Sunday, December 16, 2012

VIDEO: The Beatles: Across The Universe

Hi readers,

Well, let's reminisce with something which is just beautiful - and very John!


Uploaded to YouTube by Roman Sorokin

Friday, December 14, 2012

Wear 70's Hair Styles: Types of Hair Trends in the Seventies

English: Billy Preston in the Oval Office
Billy Preston (Wikipedia)
by Clarissa Seaton

If you want to look like you've been taken out of the fashion magazines of the 70's, grow your hair naturally.

The natural look is one of the most popular beauty trends of this decade, especially when it comes to hair styles.

Back then, everyone allows his hair to grow to enjoy a full afro. Others with long and straight hair keep it naturally straight.

Another type of hair style is the wind-swept look. Actually, some hair styles that flourished in the 70s are still popular these days, such as straight hair; which a lot of women love to maintain.

Here are some of the popular 70's hairstyle trends, and will as tips on how you can enjoy them today:

1. Afro Look

Back in the old days, people with African roots proudly displayed their heritage by sported huge afros. The style was a big hit in the 1970's because of its natural appearance. People with extremely curly hair only need to let them grow and they will enjoy a beautiful and proud Afro do.

You can try enhancing the natural kink in your Afro hair by refining it by a pick. You need to pull through your hair with the pick, and fluff your Afro hairdo to go up and flare while ensuring that the natural kink is in place.

2. Shag

This is the hairstyle that was popularized by Farrah Faucet in the 70's. The style is very simple - all you need to do is have your hair layered at the tips in order to achieve it. Women of today with hair of any length can sport this hairstyle.

Styling your hair into shag is easy by doing some simple layering. Just make sure that you don't overdo it as the "chaotic look" might go out of hand. And since your hair should look like it is windblown, you will seldom need to comb your hair.

3. Natural Look

Natural hair style was also a hit in the 70's. Back then, everyone decided to let her straight hair down. However, those with wavy locks had more problems making them straight, as the only recourse then was a straightening iron. These days, getting a straight natural look is easier, what with the many available straightening options offered by hair salons.

4. Page boy hairdo

Finally, one of the most popular beauty trends from the 1970's when it comes to hair style is the page look, which is a basic short or medium length hair with bangs and hangs up to the area of the ears. Page boy look has striking similarity to the Egyptian look.

The pageboy hairstyle, which is now becoming popular again among younger women, can be achieved by cutting the front hair to form bangs. Get the proper length at the back by getting a quick haircut at the salon.

The author is an experienced fashion blogger with many years in the fashion industry. She is a regular guest writer for many top blogs and websites as well as local and national print publications. Additionally, she specializes in reviewing some of today's hottest trends in fashion accessories and clothing. Follow Clarissa Seaton on Google+.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clarissa_Seaton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Wear-70s-Hair-Styles---Types-of-Hair-Trends-in-the-Seventies&id=7419765

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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

India Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar Dies

Ravi Shankarby BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20690632

Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar has died in a hospital in the US, aged 92.

Shankar was admitted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego last week after complaining of breathing difficulties, reports say.

Shankar, who helped bring Indian music to the world, played at Woodstock and the 1967 Monterey Pop festival.

His daughters, sitar player Anoushka Shankar and Grammy award winning singer Norah Jones, are also acclaimed musicians.

Shankar - a three time Grammy winner - and Anoushka had been nominated for the 2013 Grammy awards in the world music category.

Ravi Shankar popularised the sitar - a long-necked Indian lute - and gained widespread international recognition because of his association with George Harrison of The Beatles.

Harrison once called him "the godfather of world music".

Shankar also composed a number of film scores - notably Satyajit Ray's celebrated Apu trilogy (1951-55) and Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982) - and collaborated with US composer Philip Glass in Passages in 1990.

In 1999 he was awarded the highest civilian citation in India - the Bharat Ratna, or Jewel of India.

Born into a Bengali family in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi, Ravi Shankar was originally a dancer with his brother's troupe.

He gave up dancing to study the sitar at the age of 18.

For the last years of his life, Ravi Shankar lived in Encinitas, California, with his wife Sukanya.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Dave Brubeck Dies: Longtime Giant of Jazz Changed Music Forever

Dave Brubeck, featured on TIME magazine cover,...
Dave Brubeck, TIME, 8/11/1954 (Wikipedia)
by Pat Eaton-Robb, Detroit Free Press: http://www.freep.com

HARTFORD, Conn. - Jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck, whose pioneering style in pieces such as "Take Five" caught listeners' ears with exotic, challenging rhythms, has died. He was 91.

Brubeck, who lived in Wilton, died Wednesday morning at Norwalk Hospital of heart failure after being stricken while on his way to a cardiology appointment with his son Darius, said his manager Russell Gloyd. Brubeck would have turned 92 today.

Brubeck had a career that spanned almost all American jazz since World War II.

He formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 and was the first modern jazz musician to be pictured on the cover of Time magazine - on Nov. 8, 1954 - and he helped define the swinging, smoky rhythms of 1950s and '60s club jazz.

George Wein, a jazz pianist and founder of the Newport Jazz Festival, had known Brubeck since he first worked in Wein's club in Boston in 1952. "No one else played like Dave Brubeck," he said. "No one had the approach to the music that he did. That approach communicated."

Brubeck "represented the best that we can have in jazz," he added. "The quality of his persona helped every other jazz musician."

The seminal album "Time Out," released by the quartet in 1959, was the first million-selling jazz LP, and is still among the best-selling jazz albums of all time. It opens with "Blue Rondo a la Turk" in 9/8 time - nine beats to the measure instead of the customary two, three or four beats.

A whirlwind of piano and saxophone based loosely on a Mozart piece, "Blue Rondo" eventually intercuts between Brubeck's piano and a more traditional 4/4 jazz rhythm.

The album also features "Take Five" - in 5/4 time - which became the group's signature theme and even made the Billboard singles chart in 1961. It was composed by Brubeck's longtime saxophonist, the late Paul Desmond. "When you start out with goals - mine were to play polytonally and polyrhythmically - you never exhaust that," Brubeck said in 1995.

"I started doing that in the 1940s. It's still a challenge to discover what can be done with just those two elements."

After service in World War II and study at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., Brubeck formed an octet including Desmond on alto sax and Dave van Kreidt on tenor, Cal Tjader on drums and Bill Smith on clarinet.

The group played Brubeck originals and standards by other composers, including some early experimentation in unusual time signatures. The groundbreaking album "Dave Brubeck Octet" was recorded in 1946.

To read further, go to: http://www.freep.com/article/20121206/ENT04/312060100/Dave-Brubeck-dies-Longtime-giant-of-jazz-changed-music-forever
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Sunday, December 9, 2012

VIDEO: Daevid Allen - Rich Girl

Hi readers,
Classic alert! This track is from 1967 and is of Daevid Allen in his pre-Gong days from the album Banana Moon.

Downloaded to YouTube by itsthemojitsthemoj

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Chick Corea Discography

Chick Corea, photo taken at live performance i...
Chick Corea in 2009 (Wikipedia)
by Dave J Panico

Chick Corea started his recording career back in 1962.

The very first album in the Chick Corea discography was recorded with Mongo Santamaria Afro-Latin Group. He was twenty one years old.

Chick Corea has played with some of the very best Jazz Musicians around the world which includes: Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Stanley Clark, Herbie Mann, Stan Getz and so many more.

His discography spans over six decades with over 80 recordings which is an amazing accomplishment.

Chick was an innovator of blending the jazz sound with the rock sound giving what is known today as fusion or jazz fusion.

One of my favorite collections and probably my first exposure to Chick Corea was the Return to Forever "Romantic Warrior" album. This was the bands best selling album which reached total sales of 500,000.

I remembering listening to and it was different but very interesting and stimulating to listen to. The band Return To Forever recorded nine records and had some of the best players like Al Demiola on guitar and Stanley Clark on bass.

In 1986 Chick formed a band called the Elektric Band and the band recorded eight cd's. "Beneath The Mask" is one of my favorites. It peaked at number two on Billboards Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

From 1967 - 1974, Chick recorded 11 albums with Miles Davis who was one of the greatest bebop trumpeters ever. It seemed to be a great combination when Chick Corea joined up with Miles Davis. I wish I could have seen it.

Miles Davis album "In a Silent Way" started experimenting with electric instruments, (guitar/piano) and continued with those electric instruments in "Bitches Brew". With Chick Corea on electric piano, this became Miles Davis's first gold album and eventually won a Grammy award.

In 1976, Chick made a spontaneous visit to Spain in where he fell in love with the flamenco culture. With that love and the influence of the flamenco culture, he used that blend of Latin-jazz as a theme for the album "My Spanish Heart".

One of the songs entitled "Armandos Rhumba" was a tribute to his father. In this song he added a bit of salsa music which is a genre that wasn't embraced until years later. This album had a wide appeal to many.

For kids and those of us who were kids, the Chick Corea discography includes a solo album called "Children's Songs" and he also did the sound track for Happy Anniversary Charlie Brown. Chick recorded a total of nine solo albums.

With such a great discography and decades of musical influence, I don't now of any other musician that has a Best of and a Very Best of album/cd in their discography. Only the great ones do.

Whether you're a fan of Chick Corea or not, there is no disputing that Chick was an innovator and a pioneer for what is now called jazz-fusion.

If you like Chick Corea than you might also want to check out and enjoy listening to Dave Panico. He's a saxophonist that blends, jazz, rock, Latin types of rhythms into his music. Click here to download a copy of one of his songs for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_J_Panico
http://EzineArticles.com/?Chick-Corea-Discography&id=7374539

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Friday, December 7, 2012

SPECIAL NOTICE: Dave Brubeck Died at 91

by Retro:Kimmer: http://www.retrokimmer.com/2012/12/dave-brubeck-died-at-91.html

David Warren "Dave" Brubeck (December 6, 1920 - December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist.

He wrote a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke".

Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills.

His music is known for employing unusual time signatures, and superimposing contrasting rhythms, meters, and tonalities.

His long-time musical partner, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, wrote the saxophone melody for the Dave Brubeck Quartet's best remembered piece, "Take Five" [1] which is in 5/4 time and has endured as a jazz classic on one of the top-selling jazz albums, Time Out [2].

Brubeck experimented with time signatures throughout his career, recording "Pick Up Sticks" in 6/4, "Unsquare Dance" in 7/4, "World's Fair" in 13/4, and "Blue Rondo à la Turk" in 9/8.

He was also a respected composer of orchestral and sacred music, and wrote soundtracks for television such as Mr. Broadway and the animated mini-series This Is America, Charlie Brown.


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Bob Marley's Music Career

Bob, Peter, Bunny & Rita
Bob, Peter, Bunny & Rita (Wikipedia)
by Sharon Blue

Jobs became scarce in Jamaica and Bob decided to follow his mother to look for employment in the city. He went to stay in Trench town.

In town, he spent most of the time with his friend Neville Livingstone and this is when he became exposed to music. Bob and Neville Livingstone learnt music in the same class. In the class they met Peter Macintosh and became friends.

During that time Jamaican music was evolving and becoming popular in Caribbean. Bob's music career started when he was sixteen years old. Music was the only good way of making money in Jamaica especially to many young Jamaicans.

Jimmy Cliff is one of the young Jamaicans who recorded a few hits in Jamaica and became popular. After Bob Marley met Jimmy, he was introduced to Leslie Kong a producer. He started working with Bob and followed his advice. Bob's musical career started to shine more brightly than any other young Jamaican and he recorded his first single known as "Judge Not". Bob stopped working with Kong after she refused to pay him.

The next year Bob Marley, Bunny and other friends, created the Wailing Wailers. After a few recording sessions, two members decided to quit the band. The band moved on and was introduced to Clemt Dodd. He used to be a local producer at Coxsone Company.

The Wailers recorded their first song with Clemt Dodd known as "Simmer Down", which became popular in Jamaica. The company gave the band several talented Ska musicians, to help in recording most of their songs.

During that time, the Wailing Wailers were comprised of three members Peter Tosh, Bunny and Bob Marley. They became popular locally. The Wailing Wailers recorded more songs with the record label and Bob became the leader and songwriter of the group.

The life of Bob Marley went on to become bright; he married Rita Anderson in 1966. After marrying Rita, Bob went to America to visit his mother, who stayed in Delaware. He later went back to Jamaica and changed the Wailing Wailers music from Ska to Rock.

This change did not go well, with the record company because the company wanted only a Ska band. This forced the band to leave the record label. Bob and other members changed the name of the band from Wailing Wailers to The Wailers. Instead of searching for a new label, the group created their own which was known as "Wail N' Soul.

In 1970, two members joined the band Carleton and Barret. In the Caribbean, The Wailers were very famous but they were not known internationally. The Wailers, created another label known as Tuff Gong. After forming this label, the band met Johnny Nash and Bob went with Nash to Sweden.

Bob Marley recorded a single known as "Reggae on Broadway" in London which was released by CBS. The other Wailers members went to London, to promote the single. When they were in London, they discovered that they did not have money and they became stranded in London. To be continued.

Buy rare Bob Marley tees at Alt-Tshirts.com for cheap. Our prices on vintage band T-shirts start from $16. It is affordable.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Blue
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Stephen Stills Breaks Silence on Short-Lived Buffalo Springfield Reunion: 'We didn't Go To All That Trouble for Seven Shows,' Singer Says

by Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/stephen-stills-breaks-silence-on-short-lived-buffalo-springfield-reunion-20121105?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#disqus_thread

Buffalo Springfield
Cover of Buffalo Springfield
As Rolling Stone has previously reported, Buffalo Springfield were originally slated for a 30-date reunion tour this year - until Neil Young decided to devote his attention to a new project with Crazy Horse.

"I'd be on a tour of my past for the rest of fucking time," Young said in June. "I have to be able to move forward. I can't be relegated. I did enough of it for right then."

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Stephen Stills breaks his silence about the aborted Buffalo Springfield reunion. "We were supposed to work for most of the summer," he says. "It left me in a lurch for three quarters and ruined my financial planning. Also, 150 people got laid off that were supposed to work on the tour."

The surviving members of Buffalo Springfield re-formed after 42 years to play Young's 2010 Bridge School Benefit. The next year they played seven shows, including a set at Bonnaroo. "We didn't go all that trouble for seven shows," Stills says. "That's what impetuosity will do for you. You can't go off half-cocked ... when Neil is involved with anything you need a seatbelt."

Graham Nash recently explained to New York radio station Q104.3 that Crosby and Nash had originally planned on touring this past summer as duo.

"A Buffalo Springfield tour was canceled by Neil," said Nash. "It left Stephen in a hole in many ways: friendship-wise, work-wise, financial-wise. It left him in a huge hole. When David and I heard that we went over to Stephen and we told him we would cancel every Crosby and Nash gig and go out as Crosby, Stills and Nash. We were there for him because we love Stephen Stills. Not only because he's a good friend, but because he's an insanely talented musician."

Despite the change of plans, Stills says he isn't angry at Young. "He was very kind to me in his book," he says. "I can't be unkind about it ... working with Neil is a privilege, not a right." Young did say that Buffalo Springfield isn't necessarily dead forever. "There is the seed of something great still there," he said. "It's worth exploring again."

Does Stills think they might tour again one day? "For the purpose of this interview," he says. "No."
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Saturday, December 1, 2012

OPINION: The 3 Best Traditional Blues Songs of All Time

Lead Belly
Cover of Lead Belly
by Joe T Wiseman

I have played in 2 rock and blues bands - Blue Dynamos and Smokin' Joe and the Wolves. We have covered a lot of blues songs and I have written a few of my own.

The question is; which are the 3 best traditional blues songs of all time? Here is my list. I suggest that the top 3 are:

Hellhound on My Trail

Robert Johnson is considered by some to be the greatest bluesman of all time. It is hard to choose which of his songs is the best as there are so many great ones. It is reported that Johnson "sold his soul to the devil" for the ability to play the blues.

This song is representative of his life as Johnson never permanently settled down and is rumoured to have been poisoned to death by a jealous juke joint owner. Robert had a habit of consuming alcohol and picking out a female patron and staring at her during his performances. In this case, the female was the wife of the bar owner and he was pouring the drinks. A bad match for Robert!

This song was the first song on Robert's second and last recording session and was released as a single. Eric Clapton has travelled to the locations of both of Johnson's recording sessions and has tried to replicate his sound. It proved impossible but the 2 Cd's and the DVD that resulted from these sessions are worth the price of acquisition for any lover of the blues.

I'm a King Bee

Written by Slim Harpo and released in 1957, this song contains all of the elements of the form of blues found in many negro clubs in America. That style of blues was highly suggestive and this song is loaded with double entendre. Recorded by many artists including the Rolling Stones on their 1964 debut album, the song is probably Slim's best and most recognized recording. Slim received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2008

Midnight Special

Huddie Ledbetter aka "Lead Belly" was convicted of carrying a pistol for his first offense, of murder for his second offense - was pardoned by the Governor - and for attempted murder for stabbing a man in a fight as a third offense. Although both a folk singer and a bluesman, this song is one of his most memorable and certainly resonates with elements of Leadbelly's colourful life.

This song was really rocked up by the American band Credence Clearwater Revival and introduced to a whole new audience, many of whom had never heard of Leadbelly. Had it not been for folklorists John Lomax and his son Alan, Huddie would most certainly have remained in jail for the remainder of his life. The author is unknown and is likely to have been learned by Leadbelly during his time in prison. It has been recorded by numerous bluesmen.

Whether or not you agree with my picks, there can be no argument that these are some of the best traditional blues songs of all time. If you like blues or folk songs you might also like to check out Smokin' Joe Wiseman at http://www.smokinjoewiseman.com He has covered traditional folk songs and writes his own. Click here http://www.smokinjoewiseman.com/free_song to download a copy of his latest single for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_T_Wiseman
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-3-Best-Traditional-Blues-Songs-of-All-Time&id=7379318

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