"In the 1920s, superwealthy Americans began to vacation in Havana during the winter months. The Depression and World War II brought a lull to the fast action. By the late 1940s and early '50s, however, Havana had ramped up its nightclub business to meet the demands for entertainment, gambling and vice. Movie and recording stars as well a celebrated writers visited and roosted there.
*** FUTURE POSTS WILL ALSO APPEAR AT 'NOW AND NEXT' : https://rolfnorfolk.substack.com
Friday, May 17, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Cuba, by JD
"In the 1920s, superwealthy Americans began to vacation in Havana during the winter months. The Depression and World War II brought a lull to the fast action. By the late 1940s and early '50s, however, Havana had ramped up its nightclub business to meet the demands for entertainment, gambling and vice. Movie and recording stars as well a celebrated writers visited and roosted there.
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Eurosingalong, by JD
Having listened to Leo Kearse on GBNews this evening (11 May) talking about the events inside and outside the venue in Malmö, I wonder if this is a suitable response and/or acceptable commentary on the current eurosingalong farce?
Friday, May 10, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Asleep at the Wheel, by JD
https://www.asleepatthewheel.
Friday, May 03, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Orpheum Madams Jazz Orchestra, by JD
Friday, April 26, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, by JD
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Tuttle
You may notice Molly's shaven head in one of these videos. This is not a 'fashion statement' because she has Alopecia Areata. Here she tells her story of living with the condition -
https://www.mollytuttlemusic.com/alopeciaareata
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Nashville Mess Around (Official Video)
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - El Dorado (Live)
Molly Tuttle - Where Did All the Wild Things Go? (Live)
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Crooked Tree (Live at the Station Inn)
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - San Joaquin (Live)
Friday, April 19, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: The Oldtime String Band, by JD
Both the musicians and the audience enjoyed it so much that the band is now on a stampede.
The Oldtime Stringband not only plays Bluegrass and Old-Time music but is also inspired by American folk music from the 1940's and modern music with an Old-Time feel.
The Oldtime Stringband is:
Shelly O'Day : Vocals, guitar, autoharp, Cajun-triangle
Ton Knol : Guitar, mandolin, vocals
Ruud Spil : Banjo, vocals
Nico Druijf : Upright bass, vocals, singing saw
Lidewij de Vries : Fiddle, vocals
The Oldtime Stringband - Going Across the Mountain (Frank Proffitt)
The Oldtime Stringband - Run Mountain (J.E. Mainer)
The Oldtime Stringband - Our Town (Iris Dement)
The Oldtime Stringband - Cotton Mill Girl (Lester Smallwood)
The Oldtime Stringband - Angeline the Baker
Friday, April 12, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: The Beatles, orchestral versions, by JD
There have been lots and lots of cover versions of Beatles records, some good, some not so good. As far as I know there have been close to 2000 covers of Yesterday (according to Wiki) so the total number of covers of the Fab Four's back catalogue is anyone's guess. They were extremely popular in case you had forgotten and their music music has been adapted for orchestras around the world, inspired by The Beatles themselves who often used an orchestral backing to their songs. So here are just a few of those orchestral cover versions.
[LIVE] Beatles - YESTERDAYCello + Orchestra Version
Here, There And Everywhere - Orquestra Ouro Preto
Beatles - Eleanor Rigby e Strawberry fields forever
Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles | Joshua Bell and From the Top
The Beatles - Now And Then | Epic Orchestra
Friday, April 05, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Elle and the Pocket Belles, by JD
Described by Glastonbury Festival programmer Chris Tofu as "The most saleable Electro Swing act I've ever seen", the group are reminiscent of a cross between classic 60s soul and 50s girl groups given a joyful and wry modern twist. As such they fit perfectly alongside other artists on the Freshly Squeezed record label.
ELLE & THE POCKET BELLES are:
Elle, Michaela, Chloé, Cat and Joanna
https://continentaldrifts.co.uk/artist/elle-the-pocket-belles/
https://electroswingthing.com/elle-and-the-pocket-belles/
Elle & The Pocket Belles - See You Later (Official MV)
Old Fashioned // Lyric Video // Elle & The Pocket Belles
Elle & The Pocket Belles - Never Wanna Say Goodbye (Official MV)
Swingin' Together // Elle & The Pocket Belles
Get Down Tonight // Elle & The Pocket Belles
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“Freshly Squeezed is a Brighton-based Independent Record Label of quality and innovation behind sounds like the electro swing phenomena. Roster of quirky, idiosyncratic music that you'd be unlikely to hear anywhere else. We believe it is our uncompromising quest for only the very best music that has enabled us to evolve from a small DIY label making videos on a shoestring (sometimes less) to becoming, since 2005, one of the survivors in our industry. On this channel you will see videos that we spent a little more time and money on. You will also see videos we made when we simply didn't have any budget at all. We hope you'll enjoy them all and that ultimately the quality of the music is what comes through.”Friday, March 29, 2024
Good Friday procession and music, by JD
Holy Week processions have been documented in the town of Avilés since the 17th century, although it acquired its current form throughout the 20th century in squares, churches, palaces, with the Town Hall Square as its epicenter.
The city has nine brotherhoods, the oldest being that of San Juan Evangelista. Some of the brotherhoods go out in procession simultaneously, holding meetings. The most popular is the Santo Entierro, where the brothers, all under 33 years old and known as San Juaninos, carry the Christ performing a dance with canes.
Holy Week concludes with a secular celebration, the Fiesta del Bollu on Easter Monday with a great feast in the streets, which has been declared a Fiesta of Tourist Interest.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semana_Santa_en_Asturias
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Stabat Mater - Quando corpus morietur-Amen - G. B. Pergolesi
Friday, March 22, 2024
FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC: Potato Head Jazz Band, by JD
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POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND, located in Granada - Spain, plays traditional jazz with passion and swing. The band offers a joyful show played by qualified musicians. Jazz rhythms for all tastes...
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The band has been together since 2003, when a group of young musicians formed a band in Granada to play the music of New Orleans – not a regular occurrence in Spain at that time. By 2009 the band, attracting audiences throughout Andalusia, was based around a nucleus of three musicians: trumpet man Alberto Martin, Martin Torres, a clarinet player who had been playing in Dixieland bands in his native Argentina before moving to Spain and guitarist/banjoist Antonio Fernandez. The three of them decided to dedicate their professional career in music to re-create the authentic music of New Orleans and to set up the first band in Spain to specialise in that style.
Although over the following years they became the benchmark band in that style and regulars on national Spanish television and festivals throughout Spain, they still didn’t feel that they had the right combination of musicians and set about finding the very best musicians to improve and make a more authentic Potato Head Jazz Band. Soon, joining Alberto, Martin and Antonio were three more musicians who matched their level of achievement.
The Italian trombonist, Giorgio Gallina, already known throughout Europe, relocated to Granada, virtuoso bassist Alejandro Tamayo, with a background in orchestras and jazz combos came on board and the new line-up was completed by the in-demand drummer Zeke Olmo.
With the refreshed line-up – four Spanish, an Argentinian and an Italian – the band really started going places, featuring at festivals in Germany, Switzerland, France and Denmark, as well as becoming a household name in Spain. Their performance on French television, with Potato Head integrated with New Orleans band, Tuba Skinny, was seen on television throughout Europe and has since clocked up a million views on YouTube.
https://potatoheadjazzband.com/en/bio/
Potato Head Jazz Band, una boda diferente:
SHIRT TAIL STOMP - POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND
POOR PAPA - POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND
Tuba Skinny & Potato Head Jazz Band - At the jazzband ball
Royal Garden Blues by Potato Head Jazz Band
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Music for St Patrick's Day, by JD
Galway Girl - Mundy with Sharon Shannon (H.Q.)
Finbar Furey - I'll Take A Glass (Official Video)
Bláth na hÓige with Síle Denvir and Colm Mac Con Iomaire | The Tommy Tiernan Show | RTÉ
Not A Theme Night - Glór Shligigh (Niamh Crowley)
The Fields Of Athenry - World's Biggest Street Performance by Athenry Town & KamilFilms 2019
Friday, March 08, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Veronica Swift, by JD
Not all Swifts can sing but this one certainly can. At age 23, Veronica Swift is now being recognized as one of the top young jazz singers on the scene. Not only is she a fine singer she is reviving the 'lost art' of scat singing (originating in vocal jazz, scat singing or scatting is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. In scat singing, the singer improvises melodies and rhythms using the voice solely as an instrument.)
Her parents are renowned jazz pianist Hod O’Brien and celebrated jazz singer and educator/author Stephanie Nakasian. She has appeared on stage with Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Esperanza Spalding, Joe Lovano, Bob Dorough, Kim Nazarian, Danilo Perez, and others. With her family she has appeared at The Great Waters Music Festival in NH, Blues Alley Jazz Club in DC, the Jazz Standard in NYC, the Jazz Cruise, and for the New Jersey and Hilton Head Jazz Societies.
https://www.veronicaswift.com/bio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_Swift
(There are not many good quality videos so this is but a small selection and as Wiggia has already noted she needs to find better backing musicians although in the last video below she shares the stage with Wynton Marsalis and he looks suitably impressed by her performance.)
At Last - Live at the Strathmore (A Glenn Miller Swing Celebration) Ft. Veronica Swift
Veronica Swift - Moanin'
Veronica Swift sings "This Bitter Earth" at the 2023 SFJAZZ Gala
Veronica Swift 'Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me' Blue Note NYC [Night 3]
"I Just Found Out About Love" Veronica Swift and the SC Jazz Masterworks Ensemble
Véronica Swift & Wynton Marsalis "Cherokee" @Jazz_in_Marciac 2019
Friday, March 01, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Music of the Spheeris, by JD
Cariño - Chris Spheeris
♡ CHRIS SPHEERIS & PAUL VOUDOURIS - Pura Vida
Chris Spheeris - Dia del Sol (Live)
CHRIS SPHEERIS - Narabi - Album Maya
Friday, February 23, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Aegean Jazz: Dig the Thessness! by JD
Friday, February 16, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Joe Brown, by JD
Friday, February 09, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Scandiravia! Robert Wells, by JD
Friday, February 02, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Russophonia Dva, by JD
Thursday, January 25, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC - early - (Friction) Burns Night - merry capers wi' the lassies!
Friday, January 19, 2024
FRIDAY MUSIC: Russophonia - Otava Yo, by JD
"Otava Yo (Russian: Отава Ё, ота́ва meaning "aftergrass") is a Russian folk rock band from Saint Petersburg, formed in 2003.
Alexey Belkin, Alexey Skosyrev, Dmitriy Shikhardin, and Peter Sergeev worked together as buskers on the streets of St. Petersburg for about three years. The positive feedback from the listeners inspired them to officially form a band in 2003. Of the initial members, only Shikhardin had formal musical education; the rest were self-taught. Initially the band was called Reelroadъ and they played The Pogues-styled Celtic punk, but later changed their name to Otava Yo and turned to Russian traditional music."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otava_Yo
https://otava-yo.spb.ru/en/
"The Volynka bagpipe (from the word ‘vol’ meaning ‘ox’), valynka \pipe (duda) \goat (kozel) \bubble (puzir) was, until recently, an unexplored part of Russian instrumental music. However, it is also an unexplored spot on the map of European bagpipes. Whilst Russians know relatively little about bagpipes, there are several images of bagpipes in European and Russian travellers’ drawings, references in lists of musical instruments of the Russian Empire before the mid‐19th century, several images in folk pictures (lubock) and in church chronicles as well as references in literature and folklore. In recent years, the media has introduced new, previously unknown, sources."
https://www.bagpipesociety.org.uk/articles/2015/chanter/winter/the-revival-of-the-russian-bagpipe/