__ MCA!

Here's a great Sesame Street moment with the lovely Norah Jones saluting the letter "Y"!

This is available on the dvd SESAME STREET: ALL-STAR ALPHABET. This dvd also features Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, and Stephen Colbert!

Best Cover Ever!

Who's that eatin' that NASTY FOOD? 

You will never think of this song in the same way again.

Sorry not available on itunes!  More on Miss Sondra Prill to come...

Even Steven

Broadway performer STEVEN PASQUALE is best known for his role as Sean Garrity on Rescue Me.  

He is also an amazing singer.  His debut solo cd SOMETHIN' LIKE LOVE is coming out April 21.  It was released digitally on itunes today!  I started to sample and was really impressed and downloaded today.  Produced by husband and wife "jazz couple" John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey,  the album has really nice renditions of jazz standards AND there's also a wonderful cover of MAYBE from ANNIE!

Here he is singing MY FUNNY VALENTINE.

Steven originated the role of Fabrizio in the show LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, but could not appear in the Broadway production due to Rescue Me.  Currently on Broadway in Neil Labute's REASONS TO BE PRETTY,  he's married to stage actress Laura Benanti whom he met during a concert version of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Aren't they a cute couple?

Check out his cd.  



Here's the link to itunes.

Come on, come on, come on, come on... and TAKE IT....

take another little piece of my heart!

Janis Joplin singing her iconic version of PIECE OF MY HEART.

* sidenote -  love the reoccurring storyline on 30 ROCK where Jenna Maroney (played by Jane Krakowsi) is filming a Janis Joplin biopic.  They couldn't get the rights to the songs and can't use her name...  

... so this leads to "Janet Jopler" singing...

“Come on, come on, come on and Take it!
Take another little chunk of my love now, Mister!
You know you bought it if life makes you sweet food!
Chunk of my love! Chunk of my love!
And take it!
Chunk of my lung! Chunk of my lung!
Take it ! Take a big ol’ chunk of my lung now, baby!
Take a big ol’ chunk of my lung! Chunk of my lung!
You know you’ve bought it if it makes you buy it with thingsaahhh!”

brilliant!!

Now back to the "real" Janis.  Her version of PIECE OF MY HEART was actually a cover.

Here is the ORIGINAL version of PIECE OF MY HEART sung by ERMA FRANKLIN who happens to be Aretha Franklin's older sister.  

Love some Janis, but when I first heard this... it was a revelation.  It was like a whole different song.  

Cultural writer Ellen Willis wrote of the 2 different versions... 

"When Franklin sings it, it is a challenge: no matter what you do to me, I will not let you destroy my ability to be human, to love. Joplin seems rather to be saying, surely if I keep taking this, if I keep setting an example of love and forgiveness, surely he has to understand, change, give me back what I have given".

I really love both interpretations.

There have been many covers of the tune through the years.  One really sticks out in my mind.

On the 2005 Grammy's, MELISSA ETHERIDGE (who was going through chemotherapy for cancer at the time) boldly took the stage and sung her heart out in a very personal performance.  She was telling the world I have been fighting and made it through.  This performance was an inspiration to anyone fighting this horrible disease.

 

You can find a studio version here.

Do wah DITTY ditty dum ditty do...

Huge huge fan of THE DITTY BOPS.  Abby DeWald and Amanda Barrett are a wonderful duo (onstage and off.) Their music is a cross between folk and vaudeville!  This would be a very long post if I talked about ALL their music.  So for this one, let's focus on their self titled debut.

Here's their first music video WISHFUL THINKING.  This gives you a good sense of their style. 

My favorite song on this cd is a cover of I WISH THAT I COULD SHIMMY LIKE MY SISTER KATE... which they call SISTER KATE.  This track is a must download.  

At their concerts they have a dancing contest to this song.  Here's the winner from one of their performances.  Get ready for the dynamic dance moves of... GUS!

Here he talks about what makes a winner...



The song has become an official "Jazzercise" workout song.  Towards the end of this clip you can see Amanda (in the pink hair!)  This video makes me VERY VERY happy!

More on these lovely ladies in future posts.  

Check out their fantastic website www.dittybops.com

When you see a guy reach for stars in the sky...

you can bet that he's doing it for some doll!

Saw friends in a fun production of GUYS AND DOLLS tonight.  Here is one of my favorite covers from a song in that musical.  

PERRY COMO

and BETTY HUTTON (love her!)

singing BUSHEL AND A PECK!

available on itunes here!

Detroit City Swings

This week I've written about both Motown and Sinatra.  

Well wouldn't you know it, there is a cool cd that combines the two.  MOTOWN CELEBRATES SINATRA is a compilation of Motown artists covering tunes associated with Ol' Blue Eyes.

It's not on itunes, but you can order it here from amazon.com.

Not all of the songs on the cd are "amazing," but overall it is a cool cd.  Love Marvin Gaye's soulful cover of ONE FOR MY BABY.  This track is actually on itunes.  Check it out.  Great stuff.

My favorite track is Gladys Knight and the Pips going to town on JUST IN TIME.  This song has been on other compilations as well (no itunes though.)  Their version has a great groove to it and then suddenly kicks into overdrive.  This may be my favorite version of the song besides Blossom Dearie's (and there are a LOT of versions!)

You can hear samples of the whole album here.