A glance at the growing Israeli a cappella scene.
Continue reading...Song Of the week
161, The Swingle Singers, ‘Sinfonia from Partita No.2 in C Minor’
The 2013 Swingle Singers are great. The 1963 Swingle Singers weren’t bad, either. (Caution: This posting contains a clip of Glenn Gould practicing which may not be suitable for younger audiences.)
Continue reading...144: Fleet Foxes, ‘Montezuma’
In which Jeff philosophizes about life, music festivals, old age, and jingoism; writes an advice column together with an Aztec king; and enjoys the indie band Fleet Foxes.
Continue reading...143: Christian McBride, ‘Killer Joe’ (Red Sea Jazz Festival, 2012)
Jazz isn’t all atonal and brainy and inaccessible. It is more often fun and intelligent and wise and witty and playful and passionate, and open to anyone who is willing to expose himself. It’s that wonderful place which presents you with the present of the present. Christian McBride at The Red Sea Jazz Festival last week: “Rarely do you see this anywhere else in the world, but we saw teenagers dancing to jazz, moving, screaming, running up to the stage. You guys made me feel like Paul McCartney last night. We love your enthusiasm.” Yet jazz is also a place where young people learn respect for The Tradition.
Continue reading...142: Kat Edmonson, ‘Champagne’
It’s disconcerting when a 28-year old writes Cole Porter songs, or when her cover of a Lennon song outshines the original. Come meet Kat Edmonson, who’s been monopolizing my turntable for the past month.
Continue reading...134: Lee Konitz, ‘Duende’
“Duende” in Spanish denotes both an evil little goblin and ‘a certain diabolical magic’which Lorca called “a sort of corkscrew that can get art into the sensibility of an audience.” The Lee Konitz ‘Duende’ (written for him by Chick Corea) has remained an obscure bluenote in a legendary career. But it wrenched my heart the first time I heard it, and has done so every time since.
Continue reading...123: Ray Stevens, ‘Jeremiah Peabody’s (…) Pills’
I ain’t no hyprachondriact, but I was up all night with acrobatic kishkes. So here comes the universal cure: Ray Stevens’ ‘Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolvin’ Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills’.
Continue reading...118: Brian Wilson, ‘Surf’s Up’ (“SMiLE”)
The Beach Boy’s unreleased 1966 “SMiLE” was rumored to be Brian Wilson’s unfinished masterpiece. Its legend grew larger than the Loch Ness monster, more beautiful than Shangri-La, more elusive than the Yeti, richer than El Dorado, more profound than the Shroud of Turin, more holy than the Grail. Now it’s been reassembled and issued, 37 years later. Was it worth the wait?
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