Bob, George and Meredith

This past week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed comedian Bob Newhart (go here), and I'm still laughing from our conversation. Bob has this infectious way of working you up without working hard doing it. We talked about growing up in Chicago and the series of accidents that led to his big break. This will tell you all you need to know about Bob's genius...

Also in the WSJ, my chat with folk singer Dar Williams on Judy Collins' version of Jacques Brel's Sons Of (go here). It's a haunting anti-war song with a captivating carousel arrangement. Here's Dar singing What Do You Hear in These Sounds...

SiriusXM. Each month, after my "Anatomy of a Song" column appears in The Wall Street Journal, I'm graciously invited on SiriusXM VOLUME (106) by "Feedback" co-hosts Nik Carter and Lori Majewski. Last week, Lori was away, so SiriusXM's Jim Shearer took her seat in the studio. To listen to our chat about the Hollies' Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress), go here...

George Coleman. Jimi Mentis sent this one along, featuring George Coleman and band playing Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely...

Meredith d'Ambrosio. First Snow (above), a painting by singer Meredith d'Ambrosio, won first prize at the Plymouth (Mass.) Art Guild several weeks ago. As Meredith noted in an email, "It's the scene of Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia." Meredith will be singing shortly in Brookline, Mass. One of the songs she'll be playing and singing is Dave Frishberg's Our Love Rolls On from her Little Jazz Bird album. You can read my interview with Meredith here. For more on Meredith's art, go here.

Oliver Nelson. Dave Walker sent along the following clip, featuring a spirited version of Oliver Nelson's Reuben's Rondo by the pupils of Takasago High School in Japan. As Dave noted, wrly, in his email, "Makes a nice change from In the Mood, Little Brown Jug and other typical band fare, don't you think?"

Thad Jones. Bill Kirchner sent along a clip of Thad Jones leading his Eclipse Big Band in Denmark in 1979, featuring Sahib Shihab, Horace Parlan, Ed Thigpen, Tim Hagans and Richard Boone...

What the heck. Here's Ron Isley and Burt Bacharach recording what may be the very finest version of Burt's The Look of Love for their Isley Meets Bacharach: Here I Am album in 2003...

Oddball album cover of the week.

I'm not sure what to make of this one from 1961. Frank Sinatra's label must have been desperate to fill the Schwann Catalog that year. A novelty album by Katie Lee, a folk singer with a rather good voice, the original songs poked fun at psychotherapy. If you check YouTube, you'll find the material comes off as show tunes for the straitjacket set.

       

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