Original Soundtrack Recording ” West Side Story”
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Dance At The Gym” from the Original Soundtrack of “West Side Story” – Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim Broadway musicals don’t get any better than this! You can keep your Andrew Lloyd Webber with his one song per musical, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim were the real deal! And their musical, West Side Story, has never been bettered. West Side Story was one of the first musicals where dance played as important a role in story development as dialog. The choreography was expertly done by Jerome Robbins, who also choreographed the Broadway stage version. Robbins was fired from the production before it wrapped due to it going over budget. The...
The Dave Clark Five “Glad All Over”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#777 in the Series) is the Dave Clark Five, Glad All Over. Well Mr. Peabody, it appears you gave an extra cup of coffee to the Way-Back Machine this morning!! There was actually a short period, 1964, where The Dave Clark Five were battling The Beatles for most popular British Invasion band. There were a ton of hits on this album. There were really strong songs that had some edge to them as well. I also loved the “dirty sax” sound that The Dave Clark Five used in their mix. Highlights you ask? Well of course the title track, “Glad All Over,” plus there were other classics like “Bits and Pieces” and “Do...
King Crimson “In The Court of the Crimson King”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#681 in the Series) is King Crimson, In The Court of the Crimson King My father used to be a member of this old time Italian club when I was a child. I always thought it was pretty cool. The club was called The Roseland Operetta Club. No, they didn’t sing, or promote Operas by this time but that was indeed how it was formed. The club had some nice grounds that included picnic areas and some killer bocce courts. The front door was always locked, but all members had the key. I really thought it was neat how you had to unlock it to get in. Heck, I was just a...
The Guess Who “Canned Wheat”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#615 in the Series) is The Guess Who, Canned Wheat How about a little Guess Who for today’s Cool Album of the Day, eh? It’s actually about time we got to this great Canadian band considering they’re one of the better bands to emerge from the late 1960s. I’ve wanted to do a piece on them for quite some time but I had to go back and give their stuff another listen. I was a fan of theirs when they were current, but most of the time the only album of theirs and I had was The Guest Who, Greatest Hits. You might not be aware but we do not cover greatest...
Bobby “Blue” Bland “Two Steps From the Blues”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#613 in the Series) is Bobby “Blue” Bland, Two Steps From the Blues Released in 1961, the Bobby “Blue” Bland masterpiece, Two Steps From the Blues is generally considered to be a classic in the blues genre and a must-have disc on your own personal desert island. While this recording is not an original “album” in the strictest sense of the word since in keeping with a common practice of the day it is actually a compilation of singles, it is a perfect, soulful, bluesy, passion-filled representation of an iconic bluesman at the absolute peak of his powers. Not your prototypical blues artist, Bobby doesn’t play an instrument like Buddy Guy or...
Fred Neil “Fred Neil”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#603 in the Series) is the self-titled release from Fred Neil (Capitol) What about old Harry Nilsson, brilliant wasn’t he? Although he was never one for performing live, he more than made up for it by making some superb music in the studio. He was a wonderful singer and an absolutely top-notch songwriter. It’s one of those strange and ironic quirks of fate then that Harry, probably best known to the public at large as the singer of two fantastic hit singles, didn’t actually write either of them himself. Which brings us neatly enough to the main subject of this piece, Fred Neil. Well, in a minute anyway………. Nilsson’s biggest hit, a...
Mason Proffit “Wanted”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#598 in the Series) is Mason Proffit, Wanted. The Mason Proffit name is quite well known in these Chicago parts. I’m really not so sure outside of this market. I look forward to hearing from those not in our backyard. Mason Proffit was a mid to later 60s to early 70s band that was founded and fronted by the Talbot brothers, Terry and John-Michael. They both played guitar and supplied the writing and the vocals. They were actually one of the originators of country-rock. It would be nice to see their name included more when someone tosses out names on the subject. They really should be recognized more. One song that you may...
The Ventures “The Ventures Christmas Album”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#583 in the Series) is The Ventures, The Ventures Christmas Album The Ventures were another band that got a strong amount of airplay in my house when I was a youth. No, It didn’t want to make we want to be a surfer or anything like that. That would have been a little hard for a Chicago boy so I’m glad that was never a goal. Italian kids weren’t usually blonde enough either. I was no exception. It did help me add to my love of rock and roll. I remember my sisters playing their version of “Telstar” on more than one occasion. I remember my sisters playing their version of “Telstar”...
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” Music by the Vince Guaraldi Trio
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#229 in the Series and then re-posted in 2011) is a Charlie Brown Christmas, music by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. We all remember the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Because of that special, we were first introduced to one of the bestselling Christmas albums of all time. The Charlie Brown Christmas with music by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. It was recorded way back in 1965. It made it to CD in 1986. Many Decembers, if you don’t grab it in the first few weeks, you can’t find it. It seems like there is always shortage of these produced. Downloading has taken care of that issue. A Charlie Brown Christmas was the first animated television...
Woody Allen “Stand-Up Comic (1964-1968)”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#561 in the Series and #59 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Woody Allen, Stand Up Comic (1964-1968) We’re really going to go into a different direction today as we’re going to feature our first comedic album. Yeah, and I’m sneaking it in as a “live” one as well, mainly because it indeed is a recording of three live stand-up routines. This is very early Woody Allen, very, very early. “Stand-Up Comic” is a compilation of three performances from 1964 thru 1968. The first part was recorded at Mr. Kelley’s in Chicago in ’64. Part two was from the Shadows in DC the same year while the last part was 4...
