Is her first name pronounced "Nina" or Nena?" Enquiring minds want to know.
But really, you say tomato, I say tomayta, because Nnenna Freelon has been blessing us with her sumptuous jazz compositions and vocals since the early 1990s, collecting six, count 'em, six, Grammy Awards along the way. Did you know? She didn't begin her career in earnest until her mid-thirties - well after graduating from college, marrying, and having three kids - which means she was never the pre-packaged "new young thing." Yet her breathtaking talent made even jaded record executives sit up and take notice. How could they not?
It's semi-tacky, craft-project cover art aside, "Better Than Anything," a Best Of CD, is a terrific way to be tossed into the deep end of Nnenna's gorgeous song stylings. And trust, her joyous version of "Straighten Up And Fly Right" is what we all need right now.
What else do we need these days? We need gal you may not have heard of. And I bet'cha you'll take her for granted once you listen to her - or at least the first time around. Some things sneak up on you.
Confused? I'll explain. When I first played Pam Garner's 1960 LP, "Pam Sings Ballads For Broken Hearts" - a Perfectly Pam Cheerful Exclusive! just for you - I was contemplating the herculean effort it might take to rearrange and scrub my work station (contemplation is such hard work!). The LP ended and I thought, "Meh, Pam's okay." My desk remained a mess.
But a day later, while preparing chicken breasts and realizing that I was out of smoky paprika - such a versatile spice! - I abruptly stopped in my tracks. Pam's LP was playing and she was singing "Lush Life." And I wondered: "Is this one of the loveliest versions of this song I've ever heard? Yes. Yes it is." Some singers are so dazzling, yet so subtle, that it takes a second listen to realize how dazzling they truly are (for me at least) (your mileage may vary).
I don't know much about Pam beyond a few factoids: she released only two LPs; she was born in Texas; she appeared on the Steve Allen Show in the late 1950s; she shared a manager with Abby Lincoln; her "Broken Hearts" LP was conducted by John Williams. And that's it.
So she's yet another sphinx wrapped in a riddle wrapped in decoupage made of tiny jigsaw pieces from four different puzzles. What I do know is that her deceptively artless, clear-as-a-bell vocals are entrancing. Trust me, she's the relaxing balm you need right now.
Speaking of mystery ladies, this is the only decent picture I could find of Paula Castle (thanks to Rio Veneno for the correction). Paula's the brunette on the right:
Talk about little verifiable information! All I've learned about Paula was that she was unlucky enough to sign deals with record companies that swiftly went bankrupt before she could even lay down some tracks. Unfortunately, when she did finally record in 1955 - an 8 track EP from the indie Bethlehem label called "Lost Love" (and a Kickin' Castle Cheerful Exclusive! for you and yours) - her career was already over. Supposedly, she's living in happy old age in Queens, New York, but who can say for sure?
Whatever the case, Paula has a warmly ingratiating voice with an impressive range, fluttering high like a bird and dipping low with equal finesse. She's well worth cherishing.
When I was a teensy gaylette in NYC in the early 1980s - on my own at last! ready to slay-slay-slay! - I frequently second-acted Broadway shows, which means that I mingled with the crowd outside the theatre during intermission, then bowed my head, walked in, took an empty seat and watched the second act for free. So sneaky, right?
But for a few shows, I bought half-price TKTS tickets and saw the whole thing, one of them being the 1981 Broadway musical, "Sophisticated Ladies."
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I was not disappointed. There was Duke Ellington's music played by a fantastic orchestra; legendary tap dancer Gregory Hines who was tearing up the stage; velvet-voice Phyllis Hyman; and drop-dead elegant sets and costumes. There was also the celebrated, near-mythical, Judith Jamison, a world-renown ballet dancer who frequently stopped the show with her brilliance, sometimes just by striking a pose: |
Shortly after, I bought the original cast album and ran its grooves dry over innumerable plays. Happily, the show was also recorded on video for a PBS broadcast, and though it's not currently streaming anywhere that I know of, you can get your very own copy on DVD. Treat yourself. And in the meantime, thrill to the music. You won't be sorry.
The Secret Song File is doing her best at "social distancing" by lounging on her desk and staring into abyss (and looking mighty fine doing so). If someone passes by her window, they're sure to get an eyeful. But she's okay with that. She can't help but give in these trying times.
She's also listening to a singer's new EP and it's scrumptious, or what you might call smooth-as-silk, electro-R&B. Is this 1980s-era R&B singer, um, looking for a new love? Maybe. But then real love's elusive, and she's likely self-isolating like the rest of us, even as we speak. Does she have her window open like The Secret Song File? Probably not, but you'll want to play her hypnotic tunes in any case, because good music is what we all need right now.
Wash your hands, repeat, and treat yourself to music and cookies!
Be well and stay safe. All of you. And I mean that!
