20 Monday Jan 2020
Posted in Life, Writing, Performance, Music
Tags
performance, song, music, songwriting, Dionne Warwick, Do You Know The Way To San Jose?, Hal David, Burt Bacharach
Monday morning, Dionne Warwick contemplates chucking it all and heading home.
It’s hard to choose from all the great Burt Bacharach/Hal David/Dionne Warwick collaborations, but I always appreciated Hal David’s storyline in this one—I can’t think of any other pop song with a similar theme.
17 Friday Jan 2020
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Crosby Stills and Nash, guitar, Josh Turner, Judy Collins, music, Myles Pinder, performance, song, songwriting, Steve Stills, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Tanner Walter
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When Steve Stills sung this paean to his about-to-be-ex, Judy Collins, it was one of the most audacious and brilliant love songs from a 60s folk rock band. This cover, by Josh Turner on six string guitar, Tanner Walter on 12 string guitar and Myles Pinder on the high parts, is frighteningly good.
More at Josh Turner Guitar
14 Tuesday Jan 2020
Tags
Arts Express, film, interview, newsletter, review, theater, WBAI
Woo-hoo! It’s the new monthly Arts Express Newsletter, edited by yours truly, and it’s free, free, free!
Think of it as a print extension of the conversation started on our global radio arts magazine, Arts Express, heard on WBAI 99.5 FM in NYC, WBAI.org, and Pacifica affiliates across the country, in Paris, Beijing, and Berlin.
Every month, it’s eight pages of Arts Express goodness, filled with fascinating interviews, top ten film lists, reviews, gossip, film, theatre, book recommendations and more.
Here’s a preview of what’s in our inaugural February issue:
* An extraordinary interview with Bill Wyman, the legendary guitarist for The Rolling Stones.
* Broadcast Film Critics and Women Film Critics Circle reviewer and host Prairie Miller’s Top Ten Films of 2019–and the year’s worst!
* An Arts Express Extra: Jack London’s Preface to The War of the Classes–a supplement to our recent radio performance of London’s powerful essay, “How I Became A Socialist.”
*Plus: The Guest List–our favorite recent guests; The Back Room–news and gossip about WBAI and the Arts Express crew;
*And information about exclusive giveaways and how to win an opportunity to broadcast your own work on the air.
It’s all in the new free Arts Express Newsletter.
To get your free pdf copy every month to your email address, just send an email to ArtsExpressList@gmail.com and put Subscribe in the subject line. We’ll do the rest!
Jack London
13 Monday Jan 2020
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
jazz, music, performance, saxophone, song, songwriting, Sonny Rollins, St Thomas
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Monday morning, as winter starts to creep up, “St. Thomas” with Sonny Rollins as the place to be is okay with me .
Tenor Sax : Sonny Rollins
Piano : Kenny Drew
Bass : Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen
Drums : Albert “Tootie” Heath
Thanks to YouTuber BluesBeBopper2000
10 Friday Jan 2020
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
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Okay, so “The Tennessee Waltz” is a song I’ve hated all my life. When I would hear it on the radio or when somebody on a TV variety show would sing it, I would immediately turn it off. It seemed to me like an endless, very boring song. But…wow. This version by Reina del Cid and Toni Lindgren on guitar is just great. First time I really heard the lyrics, and Toni’s guitar playing is wonderful.
More at Reina del Cid
06 Monday Jan 2020
Posted in Comedy, Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
animals, dog, music, Nellie McKay, performance, song, songwriting, The Dog Song
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Monday Morning, Nellie McKay‘s ode to her animal friend, “The Dog Song.” I’ve posted this song before, done when she was a young pup, and this much more recent performance of the song is even better. It cheered me up in the space of a few minutes.
Thanks to YouTuber Music and More Blog
03 Friday Jan 2020
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
music, performance, Reina del Cid, song, songwriting, The Cooling
31 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
Tags
a cappella, Arts Express, Brad Wells, interview, music, performance, radio, Roomful of Teeth, song, vocal ensemble, WBAI
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Roomful of Teeth is an intriguing a cappella vocal ensemble devoted to expanding the range of the human voice. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, their debut album won a Grammy for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance and in 2013, group member Caroline Shaw won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her vocal composition Partita For 8 Voices.
I spoke with the founder and artistic director of Roomful of Teeth, Brad Wells, who talked about the company, the human voice, and more.
You can listen to the interview as broadcast today on the Arts Express radio show on WBAI 99.5 FM NYC and Pacifica affiliates across the country by clicking on the triangle above. You’ll also hear some of the extraordinary vocal work of the ensemble.
30 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
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Monday morning, the Freddie Mitchell Orchestra rings out the old year in 78 RPM. The aptly named “Rip” Harrigan on piano.
Thanks to YouTuber althazarr
27 Friday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
Tags
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No, not that one. The ballad of the gunfighter song, done by Lorne Greene. It charted pretty high on the pop charts as I recall; I thought it pretty corny when I was a teen. But seeing this live performance, I had to admit that Lorne Greene was pretty affecting acting this song.
Thanks to YouTuber Allan Sherman’s Nutty Parody Channel
23 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
Tags
La Bamba, La Marisoul, La Santa Cecilia, Marisol Hernandez, music, performance, Playing For Change, song
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Monday Morning, Marisol Hernandez and a host of world class musicians megaphone to the world.
You probably know the Playing For Change deal: get musicians from around the world to collaborate on a song and then seamlessly splice (does anyone use that word anymore in the digital age?) the results into a knockout music video.
There are lots of great musicians (and instruments) on this song, but when “La Marisoul” of La Santa Cecilia takes her turn, the song skyrockets into the stratosphere.
More at Playing For Change
20 Friday Dec 2019
Posted in Comedy, Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
comedy, I'm My Own Grandpa, music, novelty, performance, song, Willie Nelson
19 Thursday Dec 2019
(Click to enlarge)
15th Street
Brooklyn, New York
16 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Comedy, Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Jim Henson, Kermit, Muppets, music, Paul Williams, performance, Rainbow Connection, song, songwriting
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Monday Morning, just as you refuse to get up, Kermit makes Muppet Music.
The Rainbow Connection.
Thanks to YouTuber Laser Time
13 Friday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
09 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
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Monday morning beachcombers Reina, Toni—and friends with large found objects— singing the Bobby Darin classic, wake you up and forget about the coming winter.
More at Reina del Cid
02 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Benjamin Orr, music, New Wave, performance, rock, song, songwriting, The Cars, You're Just What I Needed
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Monday morning, The Cars. Their lead singer, Benjamin Orr, had to be on the short list for most charismatic rock front man since Mick Jagger.
Thanks to YouTuber Shane Combs
29 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Eric Clapton, George Harrison, music, Paul McCartney, performance, song, The Beatles, While My Guitar Gently Weeps
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Clapton, Paul, Ringo and George’s look-alike son Dhanni in an extraordinary rendition.
More at George Harrison
28 Thursday Nov 2019
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
music, performance, pop, Reina del Cid, song, songwriting, Stand by Me, Toni Lindgren
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Reina del Cid and Toni Lindgrin stand by the Ben E. King classic.
Dig Toni’s stand-up bass.
More at Reina del Cid
25 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
country, Gentle On My Mind, Glen Campbell, guitar, John Hartford, music, performance, song, songwriting
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Monday morning, Glen Campbell gets the approval of his peers.
Worth it, even if you don’t like country music, for the wonderful guitar break and the comradery.
Thanks to YouTuber jimmy cee
18 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
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Monday Morning, Peggy Lee seeks to expand her knowledge of a few subjects.
The guitar player is David Barbour, Peggy Lee’s husband at the time, who also composed the song.
The witty lyrics are by Ms. Lee.
More at Peggy Lee
14 Thursday Nov 2019
Posted in Music, Photography
Tags
(Click to enlarge)
Avenue of the Americas
New York City, New York
11 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Amen, Carl Perkins, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Glad All Over, guitar, music, performance, rock and roll, songwriting, That's All Right Mama
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Wow. Monday morning, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Clapton, and a bunch of other great musicians, show how it’s done.
Carl Perkins (guitar, vocals)
Geraint Watkins (piano)
Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals)
George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
Eric Clapton (guitar, vocals)
Rosanne Cash (vocals, maracas)
Ringo Starr (drums, tambourine, vocals)
Slim Jim Phantom (drums)
Greg Perkins (bass guitar)
Lee Rocker (double bass)
Earl Slick (guitar)
David Charles (drums)
John David (bass guitar)
Mickey Gee (guitar)
Thanks to YouTuber Carl Perkins on MV
08 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
All or Nothing at all, Arthur Altman, Frank Sinatra, Jack Lawrence, music, performance, song, songwriting
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Two Brooklyn guys, Arthur Altman and Jack Lawrence, wrote the music and lyrics.
It was Sinatra’s first hit, and he recorded at least three different versions of it over the years.
The song has been covered by many, including Ella, Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughn, and John Coltrane. Sometimes I like to look for the non-obvious version, but this is one time I have to admit Sinatra has them all beat.
Thanks to YouTuber finetunes Easy Listening
04 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
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Monday morning, The MonaLisa Twins make themselves ubiquitous with another pleasing Beatles cover.
More at MonaLisa Twins
