listen.

rainy days and mondays always get me down...

oh KAREN! so true....

Rainy Days and Mondays, The Carpenters

Well, rainy days don’t always get me down, I rather love them, BUT a rainy Monday can sometimes get one down.... rather a good song for a day like today.

Let’s indulge in some rainy day music, shall we?

It’s Raining, Irma Thomas
Drip drop....a great soul tune. 

I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today, Nina Simone
Yes Nina, I do too.

Early Mornin' Rain, Peter Paul and Mary
Sigh.

You’re Gonna Need Me, Dionne Warwick
my friend just shared this tune with me.... perfect for a monday, no?

That’s all. Just some good tunes for gray day.

A Christmas Mix from listen.

Listeners: Geo. Ben.
Geo and Ben: Hm?
L: Where have you been?
G&B: What are you talking about?
L: You haven't posted in, like, three weeks.
G&B: Oh. About that...
L: No, it doesn't matter. It's fine. I know you guys both have really unsatisfying, time-consuming dayjobs.
G&B: ...
L: But I'm home for the holidays right now, and... my mom just keeps playing the Kenny G and Michael Bolton Christmas albums on repeat.
G&B: Oh my god.
L: So... maybe you could hook me up with some non-gag-inducing christmas tunes.
G&B: You got it.  Let's start with some tunes from the old masters.

Ella Fitzgerald - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride
Ella Fitzgerald - Winter Wonderland
Aretha Franklin - Blue Holiday
Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
Elvis Presley - Silent Night
Otis Redding - Merry Christmas, Baby
Otis Redding - White Christmas
David Bowie and Bing Crosby - Little Drummer Boy
James Brown - Funky Christmas
James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto
The Jackson 5 - Up on the Housetop
Stevie Wonder - One Little Christmas Tree
Stevie Wonder - What Christmas Means to Me
Donny Hathaway - This Christmas
Judy Garland - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

And moving along to some more recent interpretations of the classics, along with some original tunes to add to the catalog.  We'll start with the obligatory block from old Sufjan.

Sufjan Stevens - Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming
Sufjan Stevens - O Come O Come Emmanuel
Sufjan Stevens - Amazing Grace
Sufjan Stevens - That was the Worst Christmas Ever!
Chris Garneau - Christmas Song
The Innocence Mission - Little Town of Bethlehem
Aimee Mann - I'll be Home for Christmas
Low - Just Like Christmas
Low - If You Were Born Today
Low - Silent Night
Pedro The Lion - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Belle & Sebastian - O Come O Come Emmanuel
Belle & Sebastian - O Little Town of Bethlehem
Clem Snide - Joy to the World
Tracy Chapman - O Holy Night
Feist - Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

AND!  If you want to download the whole shebang in one fell swoop, just go HERE (part 1) and HERE (part 2).  So I guess that's actually two fell swoops. sorry.  [but beware!  These links expire Dec. 29th.]

Merry Christmas from listen.

and stay tuned for some year-end lists in the next week or so.

xo,
ben

covers for friday

boy and girls.

this heat and humidity? sigh.

you know what we need?

COVERS!!!

am i right, or am i RIGHT?

(this may or may not be because i just keep listen.ing to the songs from the melancholia post and all the new amazing barbra that was brought into my life...)

anyway. put your heart on your sleeve and get ready to FEEL.

hearts and bones, jessica molasky
the AMAZING jonathan schwartz brought this AMAZING song into my life on his AMAZING saturday/sunday show on wnyc.  he rocks and so does jessica molasky.  i wish mr. schwartz was my uncle - and we could meet up for lunch - or go see a concert somewhere every once and a while.  i digress: he said, and i agree, that not many people can cover paul simon - for most people can't convey all the emotion needed for his songs  - except ms. molasky and this cover.
tonight: pour a glass of wine, dim the lights and put this song on repeat. 
"why won't you love me for who i am, where i am?
that's not the way the world is baby..."

LIFE!

god only knows, john pizzarelli
coincidentally - ms. molasky's husband (life partner? not sure what their technical definition is) and this past may they were at the OAK ROOM. alas tickets were about $70 with a two drink minimum.... if they ever read this - you guys are amazing and if you feel like doing a show at pete's candy store in williamsburg - it would be packed. and i would be the happiest boy in the world. 

and this song? gorgeous.

hey jude, ella fitzgerald
goddammit. jordan actually threatened to hit ella in the mouth for singing this amazing cover. what a song. let her into your heart jude. do it. for ella.

a case of you, diana krall
i could drink a case of you and still be on my feet. oh joni. my life will not be complete until i give joni (and now diana) a hug.

angel of the morning, nina simone
less of a cover and more of a standard.
i'm old enough to face the dawn.
the most poetic walkin-home-after-a-hook-up song ever. period.

and for good measure - here is the feist video for my moon, my man:

have a good friday!

g

rock the vote: BLACKBIRD!

all righty folks.

are you ready for decision '07?!

there's been so much talk, so much debating and oh-so-much mudslinging all of which, personally, i hope continues because when all is said is done: we can rest - knowing that we have done our job as citizens.

i am, of course, talking about our challenge to you, our readers to vote for the best cover of BYE BYE BLACKBIRD.

i know what you're thinking: "WHAT?!? there are so many version of blackbird out there -- each one with sung by talented performers in their own unique way - HOW ON EARTH CAN I PICK ONE?!?!"

well, to that i say: too bad. we have to chose. and believe me -- that isn't easy for me. (i am a pisces with gemini rising.)

some background on this song:
Blackbird was published in 1926. it was written by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon. It was first recorded by Gene Austin in the '20's.  it became quite a popular standard and was recorded by many many performers (versions that are sadly missing from this challenge include Judy Garland and Nina Simone (if you have those -- drop me a line!)

personally i love this song because i find a deep melancholia hidden beneath the jazz and syncopation.  those times when you've gone off in the world to do something and you realize in the process that you've lost yourself -- so you pack your bags and head home in the hopes that you can find yourself again.

LIFE! JAZZ! SOUL!

VOTING!

so we have TEN versions competing for the coveted title of BEST VERSION OF BYE BYE BLACKBIRD.
you have until friday to listen and vote. so...... listen and vote!

(i am also including 3 versions that aren't competing and that is NOT because the online poll widget we(ben) found only has ten slots....so GET OFF OUR BACKS!)

Dame Shirley Bassey - Bye Bye Blackbird

i was going to embed this AMAZING you tube clip of dame shirley singing it on her variety show....
but you can't embed that clip....which is annoying...so CLICK HERE!!!!

Rickie Lee Jones - Bye Bye Blackbird

Joe Cocker - Bye Bye Blackbird

Rosemary Clooney - Bye Bye Blackbird

The McGuire Sisters - Bye Bye Blackbird

Sarah Vaughn - Bye Bye Blackbird

Carmen McRae - Bye Bye Blackbird

Julie London - Bye Bye Blackbird

Mel Tormé - Bye Bye Blackbird

Liza Minnelli - Bye Bye Blackbird (from Liza with a "Z")

BONUS!

here are some bonus tracks and a REALLY funny/intense video from Brenda Lee
(i like the LONG monologue and THEN the brief scene where she walks by the tables with all the actors...why did they do that?? funny. it also has SUCH a dramatic end!)

Josephine Baker - Bye Bye Blackbird

Tallulah Bankhead - Bye Bye Blackbird

Miles Davis - Bye Bye Blackbird

OKAY!!!

so:
1. listen.
2. vote.
3. let your voice be heard!  Does Julie London understand the song better than Sarah vaughn?
4. Missing your favorite version? SEND IT MY WAY!

what does the winner get? the knowledge that this small circle of people voted them the best. and that means A LOT.

 

i can't wait to tally!
enjoy
geo

love letters from ella

so - there is a new ella album out - and first things first: we need to overlook the fact that starbucks is involved with this album.  so, everyone: take a deep breath and erase that from your mind.

(deep breath)

OKAY!
now this is album was to commemorate what would have been ms. fitzgerald's 90th birthday. it is a collection of never-before-released tracks of some really amazing standards.  It features her singing with Count Basie and his orchestra, joe pass, andré previn and the london symphony orchestra.

it's truly a beautiful collection of songs.  she's just so good.

i'm gonna share three tracks with you all:

cry me a river (with the london symphony orchestra)

Cry Me A River.mp3

i've got the world on a string (with the london symphony orchestra and joe pass)
((i think that this is now my favorite version of this song))

I've Got the World On A String.mp3

and - our love is here to stay (with andré previn)
YAY GERSHWIN!

Our Love Is Here To Stay.mp3 (5844.6K)

and here are two ella clips.

the first one - how high the moon from stockholm in 1966.
she scats and it ROCKS.  she goes in and out of a bunch of songs.

you gotta watch/listen (the audio and picture are a little off) and wait for 4.28 - it is SO SWEET!

and here she is rockin on her variety show with count basie singin mac the knife!

i love her. i just love her so very much.

g