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BLUE NOTE/DL MEDIA
ELIANE ELIAS/Bossa Nova Stories: You can take the girl ouit of Brazil, but you can’t take Brazil out of the girl, especially is she wants to get her licks in on the celebration of bossa nova’s 50th anni. She tipped the cap to Jobim before, but this time, it’s more of an all out affair as we get more Elias vocalizing than before and a bunch of back up players and guests that are there to provide the setting to make sure she shines as she tackles her 21st recording. If it isn’t a match made in heaven, it’s certainly a match made in Brazil that’s as sweet as a can of boiled milk. Yum.
SHOUT! FACTORY
CARLY & LUCY SIMON/Sings Songs for Children: The Simon Sisters music has been leaking out on cd for a short while, and even if it’s kid’s stuff, it’s the only Lucy floating around on cd and a nice finish for complete freaks that want all their Carly on disc. As opposed to stuff like “Cuddlebug”, these sides were recorded after Lucy effective hung it up for a while to raise a family and she had the flying time of dealing with kids in the 60’s under her belt. Certainly in the pocket of their previous folk and kid records, there was certainly an undeniable charm at work and you knew something had to come of these two sooner or later. Hey Shout, as long as you’re hanging around Sony and they now own BMG and those two RCA albums by Lucy has never escaped to cd…how about doing us a favor? C’mon, we’re living in the age of the digital garage sale and you’ve gone this deep with the Simons.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN/Sorcerer’s Apprentice: In 1965, Bernstein brought the Ritz Crackers music to life for kids in a first class rave up that let the musical fur fly, even without Mickey Mouse to guide the young ‘uns through it. As we celebrate Bernstein’s 90th birthday this year, detractors are getting their licks in about how he was a one trick pony of a rock star, but sets like this, even powered by mass appeal, have to make you think those judgments are a little harsh. This is one of those classical music pieces that’s a grand time for kids of all ages. This set comes loaded with some extras to give the listener that wantsto go deeper a well rounded experience and become the kind of killjoy that pulls out his smart phone during what used to be discussions with friends so they can be right about everything.
DANNY KAYE/Grimm’s and Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales: The perpetual child was right at home on what was originally two albums recorded for Golden Lps. Serving up the classic fairy tales with all his nuances pulled out of his hats, Kaye comes across as the consummate child’s performer on these tour de forces, no matter how low the recording budget was. The current economic crisis might not have you in the mood for fairy tales, but if you’ve got rug rats that are still at this stage, this is the best baby sitter you could ask for.
BURL IVES/Favorites for Children: What would a Burl Ives children’s record be without “Froggie Went a Courtin‘”? This has it. An album of stories and songs from a cat that was having a hard time with it in the 50s only to get rejuvenated as an Oscar winning adult and a kids star of such epic proportions that he had his own Disney exhibit and is the narrator of a Christmas kids special that is practically part of our DNA since it’s been running every Christmas for about 50 years. If you want to take some steps back to a simpler time, this is one of the gateways to do so.
Volume 32/Number 18
November 18, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record