Taylor made

I love the lyrics to SECRET O' LIFE by the great James Taylor.

There are many great covers of this song. Perhaps my favorite is by jazz pianist/vocalist Shirley Horn.

To me, her rendition is of one who's been through a lot in life and wants to pass on a little advice. I'm drawn to her version in the same way I'm drawn to advice on life that my dear grandparents have to share. I've really learned to appreciate their outlook on things the past few years. They've been through a lot and are an amazing testament to the power of faith and family.

itunes link here

youtube link here

Shirley, who is a huge inspiration to Diana Krall (you can definitely hear the influence) passed on in 2005. Check out her great catalogue.

What's Opera Doc?

Hey stranger! It's been a long long time.

I have a lot to share...

Let's start with a swingin' take on "Habanera" from the opera CARMEN.

It's by the vocal group THE CREW CUTS (best known for their version of SH-BOOM.)

Check out their fun rendition on itunes called CARMEN'S BOOGIE.

Here's Liberace's take on the boogie version. Careful! He's flirtin' with the camera.

Hot Dish!

Tonight is the television debut of a show by two of my favorite bloggers/vloggers/cloggers (just kidding they don't really clog... at least not that I know of!)

The show is called JEFFERY AND COLE CASSEROLE... featuring Jeffery Self and Cole Escola.

You can read past posts on them here. Also check out their youtube channel.

Here's a preview of the show.

More Gay & Lesbian Videos At LogoOnline.com

The show premieres on LOGO tonight at 11pm. You can also download the first episode from free from itunes here.

A Kiss From Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz (prounounced juh-ROSE) graduated high school a couple of weeks ago. She's attending New England Conservatory of Music in the fall. What to do over summer vacation? How about release critically acclaimed debut cd?

Recently turning 18, Miss Jarosz has put out a wonderful bluegrass album SONG UP IN HER HEAD (a must for fans of Alison Krauss/Nickel Creek.) It is comprised of 11 tunes written by Sarah and 2 covers... SHANKILL BUTCHERS (The Decemberists) and my favorite track on the cd COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE (Tom Waits.)

Listen to an NPR interview with her (as well as a live cover of Gnarls Barkley's CRAZY) here.

Here's a video of COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE.

Here she is covering CRAZY.

Treasure CHESS

Try saying that 3 times really fast.... "Treasure Chess, Treasure Chess, Treasure Chess!!!"

SUPER NEW RELEASE TUESDAY part 2...

Also released yesterday was a dvd and a cd of CHESS in concert featuring Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, and a pair of Elphaba's Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis.

AND.... it airs tonight on PBS!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a promo.

The concert was filmed last year at Royal Albert Hall. From what I heard yesterday and have seen on youtube, standouts are Mr. Groban and Kerry Ellis!

Here's an interview with Josh Groban about the show.

Here are links to purchase the dvd and 2 editions of the cd... double disc and highlights.

A Bit of the BUBLE'

I'm a little overwhelmed with all the great new releases today! They are guaranteed to take up at least a couple posts this week.

First up is a new live cd/dvd combo from Michael Buble'. I am a HUGE a Buble' fan. Saw an amazing concert of his a few years back on the tour promoting the album IT'S TIME.

Todays release is his third live release.

The first one was called COME FLY WITH ME.

This is by far the inferior of the 3. The live tracks on the cd are great, but on the dvd the camera editing tries to be way too artsy. By the middle of the first song you are praying that the camera would just hold still... very very distracting!

The second release CAUGHT IN THE ACT is my favorite.

Great show, funny cameo by Josh Groban, and great selections of songs starting with FEELING GOOD as the opening number. This is also basically the same concert that I saw so I know that adds some sentimental value as well. Here he is covering THIS LOVE by Maroon 5.

The new one MICHAEL BUBLE' MEETS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN is good too. I started watching tonight and was a little put off by the documentary footage.

This guy is a really amazing entertainer... his vocals are golden, he's funny, good looking, and has a wonderful passion for the music. In the documentary portions he comes across a little too full of himself. It works as a persona - a hep cat swagger (Sinatra by way of Robbie Williams), but it took away just a little from my joy of the concert footage. The concert itself is great. Here's the trailer.

Out of the 3 though I would recommend first CAUGHT IN THE ACT. It has documentary footage as well, but it's footage shows more of his passion for the music rather than focusing on how far he has come as an entertainer.

...and I love his passion of the music. Mr. Buble' truly has a golden voice. When each new album comes out I look forward to vocal "sparks" he brings to the music.

They finally got a piece of the PIE

The final episode of PUSHING DAISIES aired Saturday night. The show was cancelled but finally aired the remaining episodes the past few weeks.

There was so much about the show that I absolutely loved... adorable art direction, a perfect cast, a quirky script the really utilized everyone in the perfect cast, great moments that break into song, and a magic world with a whole lot of heart.

I was happy the show tied up loose ends (even though it felt a bit rushed at the end.) I felt the same way with creator Bryan Fuller's other brilliant but cancelled series WONDERFALLS. If you haven't seen it and are a fan of PD, the whole series is available on dvd. Lee Pace is on this show too!

Here's one Kristin's really nice musical moments from season 2 of Pushing Daisies.

Season 2 will be released on dvd on blu-ray on July 21. You can also purchase the soundtrack to Season 1.

Here's a sweet video on "Surviving the Last Episode" made by a fan from Germany.

I do feel TV-land has given us GLEE to help fill the void left by Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone. Here's hoping this show lasts... DON'T STOP BELIEVING it "goes on and on and on and on." (Sorry! Couldn't help myself.) Kristin actually appears on one episode next year as a member of the choir!!! Her character never graduated from high school so she is eligible to be a member! Here are some clips including her singing "Maybe This Time."

Here's to the wonderful world of PUSHING DAISIES...

Omigod and Leapin' Lizards, you guys!

Here are the orphans from the national tour of ANNIE performing "Omigod You Guys" from Legally Blonde at a benefit for BARC (Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition.) The girl playing Molly cracks me up!

Everything but the kitchen sink... oh wait... THAT too!

Hurra Torpedo is a band from Norway that makes music using kitchen appliances!  

Here is their hit cover of "Total Eclipse of the Heart!!"  You've never heard the song like this before!!

They became viral video sensations a couple years back and filmed a mockumentary THE CRUSHING BLOW.

Here they are appliance shopping.  This is classic!

The beautiful people... the BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.

No this post is not about Marilyn Manson's hit in 1999.  Although I did show him how to do the CHICKEN DANCE  once (honest to blog!) but that story is for another day!

This post is about a wonderful BBC show that is currently airing on the LOGO network...

Here's a little intro to BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE...

In this clip best friends Simon and Kylie (along with some neighborhood competition) show off their audition songs for the school's production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.  

Simon is excited for the production which has "music by Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, books by... God!"

Here's a little SWEET CHARITY action from an episode that has not aired yet!

Check out season 1 (only 6 episodes) currently airing Tuesday nights on Logo.  If you don't have LOGO access, hopefully a US dvd release is in the works.  It's really a cute show with very witty dialogue.  I also find it refreshing that the mothers of the 2 very flamboyant best friends love their sons exactly as they are.  So far there hasn't been a "stop being a sissy" scene.  Rather Simon's mom makes her son a Technicolor dreamcoat for his audition!

Falling for Broadway...

It's been a few days... so much has happened!  The Tony's have come and gone.  

Here is a great recap... from THE GREAT WHITE WAY REPORT featuring Samantha Souza and Coleman Taylor-Drew.

Check out their other videos.

We are family...

Every year at Christmas we take a big family picture at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  This picture is from a year someone got a new camera with a timer.  My uncle was going to press the timer button and quick jump in the picture.  Easier said than done.  Major technical difficulties...  I believe this picture was attempt number 6 or 7.  I knew he wasn't going to make it into the pic this try so I thought I would spice it up a bit.  See if you can find me!!!

Here is a great site I discovered (with the help of Entertainment Weekly) this past weekend!  Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud and possibly make you pee your pants!!

www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com

GLEE-ful!

So excited for Tuesday's premier of GLEE!

Entertainment Weekly gave it an amazing review.  

Here is a longer promo...

Is it wrong I get a little teary eyed every time I see a promo for this?

Watch it Tuesday night after IDOL!!!! (Then download it for free on Wednesday on itunes!)

seven ate ___.

Check out out the new trailer for the movie version of the musical NINE!

This looks amazing!!!!! It's directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and has an ALL-STAR CAST including Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, and Fergie (YES that Fergie.)  I'm blown away by her vocals in this clip.

Here is the link.  You can download it for your ipod!

The movie open November 25.

NPH and BWAY

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS IS HOSTING THE TONY'S THIS YEAR!  Very excited!  He was wonderful hosting the TVLand awards. 

Can't wait!  The Tony's air Sunday June 7 on CBS!

Here's a SOUL-ful Neil on Sesame Street.

Those Magic Changes!

Thank goodness you only have to go through puberty once in your life...  

(I know really random topic!!!  But saw this hilarious clip this weekend!!)

I remember a very awkward talk about "my changing body" in fifth grade by Mr. Griffin who certainly chose each word he said very wisely. 

During this talk, I remember being SHOCKED at seeing a picture of a naked breast.... specifically... "the nipple." My sister's Barbie Dolls had NO SUCH THINGS, so this threw me for a loop.

 

I guess the girls were probably just as surprised to see that we had more than just underwear the color of our skin.

Then in seventh grade there was another talk about "talking care of our new bodies" in P.E. class.  The thing I remember most is that after the talk we got a goody bag with OXY FACE ASTRINGENT  and "new Doritos cool ranch" samples.  It was really weird because the Doritos bag smelled like the astringent.  To this day I cannot eat a cool ranch dorito without thinking of OXY and acne.

Ah! Memories.

Mothers...

Here is one of the most beautiful songs written from a mother to her child.  It's by Christian singer/songwriter SARA GROVES.

Here is a video using the song made by a mom for her adopted children.

Download this amazing tune here.  

I am a huge Sara Groves fan.  YOU CANNOT LOSE MY LOVE is from her sophomore release ALL RIGHT HERE.  The whole album is very powerful.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my beautiful mother, sister, my grandmas... and all you wonderful Moms out there.

Here is a picture of my mom and a picture of me both about the same age.  The similarities crack me up.

I Get A Kick Out Of You

Here is a wonderful medley about Pregnancy performed by Susan Egan.  Susan made her Broadway debut as Belle in the original cast of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  She went on to many other productions and voiced "Meg" in the Disney animated film HERCULES.  

The Pregnancy Medley is from her 2008 double live album SUSAN EGAN - LIVE! with CHRISTOPHER McGOVERN.  This really really cute medley features the songs  I Get A Kick Out Of You/I've Got You Under My Skin/Together Wherever We Go/Losing My Mind/Dance 10, Looks 3/Steppin' Out With My Baby/You're Nothing Without Me.

Download the intro (at the end of a great song called LAST SONG) and the adorable medley!  Well worth $1.99 for the pair!!!

I'm sorry mama... I never meant to hurt you!

No this post isn't about EMINEM.  Although I'M SORRY MAMA would be an interesting song on a "MOTHER'S DAY MIX cd."

We're gonna talk about a troublemaker with a few less "F BOMBS"... 

Yesterday I did a post on Disney "Mother" songs.  Many recent Disney cartoons feature the single father... The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, and Beauty and the Beast. Aladdin actually had a mother.  As the storyline changed, she got the boot as did a beautiful tune. PROUD OF YOUR BOY (with wonderful lyrics by the late Howard Ashman) is touching song written for Aladdin to sing to his mother telling her he was going to make her proud today.  Here is the original demo version.

You can download that demo version sung by composer ALAN MENKEN, as well as studio versions by CLAY AIKEN and JOHN BARROWMAN (which is my favorite version.)

Perhaps someday we may see a I'M SORRY MAMA/PROUD OF YOUR BOY duet!!??  Any takers....  Mr. "Clay-Diddy" Aiken?   

Baby Love

Here are 2 wonderful Disney tunes about mothers...

The first is the very touching BABY MINE from Dumbo.  There are many covers of this tune.  I have 3 favorites.  The first one I heard was sung by BETTE MIDLER on the BEACHES soundtrack.  I also really love the versions by BONNIE RAITT (with a Doo Wop feel!) and ALISON KRAUSS.  Definitely download worthy!!  (Actually the Bonnie Raitt version is not on i-tunes, but can be found on the cd's MARY HAD A LITTLE AMP and STAY AWAKE.  

Have a listen.

OH, almost forgot!  KERRY BUTLER has a gorgeous version as well.  Guess I have 4 favorite versions!!!  (All you mothers with 4 children out there... I've got you covered!!!)

While looking for videos of these versions I stumbled upon this really nice rendition by a young a cappella group from New Zealand called THE WILLOW SINGERS.  There are some really nice harmonies in this.  Here are 3 of the 4 members.

The second Disney song doesn't get as much exposure as Baby Mine, but it is equally as touching.... YOUR MOTHER AND MINE from Peter Pan.   Here is the original version.

*** O.k. just had to post one more song by THE WILLOW SINGERS.  The other soprano is in this video.... beautiful beautiful harmonies...