Last night I watched the final full music tape I recorded, #30, this one circa 2002. I was soon to purchase a DVD player, whose wires occupy the slots the VCR’s once did. There is a way to enable recording, but I haven't figured it out. At least I’m still able to play those tapes, which I treasure. #31 remains one-third completed. Anyway, as for the one in question, every track was culled from PBS. Half the tape is devoted to Frank Sinatra in his prime, including two medleys with Ella Fitzgerald. Half of the first duet is surprisingly ordinary. Then Ella does a great take on a couple of verses of Ode to Billie Joe, and the segment concludes with both sharing Going Out of My Head, which is rousing. At the conclusion Sinatra quietly says: “Ole.” The second medley is spectacular from start to finish, almost as if the two giants are playing ”Can you top this?” The highlight is Sinatra doing Cole Porter’s At Long Last Love ( “Is it an earthquake or simply a shock? Is it the good turtle soup or merely the mock?”).
The tape also has several killer tunes from Tony broadcasts, featuring Zero Mostel, Paul Lynde, Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon, Julie Andrews (stunningly beautiful), Andrea McArdle, and Jerry Orbach. Yes, he did a lot more than his memorable turn as Detective Lenny Briscoe on Law & Order. The host, Tommy Tune, pointed out that Orbach had logged more performances in Broadway musicals than any other male. I don’t know if anyone has eclipsed him since then.
Of course, there are several tracks taken from rock n roll revivals. Gary U.S. Bonds, Darlene Love, Jerry Marston of the Pacemakers, the Flamingos, and Scott McKensie are excellent. Given his performance decades after his lone hit, it is a mystery why McKensie had no others than San Francisco.
As for as a highlight, I choose Ol’ Blue Eyes and the First Lady of Song. Enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8uNRxSktlc
And here’s a bonus track of a classic shared yesterday by a friend on Facebook. Thanks, Marilena:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf2O3OAQjng
It was another fortunate day for the floating book shop, thanks to the generosity of Bad News Billy, who bought Adjustments and all the VHS tapes I had on display, including Saving Private Ryan (1998), which he has not seen. My thanks, and also the woman who bought the thriller in Russian, and to Ralph, who purchased Gordon Dryden's The Learning Revolution, which teaches how to get the most from one's brain. I won't make a joke that it should be required reading for a certain political persuasion.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
No comments:
Post a Comment