Music Artists

Posts Tagged ‘Beat’

“The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday). Blessed with a beautiful voice and a wide range, Fitzgerald could outswing anyone, was a brilliant scat singer, and had near-perfect elocution; one could always understand the words she sang. The one fault was that, since she always sounded so happy to be singing, Fitzgerald did not always dig below the surface of the lyrics she interpreted and she even made a downbeat song such as “Love for Sale” sound joyous. However, when one evaluates her career on a whole, there is simply no one else in her class.One could never guess from her singing that Ella Fitzgerald ’s early days were as grim as Billie Holiday’s. Growing up in poverty, Fitzgerald was literally homeless for the year before she got her big break. In 1934, she appeared at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, winning an amateur contest by singing “Judy” in the style of her idol, Connee Boswell. After a short stint with Tiny Bradshaw, Fitzgerald was brought to the attention of Chick Webb by Benny Carter (who was in the audience at the Apollo). Webb, who was not impressed by the 17-year-old’s appearance, was reluctantly persuaded to let her sing with his orchestra on a one-nighter. She went over well and soon the drummer recognized her commercial potential. Starting in 1935, Fitzgerald began recording with Webb’s Orchestra, and by 1937 over half of the band’s selections featured her voice. “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” became a huge hit in 1938 and “Undecided” soon followed. During this era, Fitzgerald was essentially a pop/swing singer who was best on ballads while her medium-tempo performances were generally juvenile novelties. She already had a beautiful voice but did not improvise or scat much; that would develop later.On June 16, 1939, Chick Webb died. It was decided that Fitzgerald would front the orchestra even though she had little to do with the repertoire or hiring or firing the musicians. She retained her popularity and when she broke up the band in 1941 and went solo; it was not long before her Decca recordings contained more than their share of hits. She was teamed with the Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, and the Delta Rhythm Boys for some best-sellers, and in 1946 began working regularly for Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic. Granz became her manager although it would be nearly a decade before he could get her on his label. A major change occurred in Fitzgerald’s singing around this period. She toured with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, adopted bop as part of her style, and started including exciting scat-filled romps in her set. Her recordings of “Lady Be Good,” “How High the Moon,” and “Flying Home” during 1945-1947 became popular and her stature as a major jazz singer rose as a result. For a time (December 10, 1947-August 28, 1953) she was married to bassist Ray Brown and used his trio as a backup group. Fitzgerald’s series of duets with pianist Ellis Larkins in 1950 (a 1954 encore with Larkins was a successful follow-up) found her interpreting George Gershwin songs, predating her upcoming Songbooks series.After appearing in the film Pete Kelly’s Blues in 1955, Fitzgerald signed with Norman Granz’s Verve label and over the next few years she would record extensive Songbooks of the music of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart, Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, and Johnny Mercer. Although (with the exception of the Ellington sets) those were not her most jazz-oriented projects (Fitzgerald stuck mostly to the melody and was generally accompanied by string orchestras), the prestigious projects did a great deal to uplift her stature. At the peak of her powers around 1960, Fitzgerald’s hilarious live version of “Mack the Knife” (in which she forgot the words and made up her own) from Ella in Berlin is a classic and virtually all of her Verve recordings are worth getting.Fitzgerald’s Capitol and Reprise recordings of 1967-1970 are not on the same level as she attempted to “update” her singing by including pop songs such as “Sunny” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” sounding quite silly in the process. But Fitzgerald’s later years were saved by Norman Granz’s decision to form a new label, Pablo. Starting with a Santa Monica Civic concert in 1972 that is climaxed by Fitzgerald’s incredible version of “C Jam Blues” (in which she trades off with and “battles” five classic jazzmen), Fitzgerald was showcased in jazz settings throughout the 1970s with the likes of Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, and Joe Pass, among others. Her voice began to fade during this era and by the 1980s her decline due to age was quite noticeable. Troubles with her eyes and heart knocked her out of action for periods of time, although her increasingly rare appearances found Fitzgerald still retaining her sense of swing and joyful style. By 1994, Ella Fitzgerald was in retirement and she passed away two years later, but she remains a household name and scores of her recordings are easily available on CD. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
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If you’re looking for the all-time number one purveyor of mainstream romantic soul, Smokey Robinson may well be the man, in the face of some towering competition. With the Miracles in the 1960s, he paced dozens of tuneful Motown hits with his beautiful high tenor. As a solo performer from the 1970s onward, he was one of the staples of urban contemporary music. But his singing gifts, as notable as they are, comprise only one of his hats: he’s also one of pop’s best and most prolific songwriters. As a songwriter and producer, he was the most important musical component to Motown’s early success, not only on the hits by the Miracles, but for numerous other acts as well (especially Mary Wells and the Temptations). Robinson first crossed paths with Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr., in the late ’50s in Detroit. In retrospect, this may have been the most important meeting in both men’s lives. Robinson needed a mentor and an outlet for his budding talents as a singer and songwriter; the ambitious Gordy needed someone with multi-faceted musical vision. Gordy encouraged and polished Robinson’s songwriting in particular in the early days, in which the Miracles were one of many acts bridging the doo wop and early soul eras. Before solidifying their relationship with the embryonic Motown operation, the Miracles issued a few singles on the End and Chess labels, the most successful of which was “Got a Job.” There was no national action for the Miracles until “Shop Around” in late 1960. Gordy withdrew the original single in favor of a faster, more fully produced version of the song; it made number two, doing much not only to establish the Miracles, but to establish the Motown label itself. The song also heralded many of the important elements of the Motown sound, with its gospel-ish interplay between lead and backup vocals, its rhythmic groove, and its blend of R&B and pop. While Robinson is most often thought of as a romantic balladeer, the Miracles were also capable of grinding out some excellent uptempo party tunes, particularly in their early days. “Mickey’s Monkey” (which the group gave an athletically electrifying performance of in the 1964 T.A.M.I. Show movie), a 1963 Top Ten hit, is the most famous of these; there was also “Going to a Go-Go” and smaller hits like “I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying.” The 1962 Top Ten hit “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” however, was the key cut in forming Robinson’s romantic persona, with its pleading, soaring vocals, exquisite melody, and carefully crafted lyrics. Bob Dylan was impressed enough by Robinson’s facility for imaginative wordplay to dub him “America’s greatest living poet” (a phrase which has possibly become the most quoted example of one rock giant praising another). Surveying Robinson’s achievements during the 1960s, one wonders if the man ever slept. While the Miracles were never Motown’s biggest act at any given time, they were one of its very most consistent, entering the Top 40 25 times over the course of the decade. “I Second That Emotion,” “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” and “Baby, Baby Don’t Cry” were some of their biggest singles, and usually represented Motown at its most sophisticated and urbane. Robinson also was extremely active at Motown as a songwriter and producer for other acts. The number one singles “My Guy” (Mary Wells) and “My Girl” (Temptations) were each Robinson songs and productions (the latter with fellow Miracle Ronnie White), and Robinson also did some excellent work with the Marvelettes and Marvin Gaye. He also toured with the Miracles, and started a family with the Miracles’ female singer, Claudette Rogers, whom he married in 1964. Rogers stopped touring with the group in the mid-’60s, although she continued to sing on their records. Starting in 1967, the billing on Miracles releases was changed to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, presaging Robinson’s solo career. The group continued to spin out hits until the early ’70s, however, getting their only number one in 1970 with the upbeat “The Tears of a Clown” (which had actually been recorded back in 1966). Robinson left the group to go on his own in 1972; the Miracles continued without him with limited success, although they had a number one hit in 1976 with “Love Machine, Pt. 1.” Robinson had been made a vice president at Motown near the beginning of his career in 1961. He recorded frequently as a solo artist for Motown in the ’70s and ’80s, in a considerably mellower vein than his Miracles work, in keeping with the general shift of Motown and soul toward urban contemporary. Robinson, in fact, provided that genre with one of its catch phrases with the title of his 1975 album, A Quiet Storm. “Cruisin’” (1979) and “Being with You” (1981) were his biggest solo hits, although artistically and commercially his solo era wasn’t nearly as successful as his music with the Miracles. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
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3OH!3 (pronounced “three oh three”) is an American electronica group from Boulder, Colorado. The band is named after the 303 area code, which covers Boulder, Aurora, and the Denver metropolitan area.

Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte were inspired by the hip-hop/electronic scene and Foreman invited Motte to mix some beats and hang out with him. The two were helped early on by friendships they had made with local acts such as Grace Gale, Signal to Noise and The Blackout Pact. Their self-titled debut album was not a commercial success and debuted in 2007.
After playing the first show in Florida of Warped Tour 2007, 3OH!3 signed on for all venues of Warped Tour 2008 with the exception of Philadelphia on July 25. Their song “Punkbitch” is featured on the Warped Tour 2008 Tour Compilation. The band has also played at national festivals such as Bamboozle Left. 3OH!3 commonly use skits and costumes during their live concerts and are known for their energetic shows.
The band then headlined the 2009 Alternative Press Tour across the U.S. with Family Force 5, The Maine, A Rocket to the Moon, and Hit The Lights. The band performed in Panama City Beach, Florida for MtvU’s Spring Break in March 2009.
3OH!3 will again join the Warped Tour in 2009. 3OH!3 will also be apart of Kiss Concert ‘09 (Kiss 108), Kiss The Summer Hello 2009 @ Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, NY, June 3rd 2009, along with Kevin Rudolf, The White Tie Affair, The Veronicas, The Ting Tings, & Elliott Yamin.
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The Misfits are an American horror-themed punk rock, or horror punk, band formed in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey and originally led by singer and songwriter Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Anzalone). Though bassist Jerry Only has been the only consist member through every incarnation since joining in the early days of the band.

Current members include:
* Jerry Only (Gerald Caiafa) – bass guitar, backing vocals (1977–1983, 1995–present), lead vocals (2001-present)
* Dez Cadena – guitar, backing vocals (2001–present)
* Robo (Roberto Valverde) – drums (1982–1983, 2005–present)

Misfits ’ iconic skull graphic was lifted from the 1946 television serial, ‘The Crimson Ghost,’ while the typeface is from the 1950s-’60s magazine, ‘Famous Monsters of Filmland.’

Glenn Danzig was very interested in Marilyn Monroe, and took the band’s name from “The Misfits ”, Monroe’s last film. The band’s early lyrical and graphical focus was on retro (1930s-’50s) science fiction, horror films, and B-movies.

The early Misfits were often quite melodic, featuring Danzig’s versatile singing, which had a style rooted in Italian tenors such as Mario Lanza and in 1950s doo wop. Early Misfits songs tended to have catchy, sing along choruses backed by Danzig’s distorted keyboard accompaniments. The band began as a largely untrained ensemble. The song Last Caress (a very rare track for years) is now commonly regarded as the epitome of an early-Misfits song, with blaring instruments and Danzig’s melodic vocals finding a medium between Frank Sinatra and the Sex Pistols.
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The Fratellis are an alternative rock band from Glasgow, Scotland who took their name from the villains in the film “The Goonies” (although, by coincidence, Barry’s mother’s maiden name is in fact Fratelli). The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli (real name John Lawler), bass guitarist Barry Fratelli (real name Barry Wallace), and drummer, backing vocalist, occasional guitarist and banjo player Mince Fratelli (real name Gordon McRory). They are currently touring with a pianist / rhythm guitarist, Will Foster.

History

2005-2006: Beginnings and The Fratellis EP

They played their first show on March 4, 2005 in the O’Henry’s bar in Glasgow across the road from the famous Horseshoe bar, and received their first radio play in 2005 on central Scotland’s Beat 106 (later XFM Scotland, now Galaxy Scotland) Beatscene show hosted by Jim Gellatly. They were signed by Fallout Records.

The Fratellis EP was released April 3, 2006, featuring the tracks “Creepin’ Up The Backstairs”, “Stacie Anne” and “The Gutterati?”. The NME ran a two page feature on The Fratellis in the August 10, 2006 issue, proclaiming them “the best new band in Britain”. “Creepin’ Up The Backstairs” was never a single released by the band, even though a video was made for it. It was not eligible for the charts. The first single released by the band was “Henrietta”, which was released on June 12 2006 and charted at number 19 on the UK Charts.
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