emphasizing the strong links between the Canaries and, especially, Cuba. “It was like weaving together patches from here and there, but with a lot of love and respect for this music, the music of my parents and grandparents, the music of the last century, but,...
They are both great singers and dancers. Together they dazzle. They have great opportunity to bring life to such George and Ira Gershwin songs as ”Someone to Watch Over Me,”“Embraceable You,”“You Can’t Take That Away From Me,” and join the talented ensemble to announce “I Got ...
Besides I’m queuing up for a hip replacements operation and the line in front of me is getting shorter and shorter. When that operation is over I will end up at a convalescence center for at least four weeks (free of charge as the operation, standard here in Norway). So you see ...
Among the folksingers “discovered” through the field recordings of folklorists such as John Lomax and Alan Lomax was Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter), an ex-convict who gained fame for the songs he wrote about African American life during the Great Depression. No folk singer-songwriter, however,...
Hollywood musicals were a popular form of entertainment in the 1930s, and many film stars were also singers. This trend changed the way songwriters and performers were able to market their work. The 1950s The 1950s saw a large shift in music culture and it changed how the music industry ...
23 of them were given fresh perspectives and loving treatment from stars such as Bruce Springsteen and the late Jimmy LaFave. It’s also intriguing to hear Browne’s songwriting given expression by different female singers: Sara Watkins (on a fine version of “Your Bright Baby Blues”),Bonnie...
One of my favourite singers, Kirsty MacColl, recordedTropical Brainstormin 1999. The songs had a true Cuban/Latin feel, but the lyrics were feisty, funny and literate, mostly about men who didn’t match up to MacColl’s standards. Like with all albums I call classics, I never tire listen...
Prior to my arrival, the Grandstand Show was practically an all-American production. The stars, producers, choreographers, lighting designers, etc., were all Americans. The only Canadians in the show were pit musicians and backup singers. ...
Kelsey Blackstone is one of New England’s rising young singers. Rather, I suppose, now she’s one of Nashville’s, but she was still in the Northeast when this song was recorded, so for this single, at least, it’s unambiguous. A few months ago, I reviewed Kelsey’s single with Ja...
This MA research project was originally motivated by the desire to explain the powerful dominance of standard songs from the Great American Songbook in the repertoire of jazz singers. This term refers to a large body of songs written in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, by Cole Porter, Gershwin, ...