From: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org (basia-digest) To: basia-digest@smoe.org Subject: basia-digest V4 #32 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 Thursday, February 4 1999 Volume 04 : Number 032 Today's Subjects: ----------------- The life is beautiful and the sun is shining! [Ray Navarra ] Re: The life is beautiful and the sun is shining! ["Leslie Brown" ] Re: Would you forgive me? ...eerm... Blame the exams! ["Leslie Brown" Subject: The life is beautiful and the sun is shining! Hey all! In fact the sun is not shining but who cares...? I passed all my exams! Yikes! :) (thanks for believing in me...) Plus, kisses to all who like the interviews! Leslie wrote: > >PS. In case anyone was interested... ;) here's the top 20 albums of the > year > >according to Machina. No Basia, you can skip it ;( > very interesting; it's similar to every other US top list this year. Is > there some kind of Critic's Cribsheet or something? ;) No idea but maybe the same albums are best everywhere? :) > - --Leslie > (hey, I got this part first, before the interview! Weird! I know, ask smoe.org about it... ;) Beverly wrote: > And if only Stevie Wonder and Sting would send her some songs... that was > another bit of the article I found somewhat troubling: obviously EPIC is trying to > force her and Danny's hands in composing new work by sending demo tapes. And even > more sobering, that she hated them. I think that the interview explained this; they want her to sell more and they probably think that she could sell more if she used the famous writers. BTW, recently I've been trying to record a cover of My Cruel Ways (because I am sure it can make a great dance record) but it's so hard! I simply can't do it well enough :( Anyway, I'll keep trying. > Again Ray -- THANKS -- hope you did well in your exams. I did! :) All are passed, the grades _could_ be better but who cares? I'm on holiday now! Ashoke said: > The sad part is that, I have a feeling that if she had some other means of > livelihood, she probably would not be interested in making music > commercially at all. The one thing that I got from her interview is that > she has lost ALL interest in the commercial aspects of the music industry. > It's fortunate that Danny IS the businessman that he is. I agree. She seems to treat the music as something that just came in the way, not as the only important thing in life. Basia and me differ in this very case :) for me the music is the most important thing in life. There's nothing I can do about it... > > Mikolaj is 22, he's on the third year of college and has been living > > alone for three years. Kevin is the > 22? Holy smokes! How young WAS she when he was born??? (ashamed) I have to admit I don't know how old is she now, so... Leslie added: > Besides, this issue is like the whole England/Poland thing. One day (or > interview, more accurately) she's about it, the next she's the reverse. Yes, that's true. I wonder what will the final decision be... but, as she is still renewing her house in Jaworzno, the decision seems to be made. > I'm just curious who this new producer is going to be. (dreaming) Todd Terry... :) (believing) Danny White ;) Lovelove... (-) Ray - -=[ members.xoom.com/obvious ]=-=[ Soon to come: The Future Is Yours mp3 ]=- - -=[ Air discography: members.xoom.com/obvious/airdisco.txt ]=- - -=[ Number one this week: Dimitri From Paris "Une Very Stylish Fille" ]=- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 05:29:31 +0900 From: "Brian Cundieff" Subject: Re: Would you forgive me? ...eerm... Blame the exams! From: Ray Navarra Date: Monday, February 01, 1999 14:07 >I hate the albums like this. In my opinion they have no character and I am >not emotionally engaged in this project. That comes through loud and clear in the packaging of the CD. Compare this one to The Sweetest Illusion. No character whatsoever. It looks like pure corporate mass production. >The song "Angels Blush" was recorded 2 years ago. Sony wanted then to release >the Christmas album with the songs sang by the artists, recording for this >company. It appeared that we were the only ones who did it on time, so the >song had to wait for better times. "Waters of March" was recorded when the >Japanese division of Sony wanted to release a tribute album for Antonio >Carlos Jobim. The album with his songs, recorded by other artists was to be >released for the first anniversary of his death. But again, only a few of the >performers recorded their songs. HAH! That's a switch, isn't it? Basia being the only one to finish ON TIME? ;-) >"Clear Horizon" >was inspired by the experiences of my friend, who had been in a life crisis. >I was afraid that he wouldn't survive and, as a kind of emotional help, I wrote >this song for him. Wow! Basia sounds like a great friend to have in hard times. >M: When you prepare the albums with Danny, you hardly ever use computers. Does >the electronic drum programming on "Clear Horizon" mean that you're turning >towards the music that Madonna and Cher made this year? UGH! Just thinking about Madonna or Cher being mentioned in an interview with Basia turns my stomach. >B: You're right, we hardly ever use samples, because we like the sound of real >drums best. On "Clear Horizon" we had used the programmer [Could you tell me >his name? R] who gains great effects with the computer. That's the fast work. >We don't have to tell anyone how do we want him to play. We needed to gain the >motorical rhythm. Most of the performers work with the computers and it's not >only because of the fashion. I was against it for a long time, but finally gave >up. It's easier, cheaper, faster and helps you get interesting effects. I hate drum machines. And although I like "Clear Horizon," it really sounds like a machine instead of real drums. Personally, I haven't heard any effects I thought were more interesting than a live human drummer. I hope she doesn't use drum machines and synthesizers too much on the new album. >Now Cher, Madonna use the typical club producers. >Maybe we should begin to do it too? [YEEES! R] NOOOO! Okay, I know zero about British club music (or any other country's, for that matter), but Basia and Danny have produced great music and I'd hate to see outsiders messing with it. This part seems to run counter to what someone said about Basia not being so interested in commercial success. Sounds to me like she's very interested. >And suddenly I've heard Catatonia, who >have brought back my faith in new music. They proved that you can do something >different with heart and affection. I've heard the heartache in those songs; >they delighted me at once. Never heard of 'em. Are they a British band? >I don't believe this - if the fans are real >fans, they will remember about me. Can I get a "AMEN!" >If not - tough bananas. I'm not questioning your translation, Ray, but I think if heard her say that in English, I wouldn't stop laughing for at least ten minutes. >The title, "On Broadway" was chosen badly. Yeah. It makes me think of Broadway musicals, which I hate. But it's Basia, so they could call the album anything they want as far as I'm concerned. >For example, the South Africa. We had sold many >albums there, but we didn't know that, because during the apartheid all our >proceeds went to charity. Wow! I'm impressed! >Now it appears that we are popular there, especially >between the black audience. Apart from that, we always get invitations from >the South Africa, and we've never been there so far. I'd like to play there, >because the audience there knows the music that inspires us better than we do. It would be nice to hear a little more South African influence in Basia's music sometimes. >The >pressings are very hard, because the people from the company think that I could >sell many more albums, than I actually do. They're not satisfied with one >million, they want three. "Basia, Basia, Basia. Look at these stats. Why can't you be more like your sister, Mariah. See how many albums SHE sold?" Hee-hee. >But, because I didn't find any interesting song, the >new album will only include our tracks. YES!! Stick to your guns, Basia! >Well, unless one of our heroes sends >me a song. It would have to be Stevie Wonder or Sting (laughs) Soooo.... Shall we start a letter writing campaign? Anyone know if these guys pay attention to e-mail or their internet fan MLs? I'd love to hear Basia do a duet with either of them. >B: We've met in 1986, during the sessions for my first album. I was with Danny >then, but I have to admit that I had an eye on him even then. OUCH! >He plays trumpet, but he's also an arranger and a >composer. It was him who wrote Olive Tree for me and I had to press Danny >quite hard to put this song on The Sweetest Illusion. Danny doesn't like it >when the strangers mess up with our partnership. Hmmm... Perhaps something more than *professional* jealousy? It's nice to know if Danny ever meets with an untimely demise (Is there another kind?) there's someone capable of picking up his end of the partnership. Oops. I shouldn't have said that, should I? >The translation took me an hour; it's the longest one I had sent so far, I >think. And the best article, I'd say. Good work, Ray. Thanks! - -Brian* ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 08:22:13 EST From: Samurai27@aol.com Subject: Re: I finally get to hear Clear Horizon on the radio! For my NY,Conn and NJ friends; has anyone heard WQCD CD101.9 (NY) play clear Horizon yet? All they ever play is the Aretha Franklin song, Till you come back to me. I am getting real sick of the same songs over and over. There is no variation regardless of the artist; Bony James, Dave Koz, David Benoit Peter White and finally Basia. ANy comments from my local listeners? Denis with one "N" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 09:02:36 EST From: MAPNINGER@aol.com Subject: Re: I finally get to hear Clear Horizon on the radio! Denis with one n asked if anyone in the NY metro area has heard WQCD 101.9 in NY play Clear Horizon yet. As a frequent listener to that station, no, to my knowledge they have NOT, which really annoys me, and yes, you're right, Denis, the only Basia song they ever play is Till You Come Back to Me (once in a VERY blue moon they play Cruising for Bruising). I, too, get tired of hearing the same cuts over and over and over, no matter who the artist. I have previously requested (via email) them to play more Basia and they always write back saying they will, but then they don't. All of this has led me to tune out their station more and more lately. It also disappoints me that in a metro region this large there is only ONE smooth jazz radio station, so there is no competition. Oh well, at least we have our CD's! Mary Ann in NJ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 08:52:58 PST From: "Leslie Brown" Subject: Interview Alert! I tried this last night but smoe apparently doesn't like me. :) So if you get two or even three copies of this I apologise. Okay, so I was web-surfing last night, and, lo and behold, Radio Zet did another long interview with Basia scarcely 3 weeks ago! http://www.radiozet.com.pl/pol/radio/wywiady/basia2.html Only Ray & Tomasz know for sure, but I could pick out something about Titanic & Boogie Nights (!), more ripping apart Edyta Gorniak, and some more Catatonia endorsement. And she keeps talking about this Kevin guy. Who's he? (LOL) - --Leslie (this had better work!!!) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 09:16:34 PST From: "Leslie Brown" Subject: Re: The life is beautiful and the sun is shining! >In fact the sun is not shining but who cares...? I passed all my exams! >Yikes! :) > >(thanks for believing in me...) Hey, it's not too hard to do ;) Good job! You're free! >Plus, kisses to all who like the interviews! Kisses back. I looove the interviews! >No idea but maybe the same albums are best everywhere? :) Good point! >BTW, recently I've been trying to record a cover of My Cruel Ways (because >I am sure it can make a great dance record) but it's so hard! I simply >can't do it well enough :( Anyway, I'll keep trying. I'd be curious to hear the result. Sounds interesting! Good luck. >I agree. She seems to treat the music as something that just came in the >way, not as the only important thing in life. She didn't say it wasn't important to her, she just said it wasn't the number one priority in her life. Her family is. As much as a workaholic I am, and as much as I live and breathe design, I consider the people in my life waaay more important. So I guess I kinda relate to that. :) It's a push and pull between two loves, and there comes a point when one needs to pick, so to speak. She picked. >(ashamed) I have to admit I don't know how old is she now, so... She's 39 now. She must have had her son when she was 17 or 18. (man, she gets the props for going through that, as far as I'm concerned! Not easy at all...) >Yes, that's true. I wonder what will the final decision be... but, as she >is still renewing her house in Jaworzno, the decision seems to be made. It seems like she's doing what she said Steve Winwood was- keeping two residences, one for the home country, one where his wife (or in her case, Kevin) is, as well as some business. What fun! >> I'm just curious who this new producer is going to be. >(dreaming) Todd Terry... :) (believing) Danny White ;) I'll bet cash money it'll be Richard Bull. I just have a feeling, with his hand in Clear Horizon and all. Hey, maybe he can hook her up with an Incognito style tune. I've always been curious how she would sound at somehting vaguely similar to that. I mean, her band is pretty much Incognito! (Who is Todd Terry?) - --Leslie ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 12:35:18 -0500 From: "Ashoke S. Talukdar" Subject: RE: The life is beautiful and the sun is shining! Hello gang! Ray wrote: > > BTW, recently I've been trying to record a cover of My Cruel Ways (because > I am sure it can make a great dance record) but it's so hard! I simply > can't do it well enough :( Anyway, I'll keep trying. > That song will need three backing vocals and/or layering! The harmony is quite complex. And then there is the minor issue of the two-and-a-half-octave span of the notes. BTW, since I made my Basia bootleg CD of all the various mp3's, I have been listening to the live version of this song incessantly! It used to be one of those tracks on LWNY that I didn't listen to often. Now I can't get enough of it. Go figure. I also wanted to add my two cents to the all this talk about Basia and other producers, etc. I listen to songs like Reward and Copernicus and The Sweetest Illusion and I have to say, I CAN'T imagine anyone but Danny producing and writing her tunes. However, I would love to see a few items on a forthcoming CD - like a duet with Astrud Gilberto. And after listen to "Desafinado" (Astrud & George Michael) I think Basia would sound very good with him (GM). And of course, I still have hopes that someday she will release a Christmas CD. I think Basia singing Silent Night would bring Goliath to his knees - no David needed. With regards to the Basia on the Air, I am planning on requesting her on the local smoothe jazz station (which plays copious quantities of Peter White). I just haven't had the time to do it. Soon though. Back to manuscript land... Ashoke. ____________________________________________________________________ Ashoke S. Talukdar | I'm writing you this letter from talukdar@morph.ebme.cwru.edu | some old hotel. I can feel the Home : 216-381-5872 | distance between us, from the Imaging Lab : 216-368-8812 | Spanish Steps to the Liberty Bell. MetroHealth : 216-778-8987 | I know the angels have seen us. Pager : 216-670-5872 | They've seen us baby... Cellular : 216-317-7079 | Fax : 216-368-4969 | Marc Cohn ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 12:48:51 -0500 From: "Ashoke S. Talukdar" Subject: RE: Interview Alert! Quoth Leslie, the human info-bank: > > Okay, so I was web-surfing last night, and, lo and behold, Radio Zet did > another long interview with Basia scarcely 3 weeks ago! > > http://www.radiozet.com.pl/pol/radio/wywiady/basia2.html > Thanks Leslie. I am curling up my toes in anticipation of the interview much like my cats do when a tummy-rub is imminent! :-D > > Only Ray & Tomasz know for sure, but I could pick out something about > Titanic & Boogie Nights (!), > Hmmm. This could be (assume Basia accent) naughty! > > more Catatonia endorsement. > So who or what is Catatonia anyway. She does have some strange tastes. > > And she keeps talking about this Kevin guy. Who's he? (LOL) > Her THANG! Ashoke. ____________________________________________________________________ Ashoke S. Talukdar | I'm writing you this letter from talukdar@morph.ebme.cwru.edu | some old hotel. I can feel the Home : 216-381-5872 | distance between us, from the Imaging Lab : 216-368-8812 | Spanish Steps to the Liberty Bell. MetroHealth : 216-778-8987 | I know the angels have seen us. Pager : 216-670-5872 | They've seen us baby... Cellular : 216-317-7079 | Fax : 216-368-4969 | Marc Cohn ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 10:05:08 PST From: "Leslie Brown" Subject: Re: Would you forgive me? ...eerm... Blame the exams! Okay, here's a paraphrase of another post that was lost. Sorry if you get the first one. Okay, here goes: >>I hate the albums like this. In my opinion they have no character and I am >>not emotionally engaged in this project. > >That comes through loud and clear in the packaging of the CD. Compare this >one to The Sweetest Illusion. No character whatsoever. It looks like pure >corporate mass production. Yeah, I guess that ends all debate on that one! I just wish she would have put in some notes or something. Like for example, this weekend i got the Depeche Mode 81-85 singles collection and the PSB sigles collection, and they had some interesting song comments in them. I really wish she would have done that. Oh well. >> It appeared that we were the only ones who did it on time, so the >>song had to wait for better times >> But again, only a few of >the >>performers recorded their songs. > >HAH! That's a switch, isn't it? Basia being the only one to finish ON TIME? >;-) Yeah! No kidding! >> On "Clear Horizon" we had used the programmer [Could you tell >me >>his name? R] who gains great effects with the computer. Ray- it's Richard Bull, of Incognito. He produces, writes, and plays on some of their stuff. >I hate drum machines. And although I like "Clear Horizon," it really sounds >like a machine instead of real drums. Personally, I haven't heard any >effects I thought were more interesting than a live human drummer. I hope >she doesn't use drum machines and synthesizers too much on the new album. Yeah- I'm with you there. I'm all for Basia speeding things up but the live drum sound really benefitted TSI. Let's hope for the best. My vote is with Richard Bailey! >>Now Cher, Madonna use the typical club producers. >>Maybe we should begin to do it too? [YEEES! R] > >NOOOO! Okay, I know zero about British club music (or any other country's, >for that matter), but Basia and Danny have produced great music and I'd hate >to see outsiders messing with it. I also feel skeptical of this. I loved Brave New Hope, so I guess in that way I'm curious, but on the other hand she and Danny are great producers and I don't see why (except for new ideas and inspiration) they want someone else. Her dance singles are pretty good so time will tell. I just don't want the music to lose any of its soul (and I don't mean soul music;) ) This part seems to run counter to what >someone said about Basia not being so interested in commercial success. >Sounds to me like she's very interested. If we have learned anything about Basia through these interviews is that she often changes her mind and can be pretty contradictory. I would just rateher have her go the dance route than the Diane Warren route, if she so desires greater exposure. The last thing this world needs is another Warren song! Ergh! >Never heard of 'em. Are they a British band? I found this out last night: they're a Welsh indie-rock band (they said) that has a frontwoman who is known for really going to the hoop with over the top vocalism. They include some Welsh stuff and have a song using Mulder & Scully as some kind of romantic commentary. Sounds interesting- I might go to my local listen-before-you-buy joint to check it out. Wow, Basia must rock out around her house or something. BTW, go to the All Music Guide, punch in Catatonia and check out the info for the album 'International Velvet'. That's where I got this. :) >>I don't believe this - if the fans are real >>fans, they will remember about me. > >Can I get a "AMEN!" Amen, brother! >>If not - tough bananas. > >I'm not questioning your translation, Ray, but I think if heard her say that >in English, I wouldn't stop laughing for at least ten minutes. I was laughing for ten minutes anyway! New phrase to add to my vocab. (LOL) >>Now it appears that we are popular there, especially >>between the black audience. Apart from that, we always get invitations from >>the South Africa, and we've never been there so far. I'd like to play >there, >>because the audience there knows the music that inspires us better than we >do. Very interesting! >"Basia, Basia, Basia. Look at these stats. Why can't you be more like your >sister, Mariah. See how many albums SHE sold?" "Tommy, I'm sorry, but if you don't like it, TOUGH BANANAS!" >>But, because I didn't find any interesting song, the >>new album will only include our tracks. > >YES!! Stick to your guns, Basia! I say "all right" for her to stick to her guns about not letting the label bullying her into changing into Celine Dion. Thank goodness for her resolve. And was I the only one breathing a sigh of relief when she said she COULDN'T get Glen Ballard?! >Soooo.... Shall we start a letter writing campaign? Anyone know if these >guys pay attention to e-mail or their internet fan MLs? Somehow, I highly doubt it.... >>B: We've met in 1986, during the sessions for my first album. I was with >Danny >>then, but I have to admit that I had an eye on him even then. > >OUCH! LOL! "when it comes to love I know where I wanna be...", eh? >>He plays trumpet, but he's also an arranger and a >>composer. It was him who wrote Olive Tree for me and I had to press Danny >>quite hard to put this song on The Sweetest Illusion. Danny doesn't like it >>when the strangers mess up with our partnership. eeek, I wonder how Danny is handling a new producer. I mean, he knew Kevin for a while, and he wasn't happy about that... >Hmmm... Perhaps something more than *professional* jealousy? It's nice to >know if Danny ever meets with an untimely demise (Is there another kind?) >there's someone capable of picking up his end of the partnership. Oops. I >shouldn't have said that, should I? yeah, you jinxer! (hee!) As big a Kevin fan as I am, and you all know I am, he is no Danny. Danny is the man. But I would like to see another collaboration with him. He is a darn good composer. And I'm curious to her him cover the Freddie Hubbard tune on the Inner Shade album. Hubbard is supposed to be one of his heroes. - --Leslie ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 20:05:21 EST From: JPovlock@aol.com Subject: various Greetings to all, as I have returned from a week in sunny Florida! It isn't too tough to deal with 75 degrees in January. The weather was wonderful, the relatives were great, as Dad hit 70, and even my terrible golf was enjoyable. And also, Tampa has a smooth jazz station. Buffalo, my home town, has little to offer in the way of radio, ranging from overplayed classic rock to moldy oldies to the worst pop schlock imaginable. Listening to WSJT in Tampa was a real treat. The first day they played songs by Peter White and Marc Antoine (I didn't know much of his solo career - anybody??) In the passing days they played "Promises" and "Cruising for Bruising" by our heroine. This morning, on the way to the airport, she played Peter's "Just Another Day", made mention that it was Basia doing the vocals, and casually mentioned that she was coming out with a new CD soon. Yes, she said SOON. If I had been driving, I would have stopped and screamed for joy. But alas, it is not to be. I called the evening DJ, and he said that he heard that it was expected out probably around next Christmas, which is what we have all been hearing. What a disappointment. And to think I had a scoop for y'all... If anyone is interested, the station has a nice website: www.wsjt.com Inside there is a link to Peter White's site. I'm assuming it's HIS site, but I had never seen it before, and found that interesting, too. The station did a nice job, and, as everyone else has been commenting lately, it still is exciting to hear a Basia song on radio, no matter how many times you play your CD at home. Jim P. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 22:17:52 EST From: JPovlock@aol.com Subject: New CD Here's the response I got from the DJ concerning Basia's new CD: I'm sorry I don't know any specifics, but I heard from her record company that she was putting out another one---seems like she got a new recording deal. You can contact the label she's on and they will tell you. I am at home and don't know it off hand, but you can find it on the back of her cd! Thanks, alicia Thanks for listening Jim P. ------------------------------ End of basia-digest V4 #32 **************************