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.