[Monday’s Notes No. 87] Sometimes after a first romantic date it can happen that one of the two falls madly in love, totally unrequited. This is what fears the protagonist of Ligia, who fights a battle against love that he cannot win. The song is performed here by Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz.Continue readingStan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Ligia. Rendezvous in Ipanema
Tag: voice
[Monday’s Notes No. 80] The picture of the slacker who stays at home drinking while his wife works to support the family is recurrent in the blues. In fact, in certain historical periods it was easier for a black woman to find work as a servant than for a man. Thirsty Mama Blues by Hot…Continue readingHot Lips Page, Thirsty Mama Blues. A classic blues tale.
[Monday Notes no. 79] Pete Johnson was one of the greatest boogie-woogie pianists, Roll ‘Em Pete was one of his favourite pieces. On this recording he is accompanied by singer Joe Turner, another blues specialist. The two musicians provide an outstanding performance, a duet that sums up the most salient features of the blues.Continue readingRoll ‘Em Pete, Pete Johnson & Joe Turner. Simply, the blues.
[Monday Notes no.78] Silent Night is a classic Christmas song, the original version entitled Stille Nacht is Austrian and dates back to the early 1800s. We hear how American singer Mariah Carey reinterprets the song, giving it a strong gospel flavour.Continue readingMariah Carey, Silent Night becomes a Gospel
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Bruno Martino, E la chiamano estate
[Monday No. 77] Bruno Martino was one of the greatest Italian songwriters. A musician by vocation from a very young age, he found a unique style that made him the greatest Italian nightclub musician. Let us listen to and analyse one of his great classics, E la chiamano estate.Continue readingBruno Martino, E la chiamano estate
[Monday Notes no. 72] Fats Waller was one of the greatest interpreters of the stride piano. A pupil of the great James P. Johnson and precocious in playing and composing music, as was often the case with black musicians he came to success more because of his skills as an entertainer than his value as…Continue readingFats Waller, I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
[Monday Notes no. 71] Much of Dorival Caymmi’s music is dedicated to his homeland, Bahia, and to the sea in particular. The singer-songwriter in 1959 recorded Caymmi e Seu Violão, a record made entirely by accompanying himself with only the guitar, from which we hear the song O Mar.Continue readingO Mar, Dorival Caymmi the poet who writes of the sea
[Monday Notes no. 70] Cab Calloway was an extraordinary singer, dancer and showman. After early successes at the Cotton Club where he filled in for none other than Duke Ellington’s orchestra, he continued to perform throughout his life until he was over eighty years of age.Continue readingSt. Louis Blues, Cab Calloway is always center stage.
[Monday Notes No. 69] As with most children of the arts, it must not have been easy for Nancy Sinatra to take on the singing profession. However, in 1967, Nancy performed a lovely duet with her father Frank Sinatra entitled Somethin’ Stupid, which was an immediate and lasting success. Let us analyze this beautiful song.Continue readingNancy Sinatra, Somethin’ Stupid. A duet between father and daughter
[Monday Notes no. 68] Although the most famous song from the musical film The Wizard of Oz is Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the most important song for the unfolding of the story is undoubtedly If I Only Had a Heart. The song is performed in turn by Dorothy’s three companions: the tin man, the scarecrow…Continue readingJack Haley, If I Only Had a Heart. A fable about artificial intelligence