The Daily Music Break

Sammy Davis Jr. remains a complicated topic. On one hand, he is...

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:25:00 -0500

Sammy Davis Jr. remains a complicated topic. On one hand, he is one of the great talents of the 20th century. He was an amazing dancer — check out the very early clip above — and a singer who could hold his own against Sinatra, Bennett and the rest.

Growing up when he was at the height of his fame, I was embarrassed by the awkward racial jokes and the forced bonamie of the pack he ran with which, of course, was The Rat Pack. (which, by the way, still is being emulated today.) Davis, for all his talent, came across with shtick and affectation that he almost seemed needy. It was impossible to tell what was real and what was not. (Continue Reading…)

Check out The Daily Music Break to hear California...

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:48:19 -0500

Check out The Daily Music Break to hear California Dreamin’ and Monday, Monday. The Daily Music Break features great music—lots of it—regardless of era or genre.

The Great Anthony Dominick Benedetto

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:54:18 -0500

Tony Bennett is a great guy by all accounts and has been around for ever. Check out his signature tune, I Left My Heart In San Francisco and a great duet with another great, Andy Williams, at The Daily Music Break.

(Photo: Blank on Blank)

For those of you who think that pedal steel guitar is only used...

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:10:00 -0500

For those of you who think that pedal steel guitar is only used for country ballads, check out Robert Randolph (above) and the Family Band. Also check out tons of great music, regardless of genre era, at The Daily Music Break.

(Photo: nrbelex)

Mike Bloomfield was raised in suburban Chicago but ventured to...

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:11:21 -0500

Mike Bloomfield was raised in suburban Chicago but ventured to the South Side to learn the blues. He did so very well. Here Bloomfield and a ton of other great music — regardless of genre or era — at The Daily Music Break.

Soprano Kathleen Battle is a controversial figure, but nobody...

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:29:58 -0500

Soprano Kathleen Battle is a controversial figure, but nobody doubts her gifts. Check out The Daily Music Break for more on Battle’s battles and lots of great music, regardless of genre or era.

John Lee Hooker was discovered in Mississippi and, eventually,...

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:38:00 -0500

John Lee Hooker was discovered in Mississippi and, eventually, was influential in the development of rock and roll. Check out his songs Boom Boom and Hobo Blues — and a whole lot of other great music, regardless of genre or era, at The Daily Music Break.

(Photo: Sumori)

Sarah Vaughan is one of the big three of classic female jazz...

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:44:04 -0500

Sarah Vaughan is one of the big three of classic female jazz singers, alongside Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Here is how the bio of “Sassy” starts at the site of Ken Burns’ PBS series Jazz:

Sarah Vaughan sang in the choir of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Newark, as a child, where at the age of 12 she became organist. In October 1942, she won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre; shortly afterwards, in April 1943, she joined Earl Hines’ big band as second pianist and singer to Hines and Billy Eckstine. Eckstine formed his own bop-oriented big band early in 1944, and Vaughan joined him a few months later, making her first recording with his orchestra on December 31. She left Eckstine after about a year, and thereafter, except for a brief stay in John Kirby’s group in winter 1945-6, she worked only as a soloist. (Continue Reading…)

Here are Vaughan’s discography. Her obituary in The New York Times was written by Stephen Holden. Here is part of what he wrote, at only 66 years of age:

In a career that spanned nearly 50 years, Miss Vaughan influenced countless other singers – including Phoebe Snow, Anita Baker, Sade and Rickie Lee Jones – and made hits of such songs as ”It’s Magic,” ”Make Yourself Comfortable” and ”Broken-Hearted Melody.” Her ornate renditions of ”Misty” and ”Send In the Clowns” were invariable show-stoppers at jazz festivals in recent years, including the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, at which she appeared almost yearly. (Continue Reading…)

Wonder what the safest songs are for driving? So did the London...

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:25:00 -0500

Wonder what the safest songs are for driving? So did the London Metropolitan University. Check out The Daily Music Break for the story. One hint: You never, ever go wrong with Norah Jones.

(Photo: seabreeze via morgueFile)

Though she is not a superstar, Marcia Ball’s upbringing...

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:14:00 -0500

Though she is not a superstar, Marcia Ball’s upbringing — she was born in Texas and raised in Louisiana — makes her a compelling piano player. She simply is a whole lot of fun to listen to. Hear Ball and a whole lot of other great music, regardless of era or genre, at The Daily Music Break.

(Photo: Lilly M.)

Elvis’ 78th birthday was yesterday and Richard...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:31:50 -0500

Elvis’ 78th birthday was yesterday and Richard Nixon’s centennial is today. So it’s a great time to look at the famous meeting between the two icons. Check out the rest of the story — and find tons of good music regardless of era of genre — at The Daily Music Break.

Elvis Costello’s birth name is Declan Patrick MacManus. He...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:03:55 -0500

Elvis Costello’s birth name is Declan Patrick MacManus. He changed it to Elvis Costello in 1977 and, nine years later, back to the original — only he threw in “Aloysius” after Patrick. There is a lot to like about Costello in addition to an epic name…(Continue Reading…)

Seu Jorge is a Brazilian musician who was discovered in the...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:07:00 -0500

Seu Jorge is a Brazilian musician who was discovered in the slums near Rio. He has updated samba music and has appeared in several movies, including “City of God” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” where he plays, of all things, David Bowie songs. Find more on Seu Jorge and a ton of great music, regardless of genre or era, at The Daily Music Break. The site is all over the map because that’s where the talent is. (Photo: Jose Goulao)

The man in motion is Wayne Shorter and the bass player is John...

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:52:31 -0500

The man in motion is Wayne Shorter and the bass player is John Patitucci. Read and hear more at The Daily Music Break.

I shy away from writing posts about the classical greats like...

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 14:03:35 -0500

I shy away from writing posts about the classical greats like Beethoven because I know nothing about them or the music and am very likely to embarrass myself. So it’s like somebody who doesn’t follow baseball writing about Ruth or Aaron. It doesn’t make sense.

Nonetheless, the music is quite beautiful. Above is Für Elise played by Valentina Lisitsa — who is greeted like a rock star when she walks on stage — and the Seoul Philharmonic. Below is the First Movement of The Moonlight Sonata played by Wilhelm Kempff.

For those who like the big stuff, here is a link to The Fifth Symphony, which is so famous that even I can identify it. This performance is by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur.

Check out Beethoven and a ton of great music, regardless of era or genre, at The Daily Music Break. The site is all over the map because that’s where the talent is.

The Daily Music Break has an item referring to an EarthSky story...

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:09:00 -0500

The Daily Music Break has an item referring to an EarthSky story on the link between how humans perceive music and birds — in this case, white-throated sparrows — perceive birdsong.

(Photo: Ken Thomas via Wikimedia Commons)

Little Big Town...and More

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:08:52 -0500

Little Big Town...and More:

Check out Tornado and Boondocks from the new country band Little Big Town and find a ton of other great music, regardless of genre and era, at The Daily Music Break. The site is all over the map because that’s where the talent is.

Patti Page, who died on New Year’s Day at age 85, had a...

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:12:00 -0500

Patti Page, who died on New Year’s Day at age 85, had a huge hit with Tennessee Waltz. She also pioneered overdubbing, according to reports and sang the well known novelty song (How Much is That) Doggie in the Window? Wikipedia Commons says that the man seated at the piano is singer Frankie Laine and the man standing probably is singer Richard Hayes.

Check out more on Page and find great music, regardless of genre or era, at The Daily Music Break.

John Mellencamp (performing above at The Walter Reed Army...

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 08:55:00 -0500

John Mellencamp (performing above at The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007) has transformed himself from a great rocker to an artist with far more staying power. Check out The Daily Music Break for more on Melllencamp and a lot of great music, regardless of era and genre…

(Photo: Defense Dept.)

Kevin Bacon is a great musician as well as a great actor. Check...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:19:00 -0500

Kevin Bacon is a great musician as well as a great actor. Check out The Bacon Brothers playing New Year’s Day at The Daily Music Break.