Bloggerhythms

Chicago's artistic conscience, Robert Lamm ,   released his sixth solo CD in 2008, and probably the only people who heard it are the band's loyal, longtime fans. Obscurity is the price paid by playing in a faceless band, especially one that received little positive attention from the press. Having realized far more than a blue moon ago that Chicago is now just a power ballad, corporate paycheck that has long since jumped the musical shark, Lamm released a series of solo works that expressed his chameleon-like musical muse. Seldom does such a restless and creative talent remain with the same band for more than five decades, but he's still there, playing keyboards and singing his Chicago songs, concert season after concert season. Whether he remains out of loyalty, a paycheck, or both, I haven't a clue. All I know is that he still makes interesting and enjoyable music on his own, and  The Bossa Project is no exception. Lamm loves boss...

Growing up in the 60s and listening to music on the radio meant I heard a lot of Motown. Berry Gordy's stable of stars were the first black musicians I was exposed to except for a few adult-oriented artists like Louie Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald. To most kids their music wasn't cool, nor was it "black" in the same way Motown was considered black. The label's Stevie Wonder eventually became one of my all time favorite artists in the 70s, however, in the 60s, I preferred The Temptations, The Supremes, and the Four Tops. The Temps had an earthier sound than The Tops and a case could be made that the latter's more polished records made them the male counterparts to The Supremes. The two groups were almost identical when it came to their instrumental arrangements and they shared the fabulous composing trio of Holland, Dozier, Holland who wrote most of the huge hits for both acts. The big difference was in their lead singers. While Diana Ros...

The CD, Myths & Fables by jazz singer-pianist Bett Butler, was reviewed here earlier this year. The painting that graces the cover of her disc is called "Strange Fruit" and it is named, of course, after the famous and luridly vivid Billie Holiday song about racism. The cover is a colorful depiction of the infamous lynchings of Holiday's and Butler's people from a not too distant bygone era. A cursory look at this modern painting may not immediately make its intentions clear. However, once you know the story behind Holiday's song, and you look more closely at this work by artist Courtney Reid , the full meaning of her effort becomes painfully apparent. "Strange Fruit" would even be more majestic gracing the cover of a full sized 33 1/3 RPM record jacket because in that format the cover would be suitable for framing. When CDs are gone for good paintings like "Strange Fruit" will have one less outlet for public exposure and a song like...