Van Cliburn 1934-2013

Van Cliburn died this week. Had it not been for Mr. Rogers, I wouldn't have known who Van Cliburn was in my younger years.

And looking back, I find it amazing that our Cold War with the Soviet Union permeated everything. It consumed us. And it was all a dick swinging contest. Not only in regards to military supremacy, but the Space Race, sports, music, Rocky IV, everything was a contest. I didn't know why we hated the the guys wearing the CCCP shirts, but I knew we were supposed to hate them.

And in 1958, Van Cliburn was a part of that.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Dave Brubeck 1920-2012

Legendary Jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck died today, one day short of his 92nd birthday.

Brubeck is best known for Take Five.

 

Donna Summer Dies at 63

NY Times: Donna Summer, one of the most influential singers of the disco era, died on Thursday. She was 63.

The cause was cancer, according to Brian Edwards, a publicist for Ms. Summer, who said she died at her second home in Naples, Florida.

Ms. Summer was a five-time Grammy winner who became a superstar in the 1970s with hits like “Love to Love You Baby,” “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.”

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Donna Summer. She was at the height of her disco career while I was becoming an adolescent, and although it "wasn't cool" to like disco in my circles back then, there was, and still is, something riveting about her particular beat and orchestral arrangements that I loved. Of course, I didn't know I loved them until decades later. Ask my wife. Anytime a Donna Summer song pops up on the car radio, I sing along enthusiastically. And I never owned a single recording. It's just seared in my mind.

 

Tweet of the Day

Davy Jones Dies at 66

HuffPo: The Monkees singer Davy Jones has died at the age of 66, TMZ reports. A rep for Jones revealed that he passed away Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack.

Etta James Dies at 73

NY Times: Etta James, whose powerful, versatile and emotionally direct voice could enliven the raunchiest blues as well as the subtlest love songs, most indelibly in her signature hit, “At Last,” died Friday morning in Riverside, Calif. She was 73.

Her manager, Lupe De Leon, told The Associated Press that the cause was complications of leukemia.

Music Break! Clark Terry

Notice when Clark Terry plays his flugelhorn solo, he's holding it upside-down.

Hey CNN, WTF?!

Holy crap!



ADDING... The more I think about this, the more I realize that this was inherently racist. Accidentally playing the wrong music track for bumper music is one thing, but you have to realize that they were looking for some kind of rap music. Because what else would a 103 year old woman who drives a two-tone 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, and happens to be black, listen to while she's cruising down the block?

Whoever decided that rap music would be the proper choice of music for this clip should be dismissed.

Music Break! MVPleez

A good friend of the Mrs. and mine has been writing and co-creating music videos, the first of which just officially launched.

Enjoy.

Music Break! Ben Folds & Nick Hornby

Levi Johnston's Blues



(The lyrics in the chorus of this song were taken directly from Levi Johnston's MySpace page.)

Have a Cool Yule

Light blogging this next day or two, but I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish those who stop by a very Happy Holiday and a happy and healthy New Year.

Music Break! Celia Cruz

Quimbara

Music Break! John Lennon

Jealous Guy

Music Break! Cee Lo Green

F**k You

Music Break! Ben Folds & Nick Hornby

From Above

Music Break! Mel Tormé

Dat Dere

Time Flies

Today would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday.

Seventy years old.  I was fourteen when he was gunned down in front of his apartment on West 72nd Street and Central Park West in front of The Dakota.

It's eerie to think that I am now four years older than Lennon was when he was killed. And strange that 30 years have already passed since that day. But I'll leave the details of that night and the event s that followed for a post on December 8th.

In the meantime, mark your calendars for November 22nd, when PBS will air LENNONYC, an American Masters episode, and check out this NPR interview.

But It's Not About Racism (The Gangsta Rap Edition)

The last question posed of President Obama for the most recent and lengthy Rolling Stone article's October 14th edition, but available online now, asked what kind of music he is currently listening to.

The President gave a fairly in-depth answer, including Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. He also said he listen to "a lot of R&B" and included classical music specifically naming Maria Callas as his opera standby.

He then said this:

"Thanks to Reggie [Love, the president's personal aide], my rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff, but I would not claim to be an expert. Malia and Sasha are now getting old enough to where they start hipping me to things. Music is still a great source of joy and occasional solace in the midst of what can be some difficult days."

So what, pray tell, could the Fox Nation website headline possibly be?

Via Bob Cesca:



Yes, the Prez is a gangsta rap aficionado. But it has nothing to do with race, right?

Music Break! Count Basie

Haven't done one of these in a long time.