Diggin' For Blossom

There are so many jazz vocalists nowadays that it is really difficult to keep track of every single one of them. I have never heard of Amy Cervini, a Canadian singer who has released a new album, "Digging Me Digging You," which is a Blossom Dearie tribute album.  A brilliant idea, it is, because Blossom was one of the greats in my book, a unique and distinct voice as there ever was in jazz history. At the same time, though, this has got to be the worst idea in the world because these songs are so iconic (especially the ones she wrote herself) and I don't know if I could listen to them without hearing Blossom in my head. The latter proves to be the case.  While Ms. Cervini is a good musician, her voice is colorless, and her style too generic to make a dent for these songs. One just wants to pull out Blossom's original versions of these songs as soon as one plays this album. It doesn't help that her arrangements - while strong - don't really offer much variation from the originals. Still, it is a treat to hear these songs, all my Blossom faves like "Hey John," which was written for John Lennon, who was a fan of Ms Dearie, and "Im Shadowing You," which is the best stalker song since "On The Street Where You Live."  As an album, this has got to have one of the best collection of songs - there's variety, there's depth, and there's a lilt in the mood that is carefree. And then I realize - those are adjectives that I could describe the whole Blossom Dearie experience. 

Love Potion

LP no 9 by Penhaligon was obviously named from the song, and is obviously marketed to a younger customer, somethign that the Penhaligon House needs to conquer.  Just look at the bottle, it looks like something you can get from Victoria's Secret (even the font is 'young')  It has a very citrussy opening, but it quickly goes into floral territory, then has a woody-ambery drydown. It is welldone, well-blended, and wears quite well, a little bit more formal, and is more suited for 'evening wear.' It is inoffensive, but also somewhat generic and kind of boring. I like it, but it just isn't unique enough for me to want to pull it out from my collection. I have had it for a while, and son't wear it often, only pulling it out today because it reminded me of Valentine's Day. It has good sillage, but not tenacious and overbearing. and right now as I write this, I forget it. And as for it's magical partner-baiting powers, well, I don't expect to be waking up with someone tomorrow. But then again, one can hope so let me spritz some more, just in case.

Empty Calories

Since it's Valentine's Day, I guess I should write about two love stories.  First up we have Lindsay Kelk's "Jenny Lopez Has A Bad Week,' which was a slim book, and to be honest, it was also slim on plot. Jenny Lopez was a character from the book I earlier read, "I Heart new York" and it was nice to revisit her character (and other characters) from that book, but there isn't much here. She comes back from California, and starts working for a public relations firm taking care of a bratty movie star. She ends up being that star's best friend, and then she meets a Swedish model who she thought was gay, and...well, that's about it. It was a very quick read, and was painless. But it was also empty calories. 

But nothing was emptier than Ally Blue's "Life Love and Lemon Cookies, which is also a slim book about Chris Tucker, a chef whose restaurant caught fire. He becomes unemployed, and starts losing his self esteem, driving his partner, Matt Gallagher crazy. Will this break up their great relationship? They go through a couple of fights, and some steamy sex scenes, and then Chris gets a bright idea from one of Matt's co-workers of a catering company. That's it, too, and this plot is even flimsier. Again, this was a painless read, and is as much empty calories as the cookies  that Chris bakes in the story. 


BC - 14/15

Smash Episode 2: Will She Be Your Star

Ep 02: Loving the show, and for the most part, I also love how we are seeing its structure. It is well-paced since I don't feel like it is testing my patience. I chose this picture above because even though they have built up this "rivalry" between Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katherine McPhee) I have never seen Kat as a blonde Marilyn until this episode, and I was kind of rooting for Ivy all this time because I thought she physically resembled Marilyn more, but after seeing Karen in action as Marilyn, I thought to myself, well she would be just as good. Even though I wished I liked the "20th Century Fox Mambo" number more (I feel like I have seen it all before) I think it was a well-done musical number, and I liked how they staged "Let Me Be Your Star" for the actual show. Debra Messing was good tonight, and even though I dislike the adoption storyline, I got misty when she read her letter. And Anjelica Houston - wow she is over the top here, and I fault the director. Must she act like she is in a soap, even though yeah, this is kind of a soap. All in all, though, I am beyond hooked and cannot wait until next week's episode.  

Time In New Orleans

On surface, this is yet another "standard" gay coming-of-age story, and that's fine by me. I love knowing how we all come to a certain place in our lives. This is a story of Mason, who grew up in rural Mississippi, and how he deals with being gay in his environment. He has a "best friend" Billy, who he is in love with and literally after graduation, Billy takes a bus to New York City. Mason gets to spend a weekend in New Orleans with his aunt who runs a drag queen theater, and he is hooked. It was a very interesting story, it didn't bore me, and I liked experiencing the flavor of New Orleans gay life, as I have never been there and have always heard that the scene over there is interesting. The characters were interesting enough, although some of the ones around the main character were stereotypes and were never fully developed. I kind of wish the novel were a bit longer, as I didn't want to say goodbye to Mason yet. There were more than a couple of typos, though, and find those a little unforgivable with published work. 


BC-13

Vow-entines

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for anything "romantic." So of course it would not be a shock that I saw "the Vow," this year's Valentine offering. If we were to just employ logic about this movie, then yes, one would say it is horrible and unrealistic. So the filmmakers more than once remind us that this is "inspired by a true story," and even show a picture of the inspirees at the end reel. So okay, let's suspend disbelief. I feel like we don't need to, because both Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams are terrific in this movie, and because of them, you believe. Tatum continues to surprise me, and he is really evolving to be a sensitive actor. Maybe because he is so beautiful that my expectations of his acting are lowered? Here, though, he is charming, and you can sense that he really took his time and effort into understanding his character. (At the same time, though, I am now kind of imagining the role being played a little darkly, maybe Johnny Depp, and wondering what kidn fo movie that would have been if it were the case) I thoroughly disliked McAdams in "Midnight In Paris," but we see her here bouyant and vibrant, and perfect, like she was in "The Notebook." And they have chemistry, so you end up rooting for them, even if the peopel around them are all two-dimensional. Jessica Lange here (my God, she looks awful - bad plastic surgery?) gets what I call the "Joan Allen" role - wherein the schemes and cheats only to have a small transformation at the end.  Haters of romantic movie will despise this movie, but for hopeless romantics like myself, this will be nirvana. I remember years ago when it was first released, "The Notebook" was reviled, but today it seems to have amassed a cult following. There are numerous songs on YouTube wherein sentimental songs are visually set to scenes from there, and every day I always see retweets of the user "TheNoteBook" wherein the owner quotes dialogue from it daily. I don't know if "The Vow" will have the same fate, but right here, right now, it made me think of love, of regrets, and made me hope for just a little bit. If only for that, my money spent has been well worth it. 

Roberta And The Beatles

Make no mistake, "Let It Be Roberta," Roberta Flack's tribute album to The Beatles is not your typical Beatles tribute album. Miss Flack doesn't treat these songs as museum pieces, because she knows that she can let these songs breathe, and they will be just as beautiful. And for sure, some of her arrangements are, shall we say, different enough that I have seen some violent reactions to them. My first reaction has been mixed : while on one side I applaud the brevity of the arrangements, the old-fashioned in me blinks at them. But maybe because I have always liked The Beatles songbook when reinvented, because (gasp) while I respect the original band, more often than not I don't find myself reaching out for their music. And I also feel that these arrangements will grow with me after repeated listenings. So yes, I love her most when she does an acoustic take of "Hey Jude," or when she does a quiet, contemplative version of "Here There Everywhere" ( a live recording) which ends the album. But this is, most of all, a soul album and it has tons of soul. Modern young producers like Sherrod Barnes have produced fun funky today-soundign arrangements that still sound spare and not over the top. And, Flack is still in good voice, fragile and sensitive when most needed, and strong and assertive at the same time. It is chameleon-like, effective on all settings. Heck, Yoko Ono herself has approved this recording. One last thing, though: what is up with the cover art? It is ugly, and looks like it was done by a five year old. Scratch that, a lot of five year olds can do a better job. 

To Be 29

"Regrets, I've had a few," so goes some of the lyrics from the song "My Way," and yes when we have lived a fuller life we find ourselves asking "what if..." and that is the premise of Adena Halpern's book "29."  A 75 year old woman blows her birthday cake and she wishes she were 29 for a day, and she wakes up and her wishes come true. So she spends a present-day as a 29 year old of her former self. It's a clever enough ploy for a novel, and I looked forward to reading it. For the most part, I had fun reading the book. I went along with it, and found it not too light, and there is a deep message in there that is uplifting and made me think about my life. I wish the tone was more even, as I was less interested in the cooky slapstick-y parts, but I understand why it was put there. I read recently that this book was bought to be developed as a motion picture(that was actually the reason why I pulled it out of my TBR pile) and I could see someone like Cameron Diaz having fun with it, and I actually think this might be one of those instances wherein it will make a better movie than a novel.  

BC-12

When One On One Doesn't Make Two

I was very hopeful about Rosie's show on OWN when it premiered last year, but the show never found the stride it was looking for. Rosie, as good as she is, never struggled in finding  a balance between..whatever she was looking for, and what was working, and what was not. In the middle of January, she debuted a new format - a one-on-one, face-to-face format that put her square and center with her guest, most of the time just one for a full hour. And as much as I try to like it, it just isn't working for me. I felt the "fun" energy was gone, and that was what made it very interesting for me. A lot of times, the conversations turn too "serious" for me, and maybe it's a personal thing, but it isn't what I am looking to watch when I come home from work. She has had more interesting guests - Kathy Griffin, Kristen Chenoweth - but the conversations to me were bland, and I found myself turning the show off after the second segment. I haven't taken it off my DVR list yet, but I get a sense that even Rosie isn't happy, and I think it may have to do with the fact that she isn't too comfortable in Chicago. Bring the show back to New York City, Rosie. I am sure you will find what you are looking for there. 

Start Spreading The News

It would be almost redundant to say that I love New York, and I loved "I Heart New York."  Life has been tough lately, for me, and for a lot of my friends, and I just want to escape sometimes, and this book is just what I need right now. Angela Clark is at her best friend's wedding and she discovers her fiancee schtumping someone at the back seat of his car and to make matters worse, all her friends knew about it and turned a blind eye. Hurt, she takes a flight to New York City, and starts a reinvention. As someone who lived in YC for 27 years, the next parts of the story, initially, were pretty hard to swallow. She befriends her concierge, she gets taken under her wings, and things start to magically happen for her. I know the city only too well and can say that things don't come too easy, but then I had to stop myself from analyzing and suspend disbelief, and told myself to just enjoy the story, pretend it's a fairy tale, and let go. And let go I did, and before I knew it I was immersed. Sure, there were very predictable twists, but Lindsay Kelk is clever enough of a storyteller that towards the end of the novel, Angela was faced with a dilemma, and what do you know - I was right there with her holding my breath - waiting for a final resolution to the plot twist presented. I adored the book, it made me feel young, it made me feel carefree, and it reminded me of how I felt once upon a time when I, too, was a young soul in a wonderful city that never sleeps. This book is like a sugary sweet cotton candy that made me laugh, made me smile, and made me feel alive! Sure, they were empty calories, but darnit, it felt so good going down. On days like lately, it was a welcome distraction.


BC-11

Prince Of Ides

I didn't realize that "The Ides Of March" was based on the play "Farragut North" until I was doing some reading about the movie earlier today and then I realized that Jake Gylenhaal was attached to the stage version of this material (John Gallagher Jr. ultimately played the part onstage) so I tried to do a visual test with Jake in the role of Stephen Myers, and lo and behold, I couldn't imagine the role being played by anyone other than Ryan Gosling. He is fantastic in this movie and he embodied the role so perfectly. I know most people think he should have been nominated for an Academy Award for "Drive" but I honestly think he was better here. He underwent a perfect transformation from an idealistic dreamer to a jaded man raped by politics. The last scene where director George Clooney gives him a blank closeup  was brilliant - it conveys the film's message in a single frame. What precedes it is a little bit of a mess, though. There are holes in the storyline, and the piece seems too small for a film, but Clooney is an actor's director (obviously being an actor himself) since this film is more about performances than the film itself. You see snaps of brilliance in the ensemble piece, each form a piece in a puzzle that doesn't really work as a whole. There's juice in Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Marisa Tomei's performances, even if at times what they are doing do not make much sense. The brightest shine, of course, is Gosling, and if you haven't gotten him before, you will surely do after this.

Brother Dearest

I just finished watching Madonna's fantabulous performance at the Super Bowl Half-Time show and thought about "Life With My Sister Madonna," By Christopher Ciccone, which I had just finished reading. I am a big Madonna fan, and think she has given a huge contribution to the music industry. There have been a zillion things written about her, and she has used the media to her advantage, so I don't think there were any big "surprises" to be gained from the book. So yeah, Madonna is cold and controlling - haven't we heard that about every successful woman out there - Barbra, Martha Stewart, Oprah. What is the big deal? If she was male, she would be a great manager, for that management style some say brings out the best in people, and for sure she has the success to show for it. In the beginning, I kind of felt a little bit of sympathy for Christopher, but as I read on, it becomes evident that he doesn't aspire to be anything but Madonna's bother. He feels like he has been used, he feels like he was responsible for her success, but he keeps on coming back to her over and over again. Can someone please give this guy some dignity and self-respect. Well, as it turns out, he admits to drug addiction among other things, and buy the end of the book, Madonna has almost cut him out of his life, and is not even close to any of her children. Can you blame her? I wouldn't want a leechy WeHo queen druggy influencing anything on my children either. I felt dirty after finishing the book, like I was contributing to his hot mess of a life. The greatest information I got from this book is the fact that during the Girlie Show tour, Madonna doused herself with her then-signature scent, Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion, which of course was very new around that time. All other accounts I have read say that she wears Fracas, so it seems that she loves white heady florals, and well, that just makes her more of my kind of girl!

BC-10

Quietly, Etta

Etta James passed away early this year, and for sure, her biggest achievement is her iconic rendition of "At Last," a song that will be associated with her name for years to come. No one can bulldoze blues and soul in a song like she can. But Etta James also shows her "quiet" side, and that's what I liked most about her. One of my favorite albums of her is 2006's "All The Way," where she is mostly contemplative and sensitive, but she never skimps soul in exchange. In this album, she shows restraint (something that Aretha Franklin can sometimes learn) and the effect can even be romantic! Who would have thought?! In the title track, she is robust but with the understated arrangement, the track is softened, and is a success. This was also an album where she dipped into more contemporary material, like R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," and Prince's "Purple Rain." I think they are both successful. She lets loose in the former, giving it the urgency it needs, and on the latter, she is bluesy and rock-y and soul-y and she gives everything to it, and most importantly, it is quite different than Prince's. She is a little lost on Bob Telson's "Calling You," but then most people who cover that song (even Celine, Barbra) don't do justice to Jevetta Steele's originals. This album got some negative notices when it first came out, and cohesively I would agree that it is disjointed. Taken tracks separately, they shine, but altogether, the full experience is all over the place. I think on some tracks, there's too much energy, and perhaps people are not too happy when she gets more laid back. It seems like there are two albums in here that never should meet. Still, it's ETta James and let's give props!

Leather Opulence

When I got into fragrance niche brands, I never turned my back on mainstream designer brands. I liked both, and appreciated commercial scents because there are days when I just want something uncomplicated and easy to wear. Last year, Bottega Veneta, the leather house, launched their first ever scent, and what do you know - it's a leather scent! It is refined, quite elegant, and expensive smelling. It would easily match when you are all "dressed up" and even if you are just wearign jeans, you would feel opulent. For some reason, though, it took me a while to just want a full bottle of it. The bottom base notes soured a little bit, and while I love the suede, I kind of felt some of the fruity sweetness (pink peppercorn?) clashed with the buttery suede of it. There is definitely something indolic in there, probably the jasmine. When my sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas, though, I thought about it and told her I wanted a small bottle of this. Now I think maybe I was just making excuses to *not* buy this, because I love it so very very much. The drydown, which was my biggest problem when I sampled it, is now my favorite part. It is so unique, a big departure to the ambery musky base that most commercial fares have nowadays. There is a melange of patchouli, oakmoss, and that buttery soft leather smells sweet but not sugary. It's instantly modern and classic at the same time. It really does smell like a handbag full of jasmine petals. And that is a good thing. 

Couches Are For Slepping When You're Bored

"On The Couch" is my first Alison Kwitney book, and even though I *should* have read her before, I haven't because I thought her books were "mystery" and "crime" with human emotion thrown in. But recently, I have been getting more and more interested in crime stories, so I said now would be the right time to start with her books. I randomly chose "On The Couch." It may not have been the wisest choice, and I hope it does not turn me off the genre. It's a hot mess - it couldn't decide if it wants to be a mystery, or a sexed-up love story, and neither part has any depth to be effective. It had a good premise, and I have no problems suspending disbelief for an interesting plot. It just dragged on and on, and as I continued reading, I cared less and less about the characters. Th "mystery" part wasn't intelligent enough for me to want to pay attention to it, and when it was "resolved," I think even the main characters were bored with the outcome. I'll do better next time. 

BC-9