Cheyenne Jackson - "I Get Along Without You Very Well/Don't Get Around Much Anymore"

A broadway star with matinee idol looks Cheyenne Jackson has been wooing audiences for over a decade now, on broadway, the silver screen and the right in your living rooms on television. He's been a loud voice as an out actor and his charm and candor have often helped him navigate the tricky world of the entertainment industry where homophobia is still rampant. 

I've been lucky enough to meet him a few times, and he has always been warm and welcoming, though I'm sure he wouldn't remember our interactions they left a lasting impression. He is a throwback to the classic hollywood entertainer. No ego, no posse following in his wake, just he and his talent and his gratitude for being able to follow his dream and perform for us all. We need more performers (at least on the big screens) like this. 

After beginning his acting career in regional theatre in Seattle, he moved to New York and was an understudy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) and Aida (2003). He next originated the role of Matthew in Altar Boyz (2004). Jackson's first leading role on Broadway was in All Shook Up (2005), which earned him a Theatre World Award for "Outstanding Broadway Debut." Since then, on the New York stage, he has starred in The Agony & the Agony (2006), Xanadu (2007; Drama League, Drama Desk nominations), Damn Yankees (2008), Finian's Rainbow (2010; Drama Desk nomination), 8 (2011), The Heart of the Matter (2012) and The Performers (2013).

He has also appeared in a number of films, including the 2006 Academy Award-nominated United 93, in which his portrayal of Mark Bingham earned him the Boston Society of Film Critics 2006 award for Best Ensemble Cast. He also had a leading role in the 2014 independent romantic comedy ensemble, Mutual Friends, and guest roles in television series such as NBC's 30 Rock and Fox's Glee. Since 2015, Jackson starred in the FX Horror anthology television series, American Horror Story, in its fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons.

In concert, Jackson has sold out Carnegie Hall twice: The Power of Two in 2010 and Music of the Mad Men Era in 2011. He also performs in cabaret. In addition to his Broadway cast albums, he has released three albums of popular music, including a joint album called The Power of Two with Michael Feinstein in 2008. In 2012, Jackson released two singles, "Drive" and "Before You", from his 2013 album I'm Blue, Skies. In 2016, Jackson released his latest album, Renaissance, an album adapted and expanded from his solo concert Music of the Mad Men Era.

So today, with arms wide open and belief enough for two, I choose Cheyenne Jackson's "I Get Along Without You Very Well/Don't Get Around Much Anymore" as my, just keep polishing, lustre like pearl still in the shell, let time allow you to continue growing, song for a, prepare ye the way, one small miracle, open your eyes to everything you can not yet see, Friday. 

As a bonus, I'm including Harry Connick Jr's incredible version and may favorite original, the Ink Spot's.

The Mayries - "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper Cover)"

Because we can ... and we do.

Today as a pressage I choose The Mayries' cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" as my, let your light in, fear no evil, dissolution not applicable, song for a, break your heart open, give the love you wish to receive, our love story is already being written, Thursday.

Imagine Dragons - "Blank Space/Stand By Me"

This is a lovely way to look at love. I hope it's already winging it's way to me. 

Imagine Dragons is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, lead guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist and keyboardist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of single "It's Time", followed by their award-winning debut studio album Night Visions (2012), which resulted in the chart topping singles "Radioactive" and "Demons". Billboard placed them at the top of their "Year In Rock" rankings for 2013 and 2017 and named them their "Breakthrough Band of 2013". and "Biggest Band of 2017."Rolling Stone named their single "Radioactive", which holds the record for most weeks on the Hot 100, from Night Visionsthe "biggest rock hit of the year", and MTV called them "the year's biggest breakout band". The band's second studio album Smoke + Mirrors (2015) reached number one in the US, Canada and the UK. After a brief hiatus, the band released their third studio album, Evolve (2017) which resulted in the chart-topping singles, "Believer" and "Thunder". While all three albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed.

Imagine Dragons has won three American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, one Grammy Award, and one World Music Award. In May 2014, the band was nominated for fourteen Billboard Music Awards, including Top Artist of the Year and a Milestone Award, which recognizes innovation and creativity of artists across different genres. Imagine Dragons have sold 12 million albums and 35 million singles worldwide

I know this isn't a black artist, but Ben E. King originally did Stand by Me and as a singer and songwriter there is nothing more flattering than someone loving your song enough to cover it. So today while, this is the version I choose the song belongs to Mr. King. 

To today with thoughts of Kittens in the sky following my journeys I choose Imagine Dragons - "Blank Space/Stand By Me" as my open up to hope, look around you and see every little miracle, on your wavelength, song for a, make it mine, one small dream at a time, walk a little slower, Wednesday.

First Aid Kit - "Perfect Places"

Because some days just are, allow yourself to be in them without parsing out the moments until they are gone. Live. Live now. Live fully and wildly and with abandon until you can live no more - and then continue to live as vibrantly as humanly possible, walking with a halo of light around you guiding others along their path from yours. 

I know I promised All Black and Mixed Race artists this month, but please forgive me. It's my birthday and this song just really fit the day.

So today, with quiet conviction and simple resolution, I choose First Aid Kit's cover of "Perfect Places" as my, wake up, breathe, live, repeat, song for a, with every golden ray, every salty drop, every softly caressing breeze, there is nothing that sun, sand and salt - in all it's forms - cannot heal, birthday Tuesday.

Nina Simone - "Feeling Good"

In appreciation of Black History Month, all of February will feature Black and Mixed Race artists.

Her influence on the world through music and through social justice will never be forgotten. She combatted racism, patriarchy, and the public disdain for mental illness. She was a warrior, and though she had her flaws, what genius did not. 

Born in North Carolina, the sixth child of a preacher, Waymon aspired to be a concert pianis With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon, North Carolina, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York.

Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she was denied admission despite a well-received audition. Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to racial discrimination. Years later, nine days before her death, the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree.

To make a living, Eunice Waymon changed her name to "Nina Simone". The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play "the devil's music"or "cocktail piano" at a nightclub in Atlantic City. She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist.

Simone recorded more than 40 albums, mostly between 1958, when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue, and 1974. She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with "I Loves You, Porgy".

Simone's musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach,and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice. In 2018, Simone will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

So today, with life swarming all around me in murmurations, I choose Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" as my with the oppressive heat and a jubilant spirit, onward and upward, to hope, song for a 'notherplanetuktuktemplenothertuktuknosleepnothertuktuktemplenothertuktukplanenothertuktuknosleepbeachnothertuktuktemplenothertuktuknosleepplane song for a, life is worth the wander, go find your adventure, you have every chance you can take, Monday.

Lauryn Hill - "Tell Him"

In appreciation of Black History Month, all of February will feature Black and Mixed Race artists.

An artist, an icon, a warrior, a fighter, a mother, a teacher, a singer, and a muse, Lauryn Hill has worn many hats in her day, but none so important as that of warrior for women in the music industry. She challenged what it meant to be a solo female artist, what it meant to have a career on your own terms, and the industry's assumption that an artist must stay in one small box for the entirety of her career.

She is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her critically acclaimed solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which won numerous awards and broke several sales records.

Raised mostly in South Orange, New Jersey, Hill began singing with her music-oriented family during her childhood. She enjoyed success as an actress at an early age, with her older brother Graham Hill, appearing in a recurring role on the television soap opera As the World Turns and starring in the 1993 film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. In high school, Hill was approached by Pras Michel to start a band, which his friend, Wyclef Jean, soon joined. They renamed themselves the Fugees and released the albums Blunted on Reality (1994) and the Grammy Award-winning The Score (1996). In the latter record, which sold six million copies in the United States, Hill rose to prominence with her African-American and Caribbean music influences, her rapping and singing, and her rendition of the hit "Killing Me Softly". Hill's tumultuous romantic relationship with Jean led to the split of the band in 1997, after which she began to focus on solo projects.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) remains Hill's only solo studio album. It received massive critical acclaim, showcasing a representation of life and relationships and locating a contemporary voice within the neo soul genre. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and has sold approximately eight million copies there. It included the singles "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (also a number one), "Ex-Factor" (became her biggest solo hit in UK), and "Everything Is Everything". At the 41st Grammy Awards, the record earned her five awards, including Album of the Yearand Best New Artist. During this time she won numerous other awards and became a common sight on the cover of magazines.

Soon afterward, Hill dropped out of the public eye, dissatisfied with the music industry and suffering with the pressures of fame. Her last full-length recording, the new-material live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2002), sharply divided critics and sold poorly compared to her first album and work with the Fugees. Hill's subsequent activity, which includes the release of a few songs and occasional festival appearances, has been sporadic. Her behavior has sometimes caused audience dissatisfaction; a reunion with her former group did not last long. Her music, as well as a series of public statements she has issued, has become critical of pop culture and societal institutions. Hill has six children, five of whom are with Rohan Marley. In 2012, she pleaded guilty to tax evasion for failure to pay federal income taxes, and in 2013, served a three-month prison sentence.

She can not be denied as an artist or a musician. With one single album she solidified her place in the pantheon of female artists who will never be forgotten. 

So today, with love bursting all around, I choose Lauryn Hill's "Tell Him" as my, never let go unsaid, lift your love above, fly on the wings, song for a, break open with each crack, let the light out, sing unto him, Friday!

Beyoncé & Frank Ocean - "Super Power"

In appreciation of Black History Month, all of February will feature Black and Mixed Race artists.

We'll get to Queen B in a later post. This song, which I adore, was my first brush with Frank Ocean. He's a fighter. He stands up for equal rights and he fights for what he knows to be right. His unabashed queerness, which has hindered his career at times, makes him shine a beacon for those in the industry where consciously challenges homophobia and racism. 

Known for his idiosyncratic musical style, Ocean first embarked on a career as a ghostwriter, and in 2010 he became a member of hip hop collective Odd Future. He released his breakout mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim in 2011. It generated his first charting single "Novacane". In 2012, Ocean finished second place in the BBC's Sound of 2012.

His debut studio album, Channel Orange, was released in July 2012 to critical acclaim. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 and was promoted with three singles: "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids", and "Sweet Life". In 2016, Ocean released the visual album Endless alongside his second studio album Blonde, which was released independently following several years of delays. Blonde was highly acclaimed by critics, and debuted at number one in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Ocean wrote an open letter, initially intended for the liner notes on Channel Orange, that preemptively addressed speculation about his attraction in the past to another man. Instead, on July 4, 2012, he published an open letter on his Tumblr blog recounting unrequited feelings he had for another young man when he was 19 years old, citing it as his first true love. He used the blog to thank the man for his influence, and also thanked his mother and other friends, saying "I don't know what happens now, and that's alrite. I don't have any secrets I need kept anymore...I feel like a free man."

Numerous celebrities publicly voiced their support for Ocean following his announcement, including Beyoncé and Jay Z. Members of the hip hop industry generally responded positively to the announcement. Tyler, The Creator also tweeted his support for Ocean, along with other members of OFWGKTA. Russell Simmons, a business magnate in the hip hop industry, wrote a congratulatory article in Global Grind saying "Today is a big day for hip-hop. It is a day that will define who we really are. How compassionate will we be? How loving can we be? How inclusive are we? [...] Your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear."

In June 2016, following the Orlando gay nightclub shooting that killed 49 people, Ocean published an essay expressing his sadness and frustration regarding the event. He mentions his first experience with homophobia was with his father when he was six years old and how many people pass on their hateful ideals to the next generation which sends thousands of people down the path of suicidal tendencies. In 2017, Ocean's father Calvin Cooksey sued him for $14.5 million over the homophobia claim. On 17 October 2017, and after a day-long hearing that saw Ocean, father Calvin Cooksey, and mother Katonya Breaux taking the stand, the residing U.S. District judge ruled that Cooksey hadn't provided sufficient evidence of defamation and ruled in favor of the singer.

So today with oceans to cross and superpowers to find, I choose Beyoncé & Frank Ocean's "Super Power" as my, learn to fly, channel the storm, link your mind, song for a, find the magic in the shadows, find the power in the light, fight the depth to every ocean, Thursday.

Billy Strayhorn - "Take the 'A' Train" & "Lush Life"

In appreciation of Black History Month, all of February will feature Black and Mixed Race artists.

Today is a tough day, but will be one with a beautiful ending ... no one could understand that more than Mr. Strayhorn, who fought valiantly for equal rights both for the black community and the LGBTQ community.

An extravagantly gifted composer, arranger, and pianist -- some considered him a genius -- Billy Strayhorn toiled throughout most of his maturity in the gaudy shadow of his employer, collaborator, and friend, Duke Ellington. Only in the last decade has Strayhorn's profile been lifted to a level approaching that of Ellington, where diligent searching of the Strayhorn archives (mainly by David Hajdu, author of the excellent Strayhorn bio Lush Life) revealed that Strayhorn's contribution to the Ellington legacy was far more extensive and complex than once thought. There are several instances where Strayhorn compositions were registered as Ellington/Strayhorn pieces ("Day Dream," "Something to Live For"), where collaborations between the two were listed only under Ellington's name ("Satin Doll," "Sugar Hill Penthouse," "C-Jam Blues"), where Strayhorn pieces were copyrighted under Ellington's name or no name at all. Even tunes that were listed as Strayhorn's alone have suffered; the proverbial man on the street is likely to tell you that "Take the 'A' Train" -- perhaps Strayhorn's most famous tune -- is a Duke Ellington song.

Still, among musicians and jazz fans, Strayhorn is renowned for acknowledged classics like "Lotus Blossom," "Lush Life," "Rain Check," "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," and "Mid-Riff." While tailored for the Ellington idiom, Strayhorn's pieces often have their own bittersweet flavor, and his larger works have coherent, classically influenced designs quite apart from those of Ellington. Strayhorn was alternately content with and frustrated by his second-fiddle status, and he was also one of the few openly gay figures in jazz, which probably added more stress to his life.

Classical music was Strayhorn's first and life-long musical love. He started out as a child prodigy, gravitating toward Victrolas as a child, and working odd jobs in order to buy a used upright piano while in grade school. He studied harmony and piano in high school, writing the music for a professional musical, Fantastic Rhythm, at 19. But the realities of a black man trying to make it in the then-lily-white classical world, plus exposure to pianists like Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, led Strayhorn toward jazz. He gigged around Pittsburgh with a combo called the Mad Hatters. Through a friend of a friend, Strayhorn gained an introduction to Duke Ellington when the latter's band stopped in Pittsburgh in 1938. After hearing Strayhornplay, Ellington immediately gave him an assignment, and in January 1939, Strayhorn moved to New York to join Ellington as an arranger, composer, occasional pianist, and collaborator without so much as any kind of contract or verbal agreement. "I don't have any position for you," Ellington allegedly said. "You'll do whatever you feel like doing."

A 1940-1941 dispute with ASCAP that kept Ellington's compositions off the radio gave Strayhorn his big chance to contribute several tunes to the Ellington band book, among them "After All," "Chelsea Bridge," "Johnny Come Lately," and "Passion Flower." Over the years, Strayhorn would collaborate (and be given credit) with Ellington in many of his large-scale suites, like "Such Sweet Thunder," "A Drum Is a Woman," "The Perfume Suite," and "The Far East Suite," as well as musicals like Jump for Joy and Saturday Laughter, and the score for the film Anatomy of a Murder. Beginning in the '50s, Strayhorn also took on some projects of his own away from Ellington, including a few solo albums, revues for a New York society called the Copasetics, theater collaborations with Luther Henderson, and songs for his friend Lena Horne. In 1964, Strayhorn was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus, aggravated by years of smoking and drinking, and he submitted his last composition, "Blood Count," to the Ellington band while in the hospital. Shortly after Strayhorn's death in May 1967, Ellington recorded one of his finest albums and the best introduction to Strayhorn's work, And His Mother Called Him Bill (RCA), in memory of his friend.

Billy was a visionary, and true vision is often disregarded as silly, misunderstood, or simply not believed. We are lucky to have had him at all. 

So today I choose Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the 'A' Train” & “Lush Life” as my, just breath, time will tell the story, walk on, songs for a, find every new beautiful thing, let it rain & let it pour, Journey's end in lover's meeting - but isn't it about the journey anyway, Wednesday.