As I write this it's difficult to think about anything but the heat -- it's sweltering, with local temperatures in the high 90's. But although the blazing heat makes me think about Summer, I thought I'd try to ignore it and focus instead on another facet of the season -- vacation trips, especially those by … Continue reading Summer Is All About Vacation Trips
Category: Boomers
From Boogie-Woogie To Early Rock And Roll – Ella Mae Morse
Boogie-woogie is a type of music that's a little difficult to pin down and define with precision, mostly because it's like ice cream -- it comes in a lot of different flavors, and they're all downright tasty. But I will at least try to edge into something approaching a definition. I'm not a trained musician … Continue reading From Boogie-Woogie To Early Rock And Roll – Ella Mae Morse
REVIEW: Sound Of The City – New York Area Doo Wop (1956-1966)
As I've said before, you really have to hand it to the folks at Time-Life. I can't imagine any aspect of nostalgia-based media - music, video, or books - that they haven't covered exhaustively. Their virtual vaults must be stuffed to the rafters, judging from what they've made available through the years. You can almost … Continue reading REVIEW: Sound Of The City – New York Area Doo Wop (1956-1966)
Marty Robbins – A Star In Many Different Genres
It could be said that Gary Cooper introduced me to Marty Robbins. You remember Coop, right? He was the long, lanky, leather-faced movie star who specialized in Westerns and was rumored to possess Hollywood's biggest...gun. In the late 1950's he made one of his many oaters, something called The Hanging Tree, and although I enjoyed … Continue reading Marty Robbins – A Star In Many Different Genres
REVIEW: Juan Pablo Torres – Romantic Cuba
Reminiscent of Pérez Prado and moonlit Havana nights, Cuban dance music is alive and well -- or at least it is on Romantic Cuba, a new compilation on the Malanga label. The album, which stars the late Cuban trombonist Juan Pablo Torres, is actually two complete albums in one. It combines 1975's Mangle and 1981's … Continue reading REVIEW: Juan Pablo Torres – Romantic Cuba
Paul Mauriat – Reinterpreting The Classics
Most of us are aware of examples of modern musicians updating and reinterpreting classics -- it's certainly been a long-standing tradition in the music world. After all, Mozart was probably fond of re-working some of Handel's stuff...well, maybe not, but you get my drift. In more recent times, you can see example after example. Some … Continue reading Paul Mauriat – Reinterpreting The Classics
REVIEW: Steve Khan – Borrowed Time
A veteran of over 20 albums stretching back to the 1970's, Steve Khan has built a nice résumé as a respected jazz guitarist, and his latest effort, Borrowed Time, follows up on his successful release from 2006, The Green Field. His newest also continues a collaboration with some of the same talented musicians, including bassist … Continue reading REVIEW: Steve Khan – Borrowed Time
Eddie Fisher And The Ladies
Every day there seems to be a new scandal of some kind involving a celebrity, but misadventures by the rich and famous are nothing new. We certainly had our share of them while I was growing up, and even if there were fewer ways to spread the stories, people still found ways to pass the … Continue reading Eddie Fisher And The Ladies
Roy Clark – Much More Than A Hee-Haw Host
My musical tastes run all the way from A to Z (I love zydeco) but some genres have had to work a little harder than others to get my attention and loyalty. Country music is a good example. I often heard the music of the heartland while I was growing up, so I sometimes count … Continue reading Roy Clark – Much More Than A Hee-Haw Host
DVD REVIEW: This Is Tom Jones
I would imagine that Tom Jones' fans worldwide (and there are a LOT of them) are anxiously awaiting the release of This Is Tom Jones, his new DVD set produced by the folks at Time-Life. If so, their wait is almost over. The three disc set, encompassing eight of the best episodes from his TV … Continue reading DVD REVIEW: This Is Tom Jones
Geezer Music Club 