I guess I'm all caught up in baseball lately, so am probably not quite as music-oriented as usual. (But I will close with an appropriate tune.) The deadline for non-waiver deals has passed and the number of trades made, coupled with continuing stories about steroids, makes baseball the biggest thing on sports pages this weekend. Of course, that suits me because I've been a baseball fan for a long time, even though I could never play the game well. I was big and could hit the ball a mile, but when you seldom make contact it's sort [...]
Something that has always fascinated me is how often two or more members of the same family find musical fame, even if in varying degrees. I suppose it's not that unusual for offspring, siblings, cousins, and the like to gravitate to the field that has provided success for others in the family, whether it's music, acting or carpentry for that matter, but it's still surprising how many of them achieve at least a measure of fame. In an earlier piece about musical brothers I briefly mentioned the Crosbys - Bing and Bob - and I've featured [...]
I've been a fan of Latin jazz for a lot of years, and have noticed that Brazilian music seems to be the Big Dog. Which is not to say that there aren't plenty of other pooches in the pack, just that they seem to always be trotting along in the shadow of the alpha dog. But even though that might be how things work in the canine world, most music lovers would like to at least have the opportunity to sample a variety of sounds. If so, a smart move might be to produce an album that blends [...]
A relatively new word that has entered our lexicon is "photoshopping", and it's pretty commonly used by everybody now to describe the digital manipulation of pictures. The term is derived from the popular image editor Adobe Photoshop , although there are a lot of other programs around too. Of course, manipulating photos has been a reality almost as long as photography itself has existed. Usually called "retouching" or "trick photography", it has shown up in a lot of places. In fact, the picture used for Lincoln's image on the five-dollar bill is from a Matthew Brady portrait [...]
Tired of being a blog, and the negative connotations that come with 'being a blogger.' I possibly want to be 'a writer' instead of 'a blogger.' I don't want to have a blog, I want to have a well-respected website that provides insightful commentary on relevant issues, and gets Dugg. I am not sure how to accomplish my goals. I might try to make my website 'less bloggy.' Not sure how to do this. Maybe if I turn off comments, my posts will seem more 'absolute', like it doesn't [...]
As most baseball fans know, since the events of September 11, 2001, a lot of games now feature the singing of "God Bless America" at the 7th inning break. I was watching a game on TV the other day, and as the music was performed I began thinking about the origins of the song itself - and its most memorable performer. The song came together from various earlier influences that culminated in Irving Berlin's final version, which debuted in 1938. The legendary composer was a self-taught pianist who could not read or write music, but that wasn't unusual [...]
I've written before about how some of the lesser-known relatives of big stars have had nice careers of their own, even if not to the heights of their famous kin. Johnny Cash's brother Tommy is one, and another would be Dave Loggins, whose famous cousin Kenny has certainly made a bigger splash, with countless hit songs and a couple of Grammy wins. But Dave has a few awards too, and something Kenny doesn't - in addition to a big pop music hit, he's also had a song rocket to the top of the country music charts. [...]
We can all understand the importance of self-reliance, but how we express the need to take care of ourselves can sometimes be a little baffling to those unfamiliar with a particular idiom. A good example is an expression that's been around for many generations, one that has become so firmly entrenched that it has even generated a number of songs with varying lyrics but the same title - "Root Hog, Or Die." It's easy enough to understand the connection if you realize that hogs are survivalists of the first order. Their keen sense of smell, along [...]
Receiving a new album to review from an artist I've reviewed before - and liked a lot - is sort of like running into an old friend. I'm happy to see someone I've enjoyed spending time with in the past, and at the same time I'm wondering what they've been up to lately. Karrin Allyson, the [...]
The endless news stories about the sour economy and the many problems in the auto industry got me to thinking about an old song I've always liked. Written by Wayne Kemp and recorded by Johnny Cash, it hit number one on country charts in 1976 and crossed over to make a good showing on pop charts too. It's a clever little ditty about an autoworker who can't afford one of the Cadillacs he's helping build, so he decides to take matters into his own hands by slipping a car part into his lunchbox each night. He knows [...]
How someone is remembered - as an actress who also sang or a singer who also acted - is a question that has occurred to me more than once. It's not always easy to answer when considering the many ladies who have dipped a toe in both ponds. And just to muddy that pond water a little more, let's say that to qualify as an actress requires acting fame, rather than skill — otherwise we'd be here all day. Just to be fair, we'll also judge singers by their performing success rather than by the quality of their voices. [...]
In spite of his name and his Iowa origins, there's no evidence that jazz great Art Farmer ever plowed the back forty. In fact, his implement of choice for a significant part of his career was not a plow but a flugelhorn; and to be even more precise, a "flumpet" - a cross between a trumpet and a flugelhorn, developed for him by instrument maker Monette. Flugelhorns have always been a sort of quirky hybrid with a lot of variations. Resembling a trumpet on steroids, they have evolved from a variety of brass instruments, including keyed bugles, bass [...]
It's probably an overused expression, but it's difficult to avoid the label of "living legend" when describing someone like Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr. The Louisiana native, whose stage name is also the name of his group - Buckwheat Zydeco - is still going strong after more than four decades of bringing his distinctive music to fans everywhere. His newest album, Lay Your Burden Down , is now out on the Alligator Records label and it's one of his best. Born and raised in South Louisiana, "Buckwheat" Dural picked up his nickname because his hairstyle reminded friends of [...]
The 1950s must have been a heady time for musicians, especially those in what was then considered the cutting edge of country music. Performers like Bill Haley, the Maddox Brothers, and Carl Perkins were beginning to attract some attention with a sound that had its roots in a variety of styles. Those included Western Swing and Hillbilly Boogie, but the music the performers made came to be known as Rockabilly. Perkins was one of those with connections to Sun studio in Memphis, which also helped Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis get their starts, but one [...]
I think I first saw Leon Redbone on TV's Saturday Night Live , and at the time I suspected his act was a put-on. A few people (not me) even thought he might be eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman in disguise. After all, the program is known for quirky stunts, so Redbone seemed to fit right in. Years later, I'm still not sure how much of his act is for real, but he certainly has managed to maintain the mystery. His signature look is unmistakable- Panama hat, suit, smoked glasses and drooping mustache - and his distinctive drawling [...]
I thought maybe I'd revisit the subject of easy listening music, the sweet and melodious kind that was the specialty of a few band directors I've written about before, like Mantovani , Kostelanetz , and Percy Faith . But I don't think any of those particular guys had a background like George Melachrino, who in addition to his musical talents was also once a military policeman. Melachrino was the British-born son of Greek immigrants whose real name was Militiades, although not much is known about why he later changed it for something almost as difficult [...]
HANK ALTOGETHER: It was a rough day for me when The Dismemberment Plan broke up. This one isn't as huge, but I'm disappointed nonetheless. Travis Morrison, former frontman of " The Plan " is one of the underlooked geniuses of indie rock. The Plan is my favorite band and will remain that way. They were doing things in a different way before there was a different way to do things in -- mixing samples with insanely musical punk tunes, bringing out the noise and knowing when to drop the melody as well. [...]
When you consider all the permutations that are possible with jazz combos - not only with the number of musicians but also the instruments they play - you might occasionally find yourself craving something simple and basic. One of the purest choices would have to be a trio consisting of piano, bass and drums. Having chosen, you might then find yourself looking for a threesome of artists who understand the concept and have the skills to do it up right. Enter the Kevin Hays Trio, with an outstanding new album, You've Got A Friend , now out [...]
I suppose it might be due to the approach of July 4th, but for some reason I found myself thinking today about George Hamilton IV. (And by the way, you do know that I'm not talking about the terrifically tanned guy, right?) Hamilton the musician was one of the pioneers of the early rock and roll movement, but in the decades since has found much more success in pure country, along with gospel music. He's probably best known now for his huge country hit, "Abilene," but through the years he's had a ton of songs hit the charts. [...]
It's an expression that we've all heard countless times and one that certainly could be applied to a lot of musicians, but when it comes to being a graduate of the school of hard knocks, Bobby Lewis definitely qualifies. The R&B singing star, whose recording of "Tossin' And Turnin'" rose to the number-one spot on the charts in 1961, came a long way from his humble beginnings. Born in Kentucky but raised in an Indianapolis orphanage, even at a young age he showed some musical aptitude. But things didn't always goe smoothly for young Bobby, and by his [...]
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