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Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6602] Tue, 21 March 2006 21:07 Go to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
Messages: 760
Registered: May 2009
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After just hearing a talk sjow about what being manly is which
is not worth discussing (the author pointed to Rumsfeld as
one of his good examples) the subject of male vocalists
deserves as much attention as we've devoted to women.

As contemporary performers, I know few of the Buster Poindexter
variety of lounge singers that are about today.

But I do have some favorite male vocalists each for different
reasons.

The best vocalist in Popular Music is Ray Benson of Asleep At
The Wheel. I don't mean Country and Western popular music, I
mean _all_ popular music regardless of category. This is not
to compare singers for their pyrotechnic ability, how loud or how
long or even how high or how low they can sing. The best means
quality of sound, resonance, delivery hey, what else is there?


In concert Benson always says (and I can't do this with
type on the screen) that what he does is Western music
or "(little small voice 'country') and WESTERN music," shouting
it out.


The Ray Benson sound is not forced in any way. And the fact
that I like Western Swing and swing music in general may have
something to do with it. Especially good is Ray Benson on
"House of Blue Lights" which I think was originally done
by the Mills Brothers. Randy Travers, George Straight and the
rest of the nasal crowd doing Country music are too embarrassing
to listen to.


So Ray Benson is the Popular Music vocalist with which to compare
others.


In jazz, there's a lot more to choose from. Like Georgie Fame
amongst others.



Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6603 is a reply to message #6602] Wed, 22 March 2006 10:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Manualblock is currently offline  Manualblock
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Registered: May 2009
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Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel. O'Kay. The best Pop singer; Male Vocalist Catagory? Thats a stretch. I have most of AATW albums; nice stuff; I'd rather listen to the original Bill Monroe versions though; I find they get a little strident at times.
The names you mention; I don't see them as country artists; they are pop singers who as you say sing in a nasal whine. The original reason for that sound from country artists is that they needed to be heard over the fiddles and consequently they projected their voices by tightening their pharengeal muscles.
Who's Geaorgie Fame?

BTW; on AudioKarma the guys have started a CD collection trade thread. They all rip CD's composed of their favorite songs then trade them amongst each other in order to educate themselves about the music the members like.
Man; is that a great idea or what?



Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6604 is a reply to message #6603] Wed, 22 March 2006 11:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
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Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
I think I said Ray Benson is the best voice in pop music.


He doesn't fall into the same category of the jazz singers
and the riffs and runs they can do.


I was pretty much introduced to Georgie Fame late in life
from the jazz show. I maybe had heard the name on and
off over time but never heard the work. He does a duet with
Jon Hendricks on Hendrick's lyric of "Little Pony" from the
Count Basie book that I never get tired of. Then there's
"Cool Cat Blues" which sounds like a tune Mose Allison would do
but I never heard it over 40 years from Mose Allison. Without
p2p I would know nothing of that Little Pony track.

There's one low note in the scant info I have on Georgie Fame
and the Blue Flames: he put out some kind of recording
with Van Morrison. Van Morrison is a bigger embarrassment to the
music industry than Mick Jagger. Well maybe it's a tie.

Yes the compilation thing is a great idea but why don't they
torrent these collections as ISO's so everyone can enjoy them?
Or pod cast?



Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6605 is a reply to message #6604] Wed, 22 March 2006 11:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Manualblock is currently offline  Manualblock
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Probably too much work; they just want to share the things they like amongst themselves I think. It's a great way to learn new music though.

I have to say; you, in musical terms I mean, definately march to your own drum. Thats great; you like what you like.
But how can Van or Mick be embarrasments to music? What specifically would dictate that? I mean if we actually came up with an Embarrasment to Music thread it would be pretty long but I don't see it containing Mick Jagger. You may not like his voice but he never claimed to be Pavarotti. I like his early renderings of good blues tunes. He is one of the very few white guys who can do that well. Wild Horses? Thats a great tune. Lots of them.

Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6606 is a reply to message #6605] Wed, 22 March 2006 12:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
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Registered: May 2009
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I took a peek at those lists you mentioned and how the comps
are going around.

I was trying to put a handle on this as far as, you know,
taste goes and the first thing that came to mind was
Ray Davies tune called "Predictable."


There is a lot of tunage in the world but I doubt that those
have heard much of it. Looks like they are re-collecting things
they heard on the AM radio.


There was one reference on there to Maurice Jarre which was
sort of interesting. I wonder if they know who Kinky Friedman
is? Or Claude Thornhill or David Benford.



Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6607 is a reply to message #6606] Wed, 22 March 2006 14:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Manualblock is currently offline  Manualblock
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Registered: May 2009
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I know what you mean; probably most of the music people listen to mirrors radio fare; that whole cognitive thing has entire libraries of books written about it. How exposure defines taste etc.
But you have to sift the wheat from the chaff; and as you say you will find gemms in the dust.
Do you happen to know that french philosopher who has written extensively on music and popular culture? I would like to re-investigate his books but I can't remmember his name.
I like the whole concept that as an audiophile; the exposure to better music enables one to appreciate and define better equipment.
They should know who Friedman is; he's running for office down there in Texas; local congressional representative I think.
We should whip some David Peel and The Lower East Side on them.

Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6608 is a reply to message #6607] Wed, 22 March 2006 15:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
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Registered: May 2009
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Why does the name David Peel remind of some dj from Radio Caroline?

I'm not knowing the band you mention.


Freidman has a career as a well-known mystery writer these days...
a long way from recording tunes like "Ride 'Em Jewboy".

Far as cognition goes, I doubt that that has much to do with
anything. Record companies put things in your ears and that's
your life.

If the world seems like a big place as far as music goes, just
think of what I call second tier or more popularly 'alternative
music.' There's a whole second tier of comparable quality stuff
that never makes it beyond promotional college airplay.


if I were to make one of these sampler cd's, the first
thing I would put on it is Blue Plate Special with two of
the recordings: " A Night Out" and "Message From Paul Drake".


A night out begins with a guy with no plans entering a bar and
seeing an old girl friend who is performing on a catwalk with
"tatoos [that} spelled the names of the men left in the dirt."


There's nothing like that in mundane pop music in imagery, style
or lack of political correctness. The song does not have a
happy ending either.


"Message From Paul Drake" is about the detective from Perry
Mason and how he is the actual unsung hero of the show.


These are not materials I ever broadcast. I heard some college kids
do it long after I left the studio. Then I went out and bought the
stuff where I could find it. It's not the 'me-too' music that shows
your connections with pop culture. But here again it's the fact that
I remember these things that keeps them alive.


Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6609 is a reply to message #6608] Wed, 22 March 2006 18:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Manualblock is currently offline  Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (13th Degree)
Related items on e-bay= Gary Null; the health food guy??
O'Kay here's my CD

Legend Of A mind
The Western Lands
Warm Beer, Cold Women
The Wind Cries mary
Long Red
Ballad Of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
Topanga Windows
Forty-Four Blues
Dust My Broom
My Favorite Things
One For MY Baby

David Peel was a street poet on the lower east side of Manhattan who used to throw together bands made up of whoever was around that day and record on the street.

Cognition is how we percieve stimulus.
Whats your CD?

Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6610 is a reply to message #6609] Wed, 22 March 2006 21:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
Messages: 760
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
Wasn't Dave peel, it was John Peel.


Look what I found: a history of ofshore radio with
sound clips too:

[see link]


Far as a cd goes, does it have to be things I have that can
actually be recorded or just fantasy stuff I'd do like
"Johnny Pissoff meets The Red Angel"?


OK, I'll do a few that I can actually whip out (as Zappa
would say)


The above 2 by blue Plate special (I'm surprised you didn't
order that item from the link-- it's 75 cents plus shipping)

Switch Blade 327 -BSO
Boplicity (Les Double Six A' Paris (first album)
Born To Run (not by the Boss, by Big Daddy)
All About Rosie (George Russell an arranger for Stan Kenton)
Time And Love (title track- Jackie Cain and Roy Kral)
Skokian-- Brave Combo -- No Sad Faces
Cool Cat Blues-- Georgie Fame


... I'm on the spot here... have to pick a female vocalist
or 2 yet...

Sigh No More Ladies (from the Shakespeare collection of Cleo Laine
and John Dankworth)

Let's Do It -- Joan Jett from the Tank Girl Soundtrack

Miss Thing -- Lavay Smith (had the priviledge of seeing Smith live)
The Hut Sut Song -- Five By Design (even beats out some Hilo's)
Lady In Red -- The HiLos


One cd worth of stuff is really hard to do.

There's no ska in there either.

No Dave Alvin... it just goes on. But the track that has
to go in there is "Death In The Morning" from "UnSung Stories"
and kind of good to put it last as well.



Re: Male vocalists-- New Thread [message #6617 is a reply to message #6610] Thu, 23 March 2006 09:05 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Manualblock is currently offline  Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (13th Degree)
Thats a nice link; interesting. There used to be a pirate radio guy in Levittown who popped in and out of the airwaves. It was pretty funny because we would actually see guys in cars triangulating trying to find his location.
The John Peel you have there is a different guy. David Peel was an itinerant musician and most definately not British.
I have the Lavay Album Miss Thing bought on your recommendation. It's very good; she has a nice tone and a very natural voice that somehow reminds me of Bette Midler's voice. The band is real tight and not redundant. I need to spend more time with that group.

I'd like to try your Gearge Russell; I am a Stan Kenton Fan but it is hard to find good recordings that are not either fillers or poorly recorded.

I whipped up my CD off the top of my head. No thought just what I would have liked to hear at that moment. Thats why I didn't bother to list particulars.

Jackie And Roy; I like their presentation; whats good for an introduction?
I just picked up an Erskine Hawkins disc; nice sharp arrangements.

Let me funnel through the link. I still don't see the Georgie Fame. And Of course Dave Alvin is a favorite; Abilene. Good Story songs; like Townes Van Zandt. Hugely under-rated.

Oh; for .75c you're right, I am just lazy.

Was it you who provided the link for Steve Post archived radio shows?

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