Thursday, November 3, 2011: Esperanza Spalding - Tell Him (Live)

In 2011, Esperanza Spalding won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards. She was the very first jazz artist to win the award, stealing it away from some pretty talented acts like Florence + The Machine and Mumford & Sons, but also from the cultural tsunami that is Justin Bieber.

Many people questioned the decision, and I'm sure most of Mr Bieber's fans were ready to fire bomb her house - but I offer this performance as evidence that the Academy were spot on.

If this performance doesn't move you in some way, you have no soul. It really is that simple.

Performing Tell Him at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word on May 12, 2009, here is truly one of the brightest lights in music today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Esperanza Spalding.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: Spin Doctors - Two Princes

The Spin Doctors is an absolutely killer band name.

Obviously, The Killers is a pretty killer band name too. But, somehow, just not as cool.

For those who may not know, "Spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics". Thank you, as always, Wikipdedia.

And a person who engages in Spin is a Spin Doctor.

So, you have that, plus you have the thing that a record does (spins, for those of you gentle readers under 30), plus you have just the coolness of the Musical Doctor combination, (thank you Dr Teeth, Dr John and Dr Feelgood), which all works to make The Spin Doctors probably one of the coolest band names ever.

Other cool band names are The Dead Kennedys, The Dead Milkmen, Talking Heads, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (see above), Stone Temple Pilots, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, REM, Uriah Heep, Velvet Underground, Butthole Surfers, Rage Against the Machine, Question Mark and the Mysterians (or is it ? and the Mysterians, I never could get that right), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Who, The Smiths, The Band, The Supremes, Joy Division, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and probably the coolest band name ever: Led Zepplin.

Love it.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: Louis Armstrong - St James Infirmary

Today is All Saints Day.

In the Roman Catholic Church, today is officially known as the Solemnity of All Saints, also called All Hallows or Hallowmas. Today is the reason yesterday (All Hallows Eve, or Halloween), even exists at all.

So, as this is a day for remembering the great ones, let's spend it remembering one of the greatest.

This is the track that kicks off his October 1959 album "Satchmo Plays King Oliver", who was one of Armstrongs earliest influences and supporters.

Satch plays here with the All-Stars:

Peanuts Hucko - Clarinet

Trummy Young - Trombone

Billy Kyle - Piano

Mort Herbert - Bass

Danny Barcelona - Drums

Louis Armstrong - Trumpet & Vocals

It's All Saints Day, and I guarantee you will not hear a more Heavenly sound today, all week, or maybe ever.

Monday, October 31, 2011: The Cranberries - Zombie

I did this whole Halloween post last year.

It was quite awesome, actually, you should check it out. Especially since I can't be bothered to do as much this year.

So, I've blogged The Zombies recently, and zombies are hugely popular right now (I'm a big fan of The Walking Dead, myself), then it just seems fitting to post this song here.

They are in your head, after all.

Enjoy.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

No blogging on a Sunday.

See you Monday!

Saturday, October 29, 2011: Emeli Sandé - Heaven

Halloween is Monday.

Hell is just around the corner.

If that's the case, then what say we just spend today in Heaven, shall we?

Cool.

Friday, October 28, 2011: The Del Vikings - Whispering Bells

Music is a time machine.

It communicates to you from a completely different time.

Sometimes it even sounds like a completely different language.

Mostly, though, it can take you away.

Here's to getting lost in a different time.

Happy Friday, everyone.