Nikki M. James - "Times Like This"

In honor of Black History Month all the posts for this month will feature black artists and/or artists of color.

She is the kind of performer you are in awe of when watching. In a hair’s breadth she can go from bubby and vivacious, to wild and enraged. She’s a true chameleon, who is a master of shaping herself into her character, often causing audience members to say “That’s the girl from that other show … isn’t it?”. Her shape shifting ability kept her under the radar for a bit, but she’s stepped into the spotlight, and is certainly having a moment in the sun. Get to know her name, because this Tony winning Broadway star isn’t dimming her shine anytime soon.

James was born to immigrant parents; a Vincentian father and a Haitian mother who settled in New Jersey in pursuit of the American Dream. James grew up in Livingston, New Jersey where she would graduate from Livingston High School.  As a child, she sang and acted in church and in school performances. She was nominated for a Rising Star Award at Paper Mill Playhouse for her performance as Dolly Levi in high school. She later attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

James made her Broadway debut in the ill-fated The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and starred as Ottilie in the New York City Center Encores! production of House of Flowers. She played Adela in the Off-Broadway run of Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation of Bernarda Alba and appeared in the Broadway cast of All Shook Up.

James played Dorothy in the revival of The Wiz at La Jolla Playhouse and also starred in Romeo and Juliet and Caesar and Cleopatra at the Stratford Festival with Christopher Plummer. In the musical The Book of Mormon, she won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Nabulungi. During that run, she took a leave in June 2012 to film a screen version of Lucky Stiff. From 2014 to January 2015, she played Éponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables.

In July 2017, James starred in the New York City Center Encores! staged concert of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin.

So today, with a chuckle and a nod, I choose Nikki M James’ version of “Times Like This” as my, laugh a little, live a little, love a lot, song for a, happy little weekend, a quite night at home, a good glass of wine and a great chat, Friday.

Heather Headley - "The Past Is Another Land"

In honor of Black History Month all the posts for this month will feature black artists and/or artists of color.

I’m a bit late this year, as I’m just jumping back on the bandwagon for writing these posts. So I hope you’ll forgive the missed first couple of days in February, as I was still getting my bearings. Moving forward all posts in February will be from Artists of Color

Heather Headley is a force of nature, and her voice an instrument of the divine.  She is a Trinidadian-American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the titular role of Aida. She also won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for her album Audience of One. In 2018, she recurred as Gwen Garrett on the NBC medical drama television series Chicago Med.

She’s the kind of actress who comes along once in a generation. Her beauty and talent are only rivaled by her passion. After winning Tony’s and Grammy’s she still donates time to charities and non-profits. She’s the kind of inspiration we need more of in this world.

Her heartache as she sings this incredible song is so palpable that you can taste the tears running down her face. It is a performance that will go down in history.

So today, tearing my eyes away from the path I’ve already walked, I choose Heather Headley’s “The Past Is Another Land” as my, hold on to the knowledge, let go of the pain, remember the joy, song for a, look to the horizon, with open hands to receive the new, eyes full of tears of wonder, Thursday.

Jewel - "Till We Run Out Of Road"

Some days you just have to keep running. Keep the ball rolling. Keep the train chugging forward. Welcome to being an adult, we avoided it for as long as we could.

So today, with a little umpf and a lot of grit, I choose Jewel’s “Till We Run Out Of Road” as my, go on and run, let your legs hurt and your thighs burn, like pistons in the enguine, song for a, break ranks, tear the papers, find your own solutions Wednesday.

Beethoven - "Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique)"

Welcome Home!

Have you missed me? Well I’ve certainly missed you. The past 2 and half months have been a wild and wonderful ride for us. Large ups and Major downs and the world seems somehow to continue spinning madly on.

Yet, despite all of the frustration and guilt for having not posted, like the ballet barre, I come back here to find center.

As I drove to work, to start my new job, and continue to advance my life I felt an overwhelming sense that I’d let go of the blog, let go of the music, let go of the passions I once held so dear. The truth however, is simply that I was letting my passion rest to give myself space and time to pursue other avenues of joy. Passions, like any muscle, need to be exercised vigorously, but also rested.

So now, after a lengthy rest and time to consider where, why, and how, I have come home, with a new home, to continue the daily meditation, inspiration, and revelations of my Songs (and sometimes Poems) of the Day.

So today, with hearts full of the measured cups of life’s joy and terror, I choose Beethoven’s breathtaking “Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique)” as my, with all the majesty and squalor, with the bliss and despair, with the hope and regret, song for a, welcome back, here and there again, the earthly chain to the heavenly crown Tuesday.

The Weepies - "The World Spins Madly On"

Deb Talan & Steve Tannen began writing together the night they met, and soon formed the iconic indie band The Weepies. On the strength of their distinctive songwriting and signature harmonies, The Weepies quietly sold more than one million records, with over 100 million streams on Spotify. They remain independent.

Rarely touring but continuing to release music, making 7 records over 10 years. Their original songs appear in more than 100 media placements including movies, TV shows, commercials, and educational programming for PBS Kids.

Today, this song flew into my mind as I realized I hadn’t posted all week, and it seems like just yesterday was last week.

So, with a crooked little grin, I choose The Weepies’ "The World Spins Madly On" as my, let it spin, come and get me, there’s nothing to catch up to, song for a, spin round and round, like a bubble in the sun, one more little raindrop on your nose, Thursday.

Chet Baker - "It Never Entered My Mind"

The iconic poster boy for the West Coast cool school, Chet Baker left a profound mark on jazz in his 40-year career, proving you didn’t need to be a Juilliard graduate to make great music.

Since then, interest in Baker’s life and music has never diminished. He’s been the subject of two films – 2015’s Born To Be Blue, in which Ethan Hawke played Baker; and Bruce Weber’s 1988 documentary, Let’s Get Lost – and had several books written about him, including James Gavin’s revelatory, warts’n’all biography, Dare To Dream: The Long Night Of Chet Baker. And, of course, his music continues to interest people all over the world. It’s also been heavily sampled, most notably by R&B singer Mariah Carey and trip-hop MC Tricky.

Somewhat curiously, Chet Baker has been dubbed by some as “The James Dean Of Jazz”, though, in truth, it’s an odd and ill-fitting description. For one, the singer/trumpeter’s career was much longer and more productive than that of the doomed actor, who died at 24. Perhaps the comparison has come about due to the largely erroneous notion that Baker didn’t fulfil the initial promise he showed as a young man. But as harrowing as some of his life experiences had undoubtedly been, Chet Baker, unlike Dean, didn’t die before his time. In fact, he was a prolific recording artist (he recorded over 100 albums during his lifetime) and made a profound mark on jazz, helping to shape its course during a career that lasted almost 40 years.

Baker proved that you didn’t need to be a Juilliard graduate to make great jazz – all you needed was an instinctive grasp of its vocabulary, the ability to play and improvise with deep feeling, and, crucially, your own unique sound.

Three decades after his death, the world’s fascination with Chet Baker is as strong as ever. When he was at his best, the music he made with his horn was pure poetry, and that’s why it continues to resonate with listeners, both young and old, today.

So today, softly and tenderly, I choose Chet Baker’s version of “It Never Entered My Mind” as my softly and with feeling, hold on to it like a whisper, like a dream, song for a, choose yes, choose now, choose love, Friday.

Willie Nelson & Kacey Musgraves - "The Rainbow Connection"

Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves teamed up for a duet at the 2019 CMA Awards tonight in Nashville. They took to the stage at Bridgestone Arena for a rendition of the iconic Muppet Movie song “Rainbow Connection.” Watch it happen below.

The two artists have collaborated before; back in 2015, Musgraves enlisted Nelson for her Pageant Material single Are You Sure?. Kacey Musgraves was up for three awards at this year’s CMAs, including Song of the Year (“Rainbow”). She won Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year (for “Rainbow”). Musgraves’ last studio LP was 2018’s Golden Hour, which won Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammys.

The duet is touching and tender, and you can see it in the way they respond to each other that there is a respect and an affinity towards each other. Willie strives to get his voice out, but when he does his harmonies are, as always, lovely. However, it’s Kacey’s beautiful and easy singing that makes this moment memorable. Her ability to smoothly sing through this melody and make the listener feel that ease is uncanny. Together, their connection, made magic.

So today, with rainbows running around me, I choose Willie Nelson & Kacey Musgraves’ version of "The Rainbow Connection" as my, remember the legends you looked up to, hold on to the dreams that you make, let your heart find the path it belongs to, song for a, wish upon a star, look through a rainbow, sing the songs your heart already knows, Thursday.

Annie Murphy (aka Alexis Rose) & Britney Spears - "A Little Bit Alexis + Work B****! (Mashup)"

Then again, some days you’ve just gotta put on your big girl panties and get to work (B****!). Life moves quickly, and if you’re working that grind you may as well be bumping that grind too. Throw on something that makes you smile, and take care of business!

So today, with a laugh and a smile, I choose Annie Murphy (aka Alexis Rose) & Britney Spears’ "A Little Bit Alexis + Work B****! (Mashup)" as my, laugh out loud, go after the big things, one foot in front of the other, song for an, it gets better, believe in now as much as you believe in tomorrow, find the light in the lighthearted, Wednesday.