Including Reviews of two of Judy’s Books: Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength and The Seven T’s: Finding Hope and Healing in the Wake of Tragedy Judy, I love it that your vocal gifts and training in classical piano never require you to reach for notes—I’ve never heard you reach once—but […]
A Love Letter to Judy Collins Read More »
Including reviews of two of her books: Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength and The Seven T’s: Finding Hope and Healing in the Wake of Tragedy Like many Judy Collins fans, I was first taken with her voice. She never reaches for a note, she hits each one like a finely-tuned
Notes on Judy Collins and Suicide Read More »
I’m a sucker for songwriters—from Judy Collins’ eclectic selections to Dylan to Lenny Cohen to Sondheim—they’ve taught me always to ask, “Who wrote this?” When I heard the Willy Nelson / Merle Haggard version of “Pancho and Lefty,” I searched out the songwriter. I had no idea it was from Townes Van Zandt, a guy
Poet with a Guitar—The Story of the C&W hit “Pancho and Lefty” Read More »
It started out with Bob Dylan, I think, the grand concept of the sensitive and confessional singer/songwriter. And he was very good at it, as were Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Phil Ochs, even Carole King. Some of these folks were VERY good singers and others made do with the voices they had. But it
The High Art of Vocal Interpretation Read More »
“[I]t’s impossible for me to say – as much as I loved him – that in his most productive and influential period Art Tatum was the only guy. How could I leave out Teddy Wilson? How could I leave out Hank Jones? How could I leave out Milt Buckner? How could I leave out a
Gemini — Ruby Braff Read More »
When Hoagy Carmichael and his friends Bob Gilette and Bix Beiderbecke went on a road trip to Chicago, their first stop was Lincoln Gardens, the club where King Oliver’s band was appearing. Many years later, Carmichael wrote about that night: As I sat down to light my first muggle, Bix gave the sign to a
Tuba Skinny: Back Down on the Ground Read More »