From: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org (basia-digest) To: basia-digest@smoe.org Subject: basia-digest V3 #140 Reply-To: basia@smoe.org Sender: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "basia-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. basia-digest Sunday, July 12 1998 Volume 03 : Number 140 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: sort of funny joke ["William F.G. McAbee" ] Re: basia-digest V3 #138 ["Ben van Maaren" ] Basia Speaks! [Meg Evans ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 13:14:37 -0700 From: "William F.G. McAbee" Subject: Re: sort of funny joke The same friend asked me how to tell when a polish airplane is flying over: Its' the one with hair under its' wings! Stelmar, Kimberly wrote: > > Being polish myself, I think that is hilarious! > > Tee hee hee > > kimi :-) > > ---------- > From: tom kelly & jordan[SMTP:keyneill@inetnebr.com] > Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 1998 4:44 PM > To: basia@smoe.org > Subject: sort of funny joke > > This is a joke a friend sent me. I would never try to offend > anyone, The > person who sent this too me has seen Basia play twice.So if you > are offended > sorry, Tom > > > CNN has just reported that Poland's worst air disaster > occurred today > > when a small two-seater Cessna 152 plane crashed into a > cemetery > > early > > this morning in central Poland. > > > > Polish search and rescue workers have recovered 300 bodies so > far and > > expect that number to climb as digging continues into the > evening. > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 23:54:30 +0200 From: "Ben van Maaren" Subject: Re: basia-digest V3 #138 > >> >> And again that reference to Samba, a reminder once again of the music that >> so obviously inspired her. Can anybody please tell me why it is that >> whenever reference is made to Basia's musical influences, the name of >> Astrud Gilberto is never once mentioned? >> > >Possibly because not too many people know about her. I certainly did >not know. Now I will have to find out about her. > >Thanks. > >Ashoke. > Hard to believe that someone's never heard of Astrud Gilberto before, especially if that someone is a big fan of Basia's. I, too, heard Basia for the first time during her Matt Bianco spell and to me the most striking fact about her was her last name (no wonder we all refer to her as Mrs T.). But at that time I was also an avid fan of Brazilian music, mostly the bossa nova-style propagated by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and his wife (yes!) Astrud. It was during their cooperation with saxophonist Stan Getz in the sixties that Astrud's career was born. The idea was to make a bossa-nova album featuring Stan Getz and during the takes, where Astrud was present, of "Garota de Ipanema" (The Girl from Ipanema) she was asked, jocularly, to sing the lyrics. She had hardly ever sung before but she consented and we (except for Ashoke -- *G*) all know what happened next. The song became a world-wide hit and is still a standard, a classic and on almost everybody's repertoire. Anyway, to get back to the Basia story, after Matt Bianco's second album it was clear that Basia no longer was in the group. I didn't pay much attention, except for the fact that Matt Bianco's subsequent albums never reached the level of the first. But some day I was browsing the trays at the local music store and I happened to notice the name Basia on a CD (T&T). So I listened for a moment, but that was all it took to convince me of Basia's qualities. I have been a fan since. To me, the references to Astrud Gilberto in the song "Astrud" were clear right away, obviously. As Jan Johnson so rightly put it, it's not first-class poetry, but it's very neatly composed, stringing together various song titles originally sung by Astrud. I loved it instantly. Well, that's my story. To me, it's always been clear who influenced Basia early on and it was the very fact that Astrud was never mentioned that made me assume that everyone on this list knew. Apparently, I was mistaken. I can only recommend everyone who's never heard anything by Astrud to listen to her albums, especially the early ones. You'll fall in love with her frail, ethereal voice, I guarantee. Although I've heard of people who thought that same voice irritating... And I myself will follow up on Jan's advice and take a look at Astrud's more recent work. I seem to have missed that... Ben van Maaren ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 09:22:28 -0600 From: Meg Evans Subject: Basia Speaks! Okay, I'd like to put in my coupla cents. When I saw the TSI concert in Chicago at Poplar Creek, I LOVED it when Basia spoke! First of all, she's beautiful and wonderful and I kept borrowing my next-seat-neighbor's opera glasses just to get a better look at that gorgeous, petite songbird. Did I say how pretty she is, too? But she's truly adorable when she's speaking in her gentle Polish/British accent using some of that endearing British vernacular. She didn't tell stories, per se, but she interacted with the audience and I appreciate (and really almost expect) that from a singer. And when she introduced the band, it was like a big group hug. When I was there I wanted confirmation that Basia is as warm and accessible as I have inferred from her songs and lyrics, and she successfully conveyed that while chatting to the audience. I've NEVER seen her interviewed on television; I've only heard a radio interview with Rick O'Dell on WNUA during the TSI release hoopla. I couldn't get enough, and I'm anxious for more conversation! When I saw Paco de Lucia at Symphony Hall he said nary a word to the audience. THAT was unusual, but the show was phenomenal. Also, Gipsy Kings -- not much banter, but I don't blame them: they're French, singing in Spanish, to an American audience. Confusing! But again, outstanding performers so who cares? Enough. When I go to a show, I go to hear music AND get some insight into the performer, if they are willing to share themselves. As long as they are not arrogant or communicate that they don't want to be there or that we, the audience, are somehow intruding, it is usually money and time well-spent. And if Basia would let us spend our money on HER performances, at least she would give us the satisfaction of keeping her off the dole and out of the bread lines! :) Have a great weekend all. Meg ------------------------------ End of basia-digest V3 #140 ***************************