Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 12, 1935 – September 6, 2007) was an Italiantenor, who crossed over into popular music and became one of the world's most famous vocal performers. He was one of The Three Tenors and was well known for his televised concerts and media appearances. Pavarotti was also noted for his charity work benefiting refugees, the Red Cross and other causes.
He was born in Modena to the family of a baker. After abandoning the dream to become a professional footballgoalkeeper, Pavarotti spent seven years in vocal training and began his career as a tenor in 1961 in Italy. He sang in opera houses in The Netherlands, Vienna, London, Ankara, Budapest and Barcelona. The young tenor earned valuable experience and significant recognition while touring on the invitation of soprano Joan Sutherland and during his 1965 US debut in Miami on her recommendation. His position was solidified in the years between 1966 and 1972, during which Pavarotti first appeared at Milan's La Scala, other major European houses and, in 1968, NYC's Metropolitan Opera to great acclaim.
By the mid-1970s, the tenor became known worldwide, famed for the brilliance and beauty of his tone, especially into the upper register. His "high C" became one of his trademarks. The late 1970s and 1980s saw Pavarotti making significant appearances in the world's opera houses and establishing himself as one of the great singers of the era.
Popular stardom came at the 1990 World Cup in Italy with the performances of Nessun Dorma,sample (help·info) from Turandot and as one of The Three Tenors in their famed first concert held on the eve of the final match of the tournament (repeated at later Cups). Pavarotti sang together with fellow star tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and brought to the much wider audience hits previously confined to the opera world. Appearances in advertisements and with pop icons in concerts around the world furthered his influence. Pavarotti always maintained his identity as an opera star, unlike many crossover artists.
The later years brought a decline in ability to perform on stage due to a weight gain and lack of mobility. Pavarotti's final appearance in an opera was at the Met in March 2004. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy saw him performing for the last time. Pavarotti lip-synced Nessun dorma, with the crowd as its Chorus, and got a thunderous standing ovation. On September 6, 2007, he died at home in Modena from pancreatic cancer.
Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10, 1917-February 17, 1982) was an American jazzpianist and composer.
Widely considered one of the most important musicians in jazz, Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight No Chaser" and "Well, You Needn't". Often regarded as a founder of bebop, Monk's playing style later evolved away from that form. His compositions and improvisations are full of dissonant harmonies and angular melodic twists, and are impossible to separate from Monk's unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of silences and hesitations; a style nicknamed "Melodious Thunk" by his wife Nellie.
BF & the BFFs will select in this round, in the category of US West of the Mississippi, the Austin, Texas 4-piece instrumental group, weavers of complex tapestries of sound, phenoms of live performance, Friday Night Lights soundtrackers, and one of the most talented groups you'll ever hear, Explosions in the Sky.
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Explosions in the Sky is an American instrumental post-rock band from Texas. The band has garnered popularity beyond the post-rock scene for their cinematic, elaborately developed guitar work, narratively styled instrumentals, what they refer to as "cathartic mini-symphonies," and their enthusiastic and emotional live shows.[1] They primarily play with three electric guitars[citation needed] and a set of drums, while band member Michael James will at times exchange his electric guitar for a bass guitar
With a reputation for a scathingly intense live performance and a quickly sold-out CD-R demo, How Strange, Innocence, which was later reissued in 2005, Explosions in the Sky was touted early on in their career as the next phenomenon in moody and dynamic instrumental indie rock ŕ la Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor! The quartet of Texas kids, made up of Mark Smith and Munaf Rayani on guitars, Michael James on bass, and Christopher Hrasky on drums, was signed for its first release on Temporary Residence Limited after half a listen to their demo, which was submitted by the American Analog Set with a brief note saying "This totally facking destroys."
Although the band's music deviates from pop, Hrasky said that they have similar goals "like immediately grabbing your attention and getting to your emotions."[13] Rayani said, "We don't consider ourselves post-rock at all; we consider ourselves a rock band."[14]
In a post-show interview clip on Austin City Limits, guitarist Munaf Rayani said about their status as instrumentalists, "I mean, I think we discussed singing for half a second, and then it just kinda, we just dropped it. We just didn't go back to it because we weren't comfortable enough." Drummer Chris Hrasky added "There were a couple of instrumental bands at the time that we were heavily into; Dirty Three and Mogwai; we were listening to those bands a lot. And I think we just liked the idea of a band that there was not a leader or main songwriter, everyone collaborating and has their own say. I don't think any of us want the sort of 'leader role', so a leaderless band is kind of the best best option for us.
I just had some really great Italian food. Pollo Rosa Maria...mmmmmm.
Bump.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
With our next selection in the East of the Miss category I will select one of my favorites Blues Traveler.. Another band that I have been lucky enough to see 10 or 12 times. Actually got a Harmonica from Popper at one show.
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Overview
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their fourth studio album Four. Released in 1994, the two singles "Run-Around" and "Hook" gained mainstream radio popularity.
Blues Traveler's subsequent releases were not as successful as the quintuple platinum sales of Four, though the band has maintained a loyal fanbase from the beginning of their career. Their albums with A&M in the later 1990s include Straight On till Morning and Bridge.
Sheehan's death in 1999 and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band after low sales of their 2001 album Bridge. However, the band took this transition period as an opportunity to start in new directions musically.
The group signed with Sanctuary Records and released Truth Be Told on August 5, 2003. Their latest album, ˇos!, was released on September 13, 2005 by Vanguard Records.
Blues Traveler has recorded a "best-of" collection of older songs reinterpreted with acoustic instrumentation called Cover Yourself. The band recently played an acoustic session on A&E's Private Sessions.
The band finished recording a new album in early 2008, "North Hollywood Shootout" is set for release on Verve Forecast on August 26, 2008.
The genesis of Blues Traveler was a high schoolgarage band formed in Princeton, New Jersey in the mid 1980s. Harmonicist, singer and guitarist John Popper and drummer Brendan Hill formed a group they called The Establishment (later renamed Blues Band) with Hill's brother on bass and a rotating roster of guitarists. The band produced a few cassette tapedemos. In addition to some original songs, their repertoire included upbeat covers of "Gloria" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".
The group added guitarist and football player Chan Kinchla. Although he was a promising athlete, Kinchla decided to commit to playing music instead after a knee injury. Popper met bassist Bobby Sheehan and the two became good friends, with Sheehan becoming the new bass player for Blues Band in 1987.
The quartet held a basement jam session (later christened The Black Cat Jam) which spawned the core grooves for several songs on their first album. A black cat happened to be nearby, and the group took this as a sign and adopted the Black Cat as their mascot figure.
The group changed their name to Blues Traveler, taking the latter part from the name of the primary demon in the film Ghostbusters, Gozer the Traveler.
After graduating Princeton High School and moving to New York City, Popper, Hill, and Sheehan enrolled in the music program at The New School while Kinchla attended New York University. Blues Traveler began playing gigs along the New York-area club circuit, sometimes nightly. The group shared an apartment together, along with Popper's friend, singer Chris Barron, and developed a close relationship with Barron's band, Spin Doctors (which formed out of another group Popper and Hill had founded). The two groups would often share the stage, playing non-stop concerts of multiple sets.
The group attracted the attention of David Graham, son of the world-famous concert promoter Bill Graham, and became one of Graham's many acts. Blues Traveler then started a relentless touring schedule, expanding their reach up and down the east coast.
During this time, Blues Traveler acquired a devout follower, Gina-Z (subject of the band's song "Gina") who is involved with the group's business to the present day. At one New York show they were discovered by an A&M Records talent scout, Patrick Clifford, and the band signed their first recording contract.
With our next selection in the East of the Miss category I will select one of my favorites Blues Traveler.. Another band that I have been lucky enough to see 10 or 12 times. Actually got a Harmonica from Popper at one show.
Excellent choice Tim! Bet you didn't see that compliment coming!
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
In this the 14th Round of the CP Music Draft, Team Phlegmp3 selects the A Cappella group Cadence in the Canadian category.
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Four Men. Four Microphones. No Instruments. Start with a playlist that covers jazz, popular music, doo-wop, even classical. Add in four guys who can’t help but have fun. The result is a show that has something for everyone: instrumental imitation, sophisticated harmonies, and engaging audience interaction. This winning formula has earned CADENCE international recognition as “one of the finest quartets to make an appearance in the a cappella scene”.
In the journey from four-guys-in-the-living-room to international touring band, CADENCE has performed for many of the greatest names in vocal music including Quincy Jones and Manhattan transfer. CADENCE has also had the honour of singing with vocal maestro Bobby McFerrin in 2003 at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and in 2005 at Roy Thomson Hall.
CADENCE has performed across the world, with delighted audiences across North America, Asia, and Europe. Wherever they go, CADENCE delivers its mandate: to explore and demonstrate that the voice has no limits.
Close your eyes: you’ll never believe you’re hearing only voices.
I've seen these guys in person, and they put on a fantastic show! They have one song ("The Things We Do For Love") where they do the guitar solo from Queen's "Killer Queen" in the middle of the song, and I swear you wouldn't even know the difference.
Wow this has been a tough pick for me. I've been to this point four times only to change my pick again...So finally, with my 14th round pick I select Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans in the position of Wildcard Band.
Corb Lund grew up ‘in Southern Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies.’ His music is influenced by his experiences riding horseback, chasing cattle and rodeoing in Southern Alberta and living on the family farm and ranches near Taber, Cardston and Rosemary. Coming from four generations of ranchers and cowboys, Corb left his hometown of Taber and moved to Edmonton where he attended Grant MacEwan Performing Arts School to study jazz guitar and bass.
Corb was a founding member of Western Canada’s independent phenomena, the smalls, who during their twelve-year career, toured extensively in Canada, the US and Europe including a stint in Bosnia, Slovenia and Czech Republic.
Kurt Ciesla, upright bass player for the Corb Lund Band, was raised in Lethbridge, Alberta. An extremely versatile musician, he is a former member of funk acts Blue Locutus and Bubba and is a familiar and respected musician in the Edmonton Jazz music scene. He has performed a number of times with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, including a live concert on the MacIntyre Ranch. Kurt is all about the bass.
The very talented and capable Brady Valgardson of Taber, Alberta is the band’s drummer. Brady comes from a family of drummers and has performed with several bands in southern Alberta where he currently lives and works on his family farm.
Grant Siemens is the most recent member of the Corb Lund Band. A Winnipeg native, Grant lends his talents as a lead guitar, lap steel and banjo player, providing a refreshing fourth dimension to the band’s sound.
Student Visas
Roughest Neck Around
I Wanna Be In The Cavalry
Time To Switch To Whiskey
Truck Got Stuck Blues
(Gonna) Shine Up My Boots
And lastl...The Hockey Song with an added verse
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Let's get drunk and do philosophy.
If you took a burger off the grill and slapped it on your face, I'm pretty sure it would burn you. - kermitology
I had previously thought about picking Corb Lund. One heck of a performer and writes some super awesome songs even though I don't care for country music.
The reprise of I Want to Be in the Cavalry, Student Visa's and Especially a Paint are all such great songs.
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Who is in charge of this product and why haven't they been fired yet?
With our 14th pick, #284 overall, AliceLoveGarden is proud to select in the category of Songwriter, Glen Phillips.
Glen Phillips is best known as the vocalist and songwriter for the band Toad the Wet Sprocket. Phillips is a poet with a great voice. I adore his stuff.
Phillips began Toad the Wet Sprocket in 1986, at the age of 16.[1] By 1988, they had signed with Columbia Records and recorded five albums and many major tours until 1998 when they disbanded.
During his time in Toad the Wet Sprocket, Phillips was involved in a pop rock project called Flapping.
Three years later, following the breakup of Toad, Phillips released his first solo album, Abulum, which was a change from the sound that Toad the Wet Sprocket was known for. This was followed up by a self-released live album and solo touring, along with a reunion tour with his former Toad bandmates
In 2004, Phillips, with Nickel Creek, released a long-awaited collaboration as Mutual Admiration Society. The self-titled album had been recorded in 2000 and featured songs written by both Phillips alone and as collaborative efforts, and was released on Sugar Hill Records.
In 2005, Phillips returned to a major label via Universal Records' imprint Lost Highway Records and released the critically acclaimed Winter Pays For Summer. The album included the radio single "Duck and Cover," but Phillips and the label would part ways due to some creative differences.
Phillips released his third proper solo album, Mr. Lemons in the spring of 2006. The music video for the album's first single, "Everything But You," made its debut as a Yahoo! Exclusive Premiere on May 11, 2006.
In 2007 Phillips reunited with Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek as well as Grant-Lee Phillips and Luke Bulla to perform as part of The Various & Sundry Tour.
In January 2008, Phillips released an EP with Talk Talk and Peter Gabriel influences titled Secrets of the New Explorers.
In January 2008, it was reported by Billboard that a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls had formed. The octet is comprised of Phillips, Sean Watkins (guitar), his sister Sara Watkins (fiddle), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Greg Leisz (various), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). The group plans to have an album out by fall of this year.[2]
Phillips has also reportedly completed an album with Neilson Hubbard and Garrison Starr under the tentative band name Plover for an expected release sometime in 2008.
Fly From Heaven
Windmills
Pray Your Gods
Rise Up
Reincarnation Song
No youtube clip worth watchinig, but this song is well worth the listen if you've never heard it, IMHO.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Last edited by Displaced Flames fan; 08-17-2008 at 03:34 PM.
