Singin' With Peggy And Friends, Jazzy Tunes And Big Band Sounds From Krzysztof, Les and Ambrose, Plus An Oklahoma Flamer Secret Song!

Ain't Miss Peggy lookin' fresh?

A Kay Starr Box Set Just For You!

Rejoice! Though Kay Starr left us in 2016, her spirited, down-home vocal jazz will live on forever. I've always wanted a Kay Starr Box Set, haven't you? As far as I know, none exists, but why should that stop us? After much thought (about two seconds), I decided to make my very own.

A Fabulous Starr, Mel's Best, Jane Goes Cocoanuts, Plus Nikki's Coffee And An Amsterdam Secret Song!

Oh, such joyful treasures to share with you today! I scarcely know where to start. But why not begin with our old friend Kay Starr (above looking glamourama in middle-age). Yes, it's true, she's back for another Cheerfully Starr Exclusive!

Anita Loves Ya', Classic Kay, Patti's Massive Box, Plus A Copacabana Secret Song!

Ka-pow! Bam! Hot-cha! Anita's back in town. It's always a happy day for me when I'm able to get my paws on new Anita music, or rather, Anita music I've never heard, in this case from 1991's "I Told Ya I Love You, Now Get Out," a Go, Anita, Go! Cheerful Exclusive for you and yours. When you listen, just picture yourself watching Anita live, because as much as she was a renown jazz vocalist, she was a pretty jazzy treat for the eyes, too. Some people are just born with style...

A Deluge Of Divas, Hess' Devil, Dreamy Music And - Hot-cha! - Here Comes Liza, Plus A Jinx-You're-It Secret Song!

Sometimes too much is just too delicious, like the name Anna Maria Alberghetti. Ahhhhh. Doesn't it just slip off your tongue? An actress and an operatic singer, Anna, pictured above, is one of many divas crowding this delightful collection, a Cheerfully Delectable Exclusive! just for you.

Kay On Stage, Esther Trips Out , Plus Roslyn's Nails, Ora's Blues And A Summer Month Secret Song!

More Kay Starr! Exclusively pour vous! Doesn't she look great wearing her something-or-other above? Is it a bathing suit? A kicky summer outfit for tooling around town? Whatever it is, she looks swell. Meanwhile, 1950's "Kay Starr On Stage" is yet another Kay release for all you Kay complete-ists out there (and I know I'm not the only one).

Fred's Early Years, Kay's Different Day, Plus Keely's A Fool, A L'il Classic Costes And An Electrified Secret Song!

It's almost time for holiday break - hooray! - so this will be the last Cheerful Earfull post until the new year. Will you miss me? What wonders will the new year bring? World peace? An end to hunger? Less of this? Oh, I hope and pray for all three. In the meantime, three Cheerful Exclusives! just for you.

Ernestine's Cargo, Kay Gets Jazzy, Plus A Bloody Masterpiece And A Bitchy Secret Song!

The other day I was walking down the boulevard and practically levitating with joy. Why? Because I was listening to Ernestine Anderson's 1958 LP "Hot Cargo," that's why (newly remastered with bonus tracks) (a Cheerful Exclusive just for you!). It's so joyful, in fact, that I challenge even the most poker-faced amongst you to give it a listen, and try, just try, to deny the charms of Ernestine's torchy, freewheeling vocals, Howard Arlen's ultra-cool arrangements, and all that smooth blowing by Swedish jazz trumpeter Rolf Ericson. It's heaven, I tell you, heaven!

This was Ernestine's first solo LP, and for some reason or other, even though it was a smash upon its release, it's long been out of print. Who knows why, but luckily, we can at last hear her versions of "My Man," for example, and "Ill Wind" (both of which she kills). Now entering her fifth decade as a jazz and blues legend - and still performing! - Ernestine can do it all. "Hot Cargo" is how it all began.

I love the photo of Kay Starr below. She's looking right at us - directly - without any pretense. Which is kind of how she sings.

This seems to be a post about restoration, since Kay's 1960 LP "Jazz Singer," has also been newly remastered. It's essential Kay, made when she needed to remind the public that she wasn't just a pop singer - which is how she gained her greatest fame - but also a jazz and blues singer, which is how she got her start. Even on the jazziest cuts here, she still retains her own distinctive emotional frankness, enabling her to cut right to the heart of a lyric.

Here's another Cheerful Exclusive!, but it ain't restored. It's Kay's super-rare 1964 LP with The Gerald Wiggins Trio. So why's it so rare? Probably because Kay only sings on three tracks - but they're fantastic, I swear. Plus, Gerald Wiggins and his trio do terrific versions "Under A Blue Moon," "Magnificent Affair," and more.

Just look at Barbra shaking her money-makers! Guess what movie this is from. If you guessed the 1970 comedy "The Owl And The Pussycat," you're right. You win. If you didn't, you don't win, so...well, you know.

About the time that movie came out, the group "Blood Sweat & Tears" were big. I'm talking really-really big, which is kind of a shock to think about now, because they weren't a traditional rock band (if you can even call them that). 1969's LP "Blood Sweat & Tears" was the second time this group tried to hit the charts, and they succeeded - and with a different lead singer, David Clayton-Thomas:

The album is a classic, and it's ageless, too, especially with tracks like "Blues Part II" (which is epic), "And When I Die" "Spinning Wheel" (of course), and a gorgeous version of "God Bless The Child," all of which have a lot more to do with traditions of blues and jazz than rock. Sadly, though the group isn't exactly forgotten today, their shot at persistent fame was arguably dealt a bruising blow when they were cut from the movie "Woodstock" after their manager demanded more money and the producers refused. Oops. They also did the score for "The Owl and the Pussycat," for which they were called sell-outs. Oops, again. Still, their first four LPs, at least, are well worth seeking out. This one's my favorite.

Lately, the Secret Song File as been listening to a new CD in which the lead singer tells us to "work, bitch." To which the Secret Song File says, "Bitch, if you only knew." You don't actually doubt The Secret Song File, do you? Just look below. That takes work!

You know who the CD's singer is. You must. If you don't, try shaving your head, munching on Cheetos, then sucking back a frap or two or three or four. It'll come to you. Meanwhile, it's cold out there. Keep warm, m'k? I worry about you. Terrible things can happen in the cold. So go on, make yourself some cocoa, wrap yourself in a blankie and be glad you're free.

I don't know about you, but I really don't want a Bugatti.

Flip up your hatchback and leave a comment, if you like!

A Cheerful Earful (No, Really), Nell Sings Out, Kay's Uncollected, Plus Hot Ovens And A Bad Girl Secret Song!

Hooray, happy day! I've been doing this blog for six years. Can you believe? Oh, what we've survived, dear reader. First the arrival of the blog, then four years into it, tres scandal - and the removal of every link by dastardly foes. But  fear not, great music refuses to back down, and so here we are today (which, of course, is a good time to remind you to grab everything you want when it's posted, because it could happen again) (you can always delete stuff later if it's not a keeper for you) (but you knew that).

So why not mark this occasion with "A Cheerful Earful" from Lew Davies and his orchestra? (note that two "L's" are used on this blog for "earfull") (the extra "L" is for "lusciousness") (but you knew that). It's brassy, it's peppy, and, yes, it's cheerful as all get out!

And now on to two Cheerful Exclusives!, starting with a fairly rare live CD with the one and only Nell Carter, who left us too early in 2003 after overcoming a cocaine addiction, two aneurysms, three miscarriages and diabetes. Despite this, Nell gave back, and in 1999, raised money to fight AIDS by performing with The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

The sound quality's not always perfect, but the concert's unexpectedly moving. A Broadway diva for many years, Nell knew well the devastation she was fighting, and it's likely some of the chorus members knew first hand. The result -  with its mix of solos by Nell and several choral numbers - is likely to leave a lump in your throat by concert's end. But don't get too choked up. The loss of Nell and countless bright lights may be heavy, but they've left their indomitable human spirit on this CD.

On a lighter note, what can I say but, "Kay! Kay! Kay!"

Oh, what a happy day it was when my Cuban Luvuh gifted me with this diffy-to-find CD, "The Uncollected Kay Starr In The 1940's." These are the radio versions of Kay's jazziest, jumping-est songs and hits. Kay had her own sound, as we know - jazz tinged with a relaxed country vibe; she simply didn't sound like any other singer at the time - and in this terrific interview, she tells you how it all came about.

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. We've got hot ovens. We've got steamy bathrooms. We've even got hot seats! Have you heard? There's a new book out called "Everything's Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age Of Industrial Musicals." Just imagine, Broadway composers and luminaries (Kander & Ebb! Florence Henderson!) putting on original shows for companies like Coke and Ford Motors in the 50's and swingin' 60's - and with a disco beat in the 70's.

If the book is as wonderfully strange as the music itself, then I'm so in. In the meantime, give a listen to this collection of songs, which includes a sassy opener about ovens called (wink-wink) "I've Got A Wide Range Of Features."

Sometimes people believe they can duplicate an original - but honestly, a cracked reflection of the real thing is no substitute. So take note, bitches ("bitches" or "bitch" being what Britney would say these days) (The Secret Song File is so on trend!). There's only one Secret Song, and after six years, she's here to stay.

Speaking of, some singers are here to stay even after they're dead, including a certain disco Queen who long ago left her cake out in the rain. But wouldn't you know, a group of today's "hot" DJs got together to remix her best-selling songs. I say "hot" in quotes, because some are considerably better than others, which means that some are (ahem) questionable (especially the first song). Still, if you're willing to to forage through this spanking new CD, you'll find more than a few winning tracks, I swear.

Sometimes you have to dig a little, don't you think? 

Prod and burrow in the comments, if you like!

Kay's Tears, Karen Sings Styne, Plus Benzedrine In Your Ovaltine And A Kiss/Kitsch Secret Song!

Kay Starr does it all! Jazz, pop, blues and, yes, country, too. Her musical choices seem to take her by whim, and occasionally, by commercial necessity (her career spans five decades). But Kay never sold out. She approaches each genre with the same crystal-clear directness - her vocals shaping each song to tell a story with a distinct beginning, middle and end. This makes country an especially good fit for her, since - in the past, at least - country music was largely about first-person storytelling.

When "Years & Heartaches/Old Records" - a Country Kay Cheerful Exclusive! - was released in 1966, audiences didn't quite know what to make of it. Like her previous outing, "Just Plain Country," her vocals and arrangements changed to suit each song, which meant that - on this LP, especially - if she thought a more pop vibe suited "Make The World Go Away," for example, then that's the direction she took. She let the music and lyrics lead her.

The result is a jewel of an album; underrated at its time, but ripe for re-discovery. Yes, jazz is Kay's forte - Billie Holiday once said she's "the only white woman who can sing the blues" - but I don't think country is all that removed from her "skill set," as the kids say. And get this. Kay's 90 years old and still performing! That's hawt.

No one does eleganza-extravaganza better than Karen Akers, don't you think? So poised. So fragile. Yet so strong. And, yes, so-o-o-o beeeeeee-utiful.

In 2007, The New York Times all but wrote her a love letter when she appeared at the Algonquin with her "Simply Styne" cabaret show. Hyperbole? Overkill? It seemed that way to me until I finally heard the CD, and, yes, it's as entrancing as the reviewer claims it to be. And, hooray, It's also a Glamour Gal Cheerful Exclusive!

You might be put off by Karen's cool approach at first, but listen to the album from start to finish; the coolness is just a slow (and necessary) build for a warm, and finally, fiery set. And it's worth the wait. This is one of her best CD's, I think, an emotion-charged portrait that becomes more complex and complete with each successive song.

Baby-Bhang! Ganja! Reefer! Giggle Weed! Or as they used to call it, "Marihuana." Governments and movie studios have always tried to demonize it, though not always successfully. Case in point is "Assassin Of Youth," whose 1937 poster, perhaps intentionally, makes pot look like an awful lot of fun. "Wild-Mad Thrills" you say? Dude, I'm so there.

I'm assuming you've watched "Reefer Madness" (and if you haven't, rent a copy and sit right back; it's hilarious), but get this, did you know that America's most esteemed President smoked the bud? Writers, too, of course, and artists, musicians, and lots and lots and lots and lots of celebrities.

So keep that in mind when you listen to "Drug Songs: High And Low, 1917-1944," a dizzying (in a good way) 2005 collection of songs and ditties that celebrate not just Mary Jane, but moonshine, wacky dust (and lots of other legally questionable substances), all performed by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway and Memphis Minnie (I'd say something about a contact high, but everyone's vaping their weed these days, aren't they?).

Sometimes when a musician puts out a new CD, it's like they want to give you a big wet kiss, but more often than not, it's a big wet kitsch. The latter can be fun, of course (in small does), but on a regular basis? Behold the Secret Song File below, who's receiving one wet kitsch too many. Enough, already!

So where does this once-gravely-injured-in-a-tour-bus-accident-Cuban-artist fall in the kiss/kitsch spectrum on her very latest CD? Somewhere in-between, actually. A few of her jazz numbers are cool and satisfying, but on other tracks, when she goes for "big emotions?" Well, let's just say she overplays them (or runs them over with a tour bus) (oh, no, I di'nt!). Still, she's still putting new material out, so I admire her for that, and she looks pretty damn good for 56 (which is older than Madonna!) (which is SO OLD!).

But we'll be young forever, won't we?

Share your li'l ol' thoughts in the comments, if you like!

Sabu Flies With Miklos, Kay Sings 'Em All, Joel Goes Live, Plus A Canuck Secret Song!

So let's talk about the picture above. The boy is wearing a leather leash and his "daddy's" got the biggest benwa ball you've ever seen - but I swear, they're not stars from a porn flick, though even if they were, would your opinion of them change? Who knows? I mean, as far as porn stars go, people seem to have all kinds of opinions about them these days.

So no, it's not porn, it's actually a still from "The Thief Of Bagdad," an okay 1940 remake of the eye-popping 1924 original. Many people think the remake is a classic, probably because the Technicolor is all kinds of trippy, and because one of its star's - the kid, to be exact - is named Sabu (just Sabu) (which is one of my all-time favorite movie star names) (along with Zasu Pitts and Blanche Sweet). As a film, it just can't compare with the silent original, which, after all, had this...

...along with special effects that are still delightful. But, like I said, it's okay. So why am I bringing up the 1940 movie? Because what really struck me when I first saw it was the Oscar-nominated score by Miklos Rozsa. This was one of his earliest scores, and it was so striking that it brought him to Hollywood. If you can ignore a few early tracks that have some dated-sounded vocalizing, this is the quintessential fantasy score - full of grand, sweeping orchestral movements designed to knock your socks off. And they do.

There's lots of soundtrack releases for this score, but my favorite is conducted by Elmer Bernstein, which brings together all of the score's short snippets into longer suites. If only this score could be wedded to the 1924 original. Then we'd have perfection.

Speaking of perfection, down-home flawlessness is here today in the form of Miss Kay Starr:

Like a lot of "girl singers" of her time, Kay started as a celebrated jazz singer, but when the bottom began to fall out of the market in the early 1950's, she quickly retrenched, then re-emerged as a hit-making pop singer. So there's two Kay's, really. Her first incantation as a jazz singer shines through in "Kay Star: Best Of The Standard Transcriptions," a pokey-sounding title which is basically saying that the tracks were captured during her stints on the radio (with jazz greats like Les Paul, Buzz Adlam and more).

Listen to her kick around "Honeysuckle Rose" or Ain't Misbehavin'" - and I say "kick around" deliberately. Part of Kay's charm is that she makes it sound so-o-o casual and easy - as if she weren't really singing, exactly, but just sitting back on her porch, sipping tea and telling you a story.

"The Ultimate Kay Starr" highlights her pop side, including her biggest hit, "Wheel Of Fortune," but also her takes on "When A Man Loves A Woman" (she delivers it with uncomplicated, heartbreaking directness) and a wonderfully jazzy rendition of "Get Me To the Church On Time." Both collections are, I think, essential.

And now for some hot-cha! jazz hands! And I ain't talkin' about you-know-who.

No Liza this time around. Sorry. This time it's Joel Grey's turn, her co-star from "Cabaret." After that movie hit, Joel was the "it boy" of the moment, and his 1973 LP "Joel Grey Live!" - a hot-cha Cheerful Exclusive! - is culled from his nationwide touring stints in the early '70's.

Get ready, because when Joel sells a song, he sells!sells!sells! That's a lot of fun when he's singing songs you might like, including "The Cabaret Melody" (of course) (or even ballads, such as "Lean On Me"). Yet things can get slightly grating when he's singing things you might not have a special fondness for, like the "George M. Cohan Medley" (I never need to hear "It's a Grand Old Flag" again) (ever).

Still, this is a wonderful time capsule. It's probably the last time in music history in which a movie with Broadway tunes was popular enough to support a nationwide tour with just one of its performers. Oh, on a technical note, the first two tracks are a teensy bit jittery sounding because the LP was unbelievably warped. But it's still very listenable, so don't you fret.

"Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Yes, I'd like a massage. That's right. And I'd like a male masseuse. One with a really big - um, big hands. Strong hands. What? No, this isn't John Travolta! Oh my God! What-what? Hahahaha! Oh, you're so funny. What makes you say that? Is it my masculine-sounding voice? Hello? Hello?"

The Secret Song File feels supersad for peeps on the down low, or anyone living in somebody else's shadow. Kind of like Canada, that "nice country" with the big ol' nasty U.S. beneath it sucking up all the air. But at least Canada has plenty of wonderful artists, like this electronica duo whose spanking new CD is mesmerizing. Oh, wait. I'm so sorry. They aren't actually Canadian, they're Scottish! Sigh. Heavy sigh. Poor Canada.

But remember, Canada has given us Howie Mandel, so they're not perfect. 

Dance a little jig in the comments, why dont'cha? It doesn't have to be Scottish.