Music, Music, Music...
Funny how a blog can take different directions...Mine has been so serious and will be again, no doubt.
However, I mentioned music and I walked into my bedroom to catch the tail end of a radio interview, I had no idea who with but the guest starting saying how he likes the smooth easy sounds of singers like Ella Fitzgerald. Then mentioned that he had an album coming out where he would not be doing vocal gymnastics and would be singing older songs as this seems very popular at present.
I do know that many so called "Pop" stars when they appear on programmes where they choose their favourite music, they mention growing up with a wide range of music in their homes and through out their childhood and we are talking of anything from classical music to bands like Glen Miller/Tommy Dorsey, jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and singers like Sinatra, Bennett, Fitzgerald etc...
In recent years we've had singers like Rod Stewart having great success with a series of albums of "Standards" and last month we had Paul McCartney. My mind has gone blank but there has definitely been a series of artists bringing out their versions of music written decades ago.
Now, this is either because the music written in the 40's and 50's really was class or is it simply because its seen as a way of cashing in on a trend. The fact that music is still selling and is still popular even though it is the same songs just being covered over and over again, it seems difficult to do any harm to these old songs.
So who is the artist who has a CD coming out on Monday? Jason Donovan. Better known for the disco type material in the 80's and for acting in the Australian soap Neighbours.
What is he singing on the new CD?
1. I Won't Dance
2. Make Love
3. Every Time We Say Goodbye
4. Bewitched
5. Sign Of Your Love
6. What A Difference A Day Made
7. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
8. I Only Have Eyes For You
9. Creative
10. They Can't Take That Away From Me
11. With You
I have no idea if they have been rearranged to sound modern or are similar to their original style nor whether he has anyone guesting on some tracks. Four of the songs I do not recognise so they could be new songs in a similar style. I wonder how well it will do. Will it be judged as a stand alone CD and that these are new versions of songs many of us are familiar with or will listeners be comparing his attempts with those we artists we know so well.
I suspect these kind of songs are easier to sing and gentle to the voice and that has a lot to do with why many of the older singers had careers that lasted years. Also if this is a success there is a wealth of material that can be dipped into for many years...
Update:Surprisingly, Jason Donovan's Bewitched is not the one we usually think of "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered" but the theme to the 60's US Comedy Sitcom about A witch trying to live a normal life and not use her magic powers. I have only ever know this as an instrumental but the credits to that series always mention that it has lyrics and Jason proves that it does!
Michael Bolton is the latest artist to issue a kind of duets CD called Gems but its been coupled with a "Very Best Of CD" so that's two CD's for the price of one...so if you are a new fan you get a chance to catch up on previous material too, a total of 29 tracks!
Perhaps the most interesting track is his duet with Eva Cassidy(Wonder what she'd have thought of it?)
Also, they've reissued the Tony Bennett Duets I and Duets II as a package now and reduced the price. Again, a bargain for anyone who missed either first time around.
However, I mentioned music and I walked into my bedroom to catch the tail end of a radio interview, I had no idea who with but the guest starting saying how he likes the smooth easy sounds of singers like Ella Fitzgerald. Then mentioned that he had an album coming out where he would not be doing vocal gymnastics and would be singing older songs as this seems very popular at present.
I do know that many so called "Pop" stars when they appear on programmes where they choose their favourite music, they mention growing up with a wide range of music in their homes and through out their childhood and we are talking of anything from classical music to bands like Glen Miller/Tommy Dorsey, jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and singers like Sinatra, Bennett, Fitzgerald etc...
In recent years we've had singers like Rod Stewart having great success with a series of albums of "Standards" and last month we had Paul McCartney. My mind has gone blank but there has definitely been a series of artists bringing out their versions of music written decades ago.
Now, this is either because the music written in the 40's and 50's really was class or is it simply because its seen as a way of cashing in on a trend. The fact that music is still selling and is still popular even though it is the same songs just being covered over and over again, it seems difficult to do any harm to these old songs.
So who is the artist who has a CD coming out on Monday? Jason Donovan. Better known for the disco type material in the 80's and for acting in the Australian soap Neighbours.
What is he singing on the new CD?
1. I Won't Dance
2. Make Love
3. Every Time We Say Goodbye
4. Bewitched
5. Sign Of Your Love
6. What A Difference A Day Made
7. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
8. I Only Have Eyes For You
9. Creative
10. They Can't Take That Away From Me
11. With You
I have no idea if they have been rearranged to sound modern or are similar to their original style nor whether he has anyone guesting on some tracks. Four of the songs I do not recognise so they could be new songs in a similar style. I wonder how well it will do. Will it be judged as a stand alone CD and that these are new versions of songs many of us are familiar with or will listeners be comparing his attempts with those we artists we know so well.
I suspect these kind of songs are easier to sing and gentle to the voice and that has a lot to do with why many of the older singers had careers that lasted years. Also if this is a success there is a wealth of material that can be dipped into for many years...
Update:Surprisingly, Jason Donovan's Bewitched is not the one we usually think of "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered" but the theme to the 60's US Comedy Sitcom about A witch trying to live a normal life and not use her magic powers. I have only ever know this as an instrumental but the credits to that series always mention that it has lyrics and Jason proves that it does!
Michael Bolton is the latest artist to issue a kind of duets CD called Gems but its been coupled with a "Very Best Of CD" so that's two CD's for the price of one...so if you are a new fan you get a chance to catch up on previous material too, a total of 29 tracks!
Perhaps the most interesting track is his duet with Eva Cassidy(Wonder what she'd have thought of it?)
Also, they've reissued the Tony Bennett Duets I and Duets II as a package now and reduced the price. Again, a bargain for anyone who missed either first time around.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 7:20 pm
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