Let Freedom Sing!

Music of the Civil Rights Movement
This is a far-reaching collection of songs by, for or about participants in the civil rights movement. You'll find blues, folk, jazz, gospel, rock, funk, pop, r&b, soul, hip-hop and all the blends and fusions possible among the musical styles. The songs date from the forties all the way to 2008. Let Freedom Sing provides a great reminder about how integral music was to the movement: in the streets, churches, jails, segregated lunch counters as well as the concert halls. The artists read like a who's who of Black (and some White) musicians: Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, John Lee Hooker, James Brown, B.B. King, Bob Marley, Neville Brothers, Mahalia Jackson, Bob Dylan, Nat King Cole, Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White, Phil Ochs, Harry Belafonte, Otis Redding, the Weavers and a few dozen more. The who's who doesn't include everyone (notable exceptions include Paul Robeson, Sam Cooke, Leadbelly and Miriam Makeba), but then it is only 3 CDs. If you've never heard Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit or Nina Simone singing Mississippi Goddam, you have to check out this set.

Rob recommends Old Crow Medicine Show

So we were chicken-sitting for our Catskill Mountain friends in early August. They were returning a little early from vacation just so we could overlap a little and actually see each other. I was in my frantic got-to-get-dinner-on-the-table mode and decided to put some music on to ease the process along. I turned on Laura’s CD player without looking at what music she’d selected. It turned out to be Old Crow Medicine Show. What a treat! Who knew? I’d never heard of them. They’re in that nexus of country/bluegrass/rockabilly/folk blues where everyone hears something different. The band has played all the usual places from the Grand Ole Opry to Prairie Home Companion to Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The album we were listening to was O.C.M.S., with a mix of original and traditional songs. “Wagon Wheel” the group’s signature song was adapted with new verses from an unfinished Dylan song. Their other albums have a few clunkers, but you won’t find any on this one.

Neutral Milk Hotel, Gavin Bryars, and Tinariwen

So what does fuzz folk, modern orchestral music, and African blues/rock played by former rebels have in common? Well, this past Saturday I had the pleasure of encountering all three at one concert. Those of you who may be fans of the band may already know that Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel was in Boston this weekend, playing his first shows in New England since 1998. For those of you who don't know Jeff Mangum, he's a bit of a J. D. Salinger figure among musicians, having made his masterpiece back in 1998 with the release In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, shortly after permanently disbanding the band and only sporadically touring on his own thereafter. The album has since become a seminal work among musicians, songwriters and fans due to Jeff Mangum's layered lyrics involving siamese twins, Anne Frank, angels and the cycle of death & rebirth, supported by an intermingling of multiple organs, musical saw, and hard-driving guitar.

As if that wasn't odd enough for you, opening for Jeff Mangum was ACME, a string quartet from NYC which, according to their website, "is dedicated to the outstanding performance of masterworks from the 20th and 21st centuries." The selection that really raised the hair on my arm was a work of Gavin Bryars, a British composer whose work "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" features an unaccompanied elderly man singing an off-beat religious song. As the performers told the story, Gavin Bryars had filmed this man as a part of a documentary and was so taken by the song that he looped it on a recorder and was listening to it in his office, a shared space with other artists. Not thinking about the music playing on loop, he took off to get a cup of coffee and returned to find that everyone in the office was transfixed by this music, some even to the point of weeping. Realizing the potential and strength of the old man's song, he wrote a composition for it with a slow buildup of string instruments that play on variations while his warbling voice extols a simple statement of faith.

So, on to the final piece--what do African rock rebels have to do with all this? During the concert Jeff Mangum was being a pretty amiable guy and asked if anyone had any questions. When asked what was the last concert he had been to and he answered "Tinariwen." Being the geeky librarian I am, I did a search of our catalog while leaving and brought up several albums which have been stuck on repeat on my iPod this last week. These former Touareg rebels have traded in their guns for guitars and have been produced several albums marrying American Blues music to African sensibilities, bringing the blues back home as it were.

So, I hope that my joy in music will be your gain and that you'll give at least one of these great musicians a try because I don't know if I'll ever come up with a more eclectic list than this!

Give my Regards to Broadway, Part 2

Without further ado, here are the rest of my picks for best Broadway soundtracks.

6. Gypsy

Sing out, Louise! This iconic musical based on the memoirs of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee has been popularly revived on Broadway many times, turned into a classic film with Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell, and made into a TV movie starring Bette Midler. Gypsy tells the story of Lee’s rise to fame, no thanks to her Mama Rose, who is the ultimate stage mother. Though the backstage shenanigans are fun, it’s the heart-wrenching relationship between mother and daughter which gives this play its soul.

Check out the 2003 Broadway revival starring Bernadette Peters.

Or the TV version starring Bette Midler.

7. West Side Story

Pay no attention to the ill-conceived 2009 revival of this Shakespearean classic. West Side Story is an old standby, and it’s fantastic the way it was. It’s Romeo and Juliet set in 1950s New York, with rival gangs and ethnic groups instead of families. Though the amount of ballet dancing it contains renders it not realistic, it’s still an awesome musical with a memorable soundtrack.

8. Chicago

Chicago is Kander and Ebb’s classic, iconic musical, and it’s still a delight to listen to. This soundtrack contains classic songs such as “All That Jazz” and “Nowadays,” and just oozes Broadway and Fosse. Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking put new faces and voices on the memorable Velma and Roxie, and their rendition remains my favorite.


9. Cabaret

Cabaret is another well known musical, set in the late 1930s, when Berlin was full of decadence and sex. The play chronicles the lives of the performers at the Kit Kat Klub, who are trying as hard as they can to avoid the fact that the world is falling apart around them. The songs Sally Bowles sings end up as parallels to the rise of the Third Reich and the impending war. The best part of the most recent revival is the addition of “Maybe This Time”, an import from the film version.

10. An honorable mention goes to the Book of Mormon, the newest and hottest ticket on Broadway. I haven’t heard or seen this 2011 Tony winner yet, but if it’s all it’s cracked up to be, it’s bound to be brilliant and hilarious. The music and lyrics are a collaboration between South Park’s Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez, so I don’t see how it could go wrong! If you end up getting your hands on this before I do (I’m pretty far down on the holds list!), let me know what you think.

- GT

Give my regards to Broadway... (part 1)

In honor of a recent trip to New York City where I spent much of my time seeing Broadway musicals, I decided to recommend Broadway soundtracks. Here’s a list of some tried and true favorites, as well as some new ones to check out. These are in no particular order, but read the first 5 here, and stay tuned to read the other 5 next week!

1. Rent

Rent is an update of the opera La Boheme, and chronicles the trials and tribulations of a group of bohemians, anarchists, artists, and friends in New York’s East Village. The score is upbeat and infectious, and it never fails to entertain. I blast this one in the car in traffic jams. If you like the soundtrack, you can check out the revival, currently running Off Broadway. (And if you do go, tell me how it is, because I’m dying for tickets!)


2. Avenue Q

In Avenue Q, Muppets which look an awful lot like those on Sesame Street, teach you valuable lessons. Such as, “the Internet is for porn,” “There is life outside your apartment” and “If you were gay, it’d be OK.” Even Gary Coleman makes an appearance in puppet form. I’m not sure I can really say much more about it – just give it a listen and prepare to laugh. Avenue Q is currently running Off Broadway.


3. In the Heights

Join this group of immigrants as they tell us all about their lives in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Some have aspirations to leave the barrio which reach as far as California, and some would be happy just to move downtown. Some are trying fervently to save their little community, as the neighborhood cycles through different ethnicities and cultures. Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda borrows from different styles of music, such as rap and salsa, and also takes his influences from his Broadway predecessors like Jonathan Larson and Stephen Sondheim. It’s infectious, joyous and poignant. Definitely my favorite in recent Broadway history.


4. Wicked

This soundtrack boasts instant classic Broadway tunes such as “Defying Gravity,” “I’m Not that Girl,” and “For Good.” Tony winners Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth play the lead roles, and their renditions of these songs quickly became iconic. Give this a listen if you haven’t already.


5. Anything Goes

The revival of this Cole Porter classic, which stars Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, the evangelist turned nightclub singer, is one of the hottest tickets on Broadway right now, and for good reason. The upbeat soundtrack contains classic songs like the title track, “Blow Gabriel Blow,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” Until the current revival is available on CD (release date September 20, 2011), check out this 1987 version starring Broadway legend Patti Lupone.

Listen to Madeleine Peyroux sing

Singer Madeeline Peyroux began her career in the Latin Quarter of Paris at age 15. Inspired by the early American blues and jazz repertoire, she honed her vocal and guitar skills in Europe. She developed an uncanny likeness in sound to Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf. The New York Times said she could "inhabit Holiday and Piaf, doing the tragic, pinched-voice thing perfectly." Her solo albums include Bare Bones, Half the Perfect World, Careless Love and Dreamland.

Her newest album, Standing on the Rooftop, explores American roots music. One of my favorite tracks, Jerome Kern's The Way You Look Tonight, is recorded on the album Got You on My Mind with William Gallison on harmonica. A somewhat overdone classic, Peyroux' version is well worth listening to - you will definitely sing along and put a smile on your face.

Rob is SURE You'll Like Springsteen's Seeger Sessions

I don't know why, but I've never been a Bruce Springsteen fan. I blame my age. I grew up with 60s rock and and I've been slow to appreciate any rock music produced after say, 1972. And unfortunately for Bruce, his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park NJ came out in 1973. I knew that Springsteen had recorded an album of Pete Seeger's folk songs (We Shall Overcome: the Seeger Sessions) and I was mildly curious, but I somehow never got around to listening to it. But now that I have heard it, I want everyone to have a listen.
Bruce Springsteen got together with a bunch of other musicians at his farm and had a blast putting a rollicking spin on a bunch of traditional folk songs sung by the (now) 92-year-old Pete Seeger. I can pretty much guarantee that you've never heard versions of John Henry, Old Dan Tucker or Pay Me My My Money Down like this. With trumpet, trombone, tuba and some great drumming, you'd never know that these songs spent their whole lives in the company of guitar, banjo and fiddle! Springsteen et al have a lot of fun in playing the songs and their enthusiasm helps make the album a lot of fun to listen to.

Mike Hopes You Listen to Velvet Underground

Loaded by Velvet Underground

It seems like at the beginning of every spring Velvet Underground's "Loaded" hits the rotation in my playlist. Maybe it's because I've been so sick of the doldrums of winter that I can really rock out to "Who Loves the Sun." And there's nothing quite like rolling down the windows and cranking up "Rock 'n Roll", which is Lou Reed's paean to America's present to the world. Of course, every song on the album is great (imho) so you'll just have to grab a copy, roll the windows down, and blast it as you're driving down the highway on a bright spring day.

Wynton Marsalis and Richard Galliano are Fabulous

This tribute to two outstanding female jazz voices is a treat for your senses. The album, including such classics like 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do', 'La Vie en Rose', and 'Them There Eyes', was recorded live at Jazz in Marciac in 2008. From Billie Holiday to Edith Piaf Live in Marciac is available for circulation along with a large collection of other excellent contemporary and classic jazz recordings in our Media Room. Come browse and enjoy.

In Memory - Bill Evans, Jazz Pianist

Bill Evans, who died 30 years ago this week at the age of 51, was a master of harmonies, chords, pedaling, phrasing and dynamics. Evans' collaboration with Miles Davis on the timeless album "Kind of Blue" is an example of his techniques. A mentor to countless musicians who came after him including Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett, Evans too early death was an unimaginable loss to the world of music. His last recorded piece on September 9, 1980, was "My Romance" by Rodgers and Hart. Browse our collection of Evans' music on CD in our Media Room on the first floor.

Etta James' "Time After Time" is a favorite of Debra's

Although rhythm and blues legend Etta James is probably best known for her hit single 'At Last', this album showcases her incomparable talent singing such classics as Don't Go to Strangers, Love is Here to Stay, The Nearness of You, Imagination and Night & Day. Although these songs have been recorded hundreds of times before, James is a master. Her own life experiences and worldly wisdom have no doubt influenced her musical interpretations. The backup musicians are incredible performers on their own. From Ronnie Buttacavoli on trumpet to Cedar Walton on piano and Herman Riley/Eddie Harris on tenor sax, you will be treated to the best. Every track is an amazing listening experience. If you are like me, you may wear out the disc from overuse. Remember to sing along and enjoy.

Spotlight on Nancy Wilson

One of my favorite jazz singers, stylish Nancy Wilson
shines in this compilation of classic jazz standards recorded mostly in the 1990's. From What a Little Moonlight Can Do and Time After Time to Miss Otis Regrets and Someone to Watch Over Me, each track is a treat for the senses. Feel free to browse some of our many other outstanding vocal jazz compilations including Torch Songs, Lady Sings the Blues and Jazz Vocalists Hear and Now.

Listen to some choice selections at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsJUDQNx9u8

Mike Suggests: Last Train to Memphis

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

The first in a two-volume series chronicling the life of the King of Rock and Roll, Peter Guralnick has written the definitive biography of an American Icon. If you don't like Elvis's music before reading this, you'll be a convert after finishing it. Be sure to read the book while listening to the recordings, such as Elvis's legendary and ground-breaking Sun Studio Recordings.