I Want To Dance With Somebody & The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing

Here are 2 very different songs about dancing. One a yearning - the other a happy promise AND the singers are as different as their songs. Matt Alber sings Whitney Houston's early anthem as a plea - a gentle wish. This is such an original approach to the song that it sounds like a new tune. I prefer it to Whitney. Kurt Elling promises a happy time in his song and once you hear it there will be no doubt that he will deliver. It is a retro rendering that can only delight. And you may even want to dance.

                                          

Easy Living - Nancy Wilson / Morgana King

Easy Living is one of my favorite songs. I like it, aside from its beautiful melody, for the lyric. It tells of a no holds barred kind of love that can be both romantic love as well as familial or friendship - a deep bond. I am always searching for different versions of this tune. Here are two of my favorite interpretations. The first is an earthy jazz tinged reading by the beautiful Nancy Wilson - love her. The second is a lush ethereal interpretation by the great Morgana King. The visuals are the way I see this song. I've made it personal. Enjoy.

                                   

Peggy Lee - Cats & Rainbows

Peggy Lee is one the great minimalist singers. No one gets so much said emotionally using so little in the manner of histrionics. She sighs, purrs and simply drips like thick sweet honey from a silver spoon. Here is Peggy singing two what use to be called novelty tunes. "The Siamese Cat Song" was composed and sung by Miss Peggy Lee for the animated Disney classic "The Lady and the Tramp". "Sing A Rainbow" was performed by Peggy in the movie "Pete Kelly's Blues" for which she earned an Academy Award nomination. Just a note about the two performances. The Cat song has Peggy amusingly voicing the singing cats AND the Rainbow song is sung in character. In the movie Peggy has been put in an asylum and reverts to being a little girl. As this little girl, she sings the Rainbow song sadly clutching a rag doll. Listen and be moved.

                                       

93 Million Miles - Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz troubadour

Jason Mraz philosopher

Jason Mraz humanitarian

Jason Mraz composer

Jason Mraz musician

Jason Mraz beautiful singer 

Jason Mraz 93 Million Miles

                                       

                                        

John Pizzarelli - Harvest Moon

I love a good cover especially a jazz flavored rendering of songs you just wouldn't think could slide into another genre. John Pizzarelli is one great musician - singer/composer/guitarist extraordinaire - and he has a penchant for turning over -  ever so slightly - rock, pop and country tunes into little jazz gems. Always respecting the original, the Pizza Man shows us all a song can be. I love this take on Neil Young's classic.
                      

                                                    

Stevie Wonderful! - You and I

I remember being halfway drunk in a  bar on West 74th street in New York City wailing this song along with a stranger - who, for the length of the song was my BEST friend in the universe. It was a rather long friendship since we kept popping quarters in the juke box to further wail out our heartfelt - most drunken heartfelt emotions. Yes, juke box - that's how long ago it was. The bar was packed and no one seemed to mind our caterwauling. Granted, this is a strange song to sing along to especially because of the range of notes. It goes quite high BUT when you are high you are already there OR so you think. I never saw my singing friend again but I have never stopped singing and loving this song - loving it because it is so beautiful - words and music BUT mostly because Stevie Wonder is the singer. Stevie Wonder was an idol of mine when I was an aspiring singer. He and Nilsson also Elton John - singer songwriters all three. Great innovative composers AND great innovative singers. Here is the wonderful Stevie Wonder...........

                                 

With You - A Beautiful Sadness

There are many songs about loss. "The Man That Got Away"  etc. "With You" is more than an expression of loss. It is an outburst of grief. It is a relatively new song from the Broadway musical "Ghosts". I love it. I hope you do too.

                                           

Belt and Torch - A Tribute

Eydie Gorme was one of those singers that could sing almost every genre AND sing it masterfully. She was just the best torch singer. Then there was her ability to belt -  really belt out a number without hurting your ears because she was so musical and always elegant. She did pop with humor and breezy flair. She conquered Broadway as only a true Diva could. Her Spanish language recordings are legend. Eydie's partnership with her husband Steve Lawrence was historic. Their pairing was not my favorite use of her talents as I always felt when she performed with Steve, Eydie willingly and annoyingly took a back seat to her husband. Maybe it was the times. Maybe she just loved him so much. But, I'm in the minority, since their duo performances in Vegas and on TV were extremely popular. Anyway, here she is solo -  in all her glory -  torching and belting her way through a great Broadway tune. Notice how focused she is - like a great actress unraveling in her moment of truth. This is the Eydie I like. This is the Eydie I love.

 

 

 

A Quiet Thing - Morgana King

Very few singers can transport you like Morgana King. With her multi-octave range plus her emotional range, she is like no other vocalist you will ever experience. Take her in...............

                                                                   

Sara Smile

RUMER

Is she not the new Karen Carpenter with a drop of Linda Ronstadt to funk her up a little. She's new school that loves old school. Its a pretty sound and just goes down so easy. She goes by the name of Rumer although her name is Sara, thus her reason for singing the Hall & Oats chestnut. I love it.

BREAK THE WALLS

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS

TV Music Channel Paladia has a program they run quite frequently called Daryl's House. The Daryl is Daryl Hall formerly of Hall & Oats that fab blue-eyed soul duo of the 1980's. Daryl Hall possesses one of the great pop voices ever. Anyway his show is a terrific concept. He invites musicians to jam and record at his upstate New York estate. His guests are as diverse as you could get from Smokey Robinson to., well, newish bands like Fitz & the Tantrums. I first heard their sound here on a visual medium but no complaints. I like them. Actually, they remind me of Tears For Fears. Remember them? "Shout Shout" & "Everyone Wants To Rule The World". They had an original albeit one note sound. Fitz & The Tantrums are angry but with a sense of humor which serves to broaden their music and keep their songs from sounding all the same. They must have a sense of humor with a moniker like Fitz & the Tantrums. 



 
Have a listen and tell me what you think.

                                        

Misty

Here is an exciting new recording of the beautiful Errol Garner classic "Misty" popularized by the late Sarah Vaughn and most especially by that extraordinary living legend Johnny Mathis. Jason Gould puts a new spin on 'Misty"  - he performs it like an inner monologue full of quiet drama. I can only say that this recording by Mr. Gould is truly mesmerizing bordering on other worldly. Morgana King no longer records. Jason Gould may be the one to fill that void. Here is "Misty" by Jason Gould

                                           

                              What do you think? Your comments are welcome.