(Above: At 79 Sonny Rollins still has plenty to say with his horn.) By Joel Francis Sonny Rollins’ saxophone has the power to bend time. For nearly two hours Thursday night, the jazz legend and his five-piece band melted minutes like hot butter in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Walton Arts Center in [...]
Posts Tagged ‘music’
Review: Sonny Rollins
Posted in Concert review, tagged Bob Cranshaw, Bobby Broom, Clifton Anderson, In A Sentimental Mood, jazz, jazz legend, Joel Francis, Kobe Watkins, music, Noel Coward, Saxophone Colossus, Sonny Rollins, Walton Arts Center on April 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Temptations – “My Girl”
Posted in Motown, tagged Al Green, David Ruffin, Dolly Parton, Funk Brothers, Hitsville U.S.A., James Jamerson, Jesus and Mary Chain, music, My Girl, Rolling Stones, Smokey Robinson, soul music, The Miracles, The Temptations on October 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The Temptations – “My Girl,” Pop #1, R&B #1 By Joel Francis Lightning definitely struck twice for Smokey Robinson and the Temptations. After struggling for years, Robinson gave the Temptations their breakthrough hit with “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” “My Girl,” their follow-up, is not only Motown’s biggest song, but one of [...]
Review: Los Lobos
Posted in Concert review, Kansas City Star, tagged Back To Rockville, Cypress Avenue, Folly Theater, Jimi Hendrix, La Bamba, Los Lobos, music, Richard Thompson on October 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Above: “Chuco’s Cumbia” at Austin City Limits 2006 By Joel Francis The Kansas City Star For a band as accomplished as Los Lobos, the reach from Jimi Hendrix and Willie Dixon to Richard Thompson and Ritchie Valens is a small one. The gulf between the lip of the stage and the front row, however, can [...]
Review: Old 97s
Posted in Concert review, tagged alt-country, music, No Depression, Old 97s, Rhett Miller, Uncle Tupelo, Wilco on October 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Above: Of course they played “Roller Skate Skinny.” By Joel Francis There is something to be said for a band who can play an entire set without changing instruments. The Old 97s are not quite that band – lead singer/songwriter/heartthrob Rhett Miller swapped his electric axe for an acoustic one a few times – but [...]
Review: Randy Newman
Posted in Concert review, tagged A Few Words in Defense of Our Country, Folly Theater, music, Pixar, Political Science, Randy Newman, Toy Story on October 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Above: We’ve got a friend in Randy. By Joel Francis The setup couldn’t have been simpler – a grand piano, bench, monitor, couple of microphones, a small rug. But add Randy Newman to that list and the payoff couldn’t have been greater Saturday night. Strolling casually onstage at 8 p.m. sharp, Newman rolled into “It’s [...]
Velvelettes – “Needle in a Haystack”
Posted in Motown, tagged Berry Gordy, Hitsville U.S.A., music, Norman Whitfield, soul music, The Temptations, Velvelettes on October 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Velvelettes – “Needle in a Haystack,” Pop #45 The real action in “Needle in a Haystack” is happening away from the microphones and behind the glass. This song was the first single the late Norman Whitfield’s produced for Motown. Whitfield got his start at the label as a songwriter, co-writing Marvin Gaye’s hit “Pride and [...]
Review: Buddy and Bettye at Roots N Blues N BBQ Fest 2008
Posted in review, tagged Bettye LaVette, blues, Buddy Guy, Columbia Mo., Doyle Bramhall, guitar, music, Roots N Blues N BBQ, Stevie Ray Vaughan on October 6, 2008 | 4 Comments »
By Joel Francis Buddy Guy Buddy Guy is to the electric guitar what a match is to kerosene. The 68-year-old blues legend lit into opening number “Best Damn Fool” like a house afire and closed out the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival Saturday night in Columbia, Mo. with 90 minutes of barn-burning blues that [...]
Review: Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
Posted in review, tagged Allison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Led Zeppelin, music, Robert Plant, T-Bone Burnett, Tom Waits on September 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Above: Plant and Krauss get “In the Mood.” By Joel Francis Robert Plant may never outlive the shadow of his onetime partner Jimmy Page, but Tuesday night at Starlight he showed unimaginable growth with his unlikely new muse, bluegrass legend Allison Krauss. The pair’s 23 song, two-hour set explored nearly every facet of American music [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “Dancing in the Street”
Posted in Motown, review, tagged David Bowie, Hitsville U.S.A., Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, Mick Jagger, music, soul music, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Van Halen on September 23, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Martha and the Vandellas – “Dancing in the Street,” Pop #2 By Joel Francis Poor, poor Kim Weston. Had she not passed on this song, she may be remembered for that being Marvin Gaye’s first duet partner. Instead, Martha Reeves got to place another jewel in her crown. Funk Brother Benny Benjamin’s great drumming and [...]
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