Blog Archives
FlinterFile: Quincy Jones- Chump Change
Quincy Jones has gained the most success as producer for Michael Jackson, but by that time he already had many records on his name. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Yardbirds- Shapes of Things
In 1966, the Yardbirds wrote one of their greatest hits. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Ella Fitzgerald- I Got Rhythm
In 1930, this song was written for the musical Girl Crazy. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Glenn Miller- Chattanooga Choo Choo
In 1941, Glenn Miller released a song which was featured in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Acker Bilk- Stranger On The Shore
In 1961, Bernard Stanley Bilk (as this man really was called, ‘acker’ is the same as ‘friend’) released an instrumental clarinet song. A few years before, he had founded the Paramount Jazz Band. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto- The Girl From Ipanema
In 1963, two Brazilian composers wrote one of the most famous bossa nova songs. Antonio Carlos Jobim wrote the music and Vinicius de Moraes wrote the Portugese text. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Roger Cicero- Zieh Die Schuh Aus
In 2006, Roger Cicero released his first album. The singer from Hamburg made jazz big again in Germany. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: George Gershwin- An American In Paris
In 1928, George Gershwin wrote one of his best known pieces of music. It became best known for the use in the movie from 1951, starring Gene Kelly. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Lianne La Havas- What You Don’t Do
In 2015, Lianne La Havas released her new album Blood. The album was based on the renewed connection with her roots on Jamaica. This meant new inspiration, and a lot of styles which combined together. This song is a mixture of jazz, doowop, R&B, but also has horns and even a gospel choir. The song is about the relationship of La Havas with her boyfriend, in which they know what they want without saying it. A very good song and probably one of the finest made this year! It charted number 29 in the US R&B chart. Enjoy
Lianne La Havas- What You Don’t Do
FlinterFile: Buckshot LeFonque- Another Day
In 1997, the American group Buckshot LeFonque released one of their most successful singles. The band was found by Branford Marsalis, who played with artists like Miles Davis and Sting, and as a result of that, he wanted to play the styles of those artists in one. It ment a fusion of rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop and R&B (who could have thought these could be mixed?). The band was almost a complete orchestra, including some DJ’s. The song charted at number 5 in the Netherlands. Enjoy
Buckshot LeFonque- Another Day
Song of the day: Billy Stewart- Summertime
Some sixties to end the summer for this year. And this is a great song, though you have to get through the intro, which is not exactly great… The song was composed in 1935 by George Gershwin for an opera. The lyrics are made by the man who wrote the book on which the opera was based, DuBose Heyward. The song became a jazz standard and that can be noticed when looking at the number of covers: over 33000 versions were recorded! The song was taken to the charts by Billie Holiday in 1936 (he reached no. 12). The most successful version was made by Billy Stewart in 1966, who reached no. 10 in the US and no. 39 in the UK. For me, this also is the best version. Enjoy
Billy Stewart- Summertime
Song of the day: Sarah Vaughan- Whatever Lola Wants
A golden oldie today! And when I say old, I mean really old. The original of this song dates from 1955! It was written for a musical, Damn Yankees. In the same year, Sarah Vaughan, a jazz singer, took the song and recorded it. She did it with success, or that’s how I see it: just listen to the start of the song! A few horns blowing, and then the sound of Sarah Vaughan! Superb and beautiful. Enjoy
Sarah Vaughan- Whatever Lola Wants
Song of the day: The Crusaders- Street Life
Yeah, this song was the most popular song of The Crusaders. The Crusaders were already around some time as a jazz/pop group, and to record this song, they invited another singer: Randy Crawford. She was at the start of her career, and I think she could never have dreamed that she would have a number one hit with One Day I’ll Fly Away. This song did quite a good job, because it entered the soul charts and the disco charts (although they were higher in the soul chart than in the disco chart). However, who cares? They have got the Song of the day, so enjoy
The Crusaders feat. Randy Crawford- Street Life
Song of the day: Al Jarreau- Roof Garden
Actually, there is a little argument going on between my father and me. He says that this probably was one of the first rap-records, which became a hit. I definitely disagree with him, because it’s not rapping, but singing in a special way. Of course it’s very difficult to do this, but to me, it’s not really rapping. I stay with the belief that there were other records which were hits, but were rap-records. I almost know for sure that Rapper’s Delight was the first record. It definitely was earlier, because that was 1979 and Roof Garden is 1982! Anyone knows a rap-record (and it has to be a hit!) before Rapper’s Delight??? Leave a comment! And for the moment, enjoy
Al Jarreau- Roof Garden
Song of the day: Joe Jackson- Steppin’ Out
How to define this song? I think it’s a little jazzy, but it’s not at the same time. It’s touching, and it’s not. What I do know for sure, is that Joe Jackson has a great voice, and it completely fits this simple arrangement. Just enjoy
Joe Jackson- Steppin’ Out
Song of the day: Bakermat- Vandaag
Sometimes you hear a song which grabs you: you know that you find it very good, you want to know more! I had that one, two weeks ago when listening to the radio. I heard a (relatively) new song on the radio, it was the first time I heard it, and I thought: wow! This is it. This is going to be a hit, and I want his album. It stopped there, there was no album… not yet.
So you start googling around: more music by this artist, where does he get his inspiration from, etc, etc, etc.
I found his YouTube-channel, listened to the songs that were on there, and decided to buy his album as soon as it was there.
The strange thing about his music is that it is new, but it is familiar, too. It has to do with the influences. Jazz, blues, Nat King Cole, to mention a few.
Those are the things I know. Those are the things I like. And the saxophones in his songs, I like those, too.
To give him an extra impulse (which he maybe doesn’t need), I give the honour of the song of the day to his song Vandaag. Because it was the first thing I heard of him. And because I hope he will make a lot of good music in future. And that he will make a record on CD, since I don’t download…
The FlinterFiles 