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Cover Story – Beck & The Velvet Underground

Beck has announced he’s to start a new online covers project featuring some big name friends including MGMT, Devendra Banhart and Jamie Lidell.

They’ll all be part of a new section/project called Record Club on his soon to be revamped website. The idea behind the project is that Beck ropes in some of his musician friends to record a cover of an entire album in one day. To make sure they capture an immediate, live feel there’ll be no rehearsals or arrangements done beforehand.

The covered album will then be slowly released online with a song a week being uploaded to Beck’s website and the websites of the musicians involved each record. The first album announced for the project is The Velvet Underground and Nico. Covering that in 24 hours without rehearsal, not something you’d imagine many musicians would do on their day off…

Source www.q4music.com

“Sunday Morning” – Beck

To buy the music of Beck click HERE

To buy the music of The Velvet Underground click HERE

Here is the original.

Fiona Friday – The Who

It was 33 years ago today that I first saw The Who live at the “Who Put The Boot In” all day concert at Celtic Park.

I was lucky that Fiona grew to love The Who as well though up until I met her the only album she had was “Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy” from which “The Seeker” was her favourite song and despite a real love for both “Who’s Next” and “Quadrophenia” that track remained forever her favourite Who song.

Fiona and I saw The Who live four times, twice in December 2000 at the Glasgow SECC

and then during a special weekend in London in March 2004 at a small venue where they were playing an intimate warm up show for a World Tour,

and finally at Liverpool in the big tent in July 2006.

…….we were there!

Fiona and I also saw both nights of Pete Townshend’s performance of “Lifehouse” at the Sadler’s Wells

Ray Wilson – Bless Me

done

50 Years of Island Records – Fiona Friday

Some of Fiona’s favourite artists were on Island, amonst them Cat Stevens, Free, Roxy Music and Robert Palmer so these are for her.

Cat Stevens

“I Think I See The Light” – Cat Stevens

To buy Cat Stevens music click HERE

Free

“Fire and Water” – Free

To buy the music of Free click HERE

Roxy Music

“Virginia Plain” – Roxy Music

To buy the music of Roxy Music click HERE

Robert Palmer

“Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor Doctor)” – Robert Palmer

To buy the music of Robert Palmer click HERE

Sunday Jazz – Diana Krall

I have been a big admirer of Diana Krall since 1996 when I bought her then new album “All For You: A Dedication To The Nat King Cole Trio”

My favourite song she plays is “Peel Me A Grape” which featured on her “Love Scenes” album released in 1997.

Her cover version of Joni Mitchell’s ” A Case Of You” from her 2002 live album “A Night In Paris” re-kindled by admiration for the music of Joni Mitchell

 

 

For more information on Diana Krall click HERE

 

To buy Diana Krall music click HERE

 

Diana has a new album “Quiet Nights” scheduled for a March release.

Track Listings

1. Where or When

2. Too Marvelous for Words

3. I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face

4. Boy from Ipanema

5. Walk on By

6. You’re My Thrill

7. Este Seu Olhar

8. So Nice

9. Quiet Nights

10. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears out to Dry

11. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart [*]

12. Every Time We Say Goodbye [*]

Diana Krall first new CD in nearly three years – Quiet Nights, is to be released on March 31, it is Krall’s first CD of new material in three years.

Krall, known for her crossover appeal had twin sons with husband Elvis Costello in 2006; they turned 2 Dec. 6. The 10 songs include ballads, three recordings of songs by bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim, and standards such as “Walk On By” by Burt Bacharach.

A two-time Grammy winner, Krall is surrounded by familiar faces on “Quiet Nights.” In addition to her longtime quartet and producer Tommy LiPuma, who worked with her on nine previous recordings, arranger Claus Ogerman returns. He last worked with Krall on her 2001 record “The Look of Love.” Ogerman was the arranger on many of bossa nova’s first wave of recordings in the 1960s, working with Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Ogerman came out of semiretirement to once again work with Krall. LiPuma, who first worked with Krall in 1994, said the record shows how she has matured as a singer.

In addition to finishing “Quiet Nights,” Krall is producing a new Barbra Streisand record that is slated to be completed in January and released sometime in 2009. Krall intends to tour North America in April following the release of “Quiet Nights.”

Krall’s previous album release was The Very Best of Diana Krall (her eleventh) and it was released in 2007. In the U.S. the CD debuted on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart at number 19.

Following soon after the album will be “Live In Rio” a DVD/Blu-Ray release scheduled for May.

Recorded in November 2008 in support of her QUIET NIGHTS album, LIVE IN RIO finds Diana Krall on top form, lending her sultry vocals to a set of bossa nova standards. Tracklisting: ‘I Love Being Here With You’, ‘Let’s Fall In Love’, ‘Where Or When’, ‘Too Marvellous For Words’, ‘I’ve Grown Accustomed To His Face’, ‘Walk On By’, ‘Frim Fram Sauce’, ‘Cheek To Cheek’, ‘You’re My Thrill’, ‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance’, ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye’, ‘So Nice’, ‘Quiet Nights’, ‘Este Seu Olhar’, ‘The Boy From Ipanema’, ‘I Don’t Know Enough About You’, ‘S’Wonderful’, ‘Exactly Like You’.

Fiona Friday – The Smithereens

Yes I realise it is Sunday but I have been behind with my posting so today is catch up day.

 

I first came across The Smithereens back in 1986 when their song “Behind A Wall Of Slleep” was one of my favourie songs.

She had hair like JEANNIE SHIPTON back in 1965
She had legs the never ended
I wuz halfway paralyzed.
She wuz tall and cool and pretty and
She dressed as black as coal
If she’d ask me to I’d murder
I would GLADLY lose my soul

Now i LIE IN BED and think of her
sometimes i even weep
then I dream of HER
behind the wall of sleep

Well she held a bass guitar and
she was playing in a band and
she stood just like Bill Wyman
now I am her biggest fan
Now I know I’m one of MANY
who would like to be your friend
And I’ve GOT to find a way
to let you know I’m not like THEM

Now i lie in bed and think of her
sometimes i even weep
then i dream of her
behind the WALL of sleep

Got your number from a friend of mine
who lives in your hometown
Called you up to have a drink
your roomate said you weren’t around
Now I KNOW i’m one of many
who would like to be your friend
and I’ve got to find a way to
let you know I’M not like THEM

Now i lie in bed and think of her
sometimes i even weep
then i dream of her
behind the wall of sleep
behind the wall of sleep
behind the WALL of sleep
behind the WALL of SLEEP.

1986 was also the year I made my first trip to San Diego to visit my cousins Lesley and Vida and to stay for a while at my Aunt Sheena and Uncle David (picture above with Fiona and my folks).

Welcome to San Diego

Fiona never made it to San Diego as she was never able to overcome her fear of flying but she was much loved by my Aunt and Uncle and cousins despite the latter never having the opportunnity to meet her face to face.

Here is the brilliant “In A Lonely Place” which also features Suzanne Vega.

I heard it said somewhere that one day all good things come to an end.
I turn around to see you. And if I do or not, it all depends.

I was born the day I met you,
Lived a while when you loved me,
Died a little when we broke apart.
Yesterday, it would have mattered.
Now today, it doesn’t mean a thing.
All my hopes and dreams are shattered now.
I’m in a lonely place without you.
I’m in a lonely place without you.

I walk the streets alone at night sometimes and think about you.
I look as strangers pass, and wonder how I’ll live without your love.

I was born the day I met you,
Lived a little when you loved me,
Died a little when we broke apart.
Suddenly, this world’s no longer bright.
I’m alone and lonely every night.
Won’t you bring back your love that’s out of sight?
I’m in a lonely place without you.
I’m in a lonely place without you.

Brand New Cadillac

 

The new Dancer Mobile finally arrived yesterday almost a week late, I am missing the old “Ranger” like mad but believe that some good times will be had with the “Rav”.

As you can see below the dugs aren’t too certain, for them it is like down sizing from a four bedroom villa to a room and kitchen.

Blue Monday – Jimi Hendrix

The last two Blue Monday’s have featured Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan so I thought it only fair this week to feature the master Jimi Hendrix

A bit like Ella yesterday there is not much to be said about Jimi that hasn’t been said before and the web is full of information.

For me, my introduction to his music was through his “Hendrix In The West”  live album which was released posthumously in 1972 and featured music from concerts in 1969 and 1970.

Here is a song later covered by Eric Clapton on his superb Rainbow  Concert live album.

“Little Wing” – Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix stretched and merged the music genres of jazz, blues and rock throughout his career, many of his more traditional blues performances were later compiled as, surprisingly, the “Blues” album

“Mannish Boy” – Jimi Hendrix

You can buy Jimi Hendrix music by clicking HERE

I think my favourite blues performance from Hendrix is this version of  “Hear My Train A Comin’” from the Motion Picture “JImi Hendrix”

Blue Monday Jo-Ann Kelly

Featured today on Blue Monday is Jo-Ann Kelly who received critical acclaim during the 60’s and 70’s UK Blues Scene.

The rock era saw a few white female singers, like Janis Joplin, show they could sing the blues. But one who could outshine them all — Jo Ann Kelly — seemed to slip through the cracks, mostly because she favored the acoustic, Delta style rather than rocking out with a heavy band behind her. But with a huge voice, and a strong guitar style influenced by Memphis Minnie and Charley Patton, she was the queen.

Born January 5, 1944, Kelly and her older brother Dave were both taken by the blues, and born at the right time to take advantage of a young British blues scene in the early ’60s. By 1964 she was playing in clubs, including the Star in Croydon, and had made her first limited-edition record with future Groundhogs guitarist Tony McPhee. She expanded to play folk and blues clubs all over Britain, generally solo, but occasionally with other artists, bringing together artists like Bessie Smith and Sister Rosetta Tharpe into her own music.

After the first National Blues Federation Convention in 1968 her career seemed ready to take flight. She began playing the more lucrative college circuit, followed by her well-received debut album in 1969. At the second National Blues Convention, she jammed with Canned Heat, who invited her to join them on a permanent basis. She declined, not wanting to be a part of a band — and made the same decision when Johnny Winter offered to help her.

Throughout the ’70s, Kelly continued to work and record solo, while also gigging for fun in bands run by friends, outfits like Tramp and Chilli Willi — essentially pub rock, as the scene was called, and in 1979 she helped found the Blues Band, along with brother Dave, and original Fleetwood Mac bassist Bob Brunning. The band backed her on an ambitious show she staged during the early ’80s, Ladies and the Blues, in which she paid tribute to her female heros.

In 1988, Kelly began to suffer pain. A brain tumor was diagnosed and removed, and she seemed to have recovered, even touring again in 1990 with her brother before collapsing and dying on October 21.

Posthumously, she’s become a revered blues figure, one who helped clear the path for artists like Bonnie Raitt and Rory Block. But more than a figurehead, her recorded material — and unreleased sides have appeared often since her death — show that Kelly truly was a remarkable blueswoman. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

 

Here is a track from the 1976 album “Do It” which is available now in expanded form HERE

Jo -Ann Kelly – ” Come Back Baby”    MP3

Visit the Jo Ann Kelly myspace page HERE

Click HERE for illustrated discography