Showing posts with label jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jazz. Show all posts

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Some Jazz Favorites

I realized that I post a lot about dancing and a lot about current music, but rarely do I post anything about jazz music. This isn't a well-thought out post, but I figured it was about time that I shared with you some great jazz.

First and foremost, I'm nuts about Sidney Bechet and Skeets Tolbert (free downloads).

Mr. Bechet with my favorite rendition of "Summertime":


Skeets Tolbert (Alice and Thomas are dancing to "Hit That Jive Jack"):


Also:
Duke Ellington "East Saint Louis Toddle-oo":


Fletcher Henderson:



Well, gotta run. Too much blogging and not enough of doing what I really ought to be doing.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Local MN Music

I love living in Minneapolis and having the chance to be amidst such a great music scene! I was thinking about all the great bands coming out of MN, and I realized there are far more than I thought.


Let's see, we have:
Doomtree
  1. Haley Bonar 
  2. Jeremy Messersmith
  3. We Are the Willows
  4. Roma Di Luna
  5. Dark, Dark, Dark
  6. Communist Daughter 
  7. Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles
  8. Low
  9. Minor Kingdom
  10. Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps
  11. The entire crew over at Doomtree (Dessa, Cecil Otter, P.O.S.)
  12. The Floorbirds
  13. Trampled By Turtles
  14. Mason Jennings
  15. Charlie Parr
  16. Peter Wolf Crier (for those of you who know me, yes I will include these guys)
  17. Tapes 'n Tapes
  18. Retribution Gospel Choir
On the dance side of things, we also have some great jazz ensembles to get our dance on to:
Southside Aces
  1. Patty and the Buttons
  2. Twin Cities Hot Club
  3. Southside Aces
    • These fellas just released their latest CD this past Thursday (6/9)!
  4. Davina and the Vagabonds
 Okay, okay...who did I forget?

Monday, May 23, 2011

Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles

I'm surprised that more people, especially in the Twin Cities area, don't know about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. They are a local gem that more people really ought to know about.

There is something old timey, yet fresh and new about their music. Rhythms that are clapped and stomped out, mixed with sounds cello, upright bass, accordion, and ukele, mixed with Lucy's one-of-a-kind vocal stylings blend together to form this unique band that plays with an almost nonchalant energy.


What's worse, Lucy is so nice. Met her once while out dancing to Patty and the Buttons and she was so sweet and amiable.

Anyways, my whole point is this. You should probably at least know about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. Good music and good people. Can't go wrong with that.


Also, if you like jazz, you should check out Lucy's side project, a duo (though sometimes more) simply called Lucy and Charlie. They perform a wide array of covers, from Ella Fitzgerald to the Beatles. I got to see them perform almost by accident at Aster Cafe and was quite impressed. She puts soul behind her singing and will make a sad song even sadder, but in a good way. They don't play many shows, but if you get a chance to see this jazz duo, it's worth your time and money. Plus, their Myspace recordings do not do them any justice, so seeing them live is definitely the way to go.