I had the distinct honor of meeting Henry Gray in 2009, hearing him play, and photographing him at work. Lovely man.
Unexpected:
I'm so sad that I only got to visit the Liberace Museum once for a cabaret showcase right when I moved to the Vegas. If you're amenable to it, they are taking donations to help preserve the collection and find it a permanent home. It's worth it. Sincerely, to see the shoes and the costumes and the piano and everything else...this is a sight to behold.
And one of my favorites -- the Queen of Boogie Woogie, Ms. Sue Palmer! Special guest, Steve Lucky (of Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums, who I also enjoy):
Some songs just begged to be shared. And shared they must be!
K.T. Tunstall "Black Silk Ribbon" - it's beautiful and haunting.
Shannon McNally enchanted me with her performance of "Now That I Know" on Late World With Zach (Galifianakis). Watching her sing it for me and the audience, it was sweet and powerful and struck home. Years later, I discover it was written by the amazing Eric Bazilian (songwriter for The Hooters, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne, Zucchero, Robbie Williams, Bon Jovi, The Scorpions(! yes, just keep wrapping your head around that one), LeAnne Rimes, Jonatha Brooke, Ronnie Spector, and the list goes on. I should have known the sweet, elemental thread that pulls one through this song was his...that's what he does best and why he writes for so many people and why I was enchanted.
Back to KT Tunstall as she takes on Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blue".
Shannon goes after Taj Mahal's "Lovin' in My Baby's Eyes" and does a fine job of it.
It's been snowing here in Vegas and I wanna warm up a bit. No better way to do that than with some hot Cajun goodness!
I have a lot of favorites, but I love "Solid Simple Things" especially. Nothing fancy, just...solid...simple...
I'm also partial to "When A Cajun Man Gets The Blues".
I've been fortunate enough to see Tab a few times and to even take my son to see him. The man puts on a good show! If you ever get the chance to see him, RUN...don't walk. It's totally worth it.
Let's face it, there are some songs that would never be hits in this day and age. Then again, some weren't even hits back when they were released. But having a hit isn't always necessary to entertain your audience. Of course, it helps if they have some idea what you're doing. Then again, since when did musical entertainment HAVE to make sense? Sometimes music wanders into "Who's On First" territory and, guess what? We don't care. We're along for the lovely lilting ride.
Three of my favorite examples of this:
I'd thought maybe I'd include songs from Kay Kyser (with whom my grandfather used to play) and Spike Jones (a family favorite), but it turned out most of their songs all made sense! Go figure.
No long intro this time around. Straight to the videos we go!
Is it too much to ask that a trip to England and a few concerts with The Union be placed in my Christmas stocking?
If you're interested in finding out more about the band, check out The Union's website.
And now, for a special song:
Please visit The Union's ChildLine Rocks page to purchase merchandise, of which 100% of the profits go to support ChildLine, UK’s free, confidential helpline for vulnerable children and young people in distress.
A friend and I were having a discussion about how every kind of music (except, perhaps, opera and classical -- though I could be wrong) somehow find a way to reference alcohol and drugs. She said country music doesn't talk about people getting stoned. I had to shake my head. Ahh, youth. And thus it came to be that I had to prove her wrong.
Now, I don't have to go back all that far for my first reference. We'll start with an old favorite, Charlie Daniels. (I could have gone Willie Nelson, but where's the challenge in that?)
So I got the nod on that. "But where's a current song?" she asked. I had to think for a moment, and then it came to me. Eric Church.
Don't ask why, but this first David Bowie video delights me in the most bizarre way.
Back in the late 80s I had the opportunity to see Bowie in concert during his Glass Spider tour. Okay, it was August of '87 to be exact. Peter Frampton was touring with the band and that was quite the bonus for this fan girl. The concert was a spectacle on many levels. Opening for Bowie was Siouxsie and the Banshees. I want to say there was another band but the details elude me. I remember I went with Roland Jones, though. And I also remember the song that stood out for me during the show was "Heroes". It gave me chills. Still does.
With the range of David Bowie's music, there's so much to explore. It would be easy to shout out "Space Oddity" as a favorite (and it is), but I encourage you to dig deeper to find the overlooked gems, like "Time" and "Letter to Hermione" and at least a hundred other tunes I can't think of at the moment.
Since I love TV and I love music, it stands to reason that the two together would make me happy. This is, indeed, true.
Comedies often provide(d) the best opportunities for musical interludes and the majority of my memories are centered are around sitcoms.
Classic TV shows are a veritable font of musical interludes. Ricky and Lucy, Fred and Ethel had endless numbers...Mary on The Donna Reed Show...Ricky on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet...the list goes on.
The Dick Van Dyke Show had some of the best numbers, though. Rob and Laura singing and dancing, Rob's brother Stacey, Buddy and Sally, and even Mel got into the act. My favorite performance was that of "I Am A Fine Musician", which was used twice during the series run.
This version is fine, but the better of the two is from the episode from Season 2, Ep 24 "The Sam Pomerantz Scandals". I've not found a clip from that episode, though.
Jumping ahead a few decades, there's no shortage of TV-based singing and dancing. Scrubs had more than a few episodes with music montages (anyone remember "Talk Dirty To Me" as sung by Carla and Ted?) Roseanne, for ill or for good, featured its fair share of songs (let's forget Roseanne's trial and focus on Dan singing "Jailhouse Rock" with the great John Juke Logan playing harmonica in the background...which reminds me that he also appeared on Home Improvement doing the same thing).
Then we have Harry's dream from the season two 3rd Rock From The Sun episode, "Nightmare on Dick Street, Part 2". Great Randy Newman tune that also includes an appearance by Newman at the 2:21 mark in this clip. Rubber-faced, spaghetti-limbed French Stewart did a bang up job with "Life Has Been Good To Me". Then again, I'd watch the show even if they'd never gone done this particular musical path. But they did, and it was perfection.
Bonus clip: From Mad About You and special guest star Mel Brooks. Forward to 6:21 and dance and sing along to the "Turkey Trot".
Oh, how the mother's heart must stretch and flex in order not to break. My daughter is 18 today. It's not fair. It's not right. It's not really happening. Wasn't she just learning to walk? Wasn't she just uttering words like "babingsuit" and "booprise"?
Time waits for no man, or woman as the case may be. Despite my every effort to hinder growth, my lovely little girl is now old enough to vote and is considered a legal adult. I've fought it, but there it is: nature won.
When Mojo was about 2, she fell in love with John Denver. Our bedtime routine included a couple different Denver songs, along with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Marine Corps Hymn. Hey, it got her to sleep and it was our special time together. (Did the same thing with my son and I have to say, singing our "goodnights" was pretty effective.)
So, without further ado, happy birthday, Mojo!
For a while, this was called "Mountain Mama" and also "Mama Take Me Home". She was two. It was adorable.
Our version of this song was very similar, but we had to sing every verse. Twice.
Then she grew up and began paying attention to more Top 40 music (in addition to all my favorites, like Etta and Bonnie and Billie). I lamented the lack of artists that were brash, lovely, sometimes delicate, sometimes strong like those I grew up with -- Debbie Harry, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Joan Jett... After listening to Jewel and Britney once too often, I really thought my daughter deserved a contemporary female artist with a stronger voice and attitude. Thus we turned to P!nk. At the time, she really was the only one who could speak right to the heart of a young girl without sounding like a wannabe star or doormat.
Those were the days. Now my baby is all grown up and the world is going to expect more from her, people will expect more, life will become more complicated. While I'll miss the little girl I once held in my arms as she cried and fussed and smiled and cooed and caused me to look at the world around me with new eyes, I will cheer her on as she makes her way into the great big world.
Now for Mommy's tunes...
Happy birthday, my sweet daughter! I don't care how old you are, you'll always be my baby girl.
I've been working on a project for the past week involving the Stoney Curtis Band, so it's fitting that I've been listening to him a lot music as I work.
My favorite SCB tune: "Last Train to Chicago".
As much as I love SCB's previous work, can I mention how excited I am about the upcoming release, Cosmic Connection? Once there are videos or even audio clips available, I will be posting away. I expect the new album to be nothing short of brilliant.
I haven't been listening to Stoney Curtis exclusively, though. In fact, I've been listening to a friend of his, Chris Logan, providing lead vocals for the Michael Schenker Group. I consider myself a lucky girl in that I occasionally get to see both Curtis and Chris share the stage. It's like musical magic. Anyhow, from MSG and Chris, "On & On".
I gotta get back to the salt mines, so enjoy the music and have a great day.
Okay, I'm sneaking one more in. My favorite song with Logan on vocals. From Jake E. Lee's Retraced, "I'll Be Creepin'".
And from Curtis again..."Bullets". Heavy, but fabulous.
My first concert was Pablo Cruise. Del Mar Fair. With my big sister. I remember thinking she was the best big sister ever! She told our parents she'd keep an eye on me. She didn't have to do that, but she did and we got to go hang out together. It was one of those great sisterly moments that come around once in a blue moon. I'll remember it forever.
These days you pretty much have to go stand in line at the bank to hear Pablo Cruise again. No more! I'm here to save the day.
Do you even want to know who the second concert was? (Bonus points for anyone who knows the answer)
The name is familiar, but I don't know why. I've done researched my ass off and still I can't think how I know the name or why some of the music seems familiar. Oh well, we'll chalk this up to my exceedingly deep and eclectic music ramblings and assume I was ahead of my time when I first discovered this millions of years ago (and subsequently forgot).
And now, without further ado, here is Andre Villoch (minus the accent aigu on his e -- I'm a lazy girl today).
Y'all are still checking out Boobie-Thon, right? Donating? Participating? Supporting the fight against breast cancer? Do what you have to do. Women of all ages have breast tissue. Men do, too. It can get any one of us.
Tell you what, grab hold your pair, be they big or small, male or female, and do your self-exam while you listen to these songs.
After listening to some great music, you get to play advocate and go out to educate your friends, family, strangers, whoever, and do whatever it takes. Hold bakes sales. Get your book club together to talk about what you can do to help raise awareness. Perhaps your local blues or jazz or folk society would put together a fundraising night! C'mon, we all have breast tissue, so this means the battle is on for us all!
Now it's time for you to act! Go forth and share the news.
From the Susan G. Komen website:
Anyone can get breast cancer. For example, did you know…
* the older a woman, the more likely she is to get breast cancer?
* young women can and do get breast cancer, even in their 20s?
* white women are more likely to get breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group?
* African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women?
* men can get breast cancer? Out of every one hundred cases of breast cancer, one will occur in a man.
Educate and communicate. Two of the most important components of providing help in this fight against cancer.
I've seen Jimmy Thackery in concert several times now and I'm always amazed at the depth and breadth of his catalogue. He can be so very subtle and then he can slash and burn the land for miles around with just a few notes. He's been doing this for how many years? I dunno. What I do know, though, is I hope he doesn't think of retiring any time soon.
This first tune is dedicated to my friend, Curtis of the Stoney Curtis band, who also does a bang up version during his show.
How can anyone possibly listen to this first tune and not want to get up and dance? There's something inherently enticing about that groove and those horns that reaches into one's soul and prompts the movement of feet and arms and hips.
I wish I could remember where I was the first time I heard "Hollywood Swingin'", but I don't. I was seven years old, just moving to California, and it was likely played on KCBQ at some point, wherein I started doing my little white girl dance alone in my bedroom. Guess that's not a bad memory to have. At least I had good taste in music!
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't include "Celebration" in this little party. Another danceable tune if there ever was one. In fact, it's such a fun, catchy song that the San Diego Zoo uses it in their sea lion show. So, yeah...I often envision a sea lion dancing along. (Shake it off, girl, and just dance!)
When I was a little girl, I was a huge fan of the Monkees. Didn't matter that they were big around the time I was in diapers, I knew what I liked. I still know what I like and, dammit, I like the Monkees.
They were the pre-Fab Four to some. A major joke to others. But to millions of fans, they were every bit as deserving of accolades as any other band. I've seen them in concert. Twice.
Their first single, "Last Train To Clarksville", was released August 1966, just months after I was born. You know what? It's a good song! It was good then and it's good now.
Witness:
I can't quite seem to locate a video for "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" that's anything other than static images, so let's go with another forgotten gem.
Tell me that's not genius!
Super extra bonus video time!
And I fully admit to copping Davy's dance moves from this particular video. Yes, that's right. C'mon down and catch me just about any Thursday night at the local blues joint and you'll see me throw this out for at least a couple songs. For real.
I would have loved to included "(Not Your) Steppin' Stone", but there's a dearth of quality clips available for that one. Same with "Auntie Grizelda" and "Shades of Gray" and a million others.
Once upon a time I owned the entire Monkess collection. On vinyl. Uh huh. I know. Hardcore Monkees fan here.
There are only two rules when you belong to this club:
1) You never utter the other foursome's name in the same sentence as the Monkees.
and
2) Don't ask, "so who's your favorite?"
_____
Written by Mickey Dolenz, "Randy Scouse Git" is another sneaky favorite.
Someone obviously broke into my brain and accessed the file marked "Beautiful Guitar". I know who that person is and thank him for directing to Andy Timmons. Part of me says I've heard of him and part of me says I haven't. I stopped caring about 3 seconds into "Electric Gypsy". Music, as always, wins every argument I ever have with myself.
As much as I'd prefer this first tune to be Andy playing live, I opted for the clearest, prettiest recording available instead. Once you hear it, I think you'll agree this was a good choice.
Prevailing wisdom says I should write up something about Timmons, but I honestly don't feel cobbling together a bunch of facts from a few websites will enhance the music any. So, just have a listen and Google him if you're interested. That's what I do.
I have many favorite performers these days. While they span the full spectrum of music, blues often gets top billing. This is for good reason: blues draws on the human experience in a way that reaches deep within you and can’t help but elicit a response.
This week’s Two-fer features Zac Harmon (auto start music warning), winner of the 2004 International Blues Challenge with his band the Mid South Blues Revue. Since then, he’s been touring the world, impressing audiences with his tough, but sensitve, approach to the blues. Harmon’s sets can include everything from deep blues to gospel to solid R&B. There’s a little something for everyone. I saw Harmon here in Vegas recently and his show was nothing short of astounding. I would have gladly stood in front of the stage the entire time, but the man made me want to move my feet!
