A Mighty Wind - Lampooning Gives Way For Serious Music
2008-04-29 14:03:35
One of the many enjoyable aspects of writing this blog is that we can look at any and all kinds of music. There are so many genres to choose from and appreciate and I could probably spend the next few years writing and never run out of musical subject matter.This week, I want to detour over to something completely different - American folk music, circa the late fifties and early sixties. Many and most cultures have their folk music - by definition: folk music is music originating among the comon people of a nation and passed down orally.Many babyboomers will remember, with fondness, groups such as Peter, Paul, and Mary; The Limeliters, The Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, The New Christie Minstrels, Judy Collins, Ian and Sylvia - just to name a few. And I suspect many of you remember
Read more: Mighty
, Music
Rumba Gitano - Meet the Gipsy Kings!
2008-04-23 08:01:09
The story of the Gipsy Kings is as intriguing and engaging as their music. And when you listen to their songs, you find yourself smiling, feeling giddy, and moving to the rhythm of mellifluous guitars and joyful lyrics.You'll see various genre names for this music - rumba gitano (gipsy rumba), rumba catalana, nouveau flamenco, and Rumba Flamenca. I found one description - Spanish flamenco with Romani rhapsody meet salsa funk. That works too. It all works for me.The Gipsy Kings are comprised of a blending of two families and an even richer history. Having fled Spain during the Spanish Civil War, the Reyes family and the Baliardos family settled in the south of France - Arles and Montpellier. These regions are fertile with history, wine, and once hosted such artists as Van Gogh, Cezanne, and
Read more: Gitano
Libertango, Tango, and All Things Argentina
2008-04-19 18:43:57
My fascination with all things Argentina
and South America began in 4th grade geography. Mrs. Tully didn't just recite statistics such as population and annual average rainfall. She created a snapshot for the mind's eye. As she explained to the class, she had traveled extensively over many continents and was particularly taken with South America. Even at the age of 10 or so, sitting in her class, I could almost conjure the image and power of an intense metropolis such as São Paulo, Brazil or the beauty of Buenos Aires, Argentina.Later on, I began researching and collecting Tango
music. As with anything, you begin at the beginning and that's what makes tango so intriguing. Here's a brief overview: It is said that tango was born (about 1890) of the barrios and working class from the port ci
Nouveau Flamenco With Ottmar Liebert
2008-04-18 17:23:01
The first time I heard (or heard of ) Ottmar Liebert, I was standing in the television department of Best Buy a few years back. We were shopping for a new TV and I heard this wonderful music coming from the next aisle. I actually had goosebumps on my arms and that's always a good indicator for me. If I break out in goosebumps, it must be good!We wandered over and there was a music video playing on that row of televisions. Images of the southwest desert flashed and as the guitar riffs became more intense, I knew I would have to find this CD. At the end of the video, the credits appeared: Barcelona Nights by Ottmar Liebert. It was fortuitous that we happened to be in a store that also sold CDs. After determining that Ottmar Liebert is catalogued under New Age, I found the CD, Nouveau
Flamenc
El Negro Zumbon - This Week's Song Selection
2008-04-16 16:37:35
El Negro
Zumbon has been performed by a number of artists over the years including Perez Prado, Xavier Cugat, Abbe Lane, Lolita Garrido, Amalia Rodrigues, and the first being the late film actress, Silvana Magnano. It's the kind of tune you've heard from time to time - it's very familiar and tends to linger in your head long after. And there's an interesting story behind this song:El Negro Zumbon was actually born from the 1951 Italian film, Anna. And if you research the song, you'll find it is generally titled El Negro Zumbon (Anna). In the movie, Silvana Magnano plays a nun working as a nurse in a hospital. When two former paramours have a shoot-out in the hospital, Magnano's character, Anna, reminisces about her former life as a nightclub performer. As she cares for one of the former lo
Welcome To Mary's Sound Bytes
2008-04-12 05:50:47
Welcome to Mary's Sound
Bytes
. Each week, we will review (and hopefully appreciate) a song and/or artist. This song could be from any genre, any era. It could be Latin or Classical or 60s pop. The sky's the limit.I am a lifelong music lover. While my tastes lean toward Latin anything (even some Latin rap), I love big band, 40s, 50s, 60s crooners, easy listening (as long as it's not elevator music) jazz, classical, pop, rock, broadway tunes, and new age. Our home collection is extensive and eclectic, to say the least. You'll find Brahms (my favorite classical composer) as well as Perez Prado, Gipsy Kings, Ottmar Liebert, Astor Piazzolla, Bobby Darin, The Beatles, Barry Manilow and Donna Summer.Without waxing too poetic, I will say music is a friend and companion that goes on the journey wit
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Meat Loaf - Not Just Another Dinner Entree
2008-05-08 08:35:45
Over three decades have passed since the debut of Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell album. Several albums, movies, and tumultuous lifetimes later and Meat Loaf not only endures, but has left a permanent imprint on the rock genre.Born Marvin Lee Aday (and it is said he has since changed his legal name to Michael Lee Aday) in Dallas, Texas, Meat Loaf began his career playing in local bands. His debut album, Bat Out of Hell, (1977) was the result of the infamous collaboration between he and songwriter/lyricist Jim Steinman (and that's a story in itself). What made this album a standout? For starters, every song not only tells a story, but does so in full-blown rock opera fashion. But notably different than say Britain's Queen who actually started a few years earlier. Bat Out Of Hell - at the time -
Read more: Dinner
, Entree
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