Lorez Alexandria SWINGS!

For some reason my brain generally doesn't wrap itself around Jazz. I appreciate it, and enjoy seeing it played live but a lot of music that I should love in principle just hasn't stuck with me. But over the years a few artists have gotten through and made me sit up and take notice.This week I'll be posting some of my favorites.

Only in the last two hours have I discovered the first artist I am going to feature today, Lorez Alexandria. How I have never heard of this amazing singer before now is beyond me, but WOW can this lady SING! She seems to be almost criminally obscure. Using Google Play Music as an example, out of 20 albums released over a 36 year career they have a total of only 5! 

This is curl up and mellow out music, emotional and definitely intended for internal consumption. She seems to concentrate on standards and "Torch Songs" but her phrasing and the quality of her voice are both dead on.

This seems to be a good place to start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK4_-zMIGCo&list=PLFj4nHM46kU03xsRf2kmXau0VWTFkzXVd

Ladies And Gentlemen...The Great Flydini!

Steve Martin performs the greatest zipper related magic act of all time!

Ever Wonder What 100 Guitar Effects Pedals Sounds Like At One Time?

Maybe or maybe not but this video answers the question anyway.

Go to 16:30 if you just want to hear the full 100 at once but the setup is interesting as well.

In The Lap Of The Law

Can't help but think both the suspect and the police officer must be pretty darned thin!

http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/suspected-thief-tries-to-steal-police-car-sits-in-officers-lap/29635954

A suspected car thief trying to run from police got a surprise when he tried to steal a police patrol car and wound up sitting in an officer’s lap.
Fife police Lt. Tom Thompson said the man was spotted acting suspicious near a motel around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, so a patrol sergeant stopped to check the license on the car he was driving. It came back as stolen.

As the sergeant followed the suspect, identified as David Boulet, Boulet jumped from the car and ran. Police said Boulet climbed a fence and ran through traffic in both the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 5, dodging cars.

Meanwhile, a Tacoma police officer, hearing the chase over the radio, stopped on the Port of Tacoma road overpass and turned on his red and blue lights.

Thompson said Boulet ran from the freeway through heavy brush and onto the overpass, apparently looking for a getaway car.

He spotted the patrol car with lights flashing, ran toward it, pulled the door open, got in and sat down in the officer’s lap, apparently unaware that the officer was still behind the wheel.

Thompson said the officer was stunned at first, then recognized Boulet’s description as the suspect leading police on a foot pursuit.

Boulet was wrestled to the ground and placed under arrest.

Chicken Muddle Ain't Brunswick Stew

I grew up in a small city in Southern Virginia called Emporia. In Southern Virginia some things are taken VERY seriously. Pork products, farming, tourism and a stew that exists only there, Chicken Muddle. Some neighboring areas make a similar dish called Brunswick Stew. Some people like one, some people like the other and wars have been fought for less. Either dish is best prepared outdoors, often by volunteer firefighters or civic groups, and sold in quart sized containers. Very excellent stuff!

Edgar Morris was well known as one of the best Muddle cooks in the area when I was growing up. Luckily his Muddle preparation secrets (well, SOME of them!) were preserved on video.

Enjoy a bit of the lost South. Makes me hungry!

You want entertainment? Big Name Hollywood Entertainment? We've got ENTERTAINMENT right here in the Basement! Tonight we are proud to present Hollywood Palace, April 17, 1965. Shecky Green! A truly funny Scottish comic! Gordon and Sheila  MacRae! Spanish Dancers! Danish acrobats The Four Kents! And none other than Rufus T. Firefly himself, the inimitable Groucho Marx as your host! Including the final number, a little dittycalled "Captain Spaulding" with Margaret Dumont in her final stage appearance!

Hard to get much better than Groucho and Margaret together. Margaret was nearly the Marx Sister. She did seven films and several stage shows with the boys, playing the High Society foil to the Brothers. And she was brilliant doing it. Groucho said many times that Margaret never understood ANY of the jokes the Marx Brothers were doing. Harpo said the same in his fantastic biography "Harpo Speaks".

Margaret's career began in 1917 in silent films and ended with this performance. 57 films in total over 48 years! She was one of the best "straight men" that ever lived.


And without further ado, on with the show!

Jean Carroll appeared on the Ed Sullivan show more than 20 times. I'd never heard of her before tonight and WOW was this lady FAST! Give a watch and you'll see how she influenced the generations that have followed. I could see her doing a variation on this act today and killing with it.