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
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
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
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
01 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Photography, Writing
Tags
American Songbook, Bob Dylan, Carson McKee, folk, guitar, music, performance, Simple Twist of Fate, song, songwriting
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A younger Carson McKee with a laid-backed version of the Dylan song. Carson sings the story and lyrics of the song so simply and straightforwardly that he makes it sound like an American Songbook standard.
More at Carson McKee
28 Monday Oct 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Carson McKee, Josh Turner, Lennon-McCartney, music, performance, Reina del Cid, rocky raccoon, song, The Beatles, The Other Favorites, Toni Lindgren, White Album
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Monday morning, Carson McKee, Reina del Cid, Josh Turner and Toni Lindgren make the most of their hotel room with their performance of the Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon.” Make sure to stay for the blooper outtake at the end.
More at Reina del Cid
23 Wednesday Oct 2019
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
City Boy, folk, music, performance, Phil Ochs, song, songwriting
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One of Phil’s songs that was not released until after his death.
Thanks to YouTuber J K
21 Monday Oct 2019
Posted in Music, Performance, Writing
Tags
Big Girls Don't Cry, Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, Jersey Boys, music, performance, song, songwriting, The Four Seasons
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Monday morning, Big Girls Don’t Cry.
Last week I saw an excellent revival of the musical Jersey Boys, the play about the rise and fall of The Four Seasons, but I don’t think even the amazing Aaron DeJesus as Frankie Valli sang in as high a key as Frankie does in this clip. In this live performance (voices are live, music pre-recorded) Frankie falters on one of the notes, but it’s still great.
Thanks to YouTuber onepapa2
18 Friday Oct 2019
Posted in Life, Music, Performance
Tags
Back in Business, Beverly Watkins, blues, guitar, music, performance, song
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Beverly Watkins died last week at the age of 80. I wasn’t aware of her before, but a friend told me about her. Watkins played with James Brown, Ray Charles, and B.B. King. As you can see from the clip, she was quite a blues guitar player and singer.
Thanks to YouTuber TEXANOBLUES, and Marilyn Vogt-Downey for the suggestion.
