Christmas Blessing 2014.

Wednesday When It Was Music ~ “The Other Hours” ~ Harry Connick, Jr.

 

There is no other singer I know of that absolutely captures Frank Sinatra’s fabulous phrasing other than the very talented Harry Connick, Jr..

This man is a blessing that has thankfully continued the tradition of fine tuned vocalization.

Sunday Sleep In ~ “All I Have to Do Is Dream” ~ In Memory of Phil Everly – The Everly Bothers

If only one word could define the Everly Brothers it would be: HARMONY

For it would influence so many other musical/vocal groups that would follow them. In 1958 All I Have to Do Is Dream was the only single ever to be #1 on all of Billboard’s singles charts at the same time. In the UK it remain #1 for 6 weeks, 21 weeks on the singles chart. #1 R&B & Country.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Wind & Rain” ~ Warren S. Richardson Jr.

If there is any singer who reminds me a bit of Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad it is this artist.

Richardson also has a vibrato ridden set of pipes, the music Blues Rock with the other tracks on the album fused with psychedelic, jazz & funk.

He went on to start the band The Tubes in 75′. I definitely like the 69′ vibe a lot better from this Arizona band.

 

Thursday Throwdown ~ “Rakim/Sister Awake/The Halcyon Days” ~ Jeff Martin

Excellent artist from across our river here in Detroit.

Canadian (Windsor, Ont.) born Martin along with band-mates Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows formed the real Tea Party in 1990.

Our nut case group here in America literally offered to buy their website domain name (they bought in 93′), worth over a $1 million US dollars. Chatwood stated “So much damage has been done to our name by this political movement that they considered selling but instead has since added the phrase “No politics… Just Rock and Roll” to their site in order to distance themselves from the US political group.

Sunday Sinatra ~ The Main Event 1974

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!” ~ Janis Joplin

This Queen of Rock would have been 70 now. One can only wonder how much more she would have contributed and became had she lived beyond 27. Sadly a further explosion we never got to experience.

And why she was also called Queen of just Psychedelic Blues? It might have been the era, but this lady was 100% good old-fashioned low down dirty Mother F’N Blues. To me “Work Me Lord” was a Masterpiece.

Pipes, Talent and Real but all so alone.

One song on this album would ultimately define Janis for the song she sang was really about herself, Little Girl Blue.

Raw, Honest, Pure, Heart, Soul, Emotion… and Beyond Missed.

Thursday Throwdown ~ The Beatles….1966 Tokyo, Japan

God I needed this…..
and they saved the best song for last.

Friday 4 Way Street CSNY Memorial Day Weekend ~ Honor Our Fallon Soldiers

Recorded at The Fillmore East – New York – June 2–June 7 1970
The Chicago Auditorium – Chicago – July 5, 1970
The Forum – Los Angeles – June 26–June 28, 1970.

Released April 7, 1971

1971 Billboard 200 Pop Albums #1

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young wrote the soundtrack to my adolescence, the compositions are prolific and timeless examples of the 1960s.

Nam, Ideals, Heartbreak, Protests, Change, Innocence, Revolt, Disappointments and Carrying On.

Tuesday “Time Out” ~ The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Dave Brubeck — piano
Paul Desmond — alto saxophone
Eugene Wright — double bass
Joe Morello — drums

Released: 1959

The Backbone of “The Band” has died Levon Helm 1940-2012

Levon Helm http://www.levonhelm.com/

Such great sadness within two days for the music world with the passing of Dick Clark and now legendary musician Levon Helm of “The Band”.

May 26, 1940 ~ April 19, 2012

He was 71 years old but some how it still felt like the days they all played at Woodstock in 1969. Ironically this is where Helm chose to reside, Woodstock, N.Y.

Tuesday Time Machine ~ 1963 The Beatles ~ Please Please Me ( Full Album )

I will always love the earlier music from The Beatles.

The songs from this album when heard still breaks out the chills simply because I remember them as clearly today as when all of 6 years-old I heard them first.

Friday Fulfillment ~ Jeff Healey Band Live at Montreux 1999

Nothing better to revive your weary mind than laying back and filling your soul with some Blues.

So enjoy an hour and 40 mins. of them.

Sunday one more ” SOUL ” Entered Heaven. Solomon Burke ~

All the younger people know is this was the song that Baby and Johnny seductively danced to in his room in Dirty Dancing.

The voice behind the recording us older folks knew all to well.

Solmon Burke had a life time of Music behind him, way too many to even count. His journey on this earth left us Sunday Oct. 10th.