Vox

Fallen Idol

Well, I have only watched American Idol the last couple of seasons - and have been consistently disappointed. I was happy to see Jordin win last year, because she is such a sweet kid (and there are some connections to her in my circle).

This year, Brooke was not the best singer, but she was my favorite. I also loved the idea that another super-sweet Arizona girl might take it all. Tonight she got the boot.

Since they had already kicked off the best singers, of the remaining contestants, I thought she had a chance. I saw a story online today that said Carly Simon loved Brooke's voice, so I can see them working together to make an album that would be right in Brooke's wheel house.

Of those left, I think Syesha has the most polished voice. She is also gorgeous - definite star quality. She will absolutely have a career, probably on Broadway. She is also the only female now.

Jason Castro gets through, I think, on his looks and his 'vibe'. I think a segment of the audience latched onto his Jack Johnson-ness early on . . . and never realized the voice wasn't keeping up.

David Archuleta was the favorite from the start, so I am not surprised he is still going. He seems to be performing less and less convincingly as the weeks go by, as if the longer he is there, the more insecure he gets. I see his career as being short and ending in a tragic E! True Hollywood Story

David Cook? Just. Don't. Get. It. He is unattractive. He is pudgy. Balding. His voice is mediocre. He has been smart enough to steal cool arrangements of the songs he performs - but Simon acts as if David C. came up with them on his own. If he has a career, it will be in a cover band doing rehashed versions of rehashed versions of hit songs. Would any of you actually buy his album?

No real talent left, and no Arizona girl in the running - unless they have a great mentor in the next weeks, there is just no reason to watch anymore.

Couch Tripping

Special Agent Johnny Utah just moved to Austin

Austin City Limits Music Festival just announced this years line up.

Sounds like the makings of a road trip

Whisky Tango Foxtrot Music

Today's WTF moment courtesy of David Bowie.....and Cher.

Christmas Tunes 2

Christmas Tunes

Christmas Shopping

C'mon people, especially those of you here in Arizona. Why have you not purchased Jordin Sparks' debut CD?

You know she's adorable and talented. Sure, this CD will be the standard American Idol produced disc, a bit too syrupy and such, but she needs this one to sell so she can record a second. A second CD in which she can have a bit more input, where she can really showcase her talent.

You can get it for like $10 at WalMart, K-Mart, Target.....is that too much to ask?

Know When To Hold 'em

MoZella - You Wanted It

I went to a concert Thursday night, just to see the opening act - MoZella. I featured her a while back when I first got her CD.

So great to see her live, and so great that she allowed me to video the performance. Here is the first song I got processed. I hope to have a review of the whole show up ... eventually

I love the edge in her voice, and her lyrics - and she was so very sweet. I hope she manages to stay that way.

I'll get the rest of the video up soon.

UPDATE: Added another song - Amnesia

While looking for the links to my previous post about her, I realized I haven't updated the RadioBlog since 7/28 - wow, I am slacking

Strange Bedfellows

Amazon has some sort of database put together to serve up recommendations based on your prior purchases. Seems good in theory, but they have rarely been right.

Take today, for instance. I purchased a few Over The Rhine CDs from them and, based ostensibly on the album Drunkard's Prayer specifically, they recommended The Conscious Revolution Has Begun by Cipes & the People.

Over The Rhine: singer-songwriter, jazzy, warm vocals, pleasant melodies....

Cipes & the People: Rap, hip-hop....

Soooo not getting the connection there.

Perfect Fit

What happens when an obsessive compulsive finds the perfect tool? Peace...well, peace after furious amounts of activity.

You may already be aware I am a bit OCD about my music. Let's face it, not a lot of people organize their CDs alphabetically, then chronologically, within genre sets. I have the same issues now that the music is on my computer.

I have been fighting the good fight with Windows Media Player, but it is a big, clunky, buggy program. The problems become even more apparent the larger my collection becomes. It won't play my full collection on shuffle, it glitches and pauses between tracks, it often just locks up completely. Not to mention what a resource hog it is, limiting my other computer activities while it is running.

Enter my buddy who suggested Media Monkey.

Much smaller than WMP, much less resource intensive, much more user friendly and feature packed. Oh, and it's free - though I will probably send them the $20 for the Gold Edition, just to support the good work.

Media Monkey found all my music tracks quickly, without bogging down my computer. It didn't even get bogged down in itself - while it was scanning my computer, I was investigating it's many features.

Where does the OCD come in? Well, when you rip your CDs, you are at the mercy of the online database your chosen interface uses. Those databases are populated, almost exclusively, with user submitted info. And people are fickle, so you end up with a bunch of music with tags in many different formats. The Monkey has several tools to correct those issues.

Issue one: CAPITALIZATION
I had many CDs that had the track or artist names stored in ALL CAPS, so annoying. Media Monkey has a script that checks, and corrects, capitalization.

Issue two: Incomplete data.
Media Monkey allows you to "Auto Tag from Amazon", connecting to the Amazon database to get track, artist, year, album art.... Very quick, very handy. For files you may have downloaded and/or that don't come up on the Amazon search, it will "Auto tag from the filename" taking your naming convention to fill in any tags that may have been missed.

Also on the incomplete data, Media Monkey has several auto-playlists to help track it down; "unknown title", "unknown artist", "unknown genre"... Handy to put all the files with missing pieces into one place where I can get completely obsessive with re-tagging them.

The Monkey also has better export ability, so listing my entire collection in a separate database took about as much effort as sending an email. I haven't tried to synchronize with my MP3 player, yet, but since WMP didn't work with my Nomad, I will be no worse off if it doesn't work, and pleasantly surprised if it does.

I have had no problem with the player, it has been shuffling easily through all of my files. No glitching, no hang ups.

No complaints.

If I Kiss You Where It's Sore...

Regina Spektor - Better

She is coming to the Orpheum Theater in November, but I haven't decided whether to go or not. I do have her CD, and I like it.....

I'll have to see when it gets closer.

Over The Rhine Review

People, people, people - if you are missing out on these great shows, it is because you aren't listening to me.

I know I told you about Over The Rhine a little late in the day, but the show has been on my calendar (over there ----> on the side bar) for at least a month. What a phenomenal performance. Fun group, fun venue, fun crowd.

I was worried about not getting a ticket, so I showed up just after 6:00. There was one person in line ahead of me, the very nice attorney I met at the David Wilcox show in August. I had mentioned Over The Rhine to him, and he looked them up. I love introducing people to new music, and it was nice to see a friendly face.

The evening started with a performance by Griffin House, not that I had any idea who he was. Turned out to be a guy and a guitar, one of my favorite set-ups. Unfortunately, he had some sound issues - a little hot on the guitar volume and some buzzing when he was intentionally loud. He did a couple of protest songs which weren't quite clever or subtle enough to work for me, but they were melodic and well delivered. I enjoyed his set quite a bit, enough to pick up two of his CDs (well, it was one for $15, 2 for $20)

He did this song, The Man That Says Goodbye To You Is Out Of His Mind. It is funny, though the humor was more evident live - you'll just have to imagine the winking delivery and audience laughter in all the right places.

Over the Rhine was everything I expected them to be . . . and more. Really great live performers. I have seen so many concerts in my day, and one of my biggest pet peeves is musicians who just seem to be going through the motions (or who you wish were lipsynching because they sound so bad live). OtR seemed to be having a blast and I got the feeling they wanted us to be having fun, as well. There were some issues with the mix early on (too much of the instruments, not enough vocals) but they got that worked out.

Karin Bergquist delivers her exquisite vocals in a casual, intimate way. You can almost imagine her singing you torch songs in her living room, something I am sure she does for husband, and original OtR bandmate Linford Detweiler (who was fantastic on keyboards, guitar, bass...). Filling out the band on this tour were Jake Bradley, master of the upright bass, and Mickey Grimm, amazing on the drums.

If this group is coming through your town, do yourself a favor and see the show. You won't regret it.

BTW: I got a few more of their CDs; two that I bought, and two that were gifted to me. I think I now have seven of their albums. How cool am I? OtR also releases all their albums on vinyl. Does anyone still have a turntable?

Great Band Tonight

One of my newest musical obsessions, Over The Rhine, is (are?) at the Rhythm Room tonight. Doors open at 7 pm.

It should be a great show, just don't get in line before me - I don't have my ticket yet and I would hate to miss out if they sell out....

Santa Will Find You

Well, Summer is, unfortunately, over - officially. Sigh...

On the positive side, it will soon be time for Christmas music and one of my faves is releasing a new collection.

Woo hoo, gotta have that one .

Goodbye Tomorrow

Playing with my new video camera at the Goodbye Tomorrow show at Starbucks the other night.

Scott Johnson

You know, when I tell you about these shows you should attend, you really ought to listen. If you missed the show you missed out.

Not only a great concert, but a great time. I had never been to The Last Exit so wasn't sure what to expect of the venue. Last night it seemed the perfect place for a rock concert. Smallish enough to be cozy, big enough not to be cramped, friendly staff, great bar (where Sparks were only a penny till 11 - those things are...odd), graffitti covered bathrooms...

The show started a bit late, but it was worth the wait. Opening up were The Persuaders, really great sound. After their set I asked the bass player if they had a CD for sale and he told me it was only their second gig. Was he just messing with me? They sounded too good to just be getting together. Maybe he was serious because my brief search of the net (including MySpace) turned up nothing.

After a short break to change up the stage, Scotty got it going. It is rare to find musicians who sound even better live than on their highly produced CDs, but that was definitely the case here. Perhaps the vibe of the room and the feedback of the crowd added to his performance. Whatever it was, it worked.

Robin Wilson joined him on stage to sing Stop, a song that you knew was intended for the Gin Blossoms from the opening chords, very distinct sound. Once Robin started singing, there was no doubt. I am glad Scotty put it on his album, it deserved a showcase.

Scotty finished his set, which was filled with his amazing guitar work, joined by Meredith Meridith Moore. What a set of pipes that girl has! I tried tracking her down online, as well, and had no luck. I do know she plays every Wednesday at The Big Fish Pub but, since I doubt I would be allowed in * , I probably won't get to see her there. UPDATE: Meridith Moore

After Scotty was CHIME, a band out of LA. Also a really great sound, good enough that my buddy bought their 3 song EP.

All in all, a rockin' good time. You shoulda been there.

CHIME, along with Scotty Johnson, Robin Wilson and several other bands, will be back out at The Last Exit tonight for Lanceapalooza. Doors open at 7:00, there will be two stages of music, and the proceeds are going to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control.

One more point about the venue that I definitely appreciated. The sound. It was loud enough that you knew you were at a rock show, but not so loud you worried about your ear drums bursting. I hate when bands are so loud you can't actually "hear" and appreciate their music. I think, generally, bands crank it up so loud because they aren't that good and don't want anyone to catch on. I hate when your ears are ringing for the next three days. Good job to The Last Exit for finding the sweet spot.

Things To Do On A Friday Night

Well, you could join me in Tempe at The Last Exit for a CD release party.

Scotty Johnson, you may know him from The Gin Blossoms or Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, has released his first solo CD. Though it has been available for a while, he has been touring with The Gins and hadn't had a proper release. That is changing tonight.

*Sam Marcus will not be playing this show.
CHIME will be playing in his place.

It should be a fun show, and a good chance to de-stress from a trying week.

Any takers?

Babaloo *

Proving once again that I am unbelievably spoiled (and, for my siblings that may be reading this, clearly Mom's favorite ), I just got a gift from my mother and step-father - two tickets to the Phoenix Symphony Pops concert featuring Bernadette Peters at the end of October.

The first show I ever saw on Broadway was Song & Dance, featuring Bernadette Peters - I was completely dazzled and absolutely certain she would win the Tony that year. I was right. Most of you will only know her from the crappy films she has made, though she has made some good ones, as well. Her real talent shines on the stage and I am so excited to see her perform live again.

I have mentioned her here before, and featured her on the Radio.Blog not long after.

* reference to the first flick I remember seeing her in, Silent Movie. She played Vilma, a cabaret performer whose big number featured her "singing" "bah-buh-LOO!" (though I have no clue how to spell it)

All Music, All The Time

Speaking of finding new artists via Pandora...

Pandora introduced me to Cary Brothers, from his MySpace page I found Joshua Radin and Jason Kanakis (really enjoy his guitar work), the two of them led me to Rachael Yamagata and Schuyler Fisk.

Here is a taste of Schuyler's stuff, I have been playing several of these songs over and over..... (wish she would release a CD)

They Got Me

I am now on MySpace.

OK, I was sucked in by Pandora. Sucked in by the way hearing all those new artists necessitates me hunting down their websites...most of which end up being on MySpace. I had hoped to find all I wanted on Virb, but not enough performers are signed up over there.

Argh!

You know I have resisted putting myself on there (here, here, here)...but, as Michael pointed out, it does seem to be the way to go to keep track of bands. I've been hoarding them elsewhere, but I guess it is time for Vox to get a page. So, here I am - on MySpace trying to friend the bands I find on Pandora. It's like musical crack.

If any of you are signed up over there, throw me a friend request.

David Wilcox Review

What a great show, he never disappoints. The Rhythm Room isn't a great venue for a lot of acts, but for his one-man-with-a-guitar show, it is perfect. Despite the non-functioning AC, the show was very cool.

I met a very nice gentleman, an attorney who has worked in many facets of the law through several decades. A message from the universe, perhaps, as we had a lovely conversation about his work, the joys/challenges he finds everyday, and the path to get there (If there are any Wildcats reading this, he got his JD from U of A).

Many of the song selections, too, seemed to speak directly to me - not hard, David Wilcox songs are just that way - but tonight they hit just the right nerve; Start With The Ending, Inside of My Head, Ask For More....

He had a great turn-out and a very appreciative audience. He was a very appreciative performer, as well, and seemed to be enjoying his job on stage as much as we were enjoying our job in the seats.

I had a bit of an unrelated disappointment after the show, though I expected that it would turn out that way. Life doesn't always go the way we would like it to, I guess.

I will see if I can put together a David Wilcox playlist in the next few days, I know you will enjoy it. (Yes, I know I have posted his stuff before, but it has been a while)

Upcoming at the Rhythm Room: Over The Rhine Sept 25th

Cary Brothers

Tonight, at the Rhythm Room, $12.

Windows Media

So, geek question here.

I have been using Windows Media forever (OK, but for years) and ran in to a new problem recently. I have been reripping all my CDs, slow and tedious but going along - until WM just stopped working.

When I put in a CD, it no longer displays the information (artist, album...) When I right click on it and say "Find CD info" it locates the right CD info, I click finish....and it doesn't display it. Nothing.

So, I used Music Match for a few CD's and it worked fine, though MUCH slower. Then I tried to get Windows Media to add the new files to my library. It goes through the whole process but doesn't add any of them.

I have rebooted, tried to update....no luck.

Any ideas?

UPDATE: I tried to uninstall WMP, which doesn't actually work - but it did roll back to WMP 10. Problem solved, and the CDs are ripping a good 40% faster than they were in version 11 - even when it was working. Yay! 100 or so more to go :-)

Who's Your Homey?

(nod to Sofa King who said "Weird Al is my homey" and Southron Views for posting the video)

CD Exchange - Lori

Still need to get this written up Last, but certainly not least, Lori's CD in the exchange - Bad Girls . . . easily my favorite (how could it not be?) Great idea for a song collection, and a great CD cover featuring pulp fiction cover art. I should have known she would come up with something that would put a smile on my face.

1. Cuz I Can: Pink ~ I can't decide whether I like Pink or not. Girl can rock it, that's for sure, and this was the height of her "in your face" period. Definitely a great song to give ya a lift.
2. Bitch: Meredith Brooks ~ This song has always cracked me up, not sure why - maybe it always struck me as an ode to PMS.
3. Manhunt: Karen Kamon ~ Loved this scene in Flashdance. I thought Cynthia Rhodes was so much more talented than Jennifer Beals, including doing her own dancing. I'm just saying
4. Naughty Girl: Beyonce ~ There are songs that only work in this mix. This is a prime example. There is literally no chance I would listen to Beyonce under any other circumstance, but slotted in here I can let it play.
5. Bad Girls: Donna Summer ~ Classic.
6. Gimme!Gimme! Gimme!: ABBA ~ I am usually an ABBA fan, this one doesn't work for me...except in this context.
7. I Touch Myself: Divinyls ~ I love Divinyls! I had one of their albums on cassette (not the one with this song, though) and wore it out. One of my first CD purchases was replacing that mangled cassette. I Touch Myself is a punk love song extraordinaire.
8. Boy: Book of Love ~ Not familiar with this one at all, but I like it. Cool tune.
9. Sex (I'm A...): Berlin ~ Love them, love this song - and actually, I love the message, you can have all the variety you need with one person. Of course, that was just my take on it...
10. Bad Girl: Madonna ~ I know Lori has a love/hate relationship with Madonna. I have half of that
11. Feelin' Love: Paula Cole ~ Another nutjob with a great voice. I don't think I ever heard this one before, but it has a very cool, slinky vibe that I like. And the lyrics - whoa.
12. Never Will I Marry: Sheena Easton ~ An old Broadway showtune made much hipper by...Sheena Easton. Who'd have thunk it?
13. Whatever Lola Wants: Sarah Vaughan ~ An old Broadway showtune made even cooler by...Sarah Vaughan. No surprise there.
14. Thirteen Men: Ann Margret ~ I have a soft spot for Ann Margret, as I have written before. Somehow I doubt she would have to have been the last girl on earth to get the sort of attention she is singing about.
15. Sugar Me: Nancy Sinatra ~ The reason why her boots were made for walking, too many girls at the candy counter.
16. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Cher ~ I had forgotten how catchy this tune is.
17. Jolene: Dolly Parton ~ Dolly is such a great songwriter. Would she really be reduced to begging to hold on to her man, flaming locks and emerald eyes not withstanding?
18. Before He Cheats: Carrie Underwood ~ My favorite Idol winner by far. Her first singles were very sweet, then she released this sassy little number. I think most of us girls can relate - and I always sing along.
19. Banks of the Ohio: Olivia Newton-John ~ Wow, what a downer this song is. Ouch.
20. Cell Block Tango: Catherine Zeta Jones & Chicago cast ~ "He had it comin'" - yeah he did. Sing it girls.

UPDATE: Lori's write up

CD Exchange - Heather

Next to arrive in my mailbox was The Easy Flow From the 80's all the way from Heather in Ohio. The 80's seems to be a popular theme for CD exchanges, I got two last time around and one this time - of course, since I love 80's music, that is just fine with me.

1. She's A Beauty: The Tubes ~ I was a little thrown by this track, simply because I was expecting the Easy Flow and this one rocks. I do love this song though, don't we all remember this video ;-)
2. I Keep Forgettin': Michael McDonald ~ Such a distinct voice. He is coming in concert soon and I know D would like to go, but tickets are so outrageous now ($75.00). How do they justify those prices...
3. Mandolin Rain: Bruce Hornsby & The Range ~ Now I'm having serious flashbacks.
4. Life In A Northern Town: Dream Academy ~ I never really liked this one...just, eh.
5. I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight: Cutting Crew ~ I am sure I danced to this a time or two. :-)
6. Love Will Conquer All: Lionel Richie ~ His daughter has pretty much spoiled all his music for me. I just can't think of him without seeing that .... well, let's keep it PG.
7. Hold Me Now: Thompson Twins ~ I think most of us who grew up here attended the same concert: The Police, Madness, and The Thompson Twins at Diablo Stadium. Were you there?
8. Red Skies: The Fixx ~ Classic - so representative of the time.
9. Maneater: Daryl Hall & John Oates ~ I have very fond memories of A Hall & Oates after party - completely tame and non-groupied. Several of the musicians were sitting around a reel to reel listening to rough cuts of a Beatles recording session, trying to figure out why certain cuts were rejected. Very, very cool. And there was vodka...ooooh, edgy ;-)
10. Here Comes The Rain Again: Eurythmics ~ Love her voice, love her even better as a solo (sorry Dave Stewart)
11. Send Her My Love: Journey ~ Another great voice, whatever happened to Steve Perry?
12. Silent Running: Mike & The Mechanics ~ He was much better with Genesis, but this is definitely in the same 'concept' vein.
13. Englishman In New York: Sting ~ It's Sting :-D
14. Eye In The Sky: Alan Parsons Project ~ I have a soft spot for APP, not sure why exactly.
15. Africa: Toto ~ I like Toto, but I am so over this song.
16. Everybody Wants To Rule The World: Tears For Fears ~ Everyone wants to be Tears For Fears. I loved this group, bring on the synth/pop, Baby!
17. Kingston Town: UB40 ~ Great song to wrap up this collection. A little reggae, a lot laid back.

Feeling Feist-y

My Moon My Man

1* 2 * 3 * 4

Mushaboom

Inside Out

CD Exchange - Debi

The next CD I received for the exchange was from Debi ~ A Little Something Somethin' I still need to write up my review, but I wanted to get the songs up here.

1. Something Beautiful: Robbie Williams ~ Not a huge Williams fan, but this one is nice and peppy.
   
2. Something Happens to Me: Blossom Dearie ~ Love Blossom, such a sweet and mischievous voice.
   
3. Something More Besides You: Cowboy Junkies ~ I've gone back and forth with this group. Her voice is so haunting that I am compelled to listen, but a lot of their songs run together for me. This is one of those.
   
4. Something In The Way She Moves: James Taylor ~ It's James Taylor, almost a guarantee I'm going to love it.
   
5. Something of a Dreamer: Mary Chapin Carpenter ~ She is hit or miss for me, not much in the middle for me. This one is a hit - I know how she feels ;-)
   
6. Love Is Something: MoZella ~ Another peppy one. I already featured MoZella on my Radio.Blog (guess where I heard about her) Believe me, whatever picture you have in your mind for how this singer looks, you are wrong.
   
7. I Must Be Doing Something Right: Randy Graff ~ Goofy song. Goofy treatment. I think this was from Blame It On Rio, so it calls up images of Michelle Johnson topless.
   
8. Something To Believe In: Shawn Colvin ~ I am a huge Shawn Colvin but this one isn't familiar to me. I think I own it (I have most of her stuff) but it really doesn't ring a bell. Still, I like it.
   
9. Something's Got a Hold On Me: Etta James ~ You just know she means it when she sings. This is a song that is very much 'of it's time', but it is still fun here.
   
10. Ain't It Somethin': Lyle Lovett ~ I am a big Lyle Lovett fan, as well, though I really questioned his judgment there for a few years after he married Julia Roberts. This is one of his fun ones.
    
11. Tell Me Something I Don't Know: Mindy McCready ~ Such a wonderfully sweet country voice, such a waste. This is a perfect song for her style. Can't you just feel the heartache?
    
12. Somethin' Stupid: Robbie Williams, Nicole Kidman ~ More Robbie Williams, this time with Nicole Kidman. This must be a very popular song. I have gotten it in both of the CD exchanges I participated in. I can certainly relate to the sentiment, though.
    
13. Something So Right: Annie Lennox ~ One of many great songs on Medusa. What a voice.
    
14. Something's Gotta Give: Johnny Mercer ~ Johnny Mercer sings Johnny Mercer. Classic.
    
15. Something Up My Sleeve: Suzy Boguss ~ One of my all time favorite songs by one of my favorite artists. Another that just drips with heartache - ain't country music grand ;-)
    
16. Something Cool: June Christy ~ Sassy. This song is most definitely "something cool".
    
17. You Do Something To Me: Paul Weller ~ This has a really nice groove to it. I would like to hear more of his stuff.
    
18. I'll Think of Something: Mark Chesnutt ~ Eh. So-so on this one.
    
19. There's Something About an Empty Chair: Shannon Bolin ~ A little iffy on this one, though I am a huge fan of Damn Yankees, which this is from.

UPDATE: Lori's review

CD exchange - Vox

The next CD to go out was mine, titled is "You Are Here"

I am going to preface this by saying that my list for this theme was originally about 6 CDs worth, really hard for me to cut it down. You all are lucky you didn't get the boxed set ;-)

I ended up limiting the choices to (mostly) cities or states in the US, and I tried to arrange them in road trip fashion. Somehow, I left the west coast off entirely. Heck, I left Arizona off. Three New York songs, though Oh well, hindsight.

1. The Road Not Taken ~ Robert Frost - This was added after I got the whole 'trip' put together. It just seemed to fit.
   
2. Here, There and Everywhere ~ Celine Dion - Trying, again, to set the theme. Should have left the space for a place song, but I am a sucker for Beatles music. I've always loved this one
   
3. New York City ~ Norah Jones - Norah has such a cool vibe, and I thought this may not be quite as familiar as her other songs. From a CD released by a quartet she performed with prior to 'making it'.
   
4. Broadway ~ Alison Krauss - Almost went with the George Benson song here, he is such a great guitarist. However, I decided you were less likely to have heard this one. She has such a sweet voice.
   
5. Manhattan ~ Rosemary Clooney - I have about 4 versions of this song, so I had a hard time choosing. It came down to this one and the version by Blossom Dearie. I thought Blossom might be less familiar to you, and I always like introducing people to my favorites, but ultimately, for this song, I decided the Rosemary Clooney version was simply superior.
   
6. Philadelphia ~ Lea Delaria - One of my favorite chick singers. This is from her collection of jazzified covers of modern songs called "Double Standards". Great CD.
   
7. Ohio ~ Over The Rhine - I just found this group recently, though they have been around for more than a decade. Better late than never....
   
8. Chicago ~ Frank Sinatra - Ol' Blue Eyes. Swoon. Even on this cheesy number.
   
9. Colorado ~ Sons of the Desert - I had a hard time choosing between two Sons of the Desert geographical songs, so I included them both. Sorry. I was just in a country music mood I guess.
   
10. Leaving las Vegas ~ Original Soundtrack - Why? Why not? :-)
    
11. Albuquerque ~ Sons of the Desert - More SOTD. D introduced me to this group, I found their CDs on Amazon for $.50 each. Great buy.
    
12. Dallas ~ Original Soundtrack - I have already heard that this song made at least one person cringe. It was this one or "Beverly Hills 90210", I though this one was less annoying, though I could have reached the west coast with the other.
    
13. Sweet Home Alabama ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd - Had to be on here.
    
14. Georgia ~ Carolyn Dawn Johnson - Not the version of "Georgia" you are expecting, this one gives me extra by mentioning Alabama, Mississippi & Louisiana, as well. Oh, and California! I did make it to the Pacific...sort of.
    
15. East Asheville Hardware ~ David Wilcox - This one makes me grin and does mention a city, so there you go.
    
16. Tennessee ~ The Wreckers - Loving The Wreckers, too. I had 5 or 6 songs called Tennessee - popular state for songwriters. This one just hit me the right way when I was selecting.
    
17. Home ~ Chris Daughtry - Yeah, you've all heard it on Idol. But it's good. And it fits. It was either this one or the Michael Buble song, I just thought the Daughtry one was more interesting - and you all know how I love Michael Buble :-)
    
18. Back In Your Own Backyard ~ Nancy Wilson - I think this one really captures how I was feeling when I was wrapping this one up. We spend so much time searching 'out there' for happiness, when all the while it may be staring you in the face.
    
19. America the Beautiful ~ Martin Sexton - I like this version, though I am sad to say it is the only vocal version I have.
    
20. America ~ Michele Horsefield, Gary Carney - This is from a recording by a couple of jazzers who "retired" here in Phoenix - they continued quite actively in the musical community. I posted about Michelle's very hip funeral here. This is on her album, but she isn't singing on this cut.
    
21. How Did You Find Me Here? ~ David Wilcox - One of his more spiritual songs is the bonus track here. No matter where you go, you're never alone.

UPDATE: See Lori's review.

All I Can Do

Chantal Kreviazuk - All I Can Do

CD Exchange - Woods'

[I haven't finished this list yet, still working on it but wanted to get it posted]

The first CD I received in the exchange came from Bill & Hiedi in California - which may have led to the theme choice of "Oceans". I first have to say that on first listen, this playlist took me back to my teen years (ok, not all the songs could take me back, being much more recent, but many did). I had someone, who was trying to convince me that he was cool and all sailor-y and stuff, give me a mix tape* that he said was "what I am all about" - many of these songs were on it.
I knew what he was "all about", thank you very much, and I didn't need a mix tape to clue me in. So, sense memory being what it is, I had a good chuckle listening to this particular "mix tape".

This is the Ocean: The Waterboys - this one took a couple of listens, but it is growing on me.
Beyond the Sea: Bobby Darin - "So hip he never even ate a square meal" Always one of my faves.
A Pirate Looks At Forty: Jimmy Buffett - the one I remember most from that old mix tape, really captures the Parrothead feeling.
The Wild Wild Sea: Sting - I am generally a Sting fan, not sure about this one yet....
Walk on the Ocean: Toad the Wet Sprocket - this is one of those songs that I can't tell you why I like it, but I like it. Great hook? Infectious melody? Whatever it is, it works.
Sailing: Christopher Cross - A classic, couldn't have done this theme without this song. This song takes you there...and makes me think of Dudley Moore (you'll get it. I'll wait. )
Southern Cross: Crosby, Stills & Nash - Another classic song, by a classic group. They were kickin' in their day. I never cared for them separately, but they sure worked well as a group.
Octopus' Garden: The Beatles - Who doesn't love the Beatles? (OK, D, I know you don't - but who else?) Interesting choice going with this cut rather than the more familiar Yellow Submarine. Bravo.
Surfin' USA: The Beach Boys - Beach Boys. Surfin' USA. 'nuff said.
How Deep is the Ocean: Frank Sinatra - Hello....FRANK SINATRA! He could sing the phone book, I would love it.
Ease Your Feet In the Sea: Belle and Sebastian - I had heard of Belle & Sebastian, but I think this is the first time I heard them. Nice vibe.
Oceans: Pearl Jam - Not much of a Pearl Jam fan....
Unknown: Unknown - Don't know what this is, but it's pretty.
Edge of the Ocean: Ivy - I discovered Ivy just recently and have not gotten to hear much of their stuff yet. I was very happy to see this cut on the list.
Come Sail Away (Live) : Styx - I've seen a lot of great concerts in my day, but I don't think I ever caught Styx. Sounds like it would have been a great show.
Wipe Out: The Sufaris - Oh, please. The quintessential ocean clip, had to be here. :-)
Beach Baby: The First Class - the perfect song to finish up this collection

UPDATE: See Lori's review.

* yes, I said "mix tape". There was a time in ancient history when, if you wanted to give someone a customized playlist, you had to put the songs, individually, onto a casette tape. I was long, arduous work - so they knew you meant it.....till they found out you had made one master tape and just copied it over and over for every girl you wanted to 'get to know'.

CD Exchange - oops

OK, I am falling behind here. I received the Woods' contribution, Oceans, last week and haven't had time to listen to it, yet. I ripped it to my MP3 player - and that's as far as I've gotten so far.

I started working on another project with my music that led me to two realizations; I should have had my collection much more organized long ago, I have seriously eclectic taste in tunes.

I got my contribution to the exchange finished up and shipped out on Thursday, hopefully most of you have received it already. I heard from Debi that hers will be out this week, and her friend Heather is sending hers out on Tuesday. Thomas previously said his would be a bit down the road due to previous commitments, and Lori is still refining hers.

I promise I will blog about them ASAP - and, of course, post them to the Radio.Blog. I'm kinda tired of the Plain White T's......

I Just Don't Get It

Oprah's new fave singer is Robin Thicke. She had him on not too long ago, she has him on today. The audience seems to think he is very sexy.

He sings kinda like an asthmatic teenage girl, as far as I can tell, and looks a bit like he should be in the chess club (not that that is bad, but throw in his resemblance to his father and you can see the problem).

Am I missing something?

CD Exchange - 3

It looks like we have 6 participants for the CD Exchange.

Thomas
The Woods'
Lori
Debi
Heather
Me

I will keep this open till the end of the month, just in case.

The twist I had planned on throwing in won't work, so feel free to pick your theme at will.

Anyone else interested?

CD Exchange - 2

Well, so far there are only two (three?) takers on the CD Exchange.

I will play no matter how many sign on, but I want to see if it is possible to get more interest.

Anyone?

Short Shrift

Yahoo! covers the top three Idol finalists returning to their hometown...sort of. Jordin gets one sentence at the end.

Buble Does Bond

New Soundtrack

Michael posted another of those random music lists, and I love to play along. They usually crack me up.

BTW: If you aren't completely turned off by the variety of music I obviously have in my library, consider joining in our CD exchange.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING

How do you feel today?
Jumpin' with Symphony Sid - Van Morrison & ?

What’s your outlook on life?
No Far Away - David Wilcox

What does your family think of you?
Sweet & Lovely - Bing Crosby

What do your friends think of you?
La Boutique Fantasque - Royal Albert Hall Orchestra

What do strangers think of you?
Moon River - Johnny Mercer

What do your exes think of you?
All Blues - Pete Pancrazi

How’s your love life?
Resuscitation - Thomas Newman (from "The War")

How will your love life be in the future?
Strange Phenomena - Kate Bush

Will you get married?
Christmas in New Orleans - Louis Armstrong

Are you good at school?
Sherry's Blues - Sherry Roberson

Will you be successful?
A Collection - Marillion

What song should they play on your birthday?
Atchan Ya Sayaya - from "All The Best of Belly Dancing" no performer listed

What song should they play at your graduation?
When You Love Someone - Bryan Adams (from "Hope Floats")

The Soundtrack of your life?
Someone Special - Richard Marx

You and your best friends are?
Woman Is The Root of All Evil - Dr John

Happy times:
All About Our Love - Sade

Sad times:
Crush - Lila McCann

Every day:
On The Sunny Side of the Street - Willie Nelson

For tomorrow:
Concerto For Bassoon - Vivaldi (no performer listed)

For you:
Me, Myself & I - Billie Holiday

What does next year have in store for me?
Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne (so embarrassed I have this song)

What do I say when life gets too hard?
Appalachian Rain - Matraca Berg (what a sad song)

What song will I dance to at my wedding?
A Kiss Is Worth A Thousand Words - BlackHawk

What do you want as your career?
Here Comes Love - Barbara Manning (got this CD at the dollar store - it pretty much sucks)

Your favorite saying?
Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King

How will I die?
I'm Alive - Jackson Browne

OK, some of these were too funny. Some of them I think were even right. ;-)

CD Exchange

Lori did a CD Exchange last year that was lots of fun - and I got some really cool new music.

I think I am going to steal her idea. Anyone want to play along?

Here are the rules:

• If you are interested, leave a comment. Unless I am overwhelmed with interest, you will need to make and mail a copy of the CD for each person playing. I ended up making 6 last year, total investment was around $10. If there are too many participants (which I don't foresee) we will draw names and you can exchange with one person.
  
• Your song choices will need to fit a theme. There will be a twist here that won't be revealed until we are ready to go. If you hear the twist and decide not to participate - no hard feelings.
  
• Do not have all the songs be by the same artist/band. Have various singers. Two or three songs by the same artist/band is fine, just not the whole CD.
  
• Songs should/can be from various genres and times. Country, alternative, 70's, 90's, etc. Don't have all the songs be in the same genre.
  
• Label the CD with what the theme is. List out all the songs and who the artist/band is for each song. Feel free to make a fun CD cover.
  
• Make sure your CD is packed well. Those bubble envelopes are pretty good.
  
• After you receive your CD, blog about it.

The Weepies

Bittersweet video for "Nobody Knows Me At All" by The Weepies

Come To Jesus

One of the main things I dislike about Christian music, or should I say contemporary Christian music, is that most of it sucks. Bad. It is whiny and pedantic. There is no joy, very little melody, no hook - nothing that makes you want to know what those Christians have that is worth knowing. Most of it really turns me off.

There are a few exceptions. Eva Cassidy's recordings of spirituals are amazing. David Wilcox, aka metaphor man, has some really sweet and interesting songs.

Mindy Smith is my latest musical obsession, and when she sings about faith, she makes you want to believe. When she sings about love, she breaks your heart.

Here are a couple of her videos:

"Come To Jesus"

"Out Loud"

"One Moment More"

And the song that got me to buy her CD in the first place, this cover of "Jolene", complete with Dolly Parton.

Oprah Rocks

Today on the Oprah Show, she had:

Carrie Underwood

Josh Groban

Tony Bennett &

Michael Buble

Could those choices have been any more perfect for me?

Little Eva

I was just in an Eva Cassidy mood tonight - what a talent, what a loss.

What A Wonderful World

Over The Rainbow

You've Changed

Cheek To Cheek

Ain't It The Truth

I posted one of Sonya Jason's newsletters before, and I just had to do it again. Fun and clever, even her unsubscribe instructions are original.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Whoa, whoa...wait a minute! That will never do. After all, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in the State of California, where it is my social responsibility to show respect and consideration for all human beings, i.e. to live by the highest standard of political correctness in this country.

Besides, at this time of year people all over the world can be heard singing songs like, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." I do believe that even a small act of goodwill makes a difference, so please allow me to begin again:

Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religions as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all;

AND

Wishing you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures and religions whose contributions have helped make our society great, without regard to the race, creed, color, religious or sexual preferences of those receiving these wishes.

(Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)

Whew! Now that you've been greeted properly, I invite you to click this link to sing-along with my own version of a high-spirited song of the season: Let It Snow

Feeling festive now? Fantastic! Mark your calendar with these exciting upcoming performances and come celebrate with me!

Tuesday, December 5
saxophonist Sonya Jason's "Groove"
with drummer Rob Rhodes and
B-3 organist Wayne De La Cruz
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
(650) 728-2739
390 Capistrano Road
Princeton By The Sea, CA
6 - 9 pm, no cover

Thursday, December 21
saxophonist Sonya Jason's "Style"
with guitarist Jeff Buenz
and bassist Perry Thoorsell
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
(650) 728-2739
390 Capistrano Road
Princeton By The Sea, CA
6 - 9 pm, no cover

Sunday, December 31
NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION!
saxophonist Sonya Jason's "Smooth"
with bassist Nelson Braxton,
keyboardist Peter Horvath,
and drummer Tommy Bradford
Grand Hyatt, Union Square
345 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA
9 pm - 1 am
Details at www.jlachic.com
tickets & info. (866) 907-3777

More schedule information

Sonya Jason
PO Box 370633
Montara, CA 94037

P.S. As a little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual: "And what would you like for Christmas?" The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped, "Didn't you get my e-mail?"

Sadly, Santa mistook the girl's note for spam and deleted it. If you feel as overwhelmed as Santa and would rather not read my emails, just let me know by replying, "Cross me off your Christmas list!"

Gone Country

Perez points out the Soundscan album sales chart for the past year (Nov '05 - Nov '06) is just chock full of Country goodness.

Carrie Underwood pulls off quite a coup with the number one spot by nearly 500,000 units. Yeehaw!

Rascal Flatts has two albums in the top 20. Wow.

MmmmMagic

R.I.P. - Anita O'Day

One of my goals in life was to see Anita O'Day sing live one day. Now it is too late.

I'll be putting her stuff on the Radio.Blog later. There are some video clips of her performing at her official site.

Christmas in July

OK, not quite, but close enough. I put up the Christmas Radio.Blog again - this year right after Halloween. But I was goaded into it.

I'll try to add more tunes as the season progresses. BTW, they should be in a random order so I can't send you to anything specific - just enjoy what you can find ;-)

Soundtrack Of My Life

Snagged this from Sofa King

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here’s how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend your cool…

Yep, you can listen to this soundtrack via a Radio.Blog

Open Credits: Blues - Eddie Duran
Waking Up: Out Of This World - Donald Byrd
First Day Of School: Shoo Shoo Baby - Frank Sinatra
Falling In Love: Frank's Theme - Holly Cole
Fight Song: Wrygly - Young Sounds Of Arizona
Breaking Up: Silent World - Donna Lewis
Prom: These Dreams - Heart
Life's Ok: I'll Be Loving You - Gabriela Anders
Mental Breakdown: No Judges - Kim Richey
Driving: Misty - Dinah Washington
Flashback: Tea House Moon - Enya
Getting Back Together: He's My Guy - Nancy Wilson
Wedding: Love Walked In - George Benson
Final Battle: Fear No Evil - Ann Peebles
Funeral Song: It's All In The Game/Make It Real One More Time - Van Morrison
End Credits : Egyptian March - Philharmonica Slavonica

New Pink Video

Pink's new single, I like it.

Sick Puppies

I have been digging on the Sick Puppies music since I heard it on the Free Hugs video. They have a few other songs playing on their website - and a dowloads section. Unfortunately, I find nothing available on the downloads page. Is it just me? Is it IE?

Crazy Cover

For a new song, there are a lot of covers of Crazy coming out. The latest one I've heard.

Charlotte Church & Nelly Furtado

Does That Make Me Crazy

SG Jr just IM'd me a link to the video for Gnarls Barkley's Crazy.

Great tune, very catching. The video is really clever, too. Added that CD to my wish list! Got it :-)

How am I going to get that tune out of my head, though?

Did I mention that it is very catchy?

Clever E-Marketing

Sonya Jason is a Sax player who spent her formative years here in Phoenix, though she currently resides in Northern California. I still get her email updates, which are generally fun. I especially like this one for the way it ties the theme of the email, and the quote from the scientist, to the unsubscribe instructions at the end. I included the whole email 'cause, what the heck, why not give her 2 or 3 extra readers.

Hello Music Lover!

Studies indicate that 10,000 hours of practice are required to reach the level where one could be called a "world-class expert" in any area of endeavor.

"In study after study of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again. Ten thousand hours is equivalent to roughly 3 hours a day, or 20 hours a week, of practice over 10 years. No one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was s accomplished in less time. It seems to take the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery."

-- Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin from his new book,
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

How many of us can actually say that we have spent 10,000 hours working toward achieving mastery of something for which we feel truly passionate? You may be surprised to realize that many of the musicians who so casually provide the musical backdrop of your life have shown just such dedication.

In this complicated music business, world-class musicianship and world-renown notoriety do not necessarily go hand in hand. Members of the bands jamming at your local brew pub, performing your wedding ceremony, or recording the television jingles you can't stop humming may well be musical masters in your midst.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Come listen for your self with renewed appreciation to some upcoming live performances. Before you go, Click this link to check out a few concert reviews by music critics attending my shows, and then see if you agree!

http://sonyajason.com /mediaconcertreviews.htm

San Francisco is a "frantastic" city for enjoying live jazz! Don't miss my sizzling contemporary jazz quartet appearing for the first time at the very hip Shanghai 1930 restaurant and jazz club!

Saturday, August 5
saxophonist Sonya Jason's "Smooth "
with keyboardist John Seppala,
bassist Curtis Ohlson and
drummer Billy Johnson
Shanghai 1930
(415) 896-5600
133 Steuart Street
San Francisco, CA
8pm - midnight, no cover

View my complete PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE anytime by clicking this link:

http://sonyajason.com/performergigs.htm

Feel free to forward this e-mail to your friends who love SAX.
I THANK YOU for your appreciation of good music and the artists who make it!

P.S. Are you in shock having just realized that your area of "world-class expertise" is in Reading Email? Are you certain that you have spent over 10,000 hours sitting at your computer wading through lengthy emails such as this one? If you wish to be Removed from this list to dedicate more time to honing a different skill, simply click Reply, type "Should I live another 10,000 hours..." in the Subject line and write a 500 word essay elaborating on your newfound commitment toward mastering something worthwhile. Then click Send.

Elegance

More on this.

With very little advance planning, I had to hit Michelle with a last minute invite (after I reminded her who I was ). I was very surprised and pleased that she accepted.

UPDATE: review in the extended entry

OK - gotta go win (or lose) some money at poker. More on the concert later....

First the Phoenix Bach Choir - they are very good at what they do. Unfortunately, what they do is out of sync with what she does, so it was a bad fit. Their set consisted of Shakespeare Songs and Aaron Copland. In a nod to Ms Hart's resume they did two showtunes: Getting To Know You from The King and I (one of my least favorite Broadway tunes) and Not While I'm Around from Sweeney Todd (one of my favorite Broadway tunes) But showtunes done by a choir are a whole different animal.

Since we had arrived a bit late, Michelle and I had taken seats at the end of a row so as not to disturb the other patrons. At intermission we moved to our assigned seats (my step-dad did good, great seats!)

And then the entrance of our 95 year old star, such a presence! Definitely a lady, you can tell she is someone who is someone.

Her performance consists mostly of remembrances from her stage career, and wonderful anecdotes of some of the biggest names in American theater; Gershwin, Loewe, Kern, Porter, Berlin... This is a person who has lived. Interspersed thoughout are songs from her friends and from her shows.

Beautiful lady, beautiful songs, beautiful stories. Her voice has changed through the years, and is richer in many ways. Her body is slight (even more so than in her youth) yet her strength is undeniable.

If you have the chance to see her in your city, do.

Thanksjazzing

Mexican food and jazz, isn't that the combination you always think of? Well, the Jazz Saturday's at Los Compadres might convince you. Next Saturday is their Thanksgiving edition - the food is hot and tasty, the atmosphere is warm, and the music is cool.

Los Compadres Restaurant
2350 W Northern Ave.
Phoenix, AZ
602-864-0258

Free Concert

Those of you who have been fooled into thinking Esteban has any talent, ought to check out this concert to see what a real classical guitar player is capable of. He actually plays the complete songs, even the difficult passages, not just the easier more recognizable parts. You will be amazed. I have often said you could go to Glendale Community College and find that 4 out of 5 of their classical guitar students could outplay him (at most junior colleges, I would say 3 out of 5). Well, GCC is presenting someone who can definitely outplay him, but he isn't a student.

Scott Tennant is one of the world's most recognized American guitarists. He is the author of the best-selling book and video on guitar technique, Pumping Nylon, and he is a founding member of the L.A. Guitar Quartet, which is now well into its second decade as a groundbreaking ensemble. His performances both as a soloist and with the LAGQ have taken him all over the world several times over, and became a Grammy Winner in 2005 with LAGQ's "Guitar Heroes" disc for "Best Classical Crossover" CD. He is in the process of recording the complete solo guitar works of Joaquin Rodrigo for the Belgian label GHA, which will include Rodrigo's guitar concertos with Leo Brouwer conducting.

He devotes his time while at home to teaching, and is on the faculty of the USC Thornton School of Music. He is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Gendai Guitar and Acoustic Guitar. He can be heard with the LAGQ in their recordings for Delos, GHA, Sony Classical and Telarc, and as a soloist on the GHA and Delos labels.

Masterclass to be held on Monday, November 14, 2005 at 7:30pm in Room MU-151

"Tennant fulfills every criterion: taste, touch, interpretation, programming, insight and enjoyability!"
American Record Guide

Can You Hear Me Now?

Hip Hop artist Nick Cannon goes out on a limb with this song, apparently written about his mother's decision not to abort him when she was 17 because she heard a voice asking "Can I Live?" Bet she's glad she listened.

The song seems to be a hit, and he hasn't been attacked for the message...curious.

Hi Res
Lo Res

Missing Music

I was going to update the RadioBlog with music from Marc Cohn. The good news is he is expected to make a full recovery - - - -

the bad news is my Marc Cohn CD not only didn't make it to my MP3 library, I can't find it in my house. Who did I loan it to? Can I please have it back.....?

Some others have his music posted

Old Poll Results

BTW: The last poll I had up was Sinatra vs. Presley. I got just over 70 votes, with just over 80% going for Frank.

I would have liked to have a larger sample, but it still means I win

Workin' It

Oh, yeah - now this is a version of Lady Marmalade that gets you going.

I'm Old

What is a Hollaback Girl, and why doesn't Gwen Stefani want to be one?

Poll Follow Up

We had a little monkey business with the Frank/Elvis poll so I changed it to a different system. I transfered the votes that could have been legit, not sure about all of them, but discarded votes that were obviously not.

Polling For Dollars

There was a discussion last night about vocal talent, which lead to a "Who had a better voice" disagreement. The final decision was that, in a poll of the general populace, SG thinks his guy would win. I disagree. Here is your chance to let us know how you feel. I realize that due to their different styles, comparing Elvis to Sinatra is comparing apples to oranges (or maybe Scotch & soda to beer & quaaludes) but here it is anyway.

Phoenix Fund Raiser

IMPORTANT -- FUNDRAISER AND WONDERFUL MUSIC.

May 20th Fundraiser for Liver Transplant to feature trumpeter WAYNE BERGERON

A great concert is scheduled May 20 for a great cause.The three-star program will feature the Arizona All-Star Big Band, Young Sounds of Arizona and special guest WAYNE BERGERON, acclaimed jazz trumpeter from Los Angeles.

The concert at 7 p.m. May 20 at Central High School, 4525 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-271-2300, will be a wonde