K T Tunstall's television debut

Awesome clip of KT performing Black Horse In The Cherry Tree on Live with Jools Holland.

Nessun Dorma

In the act before this aria, Calaf has correctly answered the three riddles put to all of Princess Turandot's prospective suitors. Nonetheless, she recoils at the thought of marriage to him. Calaf offers her another chance by challenging her to guess his name by dawn. (As he kneels before her, the Nessun dorma theme makes a first appearance, to his words, "Il mio nome non sai!") If she does so, she can execute him; but if she does not, she must marry him. The cruel and emotionally cold princess then decrees that none of her subjects shall sleep that night until his name is discovered. If they fail, all will be killed.

As the final act opens, it is now night. Calaf is alone in the moonlit palace gardens. In the distance, he hears Turandot's heralds proclaiming her command. His aria begins with an echo of their cry and a reflection on Princess Turandot:

"Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o Principessa, nella tua fredda stanza, guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore, e di speranza!"
("None shall sleep! None shall sleep! Even you, O Princess, in your cold bedroom, watch the stars that tremble with love and with hope!")

"Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me; il nome mio nessun saprà! No, No! Sulla tua bocca lo dirò quando la luce splenderà!"
("But my secret is hidden within me; none will know my name! No, no! On your mouth I will say it when the light shines!")

"Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio che ti fa mia!"
("And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!")

Just before the climactic end of the aria, a chorus of women is heard singing in the distance:

"Il nome suo nessun saprà... E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir, morir!"
("No one will know his name... and we will have to, alas, die, die!")

Calaf, now certain of victory, sings:

"Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò! Vincerò! Vincerò!"
("Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win! ")

A Place in The Sun

Sade

Sade, English R & B band, is back on the charts after nearly 10 years. Soldier of Love was released worldwide on February 8, 2010. The title cut was release as a single in December 2009.

The group is famous for the silky smooth voice of is lead singer and name-sake Sade Abu (pronounced Shah Day, in case you didn’t know). They had major success in the 80’s with such chart toppers as Your Love Is King, Smooth Operator and The Sweetest Taboo.

Those of you who were fans then will be glad to hear this new album is just as good as their previous offerings - filled with deep, rich harmonies and soulfully sexy- sweet music.

Below are a souple of my favorite cuts from Solider of Love

I am I said...

"Well, I'm New York City born and raised. But nowadays, I'm lost between two shores. LA's fine, but it ain't home, New York's home but it ain't mine no more.

I am, I said, to no one there. And no one heard at all, not even the chair. I am, I cried. I am, said I. And I am lost, and I can't even say why."

Billy and his organ...

William Everett Preston, child prodigy & musical genius. Of course, if you know him at all, you’d know to call him Billy. Some of you may even call him “The Fifth Beatle” – one of only two to non-Beatles to receive billing (along with The Beatles) as an artist on a an official Beatles record release.

But Billy was impressive way before his appearance on the Hammond Organ with the Fab Four in the “Get Back” Sessions in 1969.

He began playing piano from atop his mother’s knee at the age of three. At the tender age of 11, he was performing live with none other than Nat ‘King’ Cole on his variety show (as seen in the first video below). By 16, he was the organ player for Sam Cooke on what is considered to be one of Cooke’s best albums, Night Beat - an album recorded in three night's work.

Over the span of his career and right up until his death in 2006, Billy played with a wide variety of artists which run nearly the entire musical genre gambit – from Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan to The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chili Peppers - just to name a few.

Simply put, the man could PLAY! Don’t believe me? Take a gander at the video below where he is performing “Summertime”…complete with impersonations of JS Bach and Ray Charles.

After viewing it, “Bess” is reported as having said “I don’t loves you no mo, Porgy…I loves Billy now!”

(My apologies to the Gershwin brothers for that comment…)

Groovy Soul Baby

How's about a little of that blue-eyed soul for your Thursday enjoyment. Straight from Detroit, Michigan and the groovin' sixties baby come The Flaming Ember.

For those of you not familiar with the term "blue-eyed soul" (also sometimes known as "white soul") - It just means Caucasian artists who were influenced by the Soul and R & B genres.

Although they did not enjoy much commercial success, The Flaming Ember had every bit as much soul as The Righteous Brothers, Len Barry, The Doobies and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels.

In total, they had only three hits reach the Billboard charts between 1969 and 1970. Personally, their chart status means very little to me... 'cause I know what I like. Give me some of that groovy soul, baby!