THE POWER OF WORDS
I've had the good fortune to have met many wonderful poets through the years, including John Hollander, Stanley Kunitz, Sharon Olds,...
LADY DAY
I have long been an aficionado of Jazz/R&B vocalists, particularly those of the female persuasion. From Dinah Washington to Bessie Smith...
SIDE BY SIDE
It took me a long time to come around to Stephen Sondheim, I admit. Oh, I recognized his importance to the American Musical Theatre--he...
THE COLORS OF SPACE
Been reflecting more than usual and I thought I'd pay tribute to an artist about whom nothing is written these days. Yet he was as...
1963
At my age it's easier to look back and identify key moments in my life. Emotion often obscures objectivity, but after half a century one...
CHRISTMAS JAZZ Part IV
Yup. It's that time of the year again. Thought I'd focus on one song today--the soulful R&B favorite "Merry Christmas Baby", which has become a holiday staple. The song, penned by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore, hit # 3 on the Billboard charts in 1947 with a recording by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers and the great Charles Brown on vocals. It has been covered by myriad song stylists, including everyone from Booker T to Bruce. Below are a few of the more interesting renditions.
READING LIST
I was involved in a discussion recently, probably in response to various Ray Bradbury tributes (see earlier entry), about those books that have proven most influential in my life. I'm big on lists, so I thought I would give it a go and reflect a little on those titles that helped inform me or define me as I grew up. Time to get personal. Let's try things roughly chronologically: 1. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss This was early Seuss, writte
GILT-EDGED BONDS
There are many different methods for evaluating the James Bond franchise. Today it is likely that most people who have seen as many as...
BLACK SWAN
I was lucky to have reached adulthood at approximately the same time the world of ballet hit its Golden Age. A recent commentary by...
FURY IN HER SOUL
After an absurdly long wait, the late Laura Nyro was finally recognized by her peers, with induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year. Nyro, seen above in my favorite photo of her, was sui generis. There was no one quite like her. She didn't really fit into the pop/rock niche, though she penned classic pop tunes such as "Stoned Soul Picnic" and "Eli's Coming", both hits for other artists, and had a minor hit on rock stations with "Save the Country". She sa
