October 28, 2011 - Recycle to Rufus

This week I am back on Cape Cod helping mom get ready to emigrate to the Golden State. 36 years in a big New England House with a lot, a lot of stuff. Much of it is packed and we’re selling plenty more. The attic had a few hundreds albums (for you kids, albums were a big disk of vinyl that a magical needle would be used so you could listen to music in the olden days). We found someone who took them all away today. They were much loved and many were played hundreds of times. But if I want the song now, I’ll just download it.

Out of the rack I pulled out the Rags to Rufus album (back when Chaka Khan was singing with Rufus). The cover was a photo collage of images of embroidered denim. All us cool kids had moms who embroidered denim for us. So today for the 2011 Project, a bit of recycled Rufus.

February 15, 2011 – Beauty and the Beat

In 1959 George Shearing, with Peggy Lee and Armando Peraza recorded one of the greatest albums of all time — Beauty and the Beat. I admit, my list of greatest albums is quite subjective, but this is one of the greats. The music is flawless and Peggy Lee’s voice was at its peak. I have listened to this album hundreds of times. I started my day with it today. There was a re-issue in 2003 of the album that I have never heard. The 1959 album was intended to be a live recording in Miami. Due to technical recordings it was recorded in studio and the audience and announcements were added later. It’s a bit corny, but I’ll stick to the original. The 2003 re-issue is the pure studio recording.

It’s funny how we still use the word “album” since the physical album has all but disappeared. I own the CD for Beauty and the Beat. And now most music I purchase is downloaded. I gave away my vinyl years ago. The instant gratification and the technological improvements are great. But I miss the feeling of opening an album for the first time. Listening, reading and looking. With the loss of the actual album the artwork has also become a thing of the past.

Yesterday at age 91, George Shearing died. I have to confess, I learned more about him than I ever knew just reading the obituary. His legacy includes one of the greatest albums of all time.