8/30/19 David Crosby - Long Time Gone

50 years ago, Crosby, Stills & Nash released their first album on the Atlantic Records label.

Not only blending voices, the three meshed their differing strengths, David Crosby for social commentary and atmospheric mood pieces, Stephen Stills for his diverse musical skills and for folding folk and country elements subtly into complex rock structures, and Graham Nash for his radio-friendly pop melodies, to create an amalgam of broad appeal.

Stills dominated the recording of the album. Apart from drums, handled by Dallas Taylor, he played nearly all of the instruments on the album.

David Crosby bristled over the plan for "Long Time Gone" as he thought he should at least play rhythm guitar on his own song. Stills convinced him to go home for a while and when he returned Crosby was won over by the music track that Stills and Taylor had recorded.

50 years later, the lyrics still resonate, and David Crosby is still rocking out, an un-apologetic hipster that has lived life to his own beat. Here is a live recording from a year ago - I wish I knew who the guitar player is!

https://youtu.be/zQBrJA1e8UY

(By the way, David and his band will be at The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on September 10)

8/23/19 Nina Simone - Black Is The Color

Nina Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21st, 1933. Nina’s prodigious talent as a musician was evident early on when she started playing piano by ear at the age of three.

She was a classically trained pianist who realized that the odds of a black female having a concert careerin 1950 was between slim and none. She started playing in piano bars in Atlantic City, and overnight Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone by taking the nickname “Nina” meaning “little one” in Spanish and “Simone” after the actress Simone Signoret.

Her undeniably remarkable talent in the end created a legacy of liberation, empowerment, passion, and love through a magnificent body of works. 

Here is one example. Please watch at least the first 3 minutes of this live performance from 1969. Nina starts playing piano, and continues to play during the first 30 seconds as the announcer adjusts her piano bench! She then proceeds to deliver an Egyptian Goddess version of this traditional Irish folk song. She is then joined by Emil Latimer on guitar.

https://youtu.be/NWmCbEbMmeU

8/16/19 Yuja Wang Plays Schubert/Liszt

Yuja Wang is known for her dresses, her beauty, her amazing piano technique, her dresses... and she happens to be one of the greatest pianists today. She is known for playing the most difficult bombastic concertos, but she can really play most anything.

Here she is playing three art songs written by Schubert and arranged for solo piano by Liszt. Even if you only have 3 minutes, listen to the first song Gretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel). You watch her fingers, and cannot tell how she is getting the melody to sing out - it is all in her right hand pinky finger! The control is phenomenal. She finds euphoric pleasure in her own music and is able to convey that to the audience. Take some time and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/6Ypx9fH-OHk

8/9/19 -George Kahn Quartet - Wes' Coast

When was the last time you treated yourself to a night on the town? You start with a lovely Sunday Night drive to Studio City to a famous Italian restaurant with a newly renovated show room, with comfortable tables, a great sound system and lighting. The waitress gives you a menu that covers everything from pizza and salad, all the way to New York Steak. After a drink (or two) the music kicks in at 8:00 PM and you are hearing some of the greatest musicians in Los Angeles, creating inspiring music that makes you smile and tap your feet. This can be you when you join the George Kahn Quartet at Vitellos for a rare performance.

Here is one of the songs we played last Sunday. Wes' Coast features PAT KELLEY on Guitar (doing the Wes Montgomery thing), and Alex Acuña on drums. It's an incredible band and we only get to play together on rare occasions.

https://youtu.be/jkjvo5N7UJA?t=5