Planet Homo

John Kelly is Joni Mitchell

In the event you have never seen John Kelly perform his homage to the master singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell, he is performing his show, "Paved Paradise"  in New York City in June. Tickets available here.

Moore Not Less

Heard it and liked it. An album by Mandy Moore called Amanda Leigh is nothing less than a delightful stroll through pop music at its best. Inspired  by Joni Mitchell, Harry Nilsson and Carol King, Moore herself co-penned all 10 vocal tracks. Produced by fellow songwriter Mike Viola, Amanda Leigh is distinctly different from most of today's pop offerings: there are no vocal gymnastics, breathy phrasing or exhausting, repetitive electronic beats that remind us that programming has become part of the songwriting language. These are pop songs, catchy and immediate and sung with an innocence, and most importantly, memorable.

Vinyl History

“Mad About the Boy”  Camp Records  Hollywood, CA.  From the same folks that brought you “Homer the Happy Little Homo” and “Stanley the Manley”  The producers claim that the uncredited singers, musicians and arranger are all “well known Hollywood TV and screen personalities.”  Songs include “Make the Man Love Me,” “It’s So Nice to Have a Man Around the House” and “The Gentleman is a Dope” all sung by men of course! For more vinyl history visit here.

Why We Love Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle on Britain Got Talent
Uploaded by dwarthy

This is what they usually makes movies about (and surely they will); the unexpected moment that lifts us from our cranky cynicism to a tearful embrace of humanity and singer Susan Boyle surely does this. "Don't judge a book by its cover" would be the moral here, but it's more than that—for people of certain age it suggests that despite a culture vapidly youth-centric, there is talent and talent-in-waiting for many of us. American Idol (as opposed the British, which seems more democratic) has always had that wrong putting an age restriction on its contestants. It's hard to imagine what the prize is in displaying snotty, arrogant young people making a go at their dreams when dreams unrealized is by far the more compelling story—it may not be as pretty, but like Susan Boyle it touches in ways that are far more human and noble.

Adam Lambert

Ann Powers in the Los Angeles Times reports that American Idol contestant Adam Lambert may out himself singing Michael Jackson"s "In the Closet". Her report:

This week, the lucky 13 contestants in the latest top tier of "American Idol" begin the serious phase of competition with a dip into Michael Jackson's songbook. Jackson, who just has returned from isolation to announce a series of comeback shows, is the single biggest influence on the young R&B stars that many "Idol" strivers emulate, but he's also the ideal subject for what's turning out to be a rather strange season.

At the heart of his troubled legacy are the anxieties "Idol" also confronts, however mildly -- America's troubling history of racial divides and assimilation, and the sexual repression and need for release that is a basic subject of pop music itself.

There's been some joking on various websites that this year's most flamboyant front-runner, Adam Lambert, will perform Jackson's early '90s hit "In the Closet" as a response to recently leaked photographs of him kissing a man and dressed in glamour-queen drag. Jackson released the song just when his astounding musical charisma began to strain under the weight of his eccentricities.
Full story continues here.

Happy Valentine's

Yes it is.

http://www.obviousmag.com/

Are you a B Boy?

How the Economy Works

 

Like A Rainbow

Cyndi Lauper's True Color's Tour is a very gay experience. "The tour is a nonstop, five-hour music party with a message," Lauper says in a prepared statement. "So let's celebrate and have fun this summer while we spread the word to get out the vote and all become a part of the changes in this country." The tour features the B-52's, comic Wanda Sykes, Andy Bell of Erasure, The Dresden Dolls, The Cliks and a giggling host, Carson Kressley. Missing in action was the female equivalent of a bear, Rosie O'Donnell and Britney Spears. This was five and a half hour concert held in the lush fire-hazardous area called the Greek Theatre. An open-air theatre, the Greek is an intimate venue, and the setting was perfect for what was eventually to become a party.
The B-52s are America's answer to Abba. This is rocking feel-good music that is hard to sit still to. After thirty years, the band has lost none of its gloss. The members, all now in their 50s and 60s are energetic and the music seems strangely current. They sailed through the hits, Rock Lobster, Love Shack and the delightful, Roam, as Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson sang complex harmonies only to be eased by Fred Schneider's nasal sprechgesang (spoken-word) vocalese. Their music is ultimately West Coast borrowing images and sounds that reflect the bizarre mix of surf, modernism, retro and pop cultures.
In between "fashion expert" Carson Kressley hosted the show with some offbeat humor that often slipped into bad taste, though he managed to deliver a few very funny lines about giving a hand job with some expensive moisturizer.
The real star was Cyndi Lauper, who at age 54, was literally all over the place. The real secret of Cyndi Lauper is that she is a great singer; full of various styles and textures: she has musical range, charisma and most of all, energy. Many, many years ago, I did a cover photo shoot with Ms. Lauper, ironically, of her as Lady Liberty (see photo) for an anniversary in New York City.  I was putting on a record (yes dears, a record, vinyl) of Gypsy, and out of the corner came this big voice, it was Cyndi singing. She sang the entire “Everything’s Comin’ Up Roses”.  This was not the voice of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”; this was Broadway, Ethel Merman, it filled and rocked the room. And that is what she did last night, she rocked the house, she wandered up the aisles, shook hands, blew kisses, strummed a dulcimer or autoharp, a guitar and kicked ass on many a reinterpretation of her older songs. Her version of  “Time After Time” performed on an autoharp (reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You) seemed to consist of two chords and provided a lush foundation for her soaring vocals. This was a magical moment. She ended the show with the anthem “True Colors” as all the performers took to the stage and sang the song in unison as dozens of colorful balloons were released into the air.

Hot New Talent

Bryn Christopher is a 22 year old Birmingham, England born singer songwriter who is the composer of the spectacular song, "Quest", which was the music behind the montage of kisses on the Grey's Anatomy season ender. The song is inspired by his brother's army service in Basra and asks some relevant questions about war. Christopher has been touring England with Amy Winehouse and was recently signed to William Morris in America. Beautiful voice, beautiful face, Bryn Christopher is nothing less than fabulous.

The Ultimate Gay Bar

Summer Holiday

Just in time for the waning summer days comes a CD of music that brings back the lush vocals of Billie Holiday in a thoroughly modern sound. Billie Holiday remixed & reimagined  fulfills the promise indicated with last falls launch of Nina Simone, remixed & reimagined. Legacy Recording takes the great jazz vocalists and stirs them in to a convertible-worthy hour of soul, jazz and poetry.Remixers include Tony Humphries, DJ Logic, Charles Feelgood, Swingsett, Nickodemus & Zeb, Jazzy Nice, Organica, and features some of the best young musicians around today, including trumpet player Fabio Morgera (from the Grammy-nominated Groove Collective) and Lady Day Mecca (from the Grammy-winning Digable Planets). The end result is a collage of Holiday's unbearably sad vocals slipped into a modern groove that reinterprets such classics as Long Gone Blues, Glad to Be Unhappy and Trav'lin' All Alone. All of which is perfect for cocktail parties, romantic encounters and doing the laundry.
Available August 7th at amazon.com

Two Divas Making Music

From our correspondent in Palm Springs, Michael Davis, this tip to the extraordinary performance of Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holiday at the BET Awards. And I am telling you...

Songs are like Tattoos

Monday, "A Tribute to Joni Mitchell" will be released. Featuring artists, k.d. lang, Elvis Costello, James Taylor, Prince, Bjork, Annie Lennox, Cassandra Wilson, Sufjan Stevens, Brad Mehldau, Caetano Veloso, Emmy Lou Harris and Sarah McLachlan, the tracks include Mitchell standards, Blue, River, A Case of You and Help Me among others. Joni Mitchell is a hard act to follow. Her songs are intensely personal statements about a time, or place, where she committed to song, both lyrically and musically some of the most challenging insights into relationships, self-examination and the world. Fortunately, these songs are sung by fans, deeply aware of both the limitations and excesses of covering another artists work.

Each artists brings something unique, and yet, the originals haunt even the best interpretation. Perhaps it is simply time and place, a context in which the original song is heard, like a first kiss that can never be restored, only remembered, these songs survive any imagination because the originals were that good. And that may be the thinking behind atributetojonimitchell.com, which presents a minutes worth of each song by each artist and the original by Joni Mitchell. Brilliant.

Among the treasures, Prince's inspired version of " A Case of You", Bjork's radical interpretation of "Boho Dance" and Cassandra Wilson's breathy, jazzy "For the Roses". One of the stranger aspects of the site is the ability to play both tracks at the same time. For example, playing both McLachlan's and Mitchell's version of "Blue" simultaneously reveals an odd but compelling duet. Mitchell's songs have always been about the lyric, much as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Laura Nyro. And it is the thing you listen to in this collection; how darkly personal lyrics can be heard fresh, made new, for everyone.

The CD will be available at Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. 

Sondheim at 77

Just keep moving on
Anything you do
Let it come from you
Then it will be new
Give us more to see...

Happy Birthday to Mr. Sondheim who turns 77 today. Described by the New York Times as "the greatest and perhaps best-known artist in the American musical theater," he has created such masterpieces as Sweeny Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Pacific Overtures, A Little Night Music, and Into the Woods. Beginning with his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein on West Side Story, Sondheim distinguished himself as a lyricist with unusual sophistication and humor. Perhaps his greatest contribution to theater has been his unwillingness to simply conform; his subject matter has ranged from fairy tales to presidential assassins, the westernization of Japan to a murderous barber in the haunting form of Sweeney Todd. Currently in production, Tim Burton is directing Johnny Depp as Sweeny Todd in the film adaptation, due for release in December of this year.
The American musical would be quite different if Sondheim had not happened. While most of his shows have not been commercial hits like Cats, or Evita, they have challenged audiences, taking us further into the landscape of music that explores relationships, love, hate and all the things that make us human. 

Von Lee Smith: Blame It on His Youth

Introducing Von Lee Smith. A 21 year old native of Kansas City, he made a huge splash this morning on ABC's The View singing his version "And I am Telling You". A career that began with a You Tube posting (and this is one), Smith promises to be tomorrow's Sam Harris, even singing Sam's signature, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Cute, extremely talented, one can only wonder what the oppugnant Simon Cowell might say if Von Lee Smith made an appearance on "its-better-to-come-in second" American Idol. While a five octave-range is unique and gifted, and in men, it usually leads to theatrics, and Smith is not without his. What he creates in range, he lacks in emotion. It's all technique. But at 21, he has an entire world of emotion to explore, to be felt and finally, get it right.

Peter Wolf's Magical Position

Young British singer/songwriter Patrick Wolf has a new CD coming to America, The Magic Position. It has an American release date—May 1 on Low Altitude/Universal. To find out more about Patrick and his new CD, visit patrickwolf.com

50 Reason to Love Rock 'N' Roll

The March issue of Blender magazine will reveal its 50 Craziest Rock Stars Ever list, (You don't have to be crazy to be a rock star. But let's just say the world would be a far less colorful place without these 50 drug-addled, tantrum-throwing, Thorazine-gulping and/or just plain mad music maestros.) featuring a very predictable #1 spot for_______________. Only #50 is Sir Elton with this statement: "They can say I'm a fat old cunt, they can say I'm an untalented bastard, they can call me a poof, but they mustn't tell lies about me." The list is full of interesting facts and quotes like #4 Whitney Houston who said: "I make too much money to ever smoke crack."

Twist & Shout

"Twist Revolutions" is the initial album of new music and emerging artists from the U.S. music industry's first lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender label.
"Twist Revolutions" will serve as a launching pad for "some of the most vital and important new voices in the gay community," Music With A Twist/Columbia Records said in a news release Monday.
The collection, with tracks by The Gossip, Sara Bettens, Adam Joseph and Levi Kreis, among others, is scheduled for an April 17 release.
Music With A Twist, which launched in 2006, is a joint venture between Sony Music Label Group and Columbia Records. It is the first major record label dedicated to identifying and developing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender artists along with creating innovative music compilations with a gay "twist," the company said.

That's Entertainment

In the relatively long list of "things I wished I'd seen" the 1961 Carnegie Hall concert of Judy Garland might rank very high. From stories I have been told, the audience would not leave at the end of the concert....it was a twenty minute standing ovation.
Flash forward to 2006, and singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright performs at Carnegie Hall performing Judy Garland. Wrong coast, wrong time. But no worries. It's going to be put on film.
Lesbian uber-producer Christine Vachon (Boys Don't Cry, Far from Heaven) arranged to have the whole event filmed by Oscar-winning American Beauty director Sam Mendes.

Wainwright's loving tribute to the famous one-woman evening of vocal pyrotechnics features scads of classic signature Garland songs, from "Over the Rainbow" to "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" to "Stormy Weather."

The concert film should pop up in theaters everywhere in 2007.

Bark!celona

After 15 years of neglecting the stage, George Michael returned with a controversial stage show in Barcelona. With a large blow up balloon in the essence of George Bush, Michael then unzipped the trousers on the balloon to reveal a British bulldog nuzzling Bush's groin and wagging his tail. Other than the political note, the concert appears to have been a grand success, which we Americans, will never get to see.
While everyone is busy probing his political and sexual concerns, it is easy to forget that this is an extremely talented singer/songwriter.