satellite
Sometimes at night it's hard to tell the difference between a satellite and a real star.side one:
01. If You Want My Love - Chilliwack
02. Butta Il Fucile (Throw Your Gun Away) - Nives
03. You're So Vain - Ronnie Aldrich & His Two Pianos
04. I Think You're Letting Me Go - Renee Armand
05. The Sunset Bell - Gary Burton
06. Make It With You - Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
07. Soul Limbo - Djalma Ferreria
08. Alltid Nåt Som Får Mej Att Minnas (Always Something There to Remind Me) - Lill Lindfors
09. There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics feat. Stevie Wonder
10. The Gentle Rain - Andre Kostelanetz & His Orchestra
11. Beautiful Lies - Jean Shepard
12. A Trop Répéter Bien - Alice Dona
13. Noche de Ronda - Charles K. L. Davis
[ listen ]
side two:
01. Walkin' Backwards Down the Road - Liz Damon's Orient Express
02. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Heaters
03. You've Got a Cold - 10cc
04. There's Love - Linx
05. Velho Gaga - Livio Salles
06. Dans Ta Bouche - Benjamin Biolay
07. Stella By Starlight - Satin Strings
08. In the Summer of His Years - Bee Gees
09. Cascada - Sergio Cuevas
10. Sucu Sucu - Pepe Jaramillo & His Latin-American Rhythm
11. Vogel Im Wind (Bird On a Wire) - Katja Ebstein
12. Sok Mi Toot Tru Luv - Bamboo
13. Hung On the Cemetery Gates - The Late Cord
14. Maruru A Vau - Lanakila's Polynesians
[ listen ]
Friday, May 1, 2009
Lady Flash
Artist: Lady Flash
LP: Beauties In the Night
Song: "Buried In the Ruins of Love"[ listen ]
Can anyone guess which of these white adult-contemporary singers from the '70s produced and arranged Lady Flash's 1976 "Beauties In the Night" LP? This person also wrote several of the album's songs, including "Buried In the Ruins of Love."
a. Tom Jones
b. Florence Henderson
c. Barry Manilow
d. Toni Tennille
e. Michael Jackson
f. all of the above
Visit Wikipedia here to find the answer, and click here to find out what Debra Byrd—who handles lead vocals on "Buried In the Ruins of Love"—is up to nowadays.
