Here’s a singer I honestly haven’t heard of before, but this vintage album dates back to 1960. It’s a great swingin’ album. And I’ll have to do a little more research on her career. Incidentally, that is one of my passions, to do extensive research on old traditional songs and standards.
Now, Diana Dors was a bombshell actress during her heyday, but also has a small discography and was an incredibly talented singer as well.
In summary, her sultry, jazzy voice was intriguing and her music swings hard.
“I wake up each morning and watch the rain hi-lili hi-lili hi-lo Tomorrow I’ll probably love again hi-lili hi-lili hi-lo…”
This very sensitively done rendition of Hi-Lili Hi-Lo is my favorite. It breaks my heart every time, but in a good way.
I play this a lot in my solo piano gigs, and I try very hard to capture the essence of this recording. The sparse arrangement of just vocal, bandoneon, guitar and upright bass is the perfect musical setting for melancholy and sadness. Rickie Lee Jones’ vocal is haunting, and heartfelt.
Sir Simon Rattle conducting The London Symphony Orchestra
There are times when I can’t stand Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’. Perhaps it’s a love/hate relationship… all that disonance when I crave listening to a Mozart Piano Concerto.
But no one can doubt the orgiastic swirl of orchestral instruments, the pounding primal rhythms and the sharp stabbing disonance of The Rite of Spring.
Yes, it started a riot in Paris during its first premiere. It was way ahead of its time at the beginning of the 20th Century.
But the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate Stravinsky’s genius, his imagination and ability to compose something so cutting edge and defiant. It was the 20th Century’s version of ‘the shot heard around the world’ since it caused such a stir.
Nowadays, it is part of the standard repertoire for orchestra, and even Disney added an adaption of it to its animated motion picture, ‘Fantasia’.
I admit, to the average listener, this music can be alien and even sinister. But further listenings will bring the listener close to the pure genius of Stravinsky.
Despite the love/hate relationship, this is one of my all-time favorites and there are certain sections of this music that bring me to tears…
I’m working on the following tunes… Side By Side, The Very Thought of You, Rambling Rose, Hey, Good Lookin’. I’ve played most of these ‘live’ already. I just need to work on getting them a bit tighter.
I had a great solo piano gig yesterday at Memory Care. This is also my One Man Jazz Trio format, so not just solo piano, actually.
Wednesdays are tough days for me, as the actual process of loading and unloading musical equipment and doing a solo gig kind of takes its toll. Then once I’m home and everything is unloaded at kept at home, I take a little nap, then head off to Yoga Class. Plus the working earlier in the morning truly adds to the challenge. But, after Yoga I feel rejuvenated once again.
One of my goals is to be able to take the One Man Jazz Trio to a restaurant or public venue. All my piano gigs so far are private events.
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