12/16/16: Sharing feelings with Beethoven

Wishing a happy birthday to one of my favorite composers.

11/28/16: Monday Funday Dance Party!

I remember seeing Mos Def play this on “Letterman,” and immediately bought the single. I love the way the way everything is so laid back and restrained, but there’s also this underlying tension that permeates the whole song.   And of course, the timpani. From the Ronettes to Pizzicato Five, I love my pop music with a

11/18/16: Leonard Cohen

Oh Leonard. Eighty-two is a good long life, but for me he’s been taken away far too young, He’s one of my favorite songwriters. Every song is a novel, condensed into three or four minutes. I’ve got to be honest – I prefer it when other people cover his music, for the most part. I’m not

11/9/16: Damn.

Damn. Damn damn damn damn damn.

11/07/16: Special Election Edition

Tomorrow the United States will be electing its next president. This is one where the stakes are really up for grabs; we could wind up in an awful, awful place for real if this goes the wrong way. As a momentary distraction, here’s some dancing that reminds me of American things. A bluegrass jam and

10/31/16: Scary Halloween Dance Party

I made a playlist on Spotify this week, with some scary creepy music. The music I picked isn’t usually associated with Halloween (except for “Red Right Hand” and “Goo Goo Muck,” but I picked out some of the darkest, most unsettling songs I could think of. No “Monster Mash” this year – trust me, I

10/24/16: Monday Funday Dance Party!

I sometimes work as a dance class accompanist, and have spent a certain amount of time hanging around ballerinas. First of all, I want to point out how much respect I have gained for dancers through this job. Dance requires the strength and coordination of an athlete, extraordinary self-control, and dedication to the craft. If

10/19/16: Digging in the bins

These days I buy a lot of albums by digital download, but I also like to go out and purchase real-live, physical CDs. I’m lucky enough that I’m near a very good used CD/DVD/vinyl store, so I still experience the fun of discovering music that you thought about once a couple of years ago and now

9/26/16: Monday Funday Dance Party!

It’s one of those rough allergy mornings, the kind where you feel like all the sinus cavities in your head have been filled with cement. In times like these, all I can say is: thank goodness for Gloria Estefan. The video’s fun, too. Yes, ladies really had hair like that back in the 80’s. And

9/12/16: Monday Funday Dance Party!

If you’re on the East Coast, it’s pushing 3PM right now. Which means it’s just about time for some B-52’s. See if you can get a conga line going around the office. And BTW, the whole album is great. Treat yourself to a copy for the next time it’s 3PM and you need a conga