Posted by The G on March 7, 2010 under G Reviews | 
Photo by G.
Chita Rivera sings the American Songbook at the Allen Room in NYC on March 6, 2010
Legendary singer Chita Rivera performed at New York’s Allen Room as part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series on March 6, 2010 and she showed the adoring crowd why she is a legend. The 76 year old two-time Tony award winning singer didn’t take a break during her 80 minute set, where she guided us on a journey of her fantastic career. She sang songs from her most beloved performances (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Chicago, West Side Story), told anecdotes about all stages of her career and constantly joked about her age. She went on to prove that age is just a number as her performance is much more rigorous than rock shows I’ve seen performed by people in their 20s, and she pulled it off like a true diva (without the attitude)! If you’ve never been to the Allen Room, it’s located in the Time Warner Center on 59th and Broadway on the 6th floor and as the room is surrounded by glass, it overlooks the busy and colorful intersection. Not only was the performance great, but the space added such great ambience. The performance was recorded to be broadcast in the future, so look for it – it was so great!
The set list for Chita Rivera’s American Songbook performance was:
Mambo Overture
I Won’t Dance/Let Me Sing
West Side Story Medley
Sweet Happy Life
I Don’t Remember You (from The Happy Time)
Kiss of the Spider Woman Medley
Where Am I Going (from Sweet Charity)
Camille, Collette, Fifi (from Seventh Heaven)
Not Exactly Paris
Carousel
Love and Love Alone (from The Visit)
More Than You Know
A Woman The World Has Never Seen (from Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life)
Nowadays (from Chicago)
All That Jazz (from Chicago)
Circle of Friends
Posted by The G on March 6, 2010 under G Reviews |
Photo Courtesy of Fuzzpod.
The Garden of Fuzzy Delights by Fuzzpod. Out NOW!!!
Hey music lovers! Looking for something new? You’ve come to the right review. Fuzzpod, the San Francisco based band has released a new album! It’s called “The Garden of Fuzzy Delights.” The album has the perfect blend of smooth, late-night chill-out beats and creamy ethereal vocals. It mixes the best elements of bands like Morcheeba, Deee-Light, Portishead and Sade, while still having its own identity. Highlights of the album are the funky up-beat “Wild Hearts, the spacey “Drifting Into Nothing” and the trippy title track “The Garden of Fuzzy Delights.” Though the 3 songs I mentioned were definitely hightlights, the entire album has a great flow and will definitely take your mind on a journey as you listen to it in its entirety. If you are bored with all the mediocre music that has permeated the airwaves these days, “The Garden of Fuzzzy Delights” will definitely be a breath of fresh air.
Posted by The G on March 4, 2010 under G Reviews |
Photo by G.
Extinction - Now playing at the Cherry Lane Theater in NYC!
What happens when your life is flipped upside down in the matter of a few hours? Extinction is a great depiction of the answer to that very question. This 90 minute play is now showing at the Cherry Lane Theater in the New York’s West Village. The play stars James Roday (who can been seen on the show “Psych“) and Michael Weston (who has been in films such as “Dukes of Hazzard” and “Garden State“). The pair play best friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time and have reunited for a lost weekend. After doing copious amounts of cocaine, the truth comes out about their friendship and the skeletons in their closets. Though the story line is entirely different than the comparison I am about to make, “Extinction” reminded me of Edward Albee’s classic play “Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf?” as lives can completely unravel in a matter of hours. The acting is superb and while the play has some serious subject matter, it’s peppered with comedic situations. The play runs until March 14, 2010, so get your tickets while you can. And slow down Len Bias!
Posted by The G on March 2, 2010 under G Reviews |
Photo by G.
Valleys of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix - Available March 9, 2010
As a life-long Jimi Hendrix fan, you can imagine my excitement when a review copy of Jimi Hendrix’ “Valleys of Neptune” arrived in my mailbox today. The album is set to be released by Sony Music Entertainment’s Legacy Recordings on March 9, 2010 and on that day, I advise you all to snatch up this album as soon as you can. It’s so awesome!
“Valleys of Neptune” consists of 60 mouth-watering minutes of previously unreleased studio recordings from the period of October 1968 to 1970. These sessions were being recorded for the follow up to “Electric Ladyland,” but have sat in the vaults until now. The booklet features rare photos and a comprehensive track by track description as well as recording dates and band personnel.
The sound quality on every track is so fresh, you’ll have a hard time believing that these tracks are 40 years old. The set features completely different versions of the classic Hendrix songs “Stone Free,” “Fire“ and “Red House” plus long sought after studio versions of Elmore James’ ”Bleeding Heart,” and Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.” While bits of the demo version of the title track have seen the light of day on various releases, you can hear the entire four minute track in all of its glory only on this release. “Lullaby for the Summer,” a previously unreleased instrumental shows once again why Hendrix is regarded as the best guitarist of all time. “Crying Blue Rain,” another previously unreleased instrumental, starts of as a slow bluesy number and then picks up the pace for a funky romp that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a groove in your heart.
This album has it all, blues, rock, scorching guitar and of course, Jimi Hendrix’ heavenly vocals. If you are a long-time fan of Jimi Hendrix, “Valleys of Neptune” will not disappoint and if you are new to the fold, get ready to go on a Jimi Hendrix album buying spree. There’s also good news for the new fans as well because Legacy Recordings will also be releasing deluxe CD/DVD editions of Jimi’s classic albums “Are You Experienced?” “Axis: Bold As Love,” “Electric Ladyland” and “First Rays of the New Rising Sun” on March 9, 2010 with new documentaries that feature interviews with band members Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, producer Chas Chandler and engineer Eddie Kramer. PLUS, “Smash Hits,” the long out of print hits collection is being reissued and “Live at Woodstock” will be coming out on Blu-Ray. This is going to be a great month for Hendrix fans old and new.
Posted by The G on February 26, 2010 under G Reviews |
Photos by G.
The Temperamentals. Now Playing!
”The Temperamentals” is a play that is described as “Milk” meets “Mad Men.” For decades, it was thought that Stonewall in 1969 was the first gay activism in the United States, and this play shows that nearly 10 years prior, a group of gays in 1950 started the Mattacine Society, a group devoted to the welfare and protection of homosexuals. You’ll laugh, gasp and be so glad that this group took a stand for gay rights when it was so uncool to do so. The lead actor in “The Temperamentals” is Michael Urie (of the about-to-be-canceled show “Ugly Betty“) and he is so cute in the play that even if you are not into the gay thing, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. Plus, if you are into the gay thing, he is shirtless in a couple of scenes! Fun fact: Urie’s character, Rudi Gernreich, was a a Hollywood costume designer and Viennese Jew who had escaped the Holocaust and who, years later, would become famous as the creator of the topless bathing suit.
The show debuts on February 28, 2010 at New World Stages located at 340 West 50th Street. Tickets can be purchased through Telecharge.
The Temperamentals Cast.
