CD Corner: Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim

CD Corner: Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim

cooksonheimbest

Barbara Cook continues to sing, interpret and represent Broadway and its’ composers in great style.Some of the songs are famous, some not, but, you can hear and see “Broadway” nevertheless with full orchestra and marquee lights blazing.

She is famous for singing the work of Stephen Sondheim, great music, great lyrics. Ms Cook weaves the listener into the fabric of his bittersweet little song stories with such feeling, you are there – Not a Day Goes By, Losing My Mind, Loving You – the songs are not new, but, she makes them so, each time.

Barbara Cook and Stephen Sondheim, together – brilliant!

(Such amazing octogenarians)


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DVD Corner: “20 Feet From Stardom”

20 Feet_From_Stardom_poster

I loved the documentary, “20 Feet From Stardom” a music and reminiscence filled ode to the back-up singer released last year on DVD.  Some added their voices to those early Phil Spector songs (Da Do Run, Run) and Rock & Roll tunes featuring great vocals by Darlene Love and Patti Austen. They also did back ground for Elvis and rockers like the Rolling Stones. Anonymous trios and quartets still sing a few feet behind the main acts of today like Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Stevie Wonder.

You may not know the singers by name or by sight, but you will know them by ear. A talented bunch, back in the day they sang everything, from “do wop, du wahs”, to the now classic line, “rape, murder, it’s just a shot away” (Merry Clayton on “Gimme Shelter” – called to the session late at night, she did 3 takes while dressed in night gown, fur coat & curlers).

2014 Oscar Winner for Best Documentary, “20 Feet From Stardom”, directed by Morgan Neville, never showed up at my local movie theater, thank goodness for the DVD, I would have missed a thoroughly entertaining chance to fit the names and faces to the background voices on some of my favorite songs. Included in the documentary are old concert footage, interviews with singers (those that tried to move 20 feet forward and those that enjoyed singing backup) and stars that hired the voices with great stories about the music biz – a lot of fun, a lot of memories. Watched it twice  🙂

“20 Feet From Stardom”    

Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Patti Austen, Claudia Lennear, Táta Vega, the Waters, the Ikettes and many more.

FYI:   “Da Do Run, Run” The Crystals, 1963 – I still know all the words 🙂

 

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DVD Corner: Alfred Hitchcock

DVD Corner: Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection“

Alfred Hitchcock ...NotoriousThis is a DVD collection of 7 early films, 1927 -1947, from the master of suspense. The movies may have different plots and locations – spies in South America, the trials of a new wife, London court room intrigue, people lost at sea – but, they all have that element of surprise/edge of seat tension that director Alfred Hitchcock does so well.

The Lodger, 1927 – (Rare silent film)

Young and Innocent, 1937 – (Spies/intrigue)

Rebecca, 1940 – (The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, gave live-in help a bad name)

Lifeboat, 1944 – (Chance to see Tallulah Bankhead at her best)

Spellbound, 1945 – (Ingrid Bergman & Gregory Peck – lovely!)
Notorious, 1946 – (Ingrid Bergman & Cary Grant – also lovely!)

The Paradine Case, 1947 – (Gregory Peck, Charles Laughton-courtroom maneuvering)

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DVD Corner – “The Seventh Seal”

DVD Corner – “The Seventh Seal”

7th-seal-goodFamed director Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal”,(1957) with Max von Sydow and the rest of his stable of actors (Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Nils Poppe, and Bibi Andersson) gained a cult following when first seen in the U.S. I was introduced to this black and white film about a chalk faced man in a black cloak in the late 60’s. I still think it’s terrific.

In short, the story is about a 14th century Swedish knight that returns from the crusades after 10 years. He is followed home by the cloaked figure thru the devastation of a war torn and plague infested countryside, he plays a game of chess with “death” to save his life. Lots of stark landscapes, lots of symbolism and abstraction – “The Seventh Seal” isn’t shown much now, so I am grateful for the DVD.

Hugely prolific, below are only some of Ingmar Bergman’s films that are available on discs:

1950s: Smiles of a Summer Night, Wild Strawberries

1960s: The Virgin Spring, Through a Glass Darkly, Persona

1970s: Cries and Whispers, Scenes from a Marriage , Autumn Sonata

1980s: Fanny and Alexander


Ingmar Bergman,  1918 – 2007

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Phoenix Has Warhol!

warhol in PHX“This exhibition features Warhol’s depictions of the persona that forever embedded celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Sylvester Stallone and Prince – to name a few – into America’s cultural conscience as well as several of his self-portraits including silkscreen works…”

“Andy Warhol: Portraits includes nearly 200 portraits, paintings and drawings produced by Warhol from the 1940s to the 1980s.”

“Andy Warhol: Portraits”   –  Until June 21, 2015

Phoenix Art Museum

1625 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ

 

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Bob Martin In Phoenix!

Bob Martin...Red

We’ve enjoyed Bob’s online presence for several years and now we get a chance to see his work up close and personal as part of a group show, “Know Yourself At Every Age”.

Stop by and meet him on May 1, 2015. More than 25 pieces of Bob’s art will be on view until the end of the month.

 

“Know Yourself At Every Age”

Bob Martin – Artist Reception

Friday, May 1, 2015,  6 – 10 PM

First Studio, 631 N. 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ

PS – you can also see some of his work here!