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Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Thanks for noting, Charlie, how early impressions don't lose their power. I haven't ever listened to the Kanawa/Carreras, revisited both B'way original cast and movie soundtrack for my article, and succumb to the richer orchestration…

Nov 17, 2011

Charlie Bermant commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

My parents saw West Side Story on Broadway in 1959 or 1960, then brought the soundtrack home where it was played repeatedly. Later on, I began to think of it as the first rock opera and have owned a copy in some form ever since. My favorite is the…

Nov 17, 2011

Hugh MacDonald commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'Shemekia Copeland shakes up elegant Jazz at Lincoln Center'

She's long been one of our favorites, haven't seen her in a while. Gonna have to fix that. Thanks.

Nov 16, 2011

Shemekia Copeland shakes up elegant Jazz at Lincoln Center

A blues-belter with a beautiful big voice and cred in the rockin', bawdy, electric tradition, Shemekia Copeland brought afunky good time to the elegant Allen Room of Jazz at Lincoln Center last Thursday night (and probably Friday, too), backed by a a tight four-man band, carrying a slew of fresh and catchy songs. It's unusual to…See More

A blog post by Howard Mandel was featured Nov 16, 2011

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Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Thanks Michael. My list wasn't me ant to be exhaustive. After I posted I thought of other musicals I enjoy immensely (like The Blues Brothers and The Harder They Come) and respect (like Stormy Weather). I've got to admit I haven't…

Nov 16, 2011

Michael Helwig commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

hahahahaha...I must admit, choreography is not a strong suit in most Elvis musicals...from your list of musicals, I certainly agree with Oz, and also your assessment of Annie Get Your Gun...Song Of The South is on my list, as well as Calamity Jane…

Nov 16, 2011

Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Michael, Casablanca is at the very top of my list of favorite movies (my fave musicals include Show Boat (1936 version), Birdie, Pajama Game ("This is a once-a-year-day"), Damn Yankees, Li'l Abner, The Wizard of Oz, South Pacific, How…

Nov 16, 2011

Michael Helwig commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

I certainly won't dispute that Elvis rocked considerably less after the army...that said, removing "It's Harry I'm Planning To Marry" from Calamity Jane would have no more affect than would removing "Big Boots"…

Nov 15, 2011

Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

I like Viva Las Vegas because Elvis and Ann-Margaret really get it on, but please -- none of Elvis' musicals that I've seen have much gravitas, and except for "Jailhouse Rock" it seems to me most of them have songs that…

Nov 15, 2011

Michael Helwig commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Blue Hawaii, a musical every bit as good as WSS, most certainly does use most of it's songs to "comment on or advance" the story...in fact, in all of Elvis' musicals, most of the songs are just like the songs in any other…

Nov 15, 2011

Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

The WSS score doesn't draw from Hank Williams and rockabilly, or Louis Jordan and rhythm and blues, but instead from Kern, Rodgers, Hart and Hammerstein, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and '40s-'50s manifestations of…

Nov 15, 2011

Michael Helwig commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

not sure how something from 1957 qualifies as "pre-rock"

Nov 15, 2011

Howard Mandel commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Waits doing "Somewhere" strikes me as between Louis Armstrong singing "Wonderful World" and pianist Vijay Iyer's version of "Imagine."

Nov 15, 2011

Paul Wilner commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

Mr. Waits covered "Somewhere,'' eloquently.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taeFKIKfnZU

Nov 15, 2011

Shemekia Copeland shakes up elegant Jazz at Lincoln Center

Blog post by Howard Mandel Nov 14, 2011

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Terry Roland commented on Howard Mandel's blog post 'West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song'

WSS is the Elvis of Broadway musicals. Thanks for posting this. I'll return to it to enjoy the music in context with your narrative.....

Nov 11, 2011

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Cassandra Wilson sings "Vietnam Blues" by J.B. Lenoir

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"Goin' to Mississippi" -- Blood Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Eagle Eye Cherry

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"Mannish Boy" by rappers Chuck D, Common

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Shemekia Copeland shakes up elegant Jazz at Lincoln Center

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Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:30am — 1 Comment

West Side Story soundtrack at 50: Culmination of American stage/screen music, golden age of pre-rock song

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of West Side Story -- the movie, released October 18 1961, not the play which debuted on Broadway in 1957 -- for my column in CityArts - New York, I listened to the Bernstein/Sondheim music in many variations. Here's my report, slightly revised for the web:

For West Side Story, the score's the thing. Even…

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Posted on November 10, 2011 at 1:30pm — 16 Comments

Everything you ought to dig about Harry Belafonte, authentic American folk activist

Don't laugh at Harry Belafonte, the incomparable American/world roots folk musician and popularizer, for being caught on tv asleep or meditating last week. Laugh with him during his appearance with Steven Colbert which he amazingly turns…

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Posted on October 23, 2011 at 3:00pm — 8 Comments

Living Blues magazine founder Jim O'Neal is ill and uninsured; benefit concerts planned

Jim O'Neal, founder in 1970 of Living Blues magazine and a serious independent researcher into American roots music, is among the 59 million Americans without health insurance, and has lymph cancer. A series of benefit concerts are scheduled to raise funds for…

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Posted on October 17, 2011 at 7:00pm

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At 12:35am on January 25, 2011, Wil said…: Howard, Thanks for the quick reply. Anything I can do to make the sharing of the Betty Davis files easier for you I'm happy to do. If you send your email I can add you to a file in my dropbox to"collaborate" on as they refer to it on the site or you can add my email to one of yours and let me know once they're uploaded. My email is theaterboi01@aol.com . I'm a huge Betty Davis fan and I'd be completely in your debt for sharing these lost treasures.

At 2:01pm on February 21, 2010, J. Hayes - music writer said…: howard,
you can reach me at hayesmusicdesign@gmail.com

At 9:23am on December 28, 2009, Kevin Lynch said…: Howard:
Thanks much. "The Ballad of Michael Bloomfield." I like that. I have read and heard Wilentz and Marcus' "The Rose and the Briar" not long ago.. So you may be onto something. Glad you had Butterfield bells to ring.
I'll try to track down your Goldmine piece.

At 12:58pm on December 27, 2009, No Depression said…: Hi Howard - Welcome to the No Depression community! We hope you're finding everything okay. Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback (here are some FAQs in case anything's confusing). Thanks for joining. Cheers!
Kim

At 11:33am on December 23, 2009, Kevin Lynch said…: Howard:
I got into the rootsy literate songwriter side of things when I got divorced a few years ago. Got into Townes Van Zandt of all things. He spoke to those feelings vulnerability, loss etc. And you know divorce too I gather.You're enuff of an American Renaissance man to appreciate this, I know.
Always wanted to write about Bloomfield, which I also do in my "Voices" book. I remember you riffing heavy on Blues Project. Have U heard the new Danny Kalb? How is it?
Best,
Kevin