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

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Tom Waits

Tom Waits was described in court proceedings as "how you'd sound if you drank a quart of bourbon, smoked a pack of cigarettes and swallowed a pack of razor blades...late at night. After not sleeping for three days." The troubadour with the distinctive voice will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next week. Check out some highlights of his career, including his work as an actor, at the library.

CDs:
Alice, CD 20332
Big Time, CD 2327
The Black Rider, CD 5001
Blood Money, CD 20333
Blue Valentine, CD 13484
Bone Machine, CD 10382
Foreign Affairs, CD 11636
Frank's Wild Years, CD 1755
Glitter and Doom Live, CD 31498-31499
The Heart of Saturday Night, CD 9949
Heartattack and Vine, CD 10652
Mule Variations, CD 15128
Nighthawks at the Diner, CD 10429
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards, CD 29017-29019
Rain Dogs, CD 242
Real Gone, CD 24697
Small Change, CD 10378
Swordfishtrombones, CD 2372

Scores:
Alice, MP1630.W25 A4 
Beautiful Maladies, MP1630.W25 B4 1997
Blood Money, MP1630.W25 B5
Mule Variations, MP1630.W25 M8
Tom Waits Anthology, MP1630.W25 T6 1988

DVDs:
Down by Law, DVD 1948-1949

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Neil Diamond

Spring training is in full gear, and opening day at Fenway Park is just a month away, when the Red Sox fans will be singing along to "Sweet Caroline" before the bottom of the 8th inning. But before that, Neil Diamond, the song's writer and performer, will be honored as an inductee at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here are some highlights of Neil Diamond's work that you can find at the library:

CDs:
12 Songs, CD 27029
Dreams, CD 32091
The Greatest Hits, 1966-1992, CD 10767-10768
Home Before Dark, CD 30200
The Movie Album: As Time Goes By, CD 14379-14380

Scores:
12 Songs, MP1630.D517 A112
Home Before Dark, MP1630.D517 H66 2008
Lovescape, MP1630.D517 L7
Neil Diamond, His 12 Greatest Hits, MP1630.D517 H6
Neil Diamond's Smash Hits, MP128.D517 N4
You Don't Bring Me Flowers, MP1630.D517 Y7

If you're wondering why "Sweet Caroline" is played at Red Sox games even though Neil Diamond has no specific ties to Boston or the Red Sox (other than his baseball-related last name), here's the explanation.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Dr. John

In a continuation of the series highlighting this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, who but Dr. John could I mention on Mardi Gras? His work is inextricably linked to New Orleans. Here are some highlights of what you can find at the library:

CDs:
Afterglow, CD 4929
All by Hisself: Live at the Lonestar, CD 22849
Anutha Zone, CD 27954
City Lights, CD 28411
Creole Moon, CD 19942
The Dr. John Anthology: Mos' Scocious, CD 1326-1327
Goin' Back to New Orleans, CD 6711
Gumbo, CD 1783
In the Right Place, CD 1678
N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or D'udda, CD 25650
Tribal, CD 32262

DVDs:
All by Hisself: Live at the Lonestar, DVD 880
Dr. John: Live at Montreux 1995, DVD 2070

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Alice Cooper

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is a week away. NPR has been highlighting each of this year's inductees, but here's a chance to explore what's available at Stan Getz Library, starting with Alice Cooper.

We have materials for both the band as a whole and the man himself. Just a few highlights include:

CDs:
The Alice Cooper Show, CD 10543
Billion Dollar Babies, CD 20338-20339

Score: 
Alice Cooper Complete, MP1630.C666 A5

DVD:
Alice Cooper: Prime Cuts: The Alice Cooper Story, DVD 329
The Nightmare Returns, DVD 2657

Books:
Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict by Alice Cooper with Keith and Kent Zimmerman, ML420.C666 A3 A45 2007
Me, Alice: The Autobiography of Alice Cooper with Steven Gaines, ML420.C666 A3 1976

The NPR story:
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/22/133895248/alice-cooper-the-original-shock-rocker

No, Not That Scott Walker

While Wisconsin governor Scott Walker has been in the news the last few weeks, some music fans are doing a double-take at the mention of his name. Musician and songwriter Scott Walker was born Noel Scott Engel in Ohio but found fame in England as a teen idol in the 1960s as a member of trio the Walker Brothers. After leaving the group, he turned reclusive and has only released albums sporadically, giving him a cult status. His song "Nite Flights" was covered by David Bowie and Fatima Mansions, and other acolytes include Julian Cope and Marc Almond.

Read articles about Scott Walker going back to the late 1960s in Rock's Back Pages.
Find a biography of Scott Walker in The Encyclopedia of Popular Music edited by Colin Larkin (3rd Ed. Muze: 1998) Vol. VII, page 5682. Reference ML102.P66 G84 1998
Listen to Scott Walker:
The Drift CD 28897
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou: Original Soundtrack CD 25197
Tilt CD 29551