Doin' the Friday Shuffle

1. "Under the Sea" - Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - The Little Mermaid
Thanks to The Simpsons, I can not hear this song anymore without hearing Marge Simpson say "It's NOT Gonna Happen!"

2. "Almost Blue" - Elvis Costello - My Flame Burns Blue
This just came out Tuesday, and it's all sorts of good. A live concert of Elvis Costello doing some Mingus, some of his own stuff, and some other stuff all with a great big 'ol jazz orchestra. This version of "Almost Blue" is lush and sweeping.

3. "Tears at the Birthday Party" - Bill Frisell - The Sweetest Punch
Odd. Another jazzy Elvis piece. This album features famed jazz guitarist Bill Frisell doing many of the songs Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach wrote together for their Painted from Memory Album. Smooth jazz that doesn't suck.

4. "On the Right Path" - Stephen Schwartz - Pippin
I directed Pippin once. Not a good experience.

5. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Paul Simon - America: A Tribute to Heroes
An almost somber, plain-spoken rendition from the days-after-9/11-concert.

6. "Remembrances" - John Williams - Schindler's List (Film Score)
One of Williams' five best scores, by my reckoning. Such sweetly sad music. This tune is actually based on an old Yiddish folk tune.

7. "Eight Days a Week" - The Beatles - 1
I really don't like early Beatles.

8. "Still Raining, Still Dreaming" - Jimi Hendrix - The Essential Jimi Hendrix
Laid back and happily funky Jimi, overdoing the stereo effects. I'm getting seasick.

9. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" - U2 - Achtung Baby
A classic U2 rocker.

10. "Soldiers of Heaven" - John Adams - Nixon in China
I am really getting into this opera, in a big way. I love the minimalism in service of opera; seems like it shouldn't work, but it does.

Until Whenever


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