Where The Wu-Tang Clan Meets Jazz

What do you get when you mix the Wu-Tang Clan with jazz? It depends who's doing the mixing. NPR's A Blog Supreme reports on two efforts: graphic designer Logan Walter's reimagining Wu-Tang Clan album covers in the style of Blue Note releases and DJ 2-Tone Jones's mixtapes combining Wu-Tang Clan vocals with classic jazz tracks.

You can find many of the Wu-Tang Clan's CDs (with the original cover art) in the Media Center.

A History of Auto-Tune and Its Parodies

Here's a factual but funny presentation on the history of Auto-Tune, including how it reached the point of parody from the expert on musical parody, Weird Al Yankovic:

The Rocketboom Institute for Internet Studies examines the phenomenon of Auto-Tune with help from special guest Professor "Weird Al" Yankovic!

Library Online Catalog is Working Again

The technical difficulties with the library catalog have been fixed.

RIP Pinetop Perkins

Pinetop Perkins, the last of a generation of bluesmen and, at 97, the oldest Grammy winner, has died at his home in Austin. Billboard has a more thorough obituary. Highlights of his work available at the library include his recent Grammy-winning album with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith Joined at the Hip (CD 32495) and Muddy Waters' Chess Box (CD 7625-7627).

Looking Back at Arhoolie Records

Over at Rock's Back Pages Writers' Blogs, Don Snowden gives an appreciation for Arhoolie Record for their work in documenting America's roots music.

Check out what he's talking about with the 5-disc set 40th Anniversary Collection, 1960-2000: The Journey of Chris Strachwitz, CD 20166-20170.

Resources Open Even When the Library is Closed

The library is closed this week for Spring Break, but we still have plenty of resources available even when the doors are shut. From the library's home page, check out E-Resources and Streaming Audio. The E-Resources page has links to electronic access of hundreds of journals and magazine, many full text, via subscription databases. The Streaming Audio page has links to our many streaming resources, including music across many genres, opera in video, and a limited selection of scores. Both pages include links to Hal Crook's Play-Alongs. So you can keep up on your studies and keep up your chops even when you can't set foot in the library.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Darlene Love

Last in a series of post about this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees is Darlene Love. She sang lead vocals on the Crystals' 1963 hit "He's a Rebel." She recorded the original version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and joined U2 for their 1987 remake of the song. Here are highlights of her work available at the library.

CDs:
The Best of Darlene Love, CD 5241
The Best of the Crystals, CD 5976
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector, CD 27738
Phil Spector Back to Mono (1958-1969), CD 13444-13447

Scores:
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector, MP1629.3.C5 C48 2003