lunedì 28 gennaio 2008


Non sentite anche voi odore di eccessiva similitudine quando il vostro Ipod passa a tradimento da Kid Charlemagne degli Steely Dan a Riding on a train dei Pasadenas?

Cioè sembrerebbero due universi distanti anni luce.

Una morbida e sinuosa jazz-rock song e una commercialissima e sinuosa soul music da classifica in realtà hanno diversi punti in comune (a parte l'aggettivo "sinuosa") sia nella progressione ritmica che in quella armonica.

Ma forse mi sto facendo un pò troppe seghe mentali.

Come finire questo orrendo pezzo?

Col consiglio di ripescarvi assolutamente Kid Charlemagne, un pezzo veramente notevole impreziosito da un eccellente (e ben noto agli appassionati) solo di chitarra di Larry Carlton.

That's all folks!

10 commenti:

Anonimo ha detto...

Ricevuto Maggiore!
Sciolgo le briglie al Mulo!

DiamondDog ha detto...

Grande Denise!
Non rimarrai delusa anche se ti fo un pò più rockettara.....

Anonimo ha detto...

ho ascoltato...in effetti sì...
ma non è male!

Anonimo ha detto...

devo colmare un pò di lacune musicali...

Anonimo ha detto...

mah...
per me non si tratta di lacune...ma di "lagune"!!
dehihohihihi!
saluti.

Anonimo ha detto...

A belloooooo
sei nelle nomination degli
Z Blog Awards 2008
come miglior Zblog maschile...ti ho votato...io sono stata nominata come miglior Zblog scrittore..ma l'ho scoperto un minuto fà...beccati l'indirizzo:
http://www.sw4n.net/votazione-awards/

DiamondDog ha detto...

Ossantamadonna.
Ma se ho sempre detto a sw4n che non mi interessa.....e poi al massimo sarebbe stato corretto candidarmi nei blog musicali.
Si vede che della musica frega minga.
Vabbè lady, a te ti voto sicuro.
Anche se spero di non entrare in "conflitto di interessi" visto che la vincitrice dello scorso anno è amica mia.....

DiamondDog ha detto...

Ustia ho detto una cazzata, sono stato nominato anche per i blog musicali ma in quel caso (e giustamente) a nome rocksaloon.
Chi l'avrebbe mai detto.
Ma soprattutto mi piacerebbe sapere chi mi ha nominato visto che io non sono aduso a questi trucchetti?

Anonimo ha detto...

In 1942, the US armed services had the ingenious idea of producing a series of nearly indestructible records for the sole purpose of distributing them amongst their troops, in arder to build their morale d uring the harrowing days of World War Il.
"BasicaIly, l'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers or a botti e of Jack Daniels." - Frank Sinatra
These 12", 78-RPM records - known as V-Discs - were made of a type of plastic called Formvar, which was chosen for its durability, and high recording quality.
The V-Disc masterminds felt that the troops deserved the opportunity to listen to all of their favorite music from back home, so they chose to record ali of the top artists from many distinct genres, including pop, classical. R&B, country, jazz and blues.


"Rock 'n Roll: The most bruta!, ugIy, desperate, vicious form of expression' it has been my misfortune to hear. ¬Frank Sinatra
They also decided that the troops would great:ly appreciate any musi c that was composed and performed in their honor, so as well as including copies of the greal.est popula," music hits, they would also release a slew of new recordings by top artists, record ed exclusively far military pel'sonnel.
These V-Discs featured song introduct:ions by the artists themselves, who often included encouraging messages to the servicemen abroad. The discs also contained propaganda songs such as, "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Town of Berlin," that now serve as an insi9ht into the most important moment in modern history,


One of the main reasons that the V-Disc program was so successful had to with the legendary musicians' union strike that silenced the recording studios far over two years. Many musicians felt disconnected from their listening public, and were more than happy to return to I.he studios far such a worthy project, uven though they received no economic compensation for their efforts.
Due to the agreement between the ,'"cording companies and the US ~Iuvernment, all of the V-Disc master plal.cs were destroyed after the war. 'roday, very few copies of V-Discs "cmain, and those that are stillleft have become expensive collector's items.
"Let's face it, Sinatra is a king. He's a very sharp operator, a keen record chief, and has a keen appreciation of what the public wants." - Bing Crosby


This phenomenal release includes the complete Frank Sinatra V- Disc collection released exclusively under contract with US Army Special Services as well as the complete Frank Sinatra collection that had been released by Columbia prior to being issued as V-Discs.
The V-Discs contain all of the music that Sinatra was to record during the most important stage of his musical development, and were the only recordings that the musicians' union allowed him to record during the very formative years of 1942 to 1944.
"He was the epitome of what singing is aIl about, beautiful sounds, smooth as silk, effortless, impeccable phrasing, stylish, intelligent and full of heart." ¬Barbara Streisand
The year 1942 was a landmark year far Sinatra, who left Tommy Dorsey's band
in September, in order to strike out on his own, before joining Columbia Records in 1944 and going on to become the nation's number one artist.
This peri od marks the definitive turning point in Sinatra's rapid progression from a relatively unknown big band vocalist to the greatest performer of bis day. It also represents one of the most fertile stages in Sinatra's unrivalled legacy. as he was by far the V-Disc project's most prolific and popular artist.
Although this compilation includes both classic and contemporary materia!, live concerts and studio recordings, the interpretations are of a superlative quality from start to finish. The release features exquisite versions of songs like "Some Other Time," 'Ali OfMe:' "Come Rain or Come Shine," "My Shining Hour," "I Only Have Eyes For You, " and "Nancy With the Laughin' Face," along with such notable guest artists as Dinah Shore and Tommy Dorsey and his bando
Musically, Sinatra is at his peak on these recordings. His trademark laid back sound is as polished as ever, and his singing is filled with the evocative grace he is cherished for. His uncanny ability to know


just how long to hold on to each word and where to put each inflection remains ever present throughout the release.
"I think every American would have to smile and say he really did do it his way." - President Clinton
This unique edition allows the listener a chance to hear Sinatra at the onset of his solo career, at a ti me when his 1943 Paramount Theater Concert shocked the nation, and his status as a world class artist became solidified. Whether a long-time Sinatra collector, or a brand-new fan, these V-Disc recordings will provide you with countless hours of Iistening enjoyment.
"Who's this guy that every city in America wants to clairn as their own? This painter who lives in the desert, this first-rate, first¬take actor, this singer who makes other men poets. Boxing clever with every word, talking like America, tough, straight up, in headlines, comin' through with the big stick, the aside, the quiet compliment, good cop, bad cop, ali in the same breath. You know his story 'cause it's your story. Frank walks like America, cock-sure." Excerpt from Bono's introduction of Sinatra.

Anonimo ha detto...

Billy Ward and the Dominoes had a #13 hit with the song on the Billboard Pop chart. However, it has been the Artie Shaw version of 1941, with memorable solos by Billy Butterfield (trumpet) and Jack Jenney (trombone) that remains the favorite orchestral version of the Big Band era.
Ringo Starr recorded a version for his first solo album, Sentimental Journey in 1970, after the break-up of The Beatles.
"Stardust" is an American popular song composed in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael with the lyrics added in 1929 by Mitchell Parish.
"Stardust" (the song's original title was "Star Dust", which has long since been compounded into "Stardust"[1]) was written at the Book Nook in Bloomington, Indiana (across the street from the Indiana University School of Law, where Carmichael had attended school ) on an old upright piano, and first recorded in Richmond, Indiana for Gennett Records by Carmichael's band in 1927 as a peppy (but mid-tempo) jazz instrumental. Carmichael said he was inspired by the types of improvisations made by Bix Beiderbecke. The tune at first attracted only moderate attention, mostly from fellow musicians, a few of whom (including Don Redman) recorded their own versions of Carmichael's tune.

Mitchell Parish wrote lyrics for the song, based on his own and Carmichael's ideas, which were published in 1929. A slow version had been recorded in October 1928, but the real transformation came on May 16, 1930, when bandleader Isham Jones recorded it as a sentimental ballad.[2]


Like many other standards of the Great American Songbook, the verse is both highly melodic and musically sophisticated.

Jones' recording became the first of many hit versions of the tune. Young baritone sensation Bing Crosby released a version in 1931 and by the following year over two dozen bands had recorded "Stardust". It was then covered by almost every prominent band of that era. Versions have been recorded by Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey,Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Mel Tormé, Connie Francis, Harry Connick Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, The Peanuts, Django Reinhardt, Barry Manilow, John Coltrane, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, Billy Ward and the Dominoes, George Benson, and many others. Billy Ward and the Dominoes had a #13 hit with the song on the Billboard Pop chart. However, it has been the Artie Shaw version of 1941, with memorable solos by Billy Butterfield (trumpet) and Jack Jenney (trombone) that remains the favorite orchestral version of the Big Band era. Ringo Starr recorded a version for his first solo album, Sentimental Journey in 1970, after the break-up of The Beatles.

Frank Sinatra famously recorded just the verse on his November 20, 1961 recording, for his album Sinatra and Strings, much to Carmichael's chagrin (although Carmichael is said to have changed his mind on hearing the recording).




"Stardust" is one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, with over 1,800 recordings, perhaps the last popular version by Willie Nelson in 1978.
In 1956, a nationwide Billboard survey of disc jockeys showed that their number one favorite of all time was the Artie Shaw (1941) recording of "Stardust".
In 1999, "Stardust" was included in the "NPR 100",[3] in which National Public Radio sought to list the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century.
In New Year 2000 the Swedish music reviewers voted it as "the tune of the century", with Kurt Weill's "Mack the Knife" as second.
In 2004, Carmichael's original 1927 recording of the song was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
"Stardust" is the very first music heard on the epic 19-hour PBS documentary Jazz: A Film By Ken Burns (2001).




Since it would be impossible to settle on two songs that would fully represent the diverse musical sty/es of the past 100 years, we decided to select items from the two most pervasive sty/es of the century. To represent the Tin Pan Alley years, we have selected Hoagy carmichael & Mitchell Parish's "Star Dust," written in 1929. Here it is sung by Bing Crosby (1903-1977), arguably the century's most popularentertainer.
The second half of the 20th century is represented by The Kingsmen and their everlasting rock 'n' roll anthem, "Louie Louie," With more than 1,200 recorded versions of this song in existence, and two albums consisting of its best-known covers, Richard Berry's modest R&B tune from the 1950s became a touchstone for struggling and established bands alike.

In this collection we have only touched upon the riches offered by western civilization's creative musical artists. As we continue life's journey into a new century and a new millennium, we can pause and marvel at how far our g/obal society has come from the earliest days of antiquity to the present What musical wonders will appear in our future? The next chapter is right around the comer.



"Star Dust" is one of the most recol'l kd and popular of ali American songs, alld Il'1 history is one of the most interesting. ( :.11 michael wrote the melody as a piano pi,'" in 1927 and record ed it later that yeal' .11 the piano with Emil Seidel's bando IL IV;I', played as a medium up-tempo piece, 11111 I1I the ballad mode to which we are now accustomed. Sometime later, at the sugg •... tion of Carmichael's pub!isher, Mitchell Parish added some lyrics, and the new ,','I sion was launched in a show at the Col 11111 Club in 1929. In the early 1930s it was ,1111 being record ed as a rhythm tune, bUl I" mid-decade it had been recast as a balL,,1 and had ente l'ed the repertoires of malll' popular bands of the day. Over the ye;lI' Il has been recorded some 500 times and sung in numerous foreign languages.
"Star Dust" achieved worldwide accepl ance despite the fact that its tune is dilli cult to sing or whistIe correctIy. lts harmony is quite unusual: the chorus opens on a subdominant major chord, 1111'11 moves to a subdominant minor in the t Il i l' I measure; the tonic is not heard until tlt •. fifth measure, a most unlikely pIace to encounter the basic tonality. The melodi, line is very fluid and wide-ranging, a for midable challenge for singers not only because it floats over a span of ten notes but also because it is more instrumental than vocal in style. (The ve l'se, for exam¬pie, was an effort on Carmichael's part 111


N at Cole in the 19505.
'''l'ite in the style of one of his musical Idols, cornetist Bix Beiderbecke.) And \l'bile the lyrics are well fitted to the me/¬""l', the phrases are not easy to manipu¬1.11', and the vocal!ine demands a singer ",ilh secure technical facility and enough l!I'cath to accommodate its long phrases.
Nat Cole began his performing career as il pianist of considerable skill and polish, so il 'rhaps it is not surprising that he is ,Issured and comfortable with the intrica-
I ics of "Star Dust." As he learned to sing "1Ie1 gained experience in performing, he Hl'adualll' developed a remarkably sound liocal technique. Yet there is much more to ( :ole than mere technique. In this perfor¬1I1anCe we encounter an artist of rare taste ,lIld discrimination. In the verse he is able lo sustain movement at a tempo that other¬\l'ise suggests utter stillness, and he
11Iolds the phrases of the chorus in a man¬lIer truly inspired. No other singer has brought such perception to the lyric or used it to communicate such a sense of story !ine.