News: Grammy noms., the numbers, health bulletin

Pink has scored the number one song in the nation with "Raise your Glass" according to Billboard's Hot 100. This is the young artist's third number one.

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has cancelled all of her concerts and appearances until next may due to health problems. She recently underwent surgery in Detroit that was reported to be successful. She is recovering.

In welcome contrast to the zillion "best of" lists that fly around this time of year, The Village Voice is counting down the 20 worst songs of 2010. Starting at #20 ("Rocketeer" by Far East Movement), they are currently up to #16, Lil Wayne's "Paradice". I can't wait to see what will be their number one pick.

The 2011 Grammy Nominations were announced this week. Rapper Eminem led the list with 10 nods including song, record, and album of the year. Next most nominated is newcomer Bruno Mars with seven, followed by Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum, and Lady Gaga with 6 apiece.

Mr. Excitement

I'm back with the Niles PL classic R&B album playlist.

Previously I had the deep and unequivocal enjoyment of hearing Ray Charles, The Birth of Soul , Fats Domino, Walking to New Orleans, and Etta James, At Last. Today's performer, Jackie Wilson, presents me with a problem. I'm not that crazy about him. I can recognize that he was an early and distinctive voice in the development of rock and roll. His vocal power and quality is simply amazing, at times operatic. He is said to have been an electrifying stage presence, the godfather of the godfather of soul, James Brown. This should add up to pure enjoyment, but the problem is the sentimentality, the dripping strings, and overall cheesiness of many of his arrangements. As Allmusic puts it, "...there is a consensus...among critics that Wilson was ... an underachiever in the studio, due to the sometimes inappropriately pop-based material and arrangements that he used." He misses.

But when Jackie Wilson is good, he rocks. Here he is singing, very soulfully, Higher and Higher.



Here, in contrast, is To Be Loved, an arrangement dangerously dipped in schmaltz (but you can tell what a great voice he has):

Wilson is listed at # 68 on the 2004 Rolling Stone list of greatest artists and his 1992 album, Mr. Excitement, is listed as # 235 of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Problem is, Mr. Excitement is out of print and unavailable in its entirety through our library system. The partial version I was able to hear had way too many egregious numbers such as the most dramatic and cheesiest Danny Boy you've ever heard. Fortunately better albums are available to borrow such as The Ultimate Jackie Wilson and The Very Best of Jackie Wilson. He is worth checking out.

Next time, I'll let you in on his short and tragic life story.

Holla for Lollapalooza! Grant Park, Chicago Aug 6-8

The much anticipated 3 day summer festival is back this weekend in downtown Chicago. It begins just after 11am Friday morning and ends Sunday night. Oh and don't forget about all the after shows that will be going on all weekend.

This year's festival is headlined by the likes of Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Soundgarden. Lady Gaga will undoubtedly put on a legendary performance, and I'm sure Green Day and Soundgarden will not disappoint fans. Some other highlights are Arcade Fire, Devo, Rogue Wave, Erykah Badu, Gogol Bordello, Yeasayer, and Wolfmother. Check out the entire line up and schedule at http://2010.lollapalooza.com

This is a great chance to enjoy some of your favorite bands and discover new talents as well. So bring your sunscreen and stay hydrated for this weekend of musical fun!

Hallelujah

This is an American Idol post, posted minutes before the start of the Wednesday elimination show that will reveal the final two. I was not inspired to dish about the final three performances, because I would just be repeating myself. Casey was indifferent, Crystal was good but not moving, and Lee knocked my socks off. The collective wisdom of the web is unanimous that Casey is going home tonight, but I wouldn't be surprised if Crystal were voted off. Critics have been predicting Casey's demise for weeks and it hasn't happened. And surprises are what American Idol is all about.

I loved, loved, loved Lee's Hallelujah. But I am posting tonight to call your attention to the reason why Hallelujah doesn't need to be sung by anyone else, even Lee. And that reason is kd lang. Without further ado, here she is:



Stunning. Idol Chatter has posted video of other performances that I haven't yet had a chance to listen to. But I did hear the late Jeff Buckley, who made the song famous, and he also does a wonderful job, but lower key than either kd or Lee. His version is included on Idol Chatter.

American Idol: 4 to 3, Movie Night

Well the competition is getting hot. We're going down to the final three. I would be able to whip up a frenzy of excitement if only movie night hadn't been so lame. What a disappointment. What stupid song choices. And Jamie Foxx? A great performer, but as a judge, Puleese!

4. Casey James personified lameness in his solo performance of "Mrs. Robinson" from The Graduate. First off, this song choice, about an older woman who seduces a young man, was embarrassing given the jokes throughout this season about Kara wanting to seduce Casey. Second, this song is satirical and only makes sense in that mode. Casey sang it wistfully, as if longing for Mrs. Robinson, while strumming a tiny guitar. Stupid, and as Simon said, the performance lacked substance. However, I predict that Casey is not going home this week.

3. That role belongs to Michael Lynche who sang "Will You Be There?" from Free Willy in a cheesy and insincere way. I guess that goes without saying, but Michael has more raw vocal talent that Casey, so I rate his performance higher. But why that song? Michael Jackson owns that song; it's sentimental, but while M. Jackson can transcend that, M. Lynche cannot.

2. As he does on rare occasions Lee DeWyze disappointed me a little in his solo performance. "Kiss From a Rose" from Batman Forever. This is a smoothly romantic song as sung by Seal, but I never would have picked this for gruff rocker Lee. As Randy sometimes says, it was a little sleepy. But I guess you could say that Lee was original in his version. It doesn't matter though. Lee is already a great musician as amply demonstrated in in this recording session:


1. Crystal Bowersox won the day with her big, energetic performance of "I'm Alright" from Caddyshack, a truly lame song and therefore a questionable choice. But Crystal was hands down better than Kenny Loggins, the originator of the song.

As for the duets, Lee and Crystal's version of the achingly beautiful "Falling Slowly" from Once was stunning. Their voices blended well, but I do think Lee outshone Crystal. Mike and Casey also did a nice job with "Have You Ever really Loved a Woman?" from Don Juan DeMarco. As opposed to all of the other songs presented tonight, these last two were really good choices.

American Idol: 5 to 4

How adorable is Harry Connick, Jr.? Almost as cute as Lee DeWyze, and that is saying a lot about why Mt. Prospect's own Lee DeWyze has a good chance of winning American Idol this year. Based on the judges' reaction to his performance tonight, they're pimping him for the win. They must think that he is a more marketable performer than Crystal Bowersox, and they are probably right.

Getting back to Harry Connick, Jr., what an awesome mentor. He arranged each song from the Frank Sinatra (aka Great American) Songbook to suit each voice and style, and he played the piano too. Impressive. But he couldn't work miracles. Here are my picks of the top 5, worst to best.

5. Casey James has to be headed home. He took a great song, Blue Skies, and used it to prove that he is in no way a solo performer. He was stiff, thin-voiced, uncomfortable, and bleating. Even the bluesy arrangement did him no favors.

4. Michael Lynch won strong praise from the judges for his rendition of The Way You Look Tonight, but I thought his performance was a travesty. This is one of the most beautiful and romantic songs ever written. It has to be sung warmly and kind of humbly, directed outward to the one who is being loved and admired. But Big Mike made it all about him and his drama. There was no sense of appreciation of the loved one. Watch this version by Phil Collins to see how it is supposed to be sung.



3. Why did Crystal Bowersox seem so draggy, especially in the first part of her version of Summer Wind? The judges liked her phrasing, but I thought that it was bad at the beginning of the song. She did pick up in the second half. She looked great, but is she losing her moxie? I also thought that this relatively obscure and unmelodious ballad was a poor song choice.

2. I loved Aaron Kelly's classic version of Fly Me to the Moon. I listened to most of it with my eyes closed so I wouldn't be distracted by Aaron's littleness, and I thought he sounded romantic and a little jazzy. It was a beautiful arrangement. Why didn't the judges like it?

1. In contrast to Crystal, Lee DeWyze made a great song choice, perfect for him. The band and the arrangement were also fabulous. I loved the interactions between Lee and his mentor Harry, and I loved that Lee wanted to give Harry the credit at the end. I was actually a little disappointed by Lee's voice quality on this song, but as usual it was a sincere and authentic performance.

This week it was easy to pick the worst. Did you vote for Casey to be eliminated in our American Idol Elimination contest? Keep voting for a chance to wind the grand prize. Three ipod shuffles will go the three people with the most right guesses throughout the run of the final six.

American Idol: Six to Five

I'm usually really good at being opinionated, but this week, I don't know. None of the performances was that bad given the poor quality of the material they were handed. Yes. I said it. Boo to Shania Twain whose cheesy ballads were co-written with her husband, who gets lead writing credit. No, she is not a great songwriter despite the American Idol hype machine, and I suppose that on Wednesday night we will find out that she is only an OK singer in a sexy costume.

6. Big Michael Lynche gets the boo-boo spot this week. Since I have no clue as to who will be going home, I might as well put my least favorite in last place. Last week, he did a good job. This week he was his usual schmaltzy self, trying too hard to be sensitive, overly dramatic, and coming off as insincere. Shania loved him-- he brought tears to her phony eyes-- as did the judges all except for Simon who called him "wet". I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that, but it somehow fits. He sang the egregious It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing.

5. Someone has to come in next to last, so I'll plug in Aaron Kelly who sang You've Got a Way. Actually he wasn't bad, and as the judges pointed out, he is country. Based on this performance I can't imagine that he'll be going home, but he is overall the weakest of the final six.

4. I was so surprised by the judges' love for Casey James rendition of Don't, that I had to hear it again. I also listened to Shania's performance of this song. First off, it's a whiny song with a weak melody, but on second listening I could see that Casey did a good job with it. Still, I find him weak. His voice is too small and tight and he is terminally stiff. I see him as a band member but not a lead performer.

3. I enjoyed Siobhan Magnus's performance of Any Man of Mine, and loved judge Randy's description of her as "country punk". She did well to choose an upbeat country-sounding song rather than one of Shania's tiresome ballads.

2. Lee DeWyze-- fill in the blanks. Loved, loved, loved. In You're Still the One he picked what has to be far and away the best song of this sorry songbook. And it fit him perfectly. Of course he suffered from being the first to sing.

1. Why did the judges react badly to Crystal Bowersox's warm and charming performance of No One Needs to Know? Were they trying to level the playing field? I thought it was great, and I loved her little band as well. Like Siobhan, she made the right song choice.

Who do you think will be eliminated? This week it's a hard question to answer, but come on and give it your best shot in our American Idol Elimination Contest. We'll have two winners drawn from the right choices. The ballot box is across from the AV desk on the first floor of the library.

American Idol: Getting to the Final Six

This week's theme, inspirational songs, could have really gone bad like stale cheese. The early report from Buddy TV is that it stank like Limburger. But I disagree, at least in part. As usual I thought Lee killed, and so did Crystal. At the top are my picks for the bottom three moving on toward the best.

But first a word about Alicia Keys as mentor. She seems like a lovely person, but, except in one case, she was was pretty bland. I thought that she gave Siobhan good technical advice leading to a more controlled performance.

7. Aaron Kelly got a good response from the judges for his performance of I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly - except for Simon who said that it was a gutsy choice but that he would have turned off the radio. Me too. It was vocally good, but an unconvincing performance of a cheesy song.

6. Casey James gave a lackluster performance of another slice of cheddar, Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac. At least the lyric fit his goofy grin. And while his body seemed a littler looser, his voice seemed to become stiffer. Casey has talent, but not that much. He could be in trouble this week.

5. Siobhan Magnus sang When You Believe by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, a big bite to swallow. Though her vocals were technically excellent, somehow the performance left me cold. Kara agreed, noting that the song was technically well sung, but not likable. Actually, Siobhan, a former front runner, could also be in trouble this week.

4. OK. I don't think Michael Lynche will be going home, but I hated his overly dramatic, pandering performance of Hero by Chad Kroeger. The vocals sounded ok, but that is not enough.

3. Based on the judges' and Buddy TV reaction, I should have put Tim Urban in the bottom three. But I actually liked his rendition of the Goo Goo Dolls' Better Days. I like the song, I like the Goo Goo Dolls, and I liked the way he sang it. Alicia Keys said that it gave her a good feeling, and I agree. I thought it was beautiful and sincere.

2. Crystal Bowersox gave a stunning performance of People Get Ready by the Impressions. It was incredible, but she spoiled it by breaking down in tears at the end. Rather than being a sentimental ploy, as in Big Mike, I think her tears were sincere, and that makes it worse. It was unprofessional to lose it completely like that. That is why she is in second rather than first place in my book.

1. Should I just copy what I have said about Lee DeWyze in previous posts? This was an emotional performance, but with contained emotions. As Alicia said, "You are the boxer." The Boxer is one of my all time favorite songs; I only wish it had been longer.

Don't forget that our American Idol Elimination Contest starts on Thursday April 22 following the Wednesday elimination show. Look for ballots at the AV desk on the first floor of the library. And play to win an ipod shuffle (we're giving away three) or one of ten weekly prizes.

American Idol: 9 to 7

We are nearing the final six and the start of our American Idol contest because, thanks to the judge's save, two performers will be going home this week. And it's Elvis week. America surprised me last week by kicking Michael Lynche to the curb. They showed good taste and made the right, if surprising, choice, but Big Mike might have redeemed himself this week. Let's see. Here are my picks in order, worst to last.

1. Last week, broken record that I am, I predicted that Andrew Garcia would be going home. I was almost right; he came in next to last. This time I'll be amazed if his heinous rendition of Hound Dog doesn't send him packing. By the way, I thought Adam Lambert made a great mentor. He was obviously and rightly unimpressed with Andrew. His comment "it's boring" was to the point.

2. Aaron Kelly tried, but running around the stage like a junior Elvis impersonator can't have helped him. He sounded good when he slowed down the second half of Blue Suede Shoes, but the contrast between his teeny tiny self and the King did him no good.

3. One of the things that spells danger for American Idol contestants is lack of consistency. Casey James is the poster boy for that. Last week I thought he gave the best performance. This week, his Lawdy Miss Clawdy (never heard of it) was dreadful. He was stiff as usual and had a really stupid grin pasted on his face. His singing lacked rhythm, and his voice was drowned out by the band.

4. Tim Urban is likely to stay around for a bit, and his singing Can't Help Falling in Love won't hurt him. But I think he did no justice to this song, one of my all time favorites and one of the most beautiful songs ever written. All you have to do is sing the notes and lyrics to sound good, and that is all that Tim did. Zero to hero? Please Simon.

5. I'm getting tired of Siobhan Magnus, and I think she may be a dark horse for going home this week. She is the opposite of Casey James in that she is consistently a woman who sings slowly and dramatically, a one trick pony. That said, she did a credible job with Suspicious Minds, and I loved her outfit.

6. I can't help liking Katie Stevens, and I love the song Baby What You Want Me to Do. Katie gave it her R&B all, head bob included, and that was quite good enough for me. It's likely that she'll be in the bottom three. In contrast with Siobhan though, her costume was a train wreck. She should wear more dresses.

7. Crystal Bowersox gave her usual excellent performance. Critics are beginning to say that she is in the Daughtry danger zone, a performer who is taken for granted and in danger of being voted off too soon. I rate her slightly down this week because I didn't buy her rock and roll growls on Saved. I liked the fancy electric guitar and the girl chorus.

8. It's Big Mike comeback week at American Idol. Michael Lynche's sincere and moving performance of In the Ghetto wasn't cheesy at all, but perfect. It was my all-time favorite of his performances.

9. What more can I say about Lee DeWyze? That his version of Conversation was better than Elvis'? Well it was. This man has a musical career ahead of him no matter what happens.

American Idol: 9 to 8

Its Beatles week on American Idol, a theme sure to raise the ire of this old Beatles fan, but the show turned out to be kind of meh. Listed from worst to best below, the order of performances kind of went that way. My opinions of some of the singers turned around, making this a kind of bizarro Idol.

9. Andrew Garcia sang Can't Buy Me Love. Just as I, in a way, criticize Crystal Bowersox for being too consistent, I have to knock Andrew for his inconsistency. Last week he was only under Lee DeWyze in greatness. this week, though it was hard to pick the worst, he did slaughter that song. I give him props for trying to recapture the peppy spirit of the early Beatles, but I don't see that it's right to distort, er, change the melody of a song the way he did. Simon called him a wedding singer.

8. Katie Stevens singing Let it Bleed, a dull and predictable choice made me and the judges switch places. They loved her. I hated her. Other bloggers were going on about how great her voice sounded. I thought it was strained and shrill. Her version of this song was heavy, draggy, and schmaltzy.

7. Aaron Kelly sang Long and Winding Road. It's interesting that the youngest singers don't get the Beatles' lightness. Partly it was the lightness of their voices that made almost maudlin songs pass. Aaron sang this like an old fashioned crooner; I kept thinking Perry Como. It was all wrong. The judges agreed with me that it was boring. I think Andrew and Katie will be in the bottom 3, and probably Aaron as well.

6. Tim Urban came up a notch with his rendition of All My Loving. Here is a young performer who does get the Beatles' spirit. This song was the right choice for him. The judges agreed with me that he was much better than last week.

5. Michael Lynche as usual got high praise from the judges. They generally loved his dramatic version of Eleanor Rigby, but of course I'm not so sure. It wasn't bad. I especially liked his use of falsetto, but can you make this song too dramatic? Yep. Mike was over the top.

4. Siobhan Magnus partially redeemed herself with this quiet and delicate version of Across the Universe. She had to prove that she could be restrained and that she doesn't have to end every song with a scream. This song also showed off the greatness of her voice. But I thought she was too restrained. I also didn't like her heartfelt tears of emotion during the judging. Didi went home.

3. Surprise. I am not putting Lee DeWyze in first place this week. But I did love his joyous rendition of Hey Jude, not my favorite Beatles song. But he made me love it. He was better than the Beatles. (You will note that I am trying to be objective here.) He gets points down for the practical joke of the bagpiper, and, his vocals were a hair less than perfect. The judges loved him, but Simon agreed about the bagpipes.

2. Casey James surprisingly chose Jealous Guy, a late John Lennon song that I haven't heard in many years. I just listened to John Lennon's version, and I have to say that Casey did very well, but it gave me a dose of John Lennon grief. He was smart to pick something less familiar that he could give a blusey spin to. The judges thought it was the best performance of the night so far.

1. This time Crystal Bowersox killed with a great version of a great song, Come Together. I, along with the judges loved her confident and spirited rendition of this song, and Simon noted her smiles and warmth.

We will be down to 8 finalists this week. Our American Idol contest starts the week we go down to six. Starting the Thursday after the final six are announced, you get to vote each week for the contestant you think will be eliminated next. Weekly prizes are awarded by drawing from all the right guesses, and this year there will be 3 grand prizes. We are giving away ipod shuffles to the three winners who have had the most right guesses. So vote every week. We take entries by email or in person at the library up to 6pm on Wednesdays (before the results show). Only Niles cardholders are eligible for prizes.

American Idol: Lee DeWyze Kills

Can you tell what I'm getting at with the title of this post? No? Maybe it will become clearer as we review together your top ten American Idol contenders on R&B night, starting, for a change, with the absolute best.

1. Lee DeWyze killed. He sang Treat Her Like a Lady by The Cornelius Brothers, a fine song delivered with driving soul by the great Lee DeWyze. The judges, along with this week's mentor Usher, were stunned.

2. Andrew Garcia lacks a big voice, but it is distinctive. He redeemed himself from all charges of mediocrity tonight with his sincere, light R&B delivery of Forever by Chris Brown. The judges loved him and were pleased for him that he did so well. I've been a fan of his all along, and I also loved his mother's performance when she stormed the stage to scold Simon for saying that her son has no personality (not true).

3. I toyed with putting Casey James ahead of Crystal Bowersox this time, but she really did a fine and soulful job with Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips. The judges loved her with Simon adding that she seemed uncomfortable. I don't know why she is beginning to leave me cold. Maybe she is too consistent. She doesn't seem quite real to me, more like a big beautiful wind-up doll.

4. I have not been a fan of Casey James, but I loved his blusey rendition of Hold on I'm Coming by Sam & Dave. Randy and Simon liked him a lot but the ladies were lukewarm. I was unimpressed with his guitar work this time.

5. This time around, Mike Lynche was restrained, but I found his rendition of India. Arie's Ready for Love to be pretty but kind of boring. He tried to take Usher's advice to "really connect" with audience by sitting facing them with his back to the judges. That was weird. I still find him smarmy, but the judges loved him.

6. Katie Stevens gets no respect from the judges. I thought she made a bold choice and gave a credible performance of Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin. She was very R&B; she even had R&B hair. The judges generally liked her, but Ellen beat her up with the senseless advice to be more youthful and current, and Simon called her cold and robotic (?). Girl can't win.

7. Sad to say, Siobhan Magnus was not among my top picks this week because her performance of Chaka Kahn's Through the Fire was unimpressive, high-pitched scream and all. She is getting a little predictable. The judges basically agreed. She also should stop trying so hard to look edgy. The prom dress with combat boots she wore a few weeks ago was her high point. Last night's outfit was incoherent. It's interesting that all the advice Usher had for her concerned her appearance.

8. I liked Aaron Kelly's Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers immortalized last season on Idol by Kris Allen. But it didn't stand out and of course suffered in comparison with Kris's version. The judges didn't love it or hate it. Simon compared him to a cupcake. Cute.

9. It was a toss up for the going home spot between Tim Urban and Didi Benami. As little as I liked Tim's performance, I have to say it was better than Didi's. He tried something different with Sweet Love by Anita Baker. His vocals weren't bad, but he had no R&B cred whatsoever. He took Usher's ubiquitous advice to "connect with the audience" very literally by aiming a scary, crazy- eyed stare into the camera throughout the whole song. The judges hated him, but as Simon said it doesn't matter. He has fans.

10. Bye bye Didi. You have so far given the two worst performances on American Idol this (or any) season with Stand By Me and last night with the annoying What Becomes of the Broken Hearted originally sung by Jimmy Ruffin. And that includes Paige Miles. The tempo was off, as was the tune. It was an embarrassing, stumbling performance and the judges rightly hated it. And guess what? I don't care about your tears and emotions. I don't want to know.

Did you all hate Didi too? By the way, if you're reading this you must already know, but just in case you don't, the American Idol performances are usually available the day after on YouTube, as are the original versions. I just listened to Jimmy Ruffin. Not my favorite song, but a masterpiece compared with Did's version.

American Idol: The Tour Elimination, 11 to 10

After tonight's elimination, the ten remaining competitors will be part of the American Idol Tour this summer. This is a big deal, as Judge Simon reiterated last night: it means a paycheck and big exposure. So who will be going home?

11. My pick for elimination this week has to coincide with everyone else's, but note that many predictions for this season have already been dead wrong. While I didn't hate her as much as the judges did, Paige Miles singing Phil Collins' Against All Odds really wasn't on tune throughout most of her performance. But she tried. She lost the smile and showed emotion. Too bad, but as Billboard said, "Cute shoes, though."

10. If Paige Miles had performed better, I would really be wishing for Tim Urban's elimination. He sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen (!?) in the most pandering manner possible, and came off as if he were in a high school talent show. Simon said that he needs singing lessons if he plans to stay in the competition. But young girl voters are likely to keep him around for the tour.

9. Andrew Garcia made a bit of a mess out of Marvin Gaye's I Heard it Through the Grapevine. His voice was ok, but he was a little choppy vocally and more than awkward in his movements. He looked cute in his rehearsal hat though. The judges didn't mention his hat, but they hated his performance.

8. As usual, I didn't think Katie Stevens was bad. She sang Fergie's Big Girls Don't Cry, and she tried to rock out in a youthful way. Her voice sounded strained to me, and I realized that she is not that good vocally. The judges were lukewarm, with Kara saying that Katie had found her niche and Simon saying the opposite.

7. Casey James, a decent singer and guitarist, is slipping in my opinion. He is too low key of a performer, veering close to dullness. He definitely should have been on his feet and moving during The Power of Love by Huey Lewis. Again Kara and Simon disagreed: Kara - "You're in the zone." Simon - "No originality." As usual, I agree with Simon.

6. Aaron Kelly gave a good but forgettable performance of I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith. He is rising in my opinion, and the judges all liked him.

5. The judges all hated Didi Benami's performance of You're No Good by Linda Ronstadt. I didn't think it was that bad. It was strong and dramatic, almost loungey, but it rose above that level to me. I think that Didi, with her stink-face, will be going on tour.

4. Surprise! I liked Mike Lynche's performance of Michael Bolton's When a Man Loves a Woman. I thought it was very classic R&B with beautiful vocals, although maybe a bit overdone at the end (except for the falsetto). However, the judges criticized him for the same indulgent cheesiness that I have been noticing all along, except for last night.

But that's what I love about American Idol. You can never predict who will emerge as the best or worst. It has to do more with character and perseverance rather than pure vocal talent.

3. Crystal Bowersox is clearly a very good performer, but she is not growing on me. She is also not Janis, and I don't think she should ever sing another of her songs. I think the judges overloved her rendition of Me and Bobby McGee, one of Janis' worst songs. She had a weak beginning and a shout out at the end that kind of came from nowhere. That said, she is still one of the best in the contest, but she needs to show more versatility.

2. Siobhan Magnus also needs to stop screaming. But she is still a great performer and her take on Stevie Wonder's Superstition was wonderful. I love the way she fearlessly takes on the greats like Stevie and Aretha and succeeds. That is the kind of character that makes a winner.

1. I am hopelessly in love with Lee DeWyze's unpretentious performances. He tried something different this time in his take on The Letter by the Box Tops led by the recently deceased Alex Chilton. He jazzed it up with necklaces and a suit, and looked good and sounded great doing it. The readers and bloggers over at Buddy TV don't seem to like him as much a s I do, but what do they know?

By the way, Miley Cyrus as mentor? A peculiar choice, but she did a better job than I expected. I liked the way she talked to Siobhan Magnus, as if she were an equal, and I liked the way Crystal Bowersox talked to her, as if she weren't a kid. But I was disturbed by the coarseness of her manner and appearance and got a flash of Lindsay Lohan. I will bite my tongue for saying that.

American Idol: The Final 12

Last week American Idol was a terrible shock for me. I thought Lilly Scott and Alex Lambert were two of the most promising contestants, and I liked Katelyn Epperly as well. I can't believe they were voted off. This week was hard for me in a different way, because I love the Rolling Stones, arguably the best rock and roll band ever to exist, perhaps even to this day. With every song of the Rolling Stones songbook, especially those done by less than worthy performers, I heard the Stones in my mind, making the performances sound even worse. With that true confession out of the way, here is my list for this week, worst first.

12. Tim Urban What was that mess he made out of Under my Thumb, one of the most hostile and aggressive songs ever written? With his weak voice, he tried to sing it as a jolly and romantic Reggae song? What? The judges hated it as much as I did. Get out now. Goodbye.

11. Lacey Brown, inevitably paired with Tim as the worst, although sadly only one can go home this week. She didn't get the mystery of Ruby Tuesday but only parroted the lyrics and tune. As Simon said, she acted it.

10. Andrew Garcia picked a hard song to sing in Gimme Shelter. The song was too much for his voice, and his performance lacked flow. The judges didn't hate it, but didn't like it much either.

9. Katie Stevens gave a controlled performance of Wild Horses, a haunting song that was a little too much for her. Her voice didn't sound great. I still think she has promise as a singer, and the judges liked her, but I don't think she'll go far in the contest.

8. The judges loved Casey James' performance of It's All Over Now, but I disagreed. I liked his performance in part, but he countrified the song (never good in my book) and, like Andrew, lacked flow.

7. Paige Miles's version of Honky Tonk Woman wasn't bad. She showed a lot of spirit and had a feeling for the original. But she was a little awkward. The judges like her big voice and liked this performance.

6. I'm trying to be objective about Michael Lynche, but I really dislike him. He picked the worst, lamest, and most forgettable Rolling Stone song, Miss You, and sang it as an R&B number. All of the judges but Simon loved it. Simon called it at little cheesy and desperate; he nailed it. Last week one of the bloggers (I forget who) described Lynche's performances as "point and preen." That nails it as well.

5. Didi Benami gave a dramatic, slowed down performance of Play With Fire, which was a good song choice for her. I thought it was a little slick, but good over all. The judges agreed that it was a solid performance.

4. Aaron Kelly surprised me with his solid performance of Angie, a great song choice for him. He seemed mature and assured. Simon correctly observed that he picked the right song for his vocal limitations, although I thought he was in great voice.If only he could look a little older.

3. Crystal Bowersox disappointed me a little this week with her performance of You Can't Always Get What You Want. She did convey the spirit of the original, but all the judges agreed that it wasn't her best performance.

2. I love Lee Dwyze's voice. Beast of Burden is a wonderful song, but an unambitious choice. Nevertheless, I could listen to Lee's unpretentious, authentic singing all day long. All the judges loved it, but Simon thought that the performance didn't shine. I can sort of see why he said that, but I don't agree.

1. Siobhan Magnus killed with her dramatic and fearless performance of Paint It Black. She channeled Mick Jagger, but delivered the song in her own way. The judges were just as bowled over as I was.

American Idol Third Elimination: 16 to the final 12

This is a big week for American Idol. It ends in the naming of the final 12 competitors, to be announced Thursday night. Imagine my despair when my DVR failed me on Tuesday night. That's right. I didn't get to the see the women perform. I did catch the men on Wednesday, but everyone gave such good performances that I am in serious doubt about my picks to go home. So today, I'll refer to my fellow American Idol bloggers to find a consensus on who was best, who was worst, and who will be eliminated.

My favorite American Idol site, Buddy TV, polled its readers' comments and its own experts, coming up with slightly different lists from each source. Everyone agrees, however, that Paige Miles (pictured) will be one of the women going home. The pick for the other woman due to be voted off was split among Katelyn Epperly, Lacey Brown, and Katie Stevens. I hope it's Lacey Brown. Apparently she gave a good performance on Tuesday, but I just don't think she is a relevant performer in the current pop music scene. Neither is Katie Stevens, but I think she has a place in the nostalgia/American Songbook market.

The Wall Street Journal (a blog I hadn't seen before today) picked Paige and Katie Stevens for the off. Idol Blog Live actually did my job and summarized the picks of 10 critics from all around the net. Seven out of 10 bloggers picked Paige and 6 out of 10 picked Katie. It might go without saying, but Vote for the Worst named Paige Miles as worst girl. Sot it looks like Paige Miles and Katie Stevens are going home, although I'm still hoping for Lacey.

As for the boys: Buddy TV readers are split among Todrick Hall, Andrew Garcia, and Aaron Kelly (pictured), but they and the Buddy TV critics agree on Todrick and Aaron. To complicate matters, Vote for Worst picks Tim Urban. The Yahoo music blog, Reality Rocks, also picked Tim Urban to go home and paired him with Andrew Garcia. EW's Pop Watch agreed about Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia.

Apart from Aaron Kelly, who gets the most mentions as the loser this week, picking the worst guy seems a hard choice. Based on what I saw last night, I pick Andrew Garcia for the second off. I like his voice, but I think he gave the weakest performance. He seemed strained and uncomfortable. I don't think that Tim Urban and Toderick Hall will last too long in the competition, but it seems like Andrew's turn to go home this week. Aaron, on the other hand, gave a good performance, pretty mature for 16. But someone has to go.

As with the girls' Lacey Brown, who I don't think will last, I love to hate Michael Lynche, who might make it far this year, although I don't see him as the winner. I can't see why the judges all went insane over him last night. He still seems insincere to me, although he is skilled at acting as though he feels his performances, and he does have a good voice. But the contest is not just about vocal ability. His movements seemed as if he worked them out carefully before hand ("on this note I'll stomp, and here I'll turn around") but tried to make them look spontaneous. At one point I caught him looking at the camera out of the corner of his eye, as if to catch his reflection. Maybe he'll grow on me.

Etta At Last

What a strong, clear voice. The album At Last apparently represents Chess Records' attempt to propel Etta James into the pop mainstream. It opens on "Anything to Say You're Mine" with lush violins, but Etta's first note is full of soul. She wails this song. The next song, "My Dearest Darling", has a strong country tinge. "A Sunday Kind of Love" is pure jazz. "I Just Want to Make Love to You, " of course, could not be more bluesy, growl and all. Etta James reminds me of Ray Charles in being an accomplished and convincing performer in all styles. At Last Made #116 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Albums.

While she is often classified as an R&B singer, she is equally good at rock, blues, and jazz. In an article in Rolling Stone Bonnie Raitt wrote “ Anybody who has a bluesy side...can point to Etta James as the bridge between R&B, blues, and pop singing.”

Born Jamsetta Hawkins in Los Angeles on January 25, 1938, James began singing solos in church at the age of five. By the time she was 14, James had formed a singing group, the Creolettes, with two other girls. In 1955, when she was 17, two of her songs, recorded on the Modern Records label, become top ten R&B hits.

By the late 1950s, James' career was lagging until a lucky break brought her to Chicago. Here, she drew the attention of Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records which had been gaining recognition for recording such artists as Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. With producer Jerry Wexler, James recorded a series of successful jazz and soul hits for Chess and its subsidiary Argo. James’ relationship with Chess Records and its founder is covered in the film Cadillac Records which features Beyonce in a great performance as Etta James.

James’ personal life was out of control by the time she was 21, when she became addicted to heroin. She did go on to produce Call My Name, a well-received blues album and to record “I’d Rather Go Blind" an incredible R&B ballad. In 1974, she entered a drug rehabilitation program in Los Angeles.

After this she pulled her life together and went on to tour and record, becoming recognized as an R&B legend. She received two awards from the NAACP in 1990 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2003 she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked her #62 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Early this year, 2010, Etta James at age 72 was hospitalized for sepsis following a urinary tract infection, according to her son, Donto James. She was also treated for dependence on painkillers. As of early March, the time of this writing, she is still hospitalized in Los Angeles, but hopes to eventually return to performing.

Etta James at Niles library
Blues to the Bone Her Best
Let’s Roll Deep in the Night
Blue Gardenia Time After Time
Matriarch of the Blues Mystery Lady
At Last! Rocks the House
Heart of a Woman all in Blues & Jazz
Life, Love and the Blues

(all selections in Blues & Jazz)

Here is Etta James performing her well known ballad, "At Last."

Sources (all online): Rolling Stone Magazine, "100 Greatest Artists of All Time"

All About Jazz, "Etta James, Vocalist"

Wikipedia, "Etta James"

Allmusic "Etta James"

Urban Mecca.com

American Idol Second Elimination: 20 to 16

Before rating Tuesday night's boys' performances, I just have to say a word about the judging. Why is Ellen Degeneres a judge? Her comments are so tentative and bumbling, her humor is so flat, and her ideas are completely generic and derivative of the others' comments. She doesn't seem to have an idea in her head. Oppositely, I have come to value Kara DioGuardi. Her comments make sense to me and she has authority in that she is a music producer and song writer. Does Kara agree with me about the boy rankings for this week? I don't know, but as always, I have my opinions. PS: Last week I only got one out of four right.

The performances are ranked from worst to best. In a fair world, the worst would be voted off, but it doesn't always happen that way. I still predict that the first two in each list will get the boot.

10. John Park sang Gravity by John Mayer and made it boring to the nth degree. Sorry Northbrook. If he stays, it's only because he's cute.

9. Jermaine Sellers is not as cute. He slaughtered What's Going On by the great Marvin Gaye. There wasn't much song left after he pulled out all of his vocal falsettos and other tricks.

8. Tim Urban, current Vote for the Worst poster boy, sang Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson. He was much better than last week, but still lacked charisma, distinction, and a good voice. Ellen gave her only good advice of the night: get a job on Glee.

7. Todrick Hall, What's Love Got to Do With It by Tina Turner. What? Dramatic but self indulgent with weak vocals. He gets credit for trying something different.

6. Aaron Kelly destroyed the delightful My Girl by the Temptations by adding countless vocal runs. He is only 16 years old, and it shows.

5. Michael Lynche gave a good, professional performance of This is a Man's World by James Brown. But unlike the judges and all the other American Idol bloggers, I don't like him. I think there is something fake about him. He is an actor, and I feel that he is acting his performances.

4. But I love Alex Lambert (pictured above), who sang Everybody Knows by John Legend. He has a distinctive voice and style, and a lot of sincerity.

3. Andrew Garcia has taken a lot of flack for his recent performances. The judges criticize him whatever he does. I think he has a great voice and a lot of restrained soul, although he was a little stiff. He sang You Give Me Something by James Morrison.

2. Likewise, Casey James, who played guitar and sang I Don't Want to Be by Gavin McGraw, was inexplicably slammed by the judges. His guitar playing was great, and I liked his voice. He performs with understated authority.

1. I have fallen hard for Lee DeWyze. He sang Lips of an Angel by Hinder, and is no longer a dark horse. His vocals this time reminded me of Eddie Vedder. He is an authentic artist.

Top Ten Girls

There were a lot of outstanding girls' performances on Wednesday night.

10. Unfortunately, Haeley Vanghn's wasn't one of them. She sang The Climb by Mikey Cyrus, and the judges hated it as much as I did. Haeley is the girl pick on Vote for the Worst. At 16, she is simply not ready for this competition, if she will ever be.

9. Didi Benami is a more interesting and competent singer than Haeley Vaughn, but her performance of Lean on Me by Bill Withers was excruciating both vocally and rhythmically. Maybe she has potential, but if she could be this bad, she deserves to go home.

8. Lacey Brown, singing Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer, was bouncy and better than last week, but kind of generic and forgettable.

7. Katie Stevens to me, is an interesting performer. She is only 17, but seems made to sing torchy old ballads of the 1940s and 50s. The judges want her to be youthful though, so she sang Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae in a meh performance.

6. Michelle Delamore competently performed With Eyes Wide Open by Creed, a risky choice. She did very well, but she just isn't that lovable.

5. Paige Miles, a more likable performer, rocked out with Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson, a song written by Kara DioGuardi. I though she was a little shouty, but good.

4. Here is where it gets difficult, because the remaining performers were all great. Katelyn Epperly played piano and gave an intense, drawn out performance of The Scientist by Coldplay. In a lesser field, she would have stood out more. The judges criticized her for being too versatile, which I don't quite get.

3. Lilly Scott. I love her. She gave an offbeat, distinctive, and moving performance of one of my favorite songs, A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke.

2. Siobhan Magnus (pictured above). Could this girl be any more quirky and interesting? She gave a fearless belt out of Think by Aretha Franklin, in the style of Aretha Franklin. It was wonderful.

1. Crystal Bowersox is the girls' Lee DeWyze. She played guitar and sang Long as I Can See the Light by CREEDENCE. It was an authentic and stunning performance, organically felt.

We will post the eliminations on the signs in the AV area on the first floor. Check us out and see if I got it right.

American Idol First Elimination: 24 to 20

I'm posting this on Thursday morning, the day after the first two groups of 12 contenders have had their turns - girls on Tuesday, boys on Wednesday. The results will be announced this evening when 2 boys and 2 girls will be eliminated from the competition. Here are my picks in order, with the worst first. I predict that the first 2 in each list will go. Let's see if I'm right.

Top 12 Girls

12. Haeley Vaughn
I Wanna Hold Your Hand by the Beatles
Horrible beyond description; hideous voice, no tune or rhythm

11. Lacey Brown
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Bad phrasing, breathing forced, dull

10. Ashley Rodriguez
Happy by Leona Lewis
Completely forgettable, you''d never pay to see this performance

9. Paige Miles
All Right now by Free
Well done, but not outstanding; hurt by getting the first slot

8. Michelle Delamor
Falling by Alicia Keys
Polished, but not melodic or memorable. I don't think this will be the year of the diva.

7. Janell Wheeler
What About Love by Heart
Pretty but small voice, unusual delivery

6. Didi Benami
The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson
Trendy style, sweet sound, seemed into the song

5. Katie Stevens
Feeling Good by Michael Buble
Sultry performance from such a young girl; silvery voice

4. Lilly Scott
Fixing a Hole by the Beatles
Unique, jazzy version of a Beatles song; want to see more of her

3. Sibohan Magnus
Wicked Games by Chris Isaak
Unusual voice with very deep tones; very good performance

2. Katelyn Epperley
Oh Darling by the Beatles
It was a toss up between Katelyn and Crystal Bowersox for first, but I went for the rocker; sophisticated and confident torchiness

1. Crystal Bowersox
Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morisette
Authoritative voice, good phrasing, honest performance

Top 12 Boys

12. Tim Urban
Apologize by One Republic
The only thing that will keep him on is if people feel sorry for him; horrible voice and falsettos.

11. Tyler Grady
American Woman by the Guess Who
Embarrassing. He tried to rock, but only faked it.

10. Aaron Kelly
Here Comes Goodbye by Rascal Flatts
Poor movements, weak voice, smarmy ballad

9. John Park
God Bless the Child
A bit of a train wreck, garbled lyrics, insincere delivery

8. Todrick Hall
Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Choppy delivery, gimmicky arrangement, not good, but at least he tried something.

7. Michael Lynche
This Love by Maroon 5
Poor voice quality, ok performance but a little dull

6. Jermaine Sellers
Get Here by Oleta Adams
Bad faces, great voice, I disagree with Simon that he blew it, but I don't think he'll last.

5. Alex Lambert
Wonderful World by James Morrison
He deserves a chance for his potential; poor, nervy performance, but wonderful voice.

4. Joe Munoz
You and I Both by Jason Mraz
Relaxed, confident, distinctive voice; well done

3. Casey James
Heaven by Bryan Adams
Excellent, almost perfect, but a little too country for my taste

2. Andrew Garcia
Sugar We're Going Down by Fallout Boy
Great voice, sounds a little like Dave Matthews, not perfect but very good

1. Lee Dewyze
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
I loved this; great guitar and voice; beautiful song, unpretentious performance

Patsy Cline: Sweet Dreams Still

Meet me at the big screen in the Large Meeting Room tomorrow (Saturday February 13) at 2:00 PM for a Valentine. We will be featuring the heartbreak girl of country music, Patsy Cline, in a film anthology of performances from throughout her short career. And, in honor of the sweetness of the day, we will have refreshments. The name of the film is Sweet Dreams Still.

As one of the greatest female country music singers of all time, Patsy Cline has become a legend, perhaps owing in part to her early death. Patsy was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester Virginia on September 8, 1932. As a young child, Patsy was interested in dancing like her idol, Shirley Temple and in singing like Judy Garland. Later she learned to play piano by ear and began singing. She sang with perfect pitch.

She began her recording career in the mid 1950s. Her first recording contract with Four Star records limited her repertoire to songs by Four Star composers which boxed her in to a rockabilly style that did not suit her powerful voice. She had few hits and little success until after 1960 with her recording of “I Fall to Pieces”.

Patsy’s career remained hot despite her injuries in a severe auto accident in 1961, which was the second of two she experienced during her life. After her recovery from the severe injuries she sustained, she followed up with hit recordings of “Crazy” , written by a young Willie Nelson, and “She’s Got You” , both released in 1961.

Still in her prime and near to the top of country music fame, Patsy’s life was cut down when she died in a small-plane crash at the age of 30. In 2002 she was named by the country music industry as one of the 40 greatest women in country music and in 1999, she was voted number 11 on the VH1 list of the 100 greatest women in rock and roll.

lick on this link for a YouTube video of Patsy Cline singing "Crazy".

The Fat Man

The four-disc CD set, Walking to New Orleans is number two on the Niles Library R&B Album Playlist. The man himself, representing classic New Orleans R&B, is at number 25 on the Rolling Stone Magazine 2004 list of the 100 greatest artist of all time.

Born Antoine Dominique Domino in New Orleans in 1928, Fats Domino first drew public attention in 1949 with his Imperial Records releases. The 1949 song “Fat Man” is often considered to be the first rock and roll record. “Fat Man” began a series of hits culminating in the crossover hit “Ain’t That a Shame” in 1955 which made the pop top ten.

The song “Fat Man” brought Fats in contact with Dave Bartholomew, a producer who became Domino’s songwriting partner and an important element of his success. In his Rolling Stone write up on Fats, New Orleans musician Dr. John gives credit to Bartholomew: “ He had the sense to go with the best-feeling take….People would have missed something great about Fats if they had just heard the more ‘correct’ takes—the ones without that extra off-the-wall thing that Fats would bring.”

Fats changed labels and continued to record until around 1970, and he continued to perform live as well. He retired from performing in the 1980s, no longer wanting to leave New Orleans partly because he couldn't get food he liked any place else. Domino’s home in New Orleans was flooded during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and a rumor surfaced that he had died. It turns out that he and his wife had been rescued by a coast guard helicopter and sheltered in Baton Rouge. In 2006, President George W. Bush personally delivered a replacement for the National Medal of the Arts that Fats had been awarded by President Bill Clinton and that was lost in the flood.

While not considered to be a musical innovator, Fats Domino’s recordings stand as among the warmest and most approachable in all of R&B. He remained consistently popular well into the rock and roll era. In 2007 he was honored with Offbeat Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Beatles song “Lady Madonna: was written as an homage to Domino’s style. As of this writing he is 81 years old.

Each of the four discs in this outstanding collection is a smile-maker. Like the Ray Charles album, The Birth of Soul, the songs are arranged chronologically. The liner notes indicate the year of release and chart rankings for each song. Throughout the 1950s Fats had a string of hits which began to taper off in the 60s. Generally he ranked higher on the R&B charts than the pop, but later in his career Fats began to show up on the pop charts only. Some of his highest ranking songs include The Fat Man (#2 R&B); Going to the River (2 R&B, 24 pop); All By Myself (1 R&B); Blueberry Hill (1 R&B, 2 pop; and I'm Walking (1 R&B, 4 pop).

Fats Domino has a warm New Orleans accent and a gently rocking style heard well on Goin' Home (disc 1) and Blue Monday (disc 2). Other highlights include the classic, smooth, Blueberry Hill (disc 2), Walking to New Orleans (disc 3), a loping stroll, and My Girl Josephine (disc 4), a slow jitterbug with minimal instrumentation. This four disc set is not currently available through our library system, but is on order for our collection.

2009: The Year in Music, Part Two

September began the year of Taylor Swift

This country/pop princess loomed large this month, and into the end of the year. As she was accepting her award for best female video at the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony, rapper and gonzo critic Kanye West stormed the stage and cut off her acceptance speech, declaring that Beyonce had the best video and deserved the award instead of Swift.

But never mind. Swift proved that success is the best revenge as she finished the year with a near sweep of the CMA (Country Music Association) awards in November. She was awarded for album of the Year (Fearless), music video of the year, female vocalist, and entertainer of the year. Previously she had been awarded for video of the year and female video of the year by Country Music Television (CMT), and album of the year by the Academy of Country Music (ACM). She has been nominated for eight Grammy awards, and Fearless was the top-selling album of the year in 2009.

September also saw the release of the complete Beatles catalog remastered for the first time since 1987 with new liner notes and photographs. This release coincided with the release of the game, The Beatles Rock Band.

October was the month to Rock and Roll

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in Cleveland) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a 12 hour 2 night concert in Madison Square garden in New York City on October 29 and 30. Among the huge stars appearing were Ron Wood, Bruce Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkle (together), Stevie Wonder, John Fogarty, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Billy Joel, and JERRY LEE LEWIS (I thought he was dead). On November 29th, HBO aired 4 hours of the concert which has not yet been released on DVD.

In November we noticed the Oprah Effect

In November both Variety and Rolling Stone reported on the effect of Whitney Houston's September appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show. Houston's comeback album, I Look to You," spiked up 77% in sales following her Oprah appearance. Variety also attributed Barbra Streisand's September appearance on the show for the chart topping sales of her 2009 release, Love is the Answer.

In December we loved vinyl

Finally, in December The New York Times reported that there is a resurgence of vinyl record sales along with the turntables needed to play them. These are not used records, but newly cut versions of current CD releases. Younger records buyers are discovering that they prefer the sound of vinyl and they also like the better graphics and liner notes that the larger vinyl format can accommodate. Vinyl and turntable buyers are also using turntables to mix and scratch records just like DJs.

Special thanks to Donna Block, Barb Palac, and Sue Wilsey for their contributions to this 2009 recap.

2009: The Year in Music, Part One

Before we let go of 2009, let's stroll down memory lane and review some of last year's more interesting events in music.

February was a month of sadness in music.

We lost two representatives of American jazz history this month last year.
Blossom Dearie died on February 7 at the age of 82. She began her career as a jazz singer in New York city in the early 1940s and continued to perform in clubs until 2006.

Louie Bellson, who died on February 14 at age 84, was an Italian American jazz drummer. He was born in Rock Falls, Illinois and performed throughout the 1940s with some of the biggest names in big band jazz. His last recording was made in 2007 and released in 2008.




On February 8, 21- year- old R&B singer Rihanna cancelled her scheduled Grammy appearance. It later surfaced that she had sustained visible injuries in an incident of domestic violence involving her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. She subsequently postponed her Malaysian tour. In early November Rihanna was interviewed on television by Diane Sawyer. To her credit, Rihanna was open about the extensive abuse she suffered, begging other young girls who find themselves in abusive relationships to get out and seek help.

April was the month of Susan Boyle.

On April 11 Susan Boyle, a plain middle-aged Scotswoman, caused a sensation when she appeared on the TV show Britain's Got Talent, a UK American Idol featuring Simon Cowell. Her performance of the song "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables stunned the audience and judges. She went on to win the talent competition and released her first album in November. Her album has since sold over 700,000 copies in the U.S., making it the biggest U. S. -selling debut album since 1993. In its first week of release, the album sold a total of 3 million copies around the world.

June was a month of incomparable sadness in music.

The world was stunned by the sudden death of pop star Michael Jackson at age 50. Although he had not released an album since 2001, Jackson was poised to begin a 50 date comeback concert tour shortly before his death. Jackson's death was investigated as a possible homicide by the LA police, so the singer was not laid to rest until September. Today, the news broke that the physician who administered a powerful sedative to Jackson hours before he died is going to be charged with manslaughter.

Earlier in June, we lost Chicago blues singer Koko Taylor. She died at the age of 80, having remained an active performer up to her death.

August was silly season.

I guess it wasn't silly to Paula Abdul. All through the summer there was talk about whether or not Paul Abdul would return as a judge for the next season of American Idol. Will she or won't she achieve a successful contract negotiation? It seemed like the publicity was meant to generate interest in her position and create pressure on the network to renew her. What would American Idol be like without goofy, sympathetic Paula? I guess we'll find out. When the definitive answer came, it was a 'no'. It was announced in September that Paula Abdul has left American Idol, to be replaced by goofy, sympathetic Ellen DeGeneres. I can't wait.

PS: Rumors surfaced this week that Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol in 2011 to launch the X Factor, another talent competition imported from the UK, and that he is bringing Paula with him as a judge. Remember, this is just a rumor folks.