From: owner-believers-digest@smoe.org (believers-digest) To: believers-digest@smoe.org Subject: believers-digest V6 #232 Reply-To: believers@smoe.org Sender: owner-believers-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-believers-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk believers-digest Monday, December 30 2002 Volume 06 : Number 232 In Today's believer's digest: ----------------- Best of 2002 (was : piano musings) ["Richard Hill" ] Re: believers-digest V6 #231 [Loris1127@aol.com] All that jazz [WoodellDC@aol.com] Re: All that jazz [PBCoustic@aol.com] Re: believers-digest V6 #231 [PhotoTwang ] Re: Piano musings ["Ron Rosen" ] RE: piano musings [Leslie Dreyer Kalra ] RE: piano musings [PhotoTwang ] Re: musings [meredith ] The Grinches at WXPN (possibly OT) [WoodellDC@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 06:53:18 -0600 From: "Richard Hill" Subject: Best of 2002 (was : piano musings) Said meth: <> Yup, my mileage varied tremendously from meth's. Preface: I'm the guy who was chastised a year ago (by you-all-remember-who, if you were here a year ago) for having "new non-fiction" in a tie at number ONE on my 'Best of 2001' list. I had Susan sharing the #1 spot with Lucy Kaplansky's "Every Single Day" (and I'm ecstatic that I'll get to see Susan and Lucy sharing the same bill in 2003!). While I do agree that Norah's stage presence is a bit too low key, she's still a kid getting started. "Come Away with Me" is Norah's _first_ full record. Frankly, I'm worried what it's success might do to her. For example: at one Italian city on her tour, her management had her doing fourteen interviews in one day. This girl from Grapevine, Texas has toured both Europe and Asia TWICE in 2002. Yes, there can be "too much of a good thing". The crux reason for all the hoopla is simple: Norah is a breath of fresh air! Here are my picks for the 'Best of 2002' (as I already posted them on 3 or 4 other music lists). Some will think that I 'gush' way too much about my pick at #1, but I mean every word. Best of 2002 - Richard's Picks: #1 - Come Away with Me - Norah Jones An emphatic and enthusiastic "#1"! No question about it! NO brand new artist has blown me away the way Norah has with this stunning first full album. That's right, NO artist, EVER, has grabbed my attention so immediately. She gave me the disc back in January when she was, pretty much, an unknown. The disc has since gone "Triple Platinum" (so far). She's been touring the world, been on magazine covers, and all the major TV shows (Letterman, Leno, Kilborn, Saturday Night Live!, etc.). All of a sudden, Norah is the biggest selling artist in the great history of Blue Note Records! Norah is for real! A star was born this year! The rest of my faves, in no particular order: Zero Church - Suzzy & Maggie Roche Live - Alison Krauss & Union Station Midnight and Lonesome - Buddy Miller How Sweet It Is - Joan Osborne Monuments - Kate Campbell Twang on a Wire - Kate Campbell Get It Right - The Kennedys Going Driftless: an artist's tribute to Greg Brown - various The Memorial Hall Recordings - Mark Erelli Rise - Kim Richey Easy - Kelly Willis Belly of the Sun - Cassandra Wilson Out in California - Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men Wait for Me - Susan Tedeschi Bramble Rose - Tift Merritt Lost in Space - Aimee Mann 1000 Kisses - Patty Griffin Halos & Horns - Dolly Parton Blue Country Heart - Jorma Kaukonen Don't Give Up On Me - Solomon Burke Unravel - Lynn Miles I'm Every Woman - Rory Block Something Worth Leaving Behind - Lee Ann Womack Home - Dixie Chicks Blood on the Tracks - Mary Lee's Corvette Note: These two had their 'official' US release in 2002, but were in my Top 10 last year: 1 - new non-fiction - Susan Werner 7 - Barricades & Brickwalls - Kasey Chambers ~R. HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 05:23:20 -0800 (PST) From: simona loberant Subject: musings A little late but.... Norah JOnes made a name for herself on mostly WFUV and WYEP type stations and is really great for being a non-manufactured star. I haven't seen her live but I do like her recorded music, although I have to say that after a while it gets a bit bland. The thing that I've seen in PIttsburgh with WYEP is that while Norah Jone's music got played at least twice/thrice daily for several months I have heard exactly two Susan Werner songs on the same station over two years. And she's already got some recorded music that is very much in the style that Norah Jones and other similar artists are now popular for. I don't know what makes an independent station play one song over another or prefer one artists over another. I wish I did! Unfortunately our dear little WYEP has started playing way too much weird and hardly listenable music. Case in point last week they played tracks from this album called "untitled" and they playeed the song called "track 4" The background music was barely there and a guy sung out of tune in a language he made up. ANyone have any tips for telling a radio station that you hate what they play and want to hear something different? Happy New Years, Simona Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 11:21:03 EST From: Loris1127@aol.com Subject: Re: believers-digest V6 #231 In a message dated 12/29/2002 3:40:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, owner-believers-digest@smoe.org writes: > > However, I do wish her all the best, because I think she could be just the > > thing to pave the way for Susan to have a good measure of success with > her > > piano jazz stuff. If people think Norah Jones is the best thing since > > sliced bread, just wait until they hear Susan! I agree wholeheartedly. I got a copy of "Come Away with Me", cos I liked the title cut, which is practically all you hear on the radio, and wanted to hear more. I then discovered why they don't play anything else - it all sounds alike. Even given the fact that we are limiting the songs to piano jazz, Susan has a much broader range. It amazes me that "no one needs to know" "light sleeper" and "it was so nice...." all come from the same source. I truly hope that when this new CD comes out, they hit up jazz labels to expand the audience. Diana Krall, look out! Lori in NH HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 11:36:05 EST From: WoodellDC@aol.com Subject: All that jazz Just thought I'd escape from lurkdom and pipe in here to say those who like the jazzier side of SW might also like Patricia Barber. Along with Steve Earle and k.d. lang, she is someone whom I knew I would like instantly, based solely on a newspaper article, before ever hearing a single note. And I was correct. On cd or (personal use only) tape, I have her four major discs, and am wowed every time I listen! Take care, Deb The further in you look, the further out you see... -- Sonia Rutstein HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 11:53:39 EST From: PBCoustic@aol.com Subject: Re: All that jazz In a message dated 12/29/2002 10:36:41 AM Central Standard Time, WoodellDC@aol.com writes: > Just thought I'd escape from lurkdom and pipe in here to say those who like > the jazzier side of SW might also like Patricia Barber. Absolutely.... and there's even some vocal similarity... PB HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 09:04:08 -0800 (PST) From: PhotoTwang Subject: Re: believers-digest V6 #231 <> and <> and <> I couldn't disagree more about "it all sounds alike", but I won't waste time here by going there. Norah Jones is as hugely popular as she is because she appeals to all age groups (among many other reasons). She is a breath of fresh air, in an era of shouting divas. I just don't see any good reasons to pit one great singer 'against' another. My favorite singers are always the ones who are hard to categorize. They cross all those imaginary boundaries between jazz/pop/folk/country and whatever other categories you care to throw in. Is the 'real' great talent Susan Werner? Norah Jones? Diana Krall? Cassandra Wilson? Alison Krauss? Joan Osborne? (fill in the blank w. your fave)______? Yes. All of the above. ~R. Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 10:06:26 -0800 From: "Ron Rosen" Subject: Re: Piano musings > <> and <> and <> > > Is the 'real' great talent Susan Werner? Norah Jones? Diana Krall? Cassandra Wilson? Alison Krauss? Joan Osborne? (fill in the blank w. your fave)______? > > Yes. All of the above. I taped Saturday Night Live last night because I heard a promo that Norah Jones was going to be on. I just watched her SNL performance. She is good - although I wonder if that breathy voice is her real voice. I'm probably not that big a fan of what she does, but that's just my taste. I'm sure she will be really big for a long, long time. And she does look a lot like Lucy Kaplansky. I think the question that is on the minds of many Believers is why Norah Jones is suddenly all the rage while Susan remains a relative unknown. It probably has a lot to do with her record company and the promotion, and some intangibles. The question is not so much who is the ''real'' great talent - but why some are more successful in terms of sales and popularity than others. It sounds like Norah just burst on the scene and for whatever reasons, just took off. A couple of people have mentioned that ''it all sounds alike.'' I'm not in a position to comment on whether that's true or not, but it could be part of the reason for her success. Probably consistency is what most people want in their musical artists. Unless you are already hooked on an artist, you probably don't want them to have a lot of variability in their style. Also, if you don't like someone you tend to think ''it all sounds alike.'' I remember back in 1965 I was buying the Byrds first album at a big - but off the beaten path - record store in San Francisco. The clerk, an older guy, said, ''I don't like much of this new stuff, but I do like the Mamas and Papas.'' I said, ''The Mamas and Papas are ok, but their songs all sound alike.'' He said, ''Oh no, I think the other stuff all sounds alike.'' Later, of course, I started to appreciate the Mamas and Papas and it no longer sounded alike. HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 13:39:26 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time) From: Leslie Dreyer Kalra Subject: RE: piano musings On Sat, 28 Dec 2002, Beth McConnell wrote: > ooh ooh ooh, mistah kottah! > > My brother tells me she's the 23? 24? yr old dau. of Ravii Shankar, That would be Anoushka Shankar, not Norah Jones. She is very young and is starting a musical career that includes American-style pop as well as the classical Indian music of Ravi Shankar. I believe (but don't quote me on it) that Anoushka is actually his stepdaughter. Ravi's getting up there now -- in his 80s, I think -- and has been grooming Anoushka to continue his traditions since she was a teenager. Not that anyone on this list really cares very much. I had a Horshack-channeling experience myself and had to share it...:) leslie HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 11:54:30 -0800 (PST) From: PhotoTwang Subject: RE: piano musings Actually, Norah is Anoushka's step-sister. Anoushka grew up with Dad, and is following in his footsteps (they were featured on '60 Minutes' a year or two ago), while Norah grew up with her mom, Sue Jones, in Grapevine, Texas. Ravi isn't mentioned in Norah publicity blurbs because he had very little to do with her upbringing, she's doing just fine with her own style of music and doesn't need Dad's coattails. Photos of the sisters together can be found in the "family and friends" subsection of the photo section of http://www.anoushkashankar.com/ . Anoushka, btw, is still only 19 years old(I think), Norah is 23. Back to your regularly scheduled programming, ~Richard Leslie Dreyer Kalra wrote:On Sat, 28 Dec 2002, Beth McConnell wrote: > ooh ooh ooh, mistah kottah! > > My brother tells me she's the 23? 24? yr old dau. of Ravii Shankar, That would be Anoushka Shankar, not Norah Jones. She is very young and is starting a musical career that includes American-style pop as well as the classical Indian music of Ravi Shankar. I believe (but don't quote me on it) that Anoushka is actually his stepdaughter. Ravi's getting up there now -- in his 80s, I think -- and has been grooming Anoushka to continue his traditions since she was a teenager. Not that anyone on this list really cares very much. I had a Horshack-channeling experience myself and had to share it...:) leslie HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 21:14:27 -0500 From: meredith Subject: Re: musings Hi, Simona mentioned: >I don't >know what makes an independent station play one song >over another or prefer one artists over another. I >wish I did! Well, in the case of WFUV, it has a *lot* to do with how much money the artist's label has "donated" to the station. Ever notice how many times you hear "WFUV appreciates the support of ____, whose album ____ is available at ____ in Manhattan" in a day? Yes, folks, payola is alive and well, and eating public radio for lunch. But that's a rant for another day. I will just say this: if Dar Williams were to release her indie debut _The Honesty Room_ today, WFUV wouldn't give it a second look. >Unfortunately our dear little WYEP has started playing >way too much weird and hardly listenable music. Case >in point last week they played tracks from this album >called "untitled" and they playeed the song called >"track 4" The background music was barely there and a >guy sung out of tune in a language he made up. Heh. That would be the new Sigur Ros album. Sigur Ros are from Iceland, and lots of people have been having multiple orgasms over them for the past couple years. Me, I don't see what all the fuss is about -- their music is nice sonic wallpaper (Tori Amos is using it as pretty background music in between sets on her current tour), but it does about as much for me as Norah Jones does. Then again, I never "got" Radiohead either. I'm just not wired that way, I guess. >ANyone have any tips for telling a radio station that >you hate what they play and want to hear something >different? Find the music director's e-dress and write them exactly that. Any radio station worth anything will appreciate the feedback. Or you could always call the station whenever they play it and say "what the hell is this crap?" You're guaranteed to have an interesting conversation with the DJ that way. ;) But do keep in mind that community/college radio should be built around what the DJ wants to play. The number of stations in this country that allow their on-air staff to play whatever they want (within FCC guidelines, of course) is dwindling at an alarming rate, and that sort of free-form radio should be appreciated and preserved even if you don't like what they're doing for a few minutes every day. Our local community radio station, WPKN had a slogan one season that summed it up: "Some Songs I Like/Some Songs I Don't Like". That's what makes the station such a wonderful thing. ============================================== Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth ============================================== Live At The House O'Muzak House Concert Series http://muzak.smoe.org NEXT UP: Holly Figueroa, 1/26/03 ============================================== HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 23:29:22 EST From: WoodellDC@aol.com Subject: The Grinches at WXPN (possibly OT) Apologies for the cross-post: Well, I know I am always one to tout WXPN in Philadelphia, but in checking their Web site, I discovered they will not, as in the past, be playing the top 50 albums of the year in their entirety, but rather will just play some snippets of each and then at some point grace us with the top 10. Sure there have been clunkers (in my opinion), so I just put on NPR or a cd of my own, then tune back in later. I've heard some real treats among those top 50. This really bleeps! Deb The further in you look, the further out you see... -- Sonia Rutstein HELP! owner-believers@smoe.org Send mail to believers@smoe.org Susan's CD's are available on your desktop at World Cafe CDs http://worldcafecds.com ------------------------------ End of believers-digest V6 #232 ******************************* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- This has been a posting from the Susan Werner believers-digest To unsubscribe send mail to Majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe believers-digest" in the body of the message