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“Moon River”

Henry Mancini

Breakfast At Tiffany’s: Music From The Motion Picture Score

Click the HD/HQ button for a higher quality stream.

It’s slower to load, even on a fast internet connection.  So hit the pause button, go wash the dishes, and by the time you come back it will be caught up and ready to go.

There’s also an option to view the HD version at my YouTube page.

My brother turned me onto this record.  80s/90s R&B cat reinvents himself as a Motown-inspired hybrid of Smokey Robinson & Stevie Wonder with a dash of Sam Cooke, a foot in the present and an ear to the future.

Buy this thing and let yourself go.  You’ll dance, you’ll sing, you’ll smile.  You might even choke up a little like me.

I keep playing this cut, “Sometimes”, over and over and over and over lately.

I think about this coming Tuesday and I pause …

I’m excited yet guarded.  I’ve got a feeling of cautious relief.  There’s embers of hope but still ..

such a long .. long .. long way to go.

Get Ready

Peace,

Mark

and announce that we’ll be posting new material will arrive soon.

A brand new song will be uploaded in a matter of days (there’s a sly out) here and to iTunes, a batch of videos will arrive, and we’ll be tweaking the layout here to focus more on the stacks of wax, relocating the blog portion to the periodicals section.

But let’s spin this one to let the day begin:

“Let The Day Begin”

The Call

Let The Day Begin

“Casino Royale”

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

Sounds Like

“Monday Morning Rock”

Marshall Crenshaw

Field Day

“Gold Diggers”

Kevin Salem

Ecstatic

“Working On A Dream”

Bruce Springsteen

Working On A Dream

“Sun Is Shining”

The Fireman

Electric Arguments

Michelle was great. Hillary was excellent. Bill was terrific.

Kerry just knocked it out of the park.

p.s. new music coming soon …

Bruce is on board.

TBogg has a sly, funny angle here.

Update: And a sad, fond farewell to Danny Federici.

I grew up worshiping a whole range of guitar heroes. But I was too lazy to be the kid locked in his bedroom for 10 hours a day, skipping school, running scales and practicing practicing practicing. And I liked just strumming chords and playing songs as much or more than playing lookatmelookatmelookatme triplets.

Ever since he joined Robbie Fulks’ band almost a decade ago, I’ve been telling anyone who’d listen that Grant Tye is hands down the best, most versatile, rock/pop/country/younameit guitar player around. Wicked technique, fat, full tones to fit any situation and an uncanny ability to not overplay (though he can slice your head off if he’s feelin’ ornery) but rather stick to sweet phrasing and playing for each and every song.

Did I mention if you close your eyes you’ll swear he’s suddenly playing pedal steel and slide guitar with just a Strat and a whammy bar? Don’t believe me?

And if that’s not enough to turn all us wannabes green with envy he’s just a sweet guy to be around and comedian-level funny. Oh yeah .. he can sing his ass off too with a soulful growl.

When I was a kid, I doubled over with laughter watching Derek St. Hubbins lament about He Who Unleashes The Fury ..

I suspect Derek would say the same thing about Grant.

I watch Grant every time with my jaw half-open knowing full-well what he’s doing yet realizing what looks so effortless demands heroic talent and work behind it.

After years and years of making countless artists and bands sound great, he’s got some of his own terrific songs on his MySpace page. Check it out, drop him a line and send him some coin for all of his efforts.

Now excuse me while I set my bourbon down on my Fender coffee table, click replay above and enjoy.

Cheers,

Mark