And you thought I'd take it lying down. Ha! Just like Leslie Caron, I barely batted an eyelash while reclining ever so elegantly (of course) on my tufted chaise lounge, though my gloves aren't nearly as pretty as hers. Some things you can't beat.
And don't fret, chickens, everything's been re-upped. M'k? M'k
Caron was always working, you know, from 1951 to 2006, and even appeared in "Le Divorce," a somewhat forgettable Merchant/Ivory effort that nevertheless boasted a charming, fizzy-pop score by Richard Robbins, my favorite underrated film composer. In addition to Robbins' tunes, there's also cuts from Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin and a delightful opening number, "Qu'est Qu'on Attend Pour Etre Heireux," performed by Paul Misraki and Andre Hornez. Perfect for summer cocktails on your porch or lanai!
Few can hold a candle to Robbins when he's in a dramatic mood, and there's no better example of this than "Surviving Picasso," his spellbinding score for yet another Merchant/Ivory film (which is well worth seeing, by the way). And for those resistant to film scores, trust me on this one, Robbins' music stands on its own, so give it a try. You won't be sorry, I promise.
It's been an awfully hot summer, hasn't it? Phew! Lordy, lordy, lordy. Makes you wanna toss yourself back onto your bed - because you're too darn lazy to do anything else. Just like the sultry stunner below:
Why, it's Miss Dorothy Dandridge, of course, and though she made an early mark as a singer at the Apollo and Cotton Club, she's mostly remembered today for her starring role in "Carmen Jones," in which her singing was dubbed by Marilyn Horne.
If you're unfamiliar with Dandridge's own singing (like I was), then you're in for a happy surprise. Dandridge was the world's original smooth operator, and this wonderful compilation CD displays all of her formidable jazz vocal abilities on songs like "I've Got A Crush On You," "The Touch Of Your Lips" and lots more. She's sultry, she's understated, and her singing only gets better with each listen.
And now for straight-up jazz from a master who's still jammin' at 92 years of age (for reals). He was relatively young - at a mere 80 years-old - when this live, double CD was released, the first half recorded in Washington DC, the second at various venues throughout Great Britain.
Hold tight. It's a a non-stop, near-delirious collection of swingin' jazz, be-bop and exhilarating re-interpretations of old standards. There's also a show-stopping "What Will I Tell My Heart?" where Brubeck kills like none other on the piano. And yes, "Take Five" is here. And "Take The 'A' Train," too!
Do you recognize the lady below? No? Okay, try looking at her eyes. Still not certain? Maybe her nose will tell you. Still undecided? Really? Then surely her long, luxurious, French-manicured nails - they're reaching for her lady muffin - will help you guess her identity.
Okay, I'm so going to cut to the chance: she's Barbra Streisand's sister. Can you believe? Did you even know she had one? Well, step right up, kiddies, because she's here today - in a Cheerful Exclusive! - knocking 'em dead in her first 1969 LP, "This Is Roslyn Kind," which is notable for, um...owing to the fact, er...due mainly, uh...
Look, I won't beat around the bush (I think she's about to do that herself), we're talking about her because she's Streisand's sister. Okay? Okay.
It's real hard to forget that, too. Her voice - I guess the singing talent came from their mother's side - has the exact same coloring as her more famous sibling, and though she doesn't quite have the same range (but then whose did?), she acquits herself very well, thankyouverymuch, on a wide variety of songs, from jazz tunes to ballads to contemporary pop songs like "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" (which she sings without irony) (oh, no, I di'nt!). Oh, and is that ectoplasm or some such on her album cover, or what?
Another Cheerful Exclusive - hooray! - and more jazz, this time from our old friend Daniel Humair, the French jazz drummer maniac who's joined with American pianist Kenny Barron and British bassist Dave Holland for a delicious selection of jazz cuts.
Practically everything here was fresh material at the time of its recording - a rarity in jazz CDs these days - so prepare to be surprised, especially by Humair, who seems to corner Barron with his unhinged drum playing on more than one occasion. But then Barron's no shrinking violet. This CD has some of the wildest jazz piano playing I think I've ever heard, and it's thrilling.
Has it really been that long since you last saw The Secret Song File? Not so long, actually, but still, there's a definite "before" and an "after" - just like the before-and-after pics of the Secret Song File below (darn those security cams!), and a certain spanking new soundtrack CD.
Why you ask? Let's put it this way: "before" there was a movie with Irene Cara, and "after" there's a movie with an aging diva who's already wa-a-a-a-ay after even before the movie opens. Confused? I know you're not. So stop pretending. And if you're in doubt, just tell Neely O'Hara what she needs to do in front of the camera. Twice.
Let's hope it's not another Glitter (oy!).
Giggle amongst yourselves in the comments, m'k?
