Bloggerhythms

Last week I wrote that in my younger days I hated it when other artists recorded cover versions of Beatles' songs . Ironically, the opposite holds true with Bob Dylan. I learned to appreciate his music mostly through other artists covering his work. While I've always liked Dylan I could never be counted among his most ardent fans and that is because of one very obvious reason: his voice. Regardless of how easy it is to write the man off as a vocalist there is no denying this giant's talent as a songwriter. His tremendous contributions to both rock and folk music are undeniable. The following list of Dylan covers is not as diverse as the one I compiled for The Beatles and that is because artists like The Byrds, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Austin's Jimmy Lafave (who Dave Marsh said is the best ever interpreter of Dylan songs) all have a special instinctive talent for performing his catalog. Those four appear here multiple times. One song, "All Along...

If your answer to the title question is "yes" keep reading because here is my secret. When I was young I loathed cover versions of songs originally done by The Beatles and I considered recording one to be blasphemy of the highest order. Because I've matured a lot over the years I've come to realize there are many nice renditions of their work so, just for fun, I decided to list some of my favorites here. The list is alphabetical by artist. I've added some comments where appropriate. What are some of your favorites? 1. Yes It Is - Johnny A (Excellent and eclectic rock guitarist from Boston. You can check out his stuff on his website .) 2. It's Only Love - Gary US Bonds 3. Golden Slumbers - Jackson Browne with Jennifer Warnes 4. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party - Roseanne Cash 5. Magical Mystery Tour - Cheap Trick 6. Tomorrow Never Knows - Phil Collins 7. Blackbird - Crosby, Stills, and Nash (It's The first song they ever sang together. You can her...

Those of you interested in the more traditional forms of jazz from the 1940s and 1950s will find a lot to like about jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves and this superb movie soundtrack album, Good Night, and Good Luck . The accompanying band, featuring two excellent instrumentalists, saxophonist Matt Catingub and pianist Peter Martin, were born to play in the smoky jazz clubs the mood of this CD evokes. Reeves' voice and the band complement each other nicely. All of the songs were selected by the movie's producer, George Clooney, who wisely included many top notch jazz classics such as Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up And Fly Right," Frank Sinatra's "One For The Road," and Duke Ellington's "Solitude." I'll leave it to others to determine how the music fits in with the plot line of this historically important film. After listening to it one will realize there is no need to even see the movie to enjoy the music because Reeves and c...

The Return of The Formerly Brothers is the only CD ever recorded by Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, and Gene Taylor together as a trio. The title of the CD is derived from the fact that all three were formerly in other bands. Canadian Garrett is best known for playing with folk legends Ian & Sylvia and with Maria Muldaur on "Midnight At The Oasis." He also worked with Jesse Winchester, Emmylou Harris, Paul Butterfield, and Stevie Wonder. Taylor played with The Blasters, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Canned Heat, and Rick Nelson. They teamed up with Sahm who is probably the best known of the three. He was the leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet in the Sixties. Garrett, Sahm, and Taylor first got together for a gig at the Edmonton Folk Festival in 1986 that was so well received they followed it with a tour of Canada. The tour then led to The Return of The Formerly Brothers recorded in 1988 and released in America the following year. The album is an eclectic and hardy stew...