Bloggerhythms

The problem with Blood, Sweat & Tears was that many rock fans didn’t consider them to be a real rock band. Their guitarist, Steve Katz, never reeled off the flaming, red hot, twelve-minute, guitar jams that were so popular at the time. Eric Clapton, he was not. Jazz purists didn’t believe the band was the genuine article either. The rest of us, the people who actually bought their records, didn’t much care either way. Nevertheless, most listeners were surprised when singer David Clayton-Thomas picked up his electric guitar for "Go Down Gamblin,'" way back in 1971. The Clayton-Thomas/Fred Lipsius (alto sax and piano) composition was definitely the loudest rock track the group ever put on vinyl. With their singer rocking out at full throttle, and playing some heavy guitar riffs, the song sounded more like something from Chicago Transit Authority than anything Blood Sweat & Tears ever recorded. The song is about a gambler who never wins at any game he plays, yet ...

Today is a word for word rerun of an old post from May 26, 2011. I was reminded of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (better known as Iz) by Google who is paying homage to him on their homepage today to celebrate what would have been his 61st birthday. The original post, with comments, is here . You've probably only heard Israel (a. k. a. Iz) Kamakawiwo'ole's most famous song, "Somewhere over the Rainbow," on TV commercials or in a handful of movies. The tune features Iz's gorgeous vocal accompanied only by his solo ukulele. My love of his version of the classic song is second only to Judy Garland’s original from The Wizard of Oz . Iz recorded the song twice. The longer version combines Garland's classic with Louis Armstrong’s "It's a Wonderful World" and it's the one I prefer. The shorter track features just "Rainbow" without Armstrong’s hit. Recently, the song rode to the top of the charts in Germany even though it was first ...

I know I've said it before but it never ceases to amaze me how many talented musicians there are in the world that few people will ever hear. If you're willing to dig deep into the trenches of the Internet you'll be amazed at the number of worthy artists you'll find. One of these is Chris Pellnat from Hudson, NY. The singer-songwriter's third album,  Rain , is soft rock with a twist. On his new, ten song set he is a one man band who plays every instrument well. At times Pellnat employs only bare bones arrangements. "It's a Cruel, Cruel World" is just his voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica. Then, on the title track, he kicks it up a notch by plugging in without raising the volume. In other words, he keeps things tasteful. Pellnat also tosses a little retro-synthesizer, dulcimer, and vibraphone into his songs proving that while he is not at an avant garde artist his quirkiness is what sets him apart from so many other people making music today. ...

Occasionally, Bloggerhythms writes about Internet radio stations that readers may find enjoyable. Here is one that is purely for oldies fans. Car Tunes Radio (CRT) is a different kind of oldies station. "It's all music, all the time," as the 60s jocks used to say because there are no commercials, jingles, or fast talking DJs. So, if you're trying to relive the memories of a favorite top 40 station of your youth you may be disappointed. Instead, CRT 's defining asset is its broad musical eclecticism. For the last eight years   the Birmingham, Alabama station has played the hits from the 60s and 70s, as well as a smattering of long forgotten records from the 50s interspersed with important album tracks and flipsides of big hits you may not have heard in years. As proof, take a look at the playlist below that CRT aired one morning not long ago. When was the last time you heard Jerry Jeff Walker, Mac McAnally, Sanford-Townsend Band, Billy Joel's ...