Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. The term “libretto” is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata. Libretto (pl. libretti) is the diminutive of the Italian word “libro” (book).
Image: Front cover of the original 1899 libretto of the Tosca opera. Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou’s drama, La Tosca. The text of the Tosca libretto can be found here.
Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard playing “Cantaloupe Island”, a jazz standard composed by Herbie Hancock. It was first recorded on his 1964 album Empyrean Isles. Unfortunately Freddie Hubbard died yesterday, Dec 29.
In memoriam
5 December 1791: Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart passed away aged 35.
Keith Jarrett
Stella by Starlight performed by Keith Jarrett on piano, with Gary Peacock on bass and Jack De Johnette on drums.
Tonight a documentary about Keith Jarrett on Nederland 2 (Dutch tv…): L’art de l’Improvisation / The Art of Improvisation (2004) by Mike Dibb.
The James Bond Theme Songs
Dr. No
James Bond Theme – John Barry
Kingston Calypso – Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
From Russia with Love
From Russia with Love – John Barry/Matt Monro
Goldfinger
Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey
Thunderball
Thunderball – Tom Jones
You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
We Have All the Time In The World – Louis Armstrong
Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey
Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings
The Man with the Golden Gun
The Man with the Golden Gun – Lulu
The Spy Who Loved Me
Nobody Does It Better – Carly Simon
Moonraker
Moonraker – Shirley Bassey
For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton
Octopussy
All time high – Rita Coolidge
A View To a Kill
A View To a Kill – Duran Duran
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights – Aha
Licence to Kill
Licence to Kill – Gladys Knight
GoldenEye
GoldenEye – Tina Turner
Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow
The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough – Garbage
Die Another Day
Die Another Day – Madonna
Casino Royale
You know my name – Chris Cornell
Quantum of Solace
Another way to die – Jack White and Alicia Keys
Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
Sigur Ros performing ‘Within me a lunatic sings’, from the album ‘Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust‘ (With Buzzing in Our Ears We Play Endlessly)
The Click Song
South African singing legend Miriam Makeba has died yesterday,aged 76, after being taken ill in Italy. Here is Miriam Makeba performing The Click Song:
The Click Song is is a Xhosa wedding song, Xhosa being one of the official languages of South Africa. One of the most distinctive features of the language is the prominence of click consonants which explains the English song title. The actual song title is Qongqothwane.
Women, Art and Bach (2)
Last year I posted a link to a video survey of portraits of women in art history. I could identify several of these paintings, but not all. Boni, an instructor at the “Fayetteville Technical Community College” has a list of all 90 works used !
Research
I want to buy an amplifier and a new set of loudspeakers and the quality must be good! Question: which brand / type ? NAD ? B&W ? B&O ?
(Memo via blackberry)
Female jazz singers – part 7 of 7
Sarah Lois Vaughan – Don’t Blame Me
Billie Holiday – Lady sings the blues
Ella Jane Fitzgerald – Summertime
… and another one by Ella, Cry me a river:
… and one more to stop this series, another classic, Georgia on my mind:
Female jazz singers – part 6 of 7
Nancy Wilson – Drinkin’ Again
Carmen Mercedes McRae – Miss Otis Regrets
Dinah Washington – Our Love Is Here To Stay
Female jazz singers – part 5 of 7
Nina Simone – I Put A Spell On You
Shirley Valerie Horn – Here’s to Life
Ernestine Anderson – I Want a Little Boy
Female jazz singers – part 1 of 7
For the next 7 days I will post an overview of the best female jazz singers, 21 in total. Some voices will not make this list, so feel free to agree or not.
Etta James – At Last
Chris Connor – Lullaby of Birdland
Anita O’Day – Sweet Georgia Brown
The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time
Yep, another list : The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time (with audio and video) by Rolling Stone !
And the winner is “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry (1958):
John Scofield
I got a nice present: This Meets That by John Scofield.
John Scofield (born December 26, 1951 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American jazz guitarist and composer, who has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham, Medeski Martin & Wood, George Duke, Jaco Pastorius, and many other important artists. At ease in the bebop idiom, Scofield is also well versed in jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul, and other forms of modern American music.
This Meets That, finds Scofield largely back in his swing element. It features the other members of what he calls his “A-Team” trio — bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart — plus a hard-blowing four-piece horn section. Scofield used the opportunity to bring to life some songs which aren’t particularly associated with jazz — for example, “House of the Rising Sun,” popularized by The Animals. Not Scofield at his best, but still a very enjoyable cd.
Cape Verde (2)
Yesterday I spend the day on the island of Sal, which is part of the northern group of islands (Barlavento) which is the main tourist destination with beautiful white sandy beaches.
Today I am staying in Praia, which is the capital of Cape Verde and located on Santiago, the largest island and part of the southern group of islands (sotavento)
In the streets drums are adding their exciting beat to the atmosphere. Cape Verde is known internationally for morna, a form of folk music usually sung in the Cape Verdean Creole, accompanied by clarinet, violin, guitar and cavaquinho (a kind of small guitar). The islands also boast funaná and batuque music.
People seem to be happy all the time. What do you want if the sun is always shining ? No doubt I’ll be back.
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