Queen Arthur

BEA ARTHUR 1922 - 2009

Check out seasons of GOLDEN GIRLS and MAUDE on dvd, and also the audio recording of her one-woman show BE ARTHUR ON BROADWAY- JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS.

True class act!

I'm a Barbie Girl...

Here is the wonderful ode to the world of Barbie by the group AQUA.

Check out this really great cover of BARBIE GIRL.   It's by the Axel Boys Quartet.  You can find this on the cd LA MUSIQUE DE PARIS DERNIERE part 1. La Musique De Paris is a French series of cover cd's (mainly English renditions) that are only available as import cd's. Pretty wonderful stuff though...

Investi-KATE...

...the music of jazz vocalist KATE McGARRY.

 There are 3 essential tracks off of her cd MERCY STREETS that I became obsessed with a couple years ago. They are WHATEVER LOLA WANTS, BUT NOT FOR ME, and DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS?



WHATEVER LOLA WANTS takes on a sultry flamenco feel... love her vocal improvisation in the middle. BUT NOT FOR ME has brilliant improvisation as well... love the drum and bass work.  Also love the purity of DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS?

All three have a wonderful fresh approach than you normally hear with the tune.

Have a listen...

Kate is definitely a "contemporary" jazz singer. The chord progressions in some of her tunes can be a little too "modern" for me at times.  There are other tracks that I really like, but those three tracks really stand out for me.

Here she is doing a cover of the JUST WHAT I NEEDED by the CARS. This can be found on her cd IF LESS IS MORE.... NOTHING IS EVERYTHING.

We have to save the PLANET, JANET!

Whenever I think of Earth Day I think of the 1990 All Star TV special with Bette Midler as Mother Earth.  During it's tv debut I was just beginning my obsession with The Divine Miss M.  To this day, protecting the planet and not disappointing "Mother Earth Bette Midler" go hand in hand in my mind.

Here's Bette's scenes from the special.  

Also here's Paul Rudd making Earth look REALLY COOL on Sesame Street!  You can find this on the just released dvd SESAME STREET: BEING GREEN.

On behalf of Bette Midler, Robin Williams, Paul Rudd, Elmo, and myself... HAPPY EARTH DAY!

I wanna put on my my my my my boogie shoes...

DISCO night on Idol...  overall really good performances (with the exception of Lil')

Loved Adam, Kris, and really enjoyed Allison too.

Here they are if you missed them...

I've actually been working on a wonderful DISCO show for Busch Gardens Tampa called DANCE TO THE MUSIC.  The show opens next Wednesday!!!  I helped create it (which has been awesome!!!) and am doing vocal direction for it!!  I'll talk more about this next week.  Needless to say, there's been a LOT of disco music in my life lately.  I feel I could "boogie oogie oogie til you just can't boogie no more!"

So in honor of that new show and Idol Disco night, here are 3 really cool covers of Gloria Gaynor's hit I WILL SURVIVE.

The first is a very popular one by the group CAKE.

Check it out on itunes here.

The second is by cabaret artist Colleen McHugh.  

Very funny interpretation.  Check out I WILL SURVIVE from her live album SONGS OF SELF-DELUSION on itunes.

Finally, here are the wonderful PUPPINI SISTERS with a lovely version.  (The youtube clip cuts out halfway through the number)



Download their cover here. Also, check out my past post on these fabulous ladies.

Cry Me A River...

Love love love this cover of the Justin Timberlake hit CRY ME A RIVER.  It is done by Canadian rock band THE CLIKS.  The band members are all out members of the LGBT community.  The wonderful lead singer Lucas Silveira is actually a transgender man (born female but identifies as male.)  Love his voice.  He and the band bring such a freshness to this tune!

Here is a live acoustic version.

This version is from a concert and is more like the rendition on the album.

You can find CRY ME A RIVER on their album SNAKEHOUSE.

*the picture at the top is from a cute website where a classroom illustrates famous word idioms.  

www.idiomsbykids.com

"KELLY CLARKSON!!!!"

Check out this great video to Kelly Carkson's new single... I DO NOT HOOK UP!

Hello Kitty

This video cracks me up...

Here's TOM JONES in a classic ode to those of the feline persuasion.

Speaking of Pussycats, here are the Pussycat Dolls covering the latin standard SWAY.  You can find this as an itunes single and on the soundtrack to SHALL WE DANCE (the American remake.)  BTW- the original Japanese version of SHALL WE DANCE is SO much better....

The Phantom Menace II Society

Love the album ARE A DRAG from punk band ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES.  It is an entire album of show tune covers.... done punk style.

Here is a fan video of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA using footage from the movie.

I also really love their version of  SCIENCE FICTION DOUBLE FEATURE from THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW.  The whole album is pretty darn great.  Check it out!!

Also, last year American Idol winner DAVID COOK performed a wonderful version of MUSIC OF THE NIGHT on the show.  

Taylor, the Latte Boy

HEAR MUSIC, the Starbucks Record Label, has made quite a name for itself in the music world.  Starting out by having Starbucks store exclusive cds, by 2007 they became a full record label distributing to all retail stores and itunes.  Artists such as Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor are now HEAR MUSIC exclusive artists.

...and last year James Taylor released a covers album called.... (drumroll please).... COVERS!  

It definitely has a "coffeehouse" feel to it.  I really dig his cover of the Dixie Chicks' tune SOMEDAYS YOU GOTTA DANCE and HOUND DOG.

Last week he released a follow up (songs that didn't make the first cut.)  It's called... (bigger drumroll please).... OTHER COVERS!! 

On this release, I love the groove of GET A JOB, and also like his take on the showtune OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.

...speaking of Taylor, here's yesterday's blog subject KRISTIN CHENOWETH singing an an ode to finding love at Starbucks called TAYLOR THE LATTE BOY.  This adorable tune was written by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich who are currently working on the music to a Broadway adaptation of the Drew Barrymore movie EVER AFTER.

Cute cute song.  You can also find an unofficial response from "Taylor's point of view" called TAYLOR'S RESPONSE.  There are versions all over youtube.  It's funny, but takes away the charm of the original a little bit.

By the way, I'm halfway through her new book and am LOVING IT!

Start up the CHENO-rator!

I'm a big fan of Kristin Chenoweth.  Like many others, I really fell in love with her during the Tony's when I saw her sing MY NEW PHILOSOPHY from the revival of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN.

This month she released an autobiography (actually more of a collection of anecdotes from her life) called A LITTLE BIT WICKED - LIFE, LOVE, AND FAITH IN STAGES.  

I just started reading it and am loving it.  The style of writing is a little frantic and jumps around a lot, but this totally fits Ms. Chenoweth's personality.

She has some wonderful things to say about life and I find her outlook very inspiring.  I love that she speaks openly about her faith AND her love for her gay fans and friends.

Check out the book... or wait for the audio version (read by Kristin) due out April 28.... or get both!

Here is a great clip where she is performing ETERNAL FLAME from a staged reading of  EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY.  This is from a planned musical that never made it to Broadway that was based on the Jim Carrey movie.

Hey Paula!

Great episode of Idol tonight.  Overall I enjoyed all the performances.  Adam never ceases to amaze me.  BORN TO BE WILD was wonderful.  This guy has vocal chords of steel!!

I also was so thrilled to see Kris Allen sing FALLING SLOWLY from one of my favorite movies of all time... ONCE!

I definitely think Paula does her homework after she sees the dress rehearsal to come up with quotes and phrases she wants to use.  Actually, I think she has a quote book and takes bits of overused phrases and puts them together to come up with a new phrase that has nothing to do with the situation.

Tonight she told Adam... he "dares to dance in the path of greatness," and that "fortune rewards the brave!"

Here's a great brief montage of Paula and Whitney Houston from their past shows on Bravo!

Taxman

Just finished doing my taxes!  Had to pay a lot of money... not cool.  At least it's done though.

Here's a brief clip of a lovely cover of the Beatles' hit TAXMAN by NICKEL CREEK!

You can download the song here.

If you haven't filed yet... hurry!!!!

The Gospel Truth

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter!  The picture above is one I took last Easter.  We were visiting NY and went to the CLOISTERS (which is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the European Middle Ages.)  Of course Easter isn't just about Jesus on the cross, but rather the resurrection.  About life AFTER death.  I grew up in a small rural Lutheran Church.  I was a sunday school teacher/church organist while in high school.  At the front of the church on top of the altar was a statue of Jesus holding his hands out showing the nail marks.  Now that I'm older I really appreciate that image of Christ growing up.  Not of a man dying on the cross, but rather a savior saying "I'm back... and I'm HERE for you."

Which leads me to today's post...

I'd like to share with you an amazing book.

LAMB - THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD PAL by Christopher Moore

A friend first recommended this LAMB to me a few years ago.  I definitely had my doubts about the book at first.  As a Christian, I was afraid it was going to be sacrilegious.  It definitely is not.  If you have an open mind you will find that this book has a lot of heart.

LAMB tells the story of the missing years of the bible, Christ's teenage years.  The book is told through the eyes of Biff, (Christ's childhood friend) who was somehow left out of the bible.  

Once I started reading I was hooked.  The author has written a humorous "work of fiction." More importantly, I found the book very touching.  Joshua (Christ) is trying to figure out his purpose in life.  His friends Biff and Maggie (Mary of Magdala) are there to help him figure it out.  Biff is very rough around the edges.  Yet as Joshua's life on earth ends, Biff wants to protect his friend and doesn't want him to suffer.  I really feel that Christopher Moore captures the heart of Christ (except there may be a few curse words thrown in!)   We really see His human side... His love and compassion.

 

Here's one of my favorite passages where Biff talks about love after he and Joshua meet Maggie for the first time.

"I don't know if now, having lived and died the life of a man, I can write about little-boy love, but remembering it now, it seems the cleanest pain I've known.  Love without desire, or conditions, or limits- a pure and radiant glow in the heart that could make me giddy and sad and glorious all at once.  Where does it go?  Why, in all their experiments, did the Magi never try to capture that purity in a bottle?  Perhaps they couldn't.  Perhaps it is lost to us when we become sexual creatures, and no magic can bring it back.  Perhaps I conly remember it because I spent so long long trying to understand the love that Joshua felt for everyone. "

I'll be the proudest fella in the Easter Parade...

WONDERFUL MOVIE...

here's the title song...

EASTER PARADE originally paired Judy Garland with Gene Kelly.  However, Gene injured himself before shooting so Fred Astaire came out of retirement to appear in the picture.  (He would go in and out of retirement the next 10 years.)   He and Judy had wonderful chemistry as seen in the following clip....

Here's a very nice comedic moment for Judy.

Overall great movie featuring the wonderful song catalogue of IRVING BERLIN.  The film also features ANN MILLER and PETER LAWFORD. 

It takes a VILLAGE, people!

While doing research for an upcoming 70's show I found these 2 music videos of the VILLAGE PEOPLE.

This is classic stuff!

Check out a fun cover of Y.M.C.A here!

It's a Mad Mad Mad MAD WORLD

I was absolutely overwhelmed by Adam's performance of MAD WORLD on Idol this week.   Originally performed by Tears for Fears, I first heard the song by Gary Jules as a cover featured in the movie DONNIE DARKO.  His version became a number one hit in the UK in 2003. 

Here is the Gary Jules version.

Gary heard Adam's version as was very pleased.   He said that he was in the other room when the song came on.

"I ran out and I was like, `I knew he was gonna do it! I knew it!' " he recalls. "I've been waiting for years for somebody to do it. I thought David Cook was gonna do it last year for sure. ... As soon as I saw that guy Adam on `American Idol,' I was like, 'Oooh, this could be it.' "

Jules, 40, thinks Lambert put a signature spin on his cover-of-a-cover.

"It was fantastic," he says. "He has a beautiful voice. ... I heard his Michael Jackson cover and I heard some of his other stuff, and I think that he's probably one of the most — if not the most — interesting performer I've ever seen on `American Idol.'"

Personally, I loved everything about this performance.  The lyrics of the song speak of the feeling of alienation.  His performance reflected this beautifully.  The gorgeous lighting (which I have a feeling he had a say in) was the icing on the cake.  Adam is a true artist.

Here it is...

Here are the links to download the video performance and the studio version. 

...and if you haven't seen it, check out DONNIE DARKO.  The original theatrical version and a director's cut are both available on dvd, and both are on the same blu-ray disc.  The director's cut makes the plot more easy to understand, but I kind of like the ambiguity of the original.  On the original dvd there are some great deleted scenes that add richness to the plot, but I feel the newer version doesn't allow the viewers to make some decisions for themselves.  Either way, really great movie.  Amazing performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, his sister Maggie, and the wonderful Mary McDonnell as Donnie's mother. Definitely one of my favorite movies.  It's one of those films that will stick with you long after you see it.  There is also an amazing website to go along with the film.

Here is the trailer.

MIDLER on the roof!

The queen of inserting a singular musical number into her movies is The Divine Miss M.  

Yes, Bette Midler has been in movies where she plays a singer throughout... THE ROSE, BEACHES, and the masterpiece FOR THE BOYS (love it!!!)  What I'm talking about is where she does one number in the whole movie.

I previously talked about the wonderful I PUT A SPELL ON YOU from HOCUS POCUS.  Here are 2 other favorites.

This one is very similar to the Hocus Pocus trio.  Here she is with Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn in THE FIRST WIVES CLUB.

This one is truly priceless from BIG BUSINESS!

The moment I wake up...

Random "musical number" perfection...

MY BEST FRIENDS WEDDING made every woman in America want to have a witty gay best friend. Rupert Everett was wonderful in this movie.

I also love the opening sequence to MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING. I knew the moment the song started that I was going to love this movie.  The vocals here are actually recorded by Ani Difranco. Love the irony that Ani is a widely celebrated feminist singing about wearing you hair just right so you can get the guy!

 

The BIG number

The next couple of days we're taking a look at "Musical Numbers in Non-musical films."

One iconic non-traditional example is HEART AND SOUL in the movie BIG.  Tom Hanks dancing on a larger than life keyboard has inspired countless piano duets.  You can bet somewhere in the world right now someone is asking "Do you wanna play the top part or bottom part?"

Here is an adorable performance of a father and son playing together at a recital.

The song was written by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser.   Check out great vocal versions by MEL TORME, ELLA FITZGERALD, and probably my favorite.... by JOE WILLIAMS.

Some day, when I'm awfully low...

The next couple posts will follow a little theme...  

"MUSICAL NUMBERS in non-musical films."  

Today I'd like to share a beautiful moment from the movie PETER'S FRIENDS.

In the movie, a bunch of friends who were in a College Comedy Troupe at Cambridge get together for the first time in 10 years.  It's kind of a British "The Big Chill."

It has an all star cast featuring Hugh Laurie, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Imelda Staunton, Richard Briers, Stephen Fry, Rita Rudner, Tony Slattery, Phyllida Law, Alex Lowe, Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh.  If you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth a rental.

My favorite part in the movie is this moving rendition of THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT.  This is really beautiful...  I LOVE these harmonies!!!

Das BOOTS

Here is Nancy Sinatra performing THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN' on the Ed Sullivan Show.  This is priceless.  I LOVE the dancers.  Move over BEYONCE and all her "Single Ladies,"  I think I've found a dance to obsess over.

There is a pretty wonderful cover of BOOTS...   No, it's not by Jessica Simpson!  It's a cool acoustic version by Spanish singer-songwriter JAVIER ALVAREZ. 

Check it out here. 

"Totally FOLK-ed!"

This morning as I was eating my bowl of Berry Berry Kix, I came across an article online about a new broadway cover album by RACHEL BAY JONES called SHOWFOLK (folk covers of showtunes!) It looked interesting so I went to itunes and heard some samples... and really really liked what I heard.

I impulse-downloaded the album, listened to it all day, and LOVE IT.  I really dig the variety of her selections.  She opens with a great version of BREEZE OFF THE RIVER from THE FULL MONTY (great tune.)  There are covers from newer shows WICKED, SPRING AWAKENING, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, RENT... and also classics from ON THE TOWN and MAN OF LA MANCHA.  

Favorites besides BREEZE OFF THE RIVER are ANOTHER DAY (Rent), LUCKY TO BE ME (On The Town), and a wonderful version of GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN (Stop The World - I Want To Get Off).  I feel these tunes in particular get a very fresh interpretation on the album.

Check it out.  You won't be sorry!  This is really stunning music.