So I was listening to an album that I reviewed several years ago -- Cuban legend Juan Pablo Torres' Romantic Cuba -- and suddenly my ears perked up and I had a strong craving for peanuts. The reason? The last cut on the album is a medley that includes "El Manisero," a piece that's much … Continue reading Mr. Peanut Makes An Appearance
Author: BG
BG (aka The Big Geez) is a retiree who who has spent over a decade generating the Geezer Music Club, where he tries to prove that geezers can stay in touch with today's world. . .and still find time for the trimming of ear hair.
Bye-Bye To Brubeck Bossa Nova
More than once, I've mentioned my long-standing appreciation for Latin jazz. I've also made no secret about being a fan of Dave Brubeck since the days when he brought jazz to the mainstream music world with his group's seminal 1961 recording of "Take Five." And in a different piece, I touched on how his group's … Continue reading Bye-Bye To Brubeck Bossa Nova
Scandinavian Music Can Be Tasty Too
For some time now, the book publishing world has enjoyed the phenomenon created by the huge success of late Swedish author Stieg Larsson's trilogy: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest. I've read all three books and liked them a lot, but … Continue reading Scandinavian Music Can Be Tasty Too
The Little Car That Could
My recent misadventure on the highway got me to thinking about my history of auto ownership. My current vehicle is actually pretty dependable, and the recent mishap is probably attributable to the fact that it's getting some age on it -- not unlike its owner. As I think back over the many cars I've had … Continue reading The Little Car That Could
The Sweet Sounds Of Russ Morgan
Once in a while I like to feature one of the less-remembered bandleaders of the big band era, guys who might have been very popular at one time but lacked the lasting fame of a Glenn Miller or Tommy Dorsey. One who could be described in those terms was another trombonist, Russ Morgan, who had … Continue reading The Sweet Sounds Of Russ Morgan
War Surplus Takes Different Forms
While I was growing up, I was always intrigued by a unique establishment located in a seedy area of our small city. I think the sign on the building actually read Army-Navy Store, but we always called it the War Surplus Store. Although I didn't spend a lot of time in the place, I do … Continue reading War Surplus Takes Different Forms
Eddie Cochran – Shooting Star
In a recent piece about the late Hank Cochran, I mentioned that the veteran singer/songwriter had once formed a rockabilly singing duo with another young performer, Eddie Cochran. Although the two were not related they billed themselves as the 'Cochran Brothers' and did well for a while before going on to separate careers. In Eddie's … Continue reading Eddie Cochran – Shooting Star
Got Those Highway 40 Blues
Short and simple today. I'm still recovering from a little adventure I had on U.S. Highway 40. I was driving back from a visit with my daughter, who lives almost two hours away, and I was still a half-hour from home when I developed car problems. Her and I had gone to a late movie, … Continue reading Got Those Highway 40 Blues
Ginny Simms – From College To Kollege
Regular readers will recall that I often write about 'crooners' and 'songbirds' -- the vocalists of the big band era. In fact, if you put either word into the 'search' space on the left side you'll find lots of evidence of my fondness for them. That being the case, I thought maybe it was time … Continue reading Ginny Simms – From College To Kollege
Sakamoto’s Hit Song Was Not About Food
When Japanese pop singer Kyu Sakamoto's ballad "Ue O Muite Aruko (I Look Up When I Walk)" first became a hit in his home country, it had nothing to do with sukiyaki, a familiar meat and vegetable dish. But "Sukiyaki" was the name given to the song by record promoters when it was brought to … Continue reading Sakamoto’s Hit Song Was Not About Food
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