Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2016
Monday, May 11, 2015
Today in History: 10 May
This date in 1748 marks the conception of the hymn “Amazing Grace.” A White British man John Newton was responsible for writing one of the most beloved hymns of all times.
He was a British naval midshipman and a slave trader, who became a hymn writer and clergyman. He was on a homeward voyage while sailing his slave ship through a violent storm when he experienced what he referred to later as his “great deliverance.” Newton awoke in the middle of the night and prayed to God as the ship filled with water.
In writing the words to Amazing Grace, he ironically used the pentatonic scale in the composition. This scale has often been referred to as the ‘Slave Scale’ as most black spirituals are composed using only the black notes of the piano. He observed the anniversary of May 10 for the rest of his life. Although he became a Christian, he did not renounce slave trading until 1754.
"During the time I was engaged in the slave trade," he later wrote, "I never had the least scruple as to its lawfulness. But later he became an evangelical minister and looked back at his early life with horror. "I once was lost, but now am found," he wrote in his great hymn "Amazing Grace."
He was ordained and became a curate at Olney Buckinghamshire.
"Amazing Grace" was part of his first publication in 1779.
"Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
"'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!
"Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
"The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
"Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
"The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine...."
Valencia Strowder singing Amazing Grace in Opera
Amazing Grace - Whitney Houston (HD)
Amazing Grace with Orchestra, Choir and Bagpipes
Friday, April 24, 2015
LUTHER VANDROSS - Dance With My Father (2003)
Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Throughout his career, Vandross was an in demand background vocalist for several different artists including Chaka Khan, Bette... wikipedia.org
Born: April 20, 1951, Kips Bay, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Died: July 1, 2005, Edison, New Jersey, USA
Cause of Death: Complications from a stroke
Nationality: United States of America
Height: 6' 3" (1.90m)
Parents: Luther Vandross, Sr., Mary Ida Vandross
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 12 "Revolutionary"
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Eli Mattson and Neal E Boyd sing "Candle in the Wind"
Sunday, March 29, 2015
UMich Symphony Band - Scott Lindroth - Spin Cycle
Spin Cycle - Scott Lindroth
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Bio taken from Wikipedia
Valerie Wellington (November 14, 1959 – January 2, 1993) was an African-American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and actress. Her 1984 album, Million Dollar $ecret, saw her work with Sunnyland Slim, Billy Branch, and Magic Slim. In her early years, Wellington also worked with Lee "Shot" Williams. In a short career, she switched from opera to the blues.
Biography
She was born Valerie Eileen Hall in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Wellington trained as an opera singer, graduating from the American Conservatory of Music,but in 1982 took up singing the blues in her local Chicago clubs. Her work extended to the theater, where she undertook roles portraying earlier blues singers such as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Wellington's opera training enabled her to project her voice to theater audiences. She appeared at the 1984 San Francisco Blues Festival, on the bill alongside Marcia Ball and Katie Webster
Her recorded work blended the more traditional vaudeville approach with a contemporary Chicago blues format. Wellington appeared on a limited number of recordings, but her voice was used on several advertisements on both television and radio. Wellington's recording of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" was used on the soundtrack to the 1989 film, Great Balls of Fire!, in which she briefly appeared depicting Big Maybelle. In the same year, Wellington toured Japan, with Carlos Johnson.
Wellington died of a cerebral aneurysm in Maywood, Illinois, in January 1993, at the age of 33. She was interred at the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.
VALERIE WELLINGTON - INDEPENDENCE BLUES
Valerie Wellington - Wasted Life Blues
Valerie Wellington - How Blue Can You Get
Valerie Wellington - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Heather Headley (born October 5, 1974) is a Trinidadian-American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has won a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, and a Drama Desk Award, and she has been nominated for a host of other acting and music accolades.
Headley was born in Trinidad, the daughter of Hannah and Eric Headley. At age four, Headley began playing the music of her native Trinidad, including calypso, and soca.[citation needed] In 1989, she moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana in the United States at the age of fifteen with her mother and brother Iric Junior when her father was offered a job as pastor of McKee Street Church of God with headquarters in Anderson, Indiana.
Headley attended Northrop High School, and was a member of their resident show choir, Charisma, and starred as Fanny Brice in the school's production of Funny Girl. After graduating from Northrop High School, Headley attended Northwestern University to study communications and musical theatre until the last day of her junior year, when she made the difficult decision to become a part of the musical Ragtime and drop out of school.
In 2003, Headley married Brian Musso, formerly of the New York Jets. Both attended Northwestern University. On December 1, 2009, they welcomed their first child John David.
In 1997, she originated the role of Nala in The Lion King, the Broadway musical. Headley's performance was well received, and she then originated the title role in the Broadway adaptation of Aida, earning the Tony Award for Best Actress in 2000. In 1999, she appeared in the Encores! production of Do Re Mi, with Nathan Lane, Randy Graff, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. She also starred in a concert version of the musical Dreamgirls alongside Audra McDonald and Lillias White.
In the autumn of 2006, Heather performed Hal David and Burt Bacharach's song "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", from the 1968 musical Promises, Promises for "The Kennedy Center Presents: The 2006 Mark Twain Prize", honoring playwright Neil Simon. The ceremony was later broadcast on PBS.
On 5 July 2007 Headley made a guest appearance for Andrea Bocelli's Vivere Live in Tuscany concert in Lajatico, Italy. They performed Vivo Per Lei and The Prayer. Headley sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (also known as "America") with Josh Groban on January 18, 2009 during the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. On March 12, 2009, Headley sang, "I Wish" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
From November 2012 until August 2013, Headley played the role of Rachel Marron, in the musical adaptation of Whitney Houston's 1992 movie, The Bodyguard at London's Adelphi Theatre. She was nominated for an Olivier Award and a What's On Stage Award for this performance.
Heather joined the Andrea Bocelli UK Tour playing Glasgow Hydro on 23 November and at the Leeds First Direct Arena on 24th November 2013
Headley is expecting to reprise her performance of Rachel Marron in the upcoming Broadway production of "The Bodyguard" set to open somewhere in the 2014-2015 season.
Headley released her debut album, This Is Who I Am, in October 2002 with RCA Records. Although its first single, "He Is", was not very successful, the second single, "I Wish I Wasn't", achieved moderate success. The work on this album earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best New Artist.
Her second album, In My Mind, was delayed due to the various executive shake-ups associated with RCA parent BMG's merger with Sony.
Under BMG North America chairman/CEO Clive Davis for the first time, Headley released her second album In My Mind in January 2006. The title track "In My Mind" (written and produced by India.Arie collaborator Shannon Sanders) was released as the first single; and its music video was directed by Diane Martel. The song reached number-one on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The second single "Me Time" was sent to Urban AC radio only. An album track, "Am I Worth It", served to promote Headley's New March of Dimes Educational Campaign "I Want My 9 Months".
In 2009, Headley, along with Al Green, released a version of the song "People Get Ready" on the compilation album Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration.[6]
On the January 31, 2010, Heather won her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for Audience of One on the EMI Gospel label.
In December 2010, Headley performed a duet version of "Blue Christmas" and "My Prayer" with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli on Bocelli's "My Christmas" tour in six cities. At the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on December 4, 2010, the audience insisted on a second encore with Bocelli. Bocelli had to summon the detail to go back and get her to come back on stage.[citation needed]
Heather Headley released her 2012 album Only One in the World on September 25, 2012 with the lead single "A Little While".
In September 2013, Headley appeared on America's Got Talent with Il Divo and sang "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from The Lion King Musical. She also appeared with Il Divo on Broadway for a limited concert run.
Heather Headley - I Will Always Love You (Live Royal Variety Perf
Heather Headley - In My Mind
Heather Headley - I Wish I Wasn't
Heather Headley Live Singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" A
Heather Headley - Memory (Andrew Lloyd Webber - 40 Musical Ye
Heather Headley - I Think I'm Hearing What's Not Being Said
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
check out this soulful diva (Cesária Évora). One of my facebook friends introduced her to me. She was born in Cape Verde. She has a smooth quiet soulful voice. I have downloaded some of the translations for the songs.
Wikipedia:
Cesária Évora (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈzaɾiɐ ˈɛvuɾɐ]; 27 August 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a Cape Verdean popular singer. Nicknamed the "Barefoot Diva" for performing without shoes, she was also known as the "Queen of Morna".
"Cise" (as she was known to friends) was born on 27 August 1941 in Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde. When she was seven years old her father (who was a part-time musician) died, and at the age of ten she was placed in an orphanage, as her mother could not raise all six children. At the age of 16, she was persuaded by a friend to sing in a sailors' tavern.
In the 1960s, she started singing on Portuguese cruise ships stopping at Mindelo as well as on the local radio. It was only in 1985 when at the invitation of Cape Verdean singerBana she went to perform in Portugal. In Lisbon she was discovered by the producer José da Silva and invited to record in Paris.
Évora's international success came only in 1988 with the release of her first album La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, recorded in France. Her 1992 album Miss Perfumado sold over 300,000 copies worldwide, and included one of her most celebrated songs, "Sodade".
Her 1995 album Cesária brought her broader international success and the first Grammy Award nomination. In 1997, she won KORA All African Music Awards in three categories: "Best Artist of West Africa", "Best Album" and "Merit of the Jury".[6] In 2003, her albumVoz d'Amor was awarded a Grammy in the World music category.
In 2010, Évora performed a series of concerts, the last of which was in Lisbon on May 8. Two days later, after a heart attack, she was operated on at a hospital in Paris. On the morning of 11 May 2010 she was taken off artificial pulmonary ventilation, and on 16 May she was discharged from the intensive-care unit and transported to a clinic for further treatment. In late September 2011, Évora's agent announced that she was ending her career due to poor health.
On 17 December 2011, aged 70, Évora died in São Vicente, Cape Verde, from respiratory failure and hypertension. A Spanish newspaper reported that 48 hours before her death she was still receiving people - and smoking - in her home in Mindelo, popular for always having its doors open.
Besame Mucho Cesaria Evora
Translation:
English
Kiss me a lot
Versions: #1#2
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
As if tonight were
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
For I am afraid of having you
And losing you all over again.
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
As if tonight were
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
For I am afraid of having you
And losing you all over again.
I want to have you close to me
To see myself in your eyes
To see you next to me
Think that perhaps tomorrow
I will be far
So far away from you
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
As if tonight were
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
For I am afraid of having you
And losing you all over again.
I want to have you close to me
To see myself in your eyes
To see you next to me
Think that perhaps tomorrow
I will be far
So far away from you
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
As if tonight were
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
For I am afraid of having you
And losing you all over again.
CESARIA EVORA - Sodade. Live In Paris at Le Grand Rex, April 2004. (HD).
CESARIA EVORA - Sodade
Who showed you...
this distant way?
Who showed you...
this distant way?
This way ...
to Sao Tomé
Longing, longing,...
Longing,...
For this land of mine, Sao Nicolau
If you write me letter,...
I will write you back
If you forget me,...
I will forget you...
Until the day...
You come back
Cesária Évora. Ausencia. (Subtitulado español)
Translation:
Absense
If only I had wings
To fly over the distance
If only I were a gazelle
To run without any tiredness
Then I, in your chest
would be until it dawns
And the absense no more
would be our reality
But it is only in my thoughts
That I can travel fearless
and my liberty, I have it
only in my dreams
In my dreams, I am strong
I have your protection
I have only your care
and your smile
Oh loneliness
Up in the sky, the sun, alone
not only will shine, but also will blind
with its glare
Withuout knowing where to shine at
Neither where to go to
Oh, loneliness is a fate
Author's comment:
I coudn't find "to'me" hope we get no much losses
Cesaria Evora - Carnaval De Sao Vicente
Translation:
Carnival in Sao Vicente
I know São Vicente
Its cheerfulness and its flavour
But I didn't know
That during the carnival, it was even better
São Vicente is a little Brazil
Full of joy and colours
During these three wild days
There are no brawls, it is the carnival
A jubilation, to be found nowhere else
We have a little party
so peaceful
Do not hesitate,
You are welcome to enter
There will be plenty of food and drink
Today is the carnival day!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The young people of Iran want Change too. Check out the video which is similar to "Yes We Can"
Iran yes we can video
Here are some of the translation from Washington Post
I don't have a full English translation of the speech, but it opens: "In the presence of the holy Koran and before the nation, I swear to the omnipotent God to safeguard the official religion of the country and the Islamic Republic as well as the country's constitution."
Saturday, November 23, 2013
My Notes: Zahara was a new discovery for me. She sings mostly in her native South African tongue which is xhosa. I would classify her musical style as South African Folk. Sorry, I don't have the English translation for these songs. Enjoy
Sources Taken from Wikipedia and Utube
Published on Aug 14, 2012
Zahara is an Afrosoul
singer from South Africa
This is the hit track loliwe from her album Loliwe, enjoy!
This is the hit track loliwe from her album Loliwe, enjoy!
Zahara wrote most of the songs for her debut album prior to signing a musical contract with TS Records in August 2010. In her songs, she references apartheid activists like Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela and Helen Joseph. The track titled "Loliwe" refers to the trains that brought workers back home after many years away working in Johannesburg where they often had other families.According to Zahara, "For me it is a metaphor. It's like ... just pick yourself up. No matter who's your father or who's your mother ... I believe that you're not a mistake."
Claire Martens of Music Review South Africa assigned a normalized score of 92 out
of 100, adding: "Set against the strumming of her guitar and the infusion
of African-style beats, the music tends towards simplicity and integrity. Her
lyrics flow like poetry. This is going back to the nuts and bolts of music and
creating something of substance from the rawness. Few musicians can do this and
still create a product as powerful as Loliwe. Having said that, the album is
not perfect. I thought the song “My Guitar” was her weakest offering and
inappropriately placed. I also felt like the first part of album is stronger
than the rest, “Umthwalo” and “Loliwe” being the pinnacle, throwing the rest of
the album off kilter. Bar this, Loliwe comes close to perfection."
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Karaoke World Championships is the world's biggest karaoke event. It brings together singers from all over the world, regardless of race, nation or religion. KWC is the opportunity for aspiring singers to become stars.
Monday, June 24, 2013
My notes: Edward Boatner was an African American composer who wrote and performed Negro Spirituals. I have downloaded several videos of choirs and individuals performing his arrangements. His Bio was taken from Wikipedia.
Boatner was educated at Western University in Quindaro, Kansas, Boston Conservatory and received a Bachelor of Music from the Chicago Music College (Now the College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University). He also studied music privately. He began as a Concert singer with the encouragement and assistance of Roland Hayes — who performed many of Boatner's works on his concert programs—and choral director R. Nathaniel Dett. He also sang leading roles with the National Negro Opera Company. For the National Baptist Convention, he served as the director of music from 1925 to 1931. Boatner was a professor for Samuel Huston College (now Huston-Tillotson University) and Wiley College in Marshall, TX. He then settled in New York conducting a studio and directed community and church choirs. This allowed him to concentrate more on composing.
Edward Boatner (1898—1981) was an African-American composer who wrote many popular concert arrangements of Negro spirituals
I want Jesus to walk with me" - arranged by Edward Boatner
Norma and Richard Mayer - Oh, What A Beautiful City!
City Called Heaven - Salt Lake Vocal Artists
I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
Amber Hooper @ Pennsylvania Ave AME Zion Church
Edward Boatner (1898—1981) was an African-American composer who wrote many popular concert arrangements of Negro spirituals
I want Jesus to walk with me" - arranged by Edward Boatner
Norma and Richard Mayer - Oh, What A Beautiful City!
City Called Heaven - Salt Lake Vocal Artists
I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
Amber Hooper @ Pennsylvania Ave AME Zion Church
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Leonard Bernstein, August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim. According to The New York Times, he was "one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history
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