I was thumbing the TV remote control the other day and happened to land on an old I Love Lucy rerun, and although I'm not a huge fan of those shows I noticed that Ricky (Desi Arnaz) was talking about someone threatening to replace him and his band with Xavier Cugat's outfit. I would guess … Continue reading Xavier Cugat – The Godfather Of Latin Pop Music
Category: Boomers
BOOK REVIEW: The Lucky Strike Papers by Andrew Lee Fielding
A little over a year ago, I wrote a piece about the early days of television that I titled Did Rock and Roll Kill Your Hit Parade? I'm not sure I actually provided much of an answer at that time, but that's just one of many questions that are covered in an outstanding new book … Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: The Lucky Strike Papers by Andrew Lee Fielding
Arranging As An Art – Fletcher Henderson
The first time I became aware of jazz legend Fletcher Henderson was - surprisingly enough - in a movie. But it was definitely a very musically-oriented one, 1955's The Benny Goodman Story. And even though Henderson's character appeared in the movie, he had actually died a few years earlier and was played by Sammy Davis … Continue reading Arranging As An Art – Fletcher Henderson
REVIEW: Various Artists – The Very Best Of Outlaw Country
First, a little history. By the late 1960's, the Nashville establishment had a good thing going. Country music was changing and becoming more and more appealing to mainstream America, and a lot of country artists were becoming major crossover stars. Not everybody catered to that style of the music, but songwriters and performers who wanted … Continue reading REVIEW: Various Artists – The Very Best Of Outlaw Country
The Rivieras: California Beach Music – Hoosier Style
I've written before about how appealing California was to me as a Midwestern teenager in the 1950's, but my fascination with the golden West didn't end with the decade. As a young man in the early 1960's I continued to find myself intrigued by some of the things happening out there, especially those of a … Continue reading The Rivieras: California Beach Music – Hoosier Style
REVIEW: Kevin Naquin & The Ossun Playboys – Call It What You Want
I was just thinking. I might be one of the leading reviewers of Cajun music on the internet. Not because I'm - you know - any good at it, but just because there aren't that many people covering the genre, and that's a shame. It's a type of music that might appeal to a lot … Continue reading REVIEW: Kevin Naquin & The Ossun Playboys – Call It What You Want
Confessions Of A Multiple-Music Addict
If you're reading this, then you're probably familiar enough with current technology to know that these days most of us load up our hard drives - and our portable players - with digital music, picking and choosing our favorite tunes from various sources. Just like before, we still sometimes buy entire albums just to get … Continue reading Confessions Of A Multiple-Music Addict
REVIEW: Norah Jones & Others – My Blueberry Nights (Soundtrack)
Chanteuse Norah Jones, having pretty much conquered the music world, is now taking on Hollywood by starring in My Blueberry Nights, which is currently in limited release. The producers are making the most of the opportunity -- although the film poster shows all three leading ladies (the others are Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman), the … Continue reading REVIEW: Norah Jones & Others – My Blueberry Nights (Soundtrack)
Remembering Karen Carpenter — As A Singer
It's pretty much impossible to write about Karen Carpenter without first mentioning her tragic, premature death from the effects of an eating disorder. It's the first thing most of us think about. But having acknowledged it, I'd like to now leave it behind because I'd much rather remember Karen Carpenter the singer. The Carpenters began … Continue reading Remembering Karen Carpenter — As A Singer
REVIEW: Karrin Allyson – Imagina: Songs Of Brasil
Over the last decade or so, there are very few - if any - female jazz vocalists who can match Karrin Allyson's steady climb as a fan favorite. The Grammy-nominated singer has become a regular on the album charts, and has also become an audience favorite in live appearances at a number of locations, including … Continue reading REVIEW: Karrin Allyson – Imagina: Songs Of Brasil
Geezer Music Club 