Jessi Teich – Twisted Soul (Madame Freak) You know an artist has some diverse tastes when she covers both Tom Waits and Justin Timberlake on her album. This young Philadelphia-based jazz singer certainly lives up to this wide range in her latest CD, recorded live in studio in Paris. Teich refers to Twisted Soul as … Continue reading
Tom Jones – Theater of the Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA – May 17, 2013 The youthful and charismatic Prince of Wales of yore has matured into a slightly grizzled and hardened King. While the years have passed and life has challenged, he still retains at 70 years old the chiseled handsomeness and bellwether voice … Continue reading
Bebe Neuwirth Rare and Special Porcelain by Ronald Sklar Oh, snap! Morticia Addams was only one of many morphs in a continually evolving career. Bebe Neuwirth tells me this story, and it’s so Bebe Neuwirth (we’ll discuss in a moment): The “Lilith” part I auditioned for [on Cheers] was one scene. The character was described as … Continue reading
BLUE VALENTINE (2010) Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Faith Wladyka, John Doman, Mike Vogel, Marshall Johnson, Jen Jones, Maryann Plunkett, James Benatti, Barbara Troy, Carey Westbrook, Ben Shenkman, Eileen Rosen, Enid Graham and Ashley Gurnari. Screenplay by Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis and Cami Delavigne. Directed by Derek Cianfrance. Distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment. 112 minutes. … Continue reading
Norah Jones – The Fall (Blue Note) Norah Jones has performed several types of music over the years since her breakthrough album Come Away With Me. In that album and her two follow-up CDs (three if you count her gig with the alt.country supergroup The Little Willies) she has worked in jazz, country, folk, pop and R&B – … Continue reading
The Manhattan Transfer 35 Years and Still Swinging By Mark Mussari Where in the musical landscape hasn’t the Manhattan Transfer taken us? From their inception in the mid-1970s as a cabaret act with doo-wop tendencies to their be-bop covers to their daring experiments in jazz and swing, Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and founder … Continue reading
Rue Melo This is Her House by Jay S. Jacobs In Paris – where Rue Melo was born – the word rue means road. Although it isn’t her given name (“Rue is actually a nickname that I grew up with,” she explains) somehow it totally fits her. The 23-year-old singer has lived a bit of a gypsy … Continue reading
KT Tunstall Eyes to the Skies by Jay S. Jacobs Is it possible that the next big thing in music is a thirtyish woman from Scotland? An adopted daughter of a scientist who had no real interest to speak of in music? An iconoclast who became a figurehead of a local music scene where lack … Continue reading
RED HOT AND BLUE (1991) Starring David Byrne, Neneh Cherry, Jimmy Somerville, Jody Watley, Salif Keita, Erasure, Sinead O’Connor, The Jungle Brothers, The Neville Brothers, k.d. lang, Les Negresses Vertes, Aztec Camera, Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop, Lisa Stansfield, Kirsty MacColl, The Pogues, Tom Waits, U2, Annie Lennox, Bill Irwin, The Thompson Twins, Fine Young Cannibals, … Continue reading
TOP TEN PARTY SCHOOLS: UNCENSORED (2005) Starring hundreds of real college students from across the country. Directed by Steven Jay. Distributed by Partyschools.com. 39 minutes. Not Rated. It is completely useless to try and critique Top Ten Party Schools – Uncensored in any kind of meaningful or artistic way. Top Ten Party Schools – Uncensored is full of … Continue reading
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