by Sandy | Jul 3, 2023 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, CDs, music
Ms Streisand was all over PBS a few years ago with her show “Barbra Streisand: One Night Only At the Village Vanguard”. She can still touch people with her voice and it was fun to listen and watch her wrap her tiny audience (the NYC club only seats about 150) around her finger – or vocal chords in this case. She is still amazing.
I wanted to hear more, so dug I out an old Barbra Streisand record “The Broadway Album” (yes, “album” – like I said “old”, but now on CD) and again was in awe of her renditions of some great songs from past musicals. I have a weakness for Broadway show tunes, especially those songs from Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin – music from Porgy & Bess, Carousel, West Side Story, The King & I, etc. This music appeals to me because it usually has a story to tell, an emotion to crystallize, a longing to express.
Over the years, these little song poems, have become “standards” – they haven’t gone away, they are being sung someplace, somewhere every day. Whether in person or on CD, Ms Streisand’s versions are beautiful, soaring, romantic, funny & perfect.
Barbra Streisand – a treasure!
(Originally posted May 2020)
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by Sandy | Nov 7, 2013 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, CDs
The Complete Album Collection, Vol. 1
A 45 CD Box Set of Bob Dylan’s live and studio albums, some re mastered, has been released just in time for the holidays. Heavy – it weighs approximately 20 Lbs.
In addition to the CDs, there will be a book with artwork, photos and all will be available on a limited edition USB drive.
by Sandy | Jul 25, 2013 | Actors, Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Books, CDs, dvd
Everyone knows who Mr. Belafonte is – just listening to a few chords of “Day-O” or “Ma-tilda” brings his handsome face to the mind’s eye. At 85, he is still attractive of course, but Harry Belafonte: Sing Your Song, a fascinating documentary on DVD, fills in and rounds out the well lived life of the entertainer to be more than a man in a sexy shirt and tight pants. Besides being a singer, actor, husband and father, Mr. Belafonte is an activist, a pioneer and a humanitarian. A full life.
BTW: There is a book My Song: A Memoir and a CD, Harry Belafonte Sing Your Song: The Music that also celebrate this man’s life and music.
by Cybel Martin | Jul 14, 2013 | Blogroll, CDs, Culture, music
I love to listen to Brazilian music when I paint: Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Stan Getz etc. I just read this absolutely fascinating article in the NY Times about the origins of Brazilian music: how it was influenced by Arabic culture & how its aesthetic was passed onto American Blues. I have to get my hands on the recently released “Musica Tradicional do Norte e Nordeste 1938”. (It’s a 6 CD box set of Brazilian music circa 1938.)
by Sandy | Nov 28, 2009 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, CDs, music
A Voice in Time: 1939-1952, issued in Sept. 2007, is a Frank Sinatra CD box set with music from the early years of his career (when I think his voice was at its best – creamy smooth, distinctive – he didn’t sound like anyone else).
The songs are mostly about love, romantic, sentimental, whether joyous in the experience or yearning for it, you can’t help but enjoy these old “standards”. Although not as jazzy and “Rat Pack” hip as the music from his 60’s and 70’s period, these songs from before and just after War II are clever and well written, they’re so simple and direct: All or Nothing at All, As Time Goes By, It Had to Be You, Body and Soul
I appreciate the fact that you can understand his every word. The listener can tell Mr. Sinatra has given thought to the meaning of the lyrics and his voice embraces them like old friends.
Regardless of what is said about him personally, Frank Sinatra is such an “American” treasure. He sang his way from Hoboken, NJ to the rest of the world with much acclaim– what a success story! And, the magic of his talent still endures.
BTW – His legendary moody, dark “bar stool” classic album, “Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely” released in 1958, is the best with songs like: “Willow Weep for Me’, One for My Baby and One More for the road”, “Angel Eyes”. Hardly up tempo, but, great nevertheless. All sung with feeling.
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by Sandy | Nov 23, 2009 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, CDs, music
Maxwell – the singer, who some call the heir apparent to Marvin Gaye and other R&B balladeers with beautifully, soaring voices – is back.
Released in July 2009, his first album after 8 years is called “BLACKsummers’night”. The Brooklyn born Maxwell may have cut his hair, but he hasn’t lost his vocal strength. He is still terrific, still soulful, still smooth, and still lovely. Great stuff!
BTW: If you can’t place his name, just listen to the local “Easy Listenin” or R&B “classic” radio station. Songs from his 1996 album “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite” – “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)” and “Sumthin’ Sumthin'” – are still being played. (Great for old school dancers – that old rock from side to side move, with hunched shoulders and finger snaps…)
