Duke, Ella: Really Super Jazz Souls

The superb jazz music of the powerful duo of Duke Ellington and singer Ella Fitzgerald is terrific. The fabulous sounds are so engaging to all. Enjoying the performance of the fine song 'It Don't Mean A Thing....' is a vigorous and joyful human experience. Yes, the work of Duke and Ella is truly somethin' else. My, My....I Love Jazz So Very Much!

Meade Luxe Lewis: Fun Piano Man!

Hey Everyone! Know this....the excitement of really strong boogie-woogie piano jazzy art is terrific and so powerful. And one of the best exponents of this clever style is the muscle piano man, Meade Lux Lewis. Today I've been enjoying Meade Lux Lewis music from the 1940s and it has been a whole lot of fun. On some of this material there was also the strong voice man, Big Joe Turner. Hey now....Jump right into truly diggin' the stride piano music of Meade Lux Lewis and you're gonna have a fun time, indeed.

Laura Bell Bundy...Lots of Musical Talent

I got to say... this person Laura Bell Bundy is a mighty good singer. Been listening to some of her country music material and also interesting stuff from the 'Legally Blond' musical. It is a little simple to say this...but truly when you listen to a charming, high-energy singer it makes you feel so much better.

'Three Musketeers' Is A Fun Movie

I saw the new movie 'The Three Musketeers' yesterday. It was a fun experience. I read some pundits didn't like it because they thought it was sort of all over the place. But my thoughts are that this film was quite a delight, something with a lot of story "tone and imagery." I read the classic Musketeers novel long ago but seeing this new movie version made me enjoy the old Alexandre Dumas story again. The acting was good. I enjoyed the performances of Matthew Macfadyen as Athos and Milla Jovovich as Milady de Winter. Also, Orlando Bloom did very nice work as the Duke of Buckingham.

Pete Jolly And His Clever Piano Jazz

If you are looking for good jazz that is still fresh (even though it was created a long time ago) then check out the finesse jazz piano of Pete Jolly a so clever West Coast musician. Listened tonight to his material and I feel so much better. Been having stomach woes but now things are going OK.

Fantastic Colorful Modern Art

Today, I went to the opening of a show focusing on the modern masters. This exhibit started today at Atlanta's High Museum. This was a fabulous experience. When I walked into the big rooms and saw the explosively creative Picassos, Fernand Legers and also the wild paintings of Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian and others...well my word...It just "knocked me out." When I am confronted with this kind of massively provocative and so creative experience it is so unique and makes me so terrifically happy. I now realize that true breakthrough art is such a POWERHOUSE feeling!

'House of Strangers'

The kind of movies the braintrusts call "film noir" are mighty powerful. And I confess, I love them very much. The tough dramas hold a person's interest extremely well. Recently, I got to watching a good example of this kind of film magic. It was a jewel of a movie called 'House of Strangers.' Edward G. Robinson was in the lead playing a guy named Gino Monetti. The character of Irene Bennett is played by the marvelous Susan Hayward and the person named Max Monetti is played by the wily actor, Richard Conte. Max gets wildly mad with his brothers and all kinds of tough stuff ensues, but a little later on old Max comes to the realization that his dad had brought about all the bitterness and disgust and then (believe me this is why film noir cinema gets interesting) after careful negotiating the family members finally work out a bit of true peace. The unique spirited passionate mood of this quite tense 'House of Strangers' makes it quite a nice piece of cinematic art.

Carl Fontana...Chic, Creative Trombone Art

Carl Fontana.....The guy plays a tremendous jazz trombone. His stylish and melodic approach to trombone is the kind that keeps cutting into you, it's quite engaging. I listened today to Fontana and friends work out on the grand tune that Yip Harburg wrote...'If I Only had a Brain.' (Wizard of Oz sounds come to life.) What a good set of sounds this one is! The outing had the true finesse chops of Carl Fontana on trombone, Pete Jolly on piano and Joe La Barbera on the drums. The delicious melodic sense of Carl Fontana on the trombone is certainly a lot of fun. Pete Jolly sparkling a heady jazz vision on piano and Joe La Barbera crackling zingily on the drums mix up a sly jazzy tonic. This brand of jazz music makes this man known as me the proud owner of a very good Thursday experience. My, My...the backup individuals on this rendition ...Pete Jolly on piano, Joe La Barbera on drums are superb musicians.

Jazz Brings Us All Some Real True Meaning

You know...Jazz brings so much meaning into a person's life. Whether it's Russell Malone, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane or Miles Davis or Duke Ellington or Count Basie...so much uniqueness and deliciously marvelous flavors can become a part of one's soul. It is great to have Jazz as a meaningful part of one's very essence.