Today, being too busy to write much, and given that it is the weekend, so we should be singing, my first thought was to search for a James Brown video. I have specific reasons for this, upon which I may expound later. It being a beautiful country Saturday here, with Mediterranean weather reminding me partly … More Nanci Griffith

It is the weekend, so we will sing. This appears to have been filmed in Nice in 1978. But Booker fairly shouts New Orleans. I have received an interesting question, am I in New Orleans or not? If I do not say where I am, how can it be known whether anything else I say … More James Booker

Did you like the John Cleary performance? Here is the late, great Professor Longhair on Tipitina. This clip has also been incorporated into Martin Scorsese’s documentary Piano Blues. Axé.

This is John Cleary playing Tipitina at Rosy’s Jazz Hall, in the summer of 2004. Now it is December. The sun is still beautiful, and it has fallen into the thirties tonight. The sky sparkles and glints on the windowpanes. People are shopping nation and world wide, but I say, if you participate in that, … More Sweet Home New Orleans

On the question of how to resolve departmental disputes, Stephen Bess said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if everyone could just battle it out on the cardboard like breakdancers and pop-lockers in the 80’s? Sure, a few people would get hurt on those difficult moves, but nothing too serious. It would be funny too.” I agree. … More Remember This?

This cantaor is Bernardo Silva Carrasco, originally known as el Moro, but later, as el Indio Gitano. I do not like the dancer’s bunchy dress, but there are very good dresses now for flamenco dancing, slimmer and not so stiff. Observe the long fingernails of the guitarists, and the watery deep sound of the strings. … More El Indio Gitano, o El Moro

There are other, different recordings of this song, but listen to Montserrat Caballé’s voice! And take a look at the beautiful Spanish lyrics, with an English translation much improved by Sarah Brightman, who has also performed the song. I am, of course, tipping my hat to the original Mecano version, but I am impressed by … More Hijo de la luna

The weather is so beautiful, it is almost hard to believe. I have pulled out the stumps of three trees lost to the hurricanes, which I left there in hopes that they would become interesting bushes. They tried, but failed. The largest stump has long, deep roots, and it has not yet budged. In honor … More O Sole Mio

The sun is so clear and beautiful, and it is cool enough to be outside. So we will sing “Ecco mormorar l’onde,” lyrics by Torquato Tasso, music by Claudio Monteverdi. We can hear it in a lovely, complete piano version. We have available a fragment of Nadia Boulanger’s 1937 recording, in the intended five voices. … More Ecco mormorar l’onde

Now it is the weekend, so it is time to sing! It is said that Allons à Lafayette is the first Cajun song ever to have been recorded. The recording was made in 1928 by Cleoma Breaux Falcon and her brothers. We can listen to some of the 1963 recording by Joe Falcon, made at … More Creole Violin