Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 16, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 16, 2012 Ever hear of Oscar Levant? If you're under 60, probably not. He was a fixture in movie musicals including the best of them all (according to Tony Bennett) The Band Wagon. What he lacked in the way of movie star good looks, Levant made up for with his sardonic wit and piano playing prowess. His friend George Gershwin thought Oscar played the Rhapsody in Blue better than anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 17, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 Just for me (I'm pretty sure!) channel 71 is playing GUESS I'LL HANG MY TEARS OUT TO DRY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 17, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 . . . and tell me, what street compares with Mott Street, in July?My favorite Disney voice belonged to Sterling Holloway. You may not know his name but if you are 'of an age' his voice was as familiar to you as any relative's: Just off the top of my head Sterling gave voice to The Stork in Dumbo, the snake Kaa in The Jungle Book, the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland and the mouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 17, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2012 I asked my musical grand daughter "Emily" (on the phone) "Have you heard of the beach boys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 More than once in 50 pages here I've stated the personal belief that "the last great melody of the 20th century" was Billy Joel's (I Love You) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. It's just about the only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 We didn't know it at the time that the extravagance of riches found in Beatles albums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 The Beatles' principal melodist (on ballads) knew he'd arrived as a composer when jazz artists began covering his best tunes, like "Yesterday." The year The Beatles recorded "Abbey Road" an up-and-coming guitar giant, George Benson recorded his Grammy-winning "The Other Side of Abbey Road" -- picking and singing all of the tracks of the original, in his inimitable style.[His cover photo, mimicking the Beatles famously crossing Abbey Road London on foot (Paul barefoot!) had Benson holding a Guild electric guitar (the very model I owned!) and walking alone across a back street in New York.]But my favorite of his Beatles covers is this one (for his "Tenderly" album of 20 years ago, backed by jazz giants like McCoy Tyner -- John Coltrane's last pianist -- and my favorite stand-up acoustic bass player, Ron Carter). But as always (here there and everywhere) it's all about "great melody first," isn't it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7fOLOa8KVQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peanutroad Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Originally Posted by Mark Blackburn More than once in 50 pages here I've stated the personal belief that "the last great melody of the 20th century" was Billy Joel's (I Love You) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. It's just about the only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bee3 Posted July 18, 2012 Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 Hey Mark... for someone so appreciative of music and who has the gift of being able to articulate your thoughts about music... maybe you can try your hand at commenting on some of our music. What say you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 No music to post -- just had to say thanks for the comments. [it's humbling (for me) to open a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 18, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2012 My 'second-favorite' Billy Joel song finally has its own Wiki entry but otherwise remains obscure apart from my favorite cover of the song by Jennifer Warnes from her 2001 album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 19, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 19, 2012 When the evenin' sun goes down . . .the night life, ain't no good life . . . but it's my life.The first time Willie Nelson appeared on Late Night with David Letterman (a New Year's Eve show 20 years ago) he asked the Canadian-born band leader Paul Schaffer to provide a jazz arrangement, working with two country jazz musicians Willie brought along with him. Willie left it to Letterman to research why he'd selected NIGHT LIFE. The king of flippant humor (where the joke is always presumed to have been made, where none actually exists) came 'this close' to asking Willie the right question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 19, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'd almost forgotten my favorite song of the 1970s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 19, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'm 65 and was raised on MAD magazine parodies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Oswlek Posted July 19, 2012 Members Share Posted July 19, 2012 Originally Posted by Mark Blackburn More than once in 50 pages here I've stated the personal belief that "the last great melody of the 20 was Billy Joel's (I Love You) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this statement, 50 pages later. For instance, I don't see at all why that Billy Joel melody is any better than this one. I also think that Bee's most recent upload is as good as 90% of the songs posted in this thread. It is memorable (still played in my head hours after listening) and one that I am able to follow along with just a single listen without being too simplistic. I've mentioned and posted a couple Radiohead tunes with exquisite melodies, so strong that you complete grasp the emotion despite Thom's tendency to slur his words. Mark, what specifically is it about the melodies of these songs that make them better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 20, 2012 Ya got me there, Oswlek. I could no more explain to myself, let alone to others -- to people who don't cherish The Great American Songbook the way that I do -- WHY Gershwin is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 20, 2012 Satellite radio is playing a Winnipeg-born singer Kenny Colman's version of WHY SHOULD I CARE. I've spoken to Kenny, who worked at the same Bermuda radio-television station (ZBM) a decade before me, in the 60s about his fine interpretation of a sad and beautiful ballad -- that has yet to be uploaded to YouTube.The only other cover of this song I've ever heard is Diana Krall's -- a hidden bonus track on one of her more recent albums; naturally there was no info on who wrote it. It took a while to determine it wasn't a song of the same name by Cole Porter. Turns out it was written by Dirty Harry -- another beautiful melody co-written by Clint Eastwood. Finally, when I wasn't looking, someone's uploaded an attractive video of Diana Krall's interpretation, heard over the closing credits of the movie True Crime, which starred and was directed by Clint. Some guys have all the luck as well as talent, don't they? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOAkbVDCC2g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 20, 2012 As I type this, Lena Horne is singing IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO -- one of the best renditions I ever heard. Still thinking about Oswlek's question (above) I was hoping at this very moment for a good example of a repetitive tune, consisting of very few notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 20, 2012 It's the first nine notes, actually -- for my example of how this one could have been turned into a "riff tune." Most recent version is by my favorite Broadway singer of recent vintage, Harry Connick Jr. To my ears, Harry has the best tone & timbre and phrasing (breath control) of any male singer since Sinatra; I'd agree with the concise, informed "comment" from last summer that,John Rait was a wonderful broadway performer with a great voice. Sammy Davis did his usual excellent work on his cover, Rosemary Clooney had the sweetest version. but this one by Harry is the the best ever. Harry sings? it like Sinatra would have, only better! Thanks omarov for posting this ultimate version of a standard.rogerthornehill 1 year ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 21, 2012 We the fans of the proverbial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 21, 2012 As it does most every hour, satellite radio channel 71 is playing a 'definitive' Ella Fitzgerald song: Ella's retire-the-trophy take on TO KEEP MY LOVE ALIVE.It was the last song my all-time favorite melodist Richard Rodgers composed with his first great collaborator Lorenz ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 21, 2012 Every three or four songs on Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is one by Frank: usually a classic, but occasionally a bit of fluff like the one playing right this minute -- CHERRY PIES OUGHT TO BE YOU. You can tell by the sound it's a 'circa 1950' recording --a duet with Rosie Clooney on what sounds like a Cole Porter 'laundry list' song. Turns out it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Blackburn Posted July 22, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 22, 2012 I'd lie for youI'd sigh for youI'd tear the starsDownFrom the sky for youIf that isn't loveIt will have to doUntil the real thingComes alongI'd forgotten who wrote the words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LCK Posted July 22, 2012 Members Share Posted July 22, 2012 Originally Posted by Mark Blackburn Every three or four songs on Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is one by Frank: usually a classic, but occasionally a bit of fluff like the one playing right this minute -- CHERRY PIES OUGHT TO BE YOU. You can tell by the sound it's a 'circa 1950' recording --a duet with Rosie Clooney on what sounds like a Cole Porter 'laundry list' song. Turns out it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peanutroad Posted July 22, 2012 Members Share Posted July 22, 2012 Originally Posted by LCK Another often-forgotten fact: Frank Sinatra often picked mediocre (or worse) material. When I think of 'worse' material from Frank, about the first thing that comes to mind is his version 'On the Road to Mandalay.' Not that the song is bad -- it isn't by a long way -- but I can hardly think of a worse mismatch of song and singer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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