NOOGABLOG

Jane Monheit ,

(born November 3, 1977) is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist for Concord Records. She has collaborated with artists such as Michael Bublé, Ivan Lins,Terence Blanchard and Tom Harrell, and has received Grammy nominations for two of her recordings. ….More

Jane Monheit – The Lovers, The Dreamers And Me

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The Deirdre Wilson Tabac ,

A beautiful bit of funky rocking soul and the one and only album by the Deirdre Wilson Tabac – A group whose name is as strange as their grooves are funky! The group are best known for their well-compiled track “I Can’t Keep From Cryin Sometimes” – an uptempo jazzy gem that mixes skipping Hammond with soaring vocals and some really great horns – and the rest of this set has a very similar feel – one that blends jazz rock with more soulful vocals, in a groove that’s totally unique!

The two covers here are also among the best tracks: a helluva funky rework of the Beatles’ “Get Back” and a straight cover of “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”, with nice vocal arrangements. Sonny Casella wrote, arranged, and produced the record – and he’s also the drummer in the group, so there’s keen attention to rhythms on all tracks. Titles include “I Can’t Keep From Cryin”, “Magic One”, “I Go To You”, the beautiful “Other Side Of Life”, “Angel Baby”, “Get Back”, “The Last Thing On His Mind”, and “Let’s All Join Together”.

The Deirdre Wilson Tabac – The Deirdre Wilson Tabac

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Neil Leslie Diamond ,

(born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actor.

Neil Diamond is one of pop music’s most enduring and successful singer-songwriters. As a successful pop music performer, Diamond scored a number of hits worldwide in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. According to David Wild, common themes in Diamond’s songs are: “A deep sense of isolation and an equal desire for connection. A yearning for home – and at the same time, the allure of greater freedom. The good, the bad and the ugly about a crazy little thing called love.”

Critic William Ruhlmann wrote of Diamond, “As of 2001, he claimed worldwide record sales of 115 million copies, and as of 2002 he was ranked third, behind only Elton John and Barbra Streisand, on the list of the most successful adult contemporary artists in the history of the Billboard chart.” As of May 2005[update] Diamond had sold 160 million records worldwide[citation needed], including 48 million records in the U.S.

Though his record sales declined somewhat after the 1980s, Diamond continues to tour successfully, and maintains a very loyal following. Diamond’s songs have been recorded by a vast array of performers from many different musical genres.

Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984, and in 2000 received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. ….More

Neil Diamond – The Ultimate Collection

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Naturally 7 ,

Naturally 7 is an American music group with a distinct a cappella style they call “Vocal Play”. They sing primarily R&B with extensive beat-boxing. Band members are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Jamal Reed, Roger “N’glish” Thomas, Dwight Stewart, and Armand “Hops” Hutton. Their style is strongly reminiscent of Take 6.
They are a unique wonder. Collectively, they have a talent that journalists are lost for words to explain. Seven young men from New York whose voices construct the most amazing harmonies and replicate the sounds of a variety of instruments so well that they decided that their album would be just that. Only voices. No instruments.

‘Wall of Sound’ is an astonishing body of work. It is an upbeat, positive, optimistic record that bucks the trend on every level of our ‘”instant access, reality popstar” culture. Heavily influenced by RnB, Gospel and Motown, this band arranges and produces their own tracks, adding a distinctive ‘Naturally 7′ element to them. Full of classic tracks such as ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, ‘More Than Words’, and the self penned ‘Wall of Sound’, the entire album is something completely different. Having worked together since 2002, these boys rehearse, practice and rehearse again constantly to recreate their favourite tracks in a way no one else has heard them before. The commitment and focus is second to none and the results prove how gifted and extraordinary they truly are. ….Read More

           Track Listing :

01. Wall Of Sound
02. Feel It (In The Air Tonight)
03. As Tears Go By
04. Gone With The Wind
05. Broken Wings
06. More Than Words
07. What I’m Lookin’ 4
08. Closer Now
09. Heaven Knows
10. It Is What It Is
11. Let It Rain (Harmony Mix)
12. U Can’t Hear Me
13. Bridge Over Trouble Water
14. Say You Love Me
15. Amazing Grace

Naturally 7 – Wall Of Sound

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Slumdog Millionaire ,

is a 2008 British drama film directed by Danny Boyle, co-directed by Loveleen Tandan, and written by Simon Beaufoy. It is an adaptation of the Boeke Prize winning and Commonwealth Writers’ Prize nominated novel Q and A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup. Tandan, who began as the film’s casting director, was later appointed the co-director by Boyle because of her significant contributions to the film’s production.

Set and filmed in India, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a young man from the Dharavi slums of Mumbai who appears on Kaun Banega Crorepati (the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and exceeds people’s expectations, arousing the suspicions of the game show host and of law enforcement officials.

After screenings at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, Slumdog Millionaire initially had a limited North American release on 12 November 2008 to critical acclaim and awards success, and later had a nationwide release in the United States on 26 December 2008 and in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2009. It premiered in Mumbai on 22 January 2009. Though the film contains both English and Hindi dialogues, an entirely Hindi dubbed version of the film, Slumdog Crorepati, was also released in India.

Slumdog Millionaire won five of the six awards it was nominated for at the Critics’ Choice Awards and all four of the awards it was nominated for at the Golden Globes. It has also been nominated for eleven BAFTA Awards and ten Academy Awards. ….More

Slumdog Millionaire

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Amaia Montero Saldías ,

(born August 26, 1976) best known as the vocalist of La Oreja de Van Gogh between 1996 and 2007. Is a Singer/songwriter from Spain. Including her work with the band, Montero has sold more than 6 million albums worldwide.
Amaia is the oldest of 2 girls. She attended UPV/EHU studying Chemistry, where she met the rest of the band members. When the band became famous, she switched studies to Psychology at the UNED. She later stopped studying.

In recent years, her life has taken a big turn. She has gone from being a normal girl to a singer known by everyone and she is still surprised with each new aspect of her life. But in the end remains sociable, fun and very accessible. She has a teacher for breathing techniques and placing the voice, and although she can not attend to classes regularly due to lack of time, it was noticed the benefits of what she learned. Montero had nodules in the throat when in 1998 recorded Dile al sol but after the first tour the nodules were removed. ….More

Amaia Montero – Amaia Montero

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Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen ,

(born September 23, 1949), nicknamed “The Boss”, is an American songwriter, singer and musician. He has recorded and toured with the E Street Band. Springsteen is widely known for his brand of heartland rock infused with pop hooks, poetic lyrics, and Americana sentiments centered around his native New Jersey.

Springsteen’s recordings have tended to alternate between commercially accessible rock albums and somber folk-oriented works. Much of his status stems from the concerts and marathon shows in which he and the E Street Band present intense ballads, rousing anthems, and party rock and roll songs, amongst which he intersperses whimsical or deeply emotional stories.

His most famous albums, Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A., epitomize his penchant for finding grandeur in the struggles of daily life. He has gradually become identified with progressive politics. He is also noted for his support of various relief and rebuilding efforts in New Jersey and elsewhere, and for his response to the September 11, 2001, attacks, on which his album The Rising reflects.

He has earned numerous awards for his work, including eighteen Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award, and continues to have a strong global fan base. He has sold over 65 million albums in the U.S, and 120 million worldwide. ….More

Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream

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Ann West ,

She has been a model, a TV and radio talk show host in Hawaii, a doctor of metaphysics, an author, and to top it all off shes now an incredible singer-songwriter. Baffled?! Well dont be! Glasgow-born multi-talented singer-songwriter Ann West has had an extraordinary career. Shes travelled the world from Kauai to India and is now pursuing her long-held ambition to sing. She recently released her debut single Missed It Again, co-written with Richard Fammeree and Frank Myers. Her debut album Confidante will be released in February this year.

Ann West – Confidante

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Tonight: Franz Ferdinand ,

is the third album by Scottish rock group Franz Ferdinand. It is scheduled for release through Domino Records on 26 January 2009 in the UK. “Ulysses” was released on the 19 January 2009 as the first single and is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. It is a concept album loosely based around a night of partying and the morning effects after. The album has generally been well received by music critics…..More

Franz Ferdinand – Tonight Franz Ferdinand

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The Forminx ,

Late in his teens, Vangelis joined a school band performing pop and rock hits from abroad, in addition to playing their own music. By the mid 1960’s the band adapted the name “The Forminx” and became a local sensation in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece.) Their hit record “Jeronimo Yanka” when released in 1965 sold tens of thousands of copies and soon The Forminx were known throughout Greece. Formed in Athens, the Forminx comprised of five members, lead by Vangelis on organ and keyboards, Vassilis Bakopoulos on guitar, Sotiris Arnis on bass, Costas Skokos on drums, and occasionally Tassos Papastamatis on lead vocals.
The Forminx were a phenomenal success in Greek’s popular music scene, an achievement typically reserved for traditional and folk music. Somehow, with their Western sound and modern beat, they’ve captivated Greece’s young generation who were eager and hungry to have their own supergroup. Just like any country around the block.

Though popular as they were, The Forminx were considered primarily an amateur and entertainment band with a strong teenager following. They performed at parties and events purely for fun and they didn’t get much paid for their gigs. It was the band’s enthusiasm that kept them going.

The songs were mostly credited as Vangelis compositions with a few numbers written by the collective band or by outside contributors. The lyrics were in English, which certainly helped setting them apart from the rest of the Greek artists. The released music adopted one of two styles: the semi instrumental songs with simple but catchy melodies, or the slow ballads with crooner Tassos Papastamatis. Sadly though, his English was often tainted with a heavy Mediterranean accent.

After the hit “Jeronimo Yanka” more singles were released and in total there were nine 7″ vinyl singles and an EP.

Late in 1965, a documentary film in the life of the Forminx began shooting in Thessaloniki. The film’s first producer was then Theo Angelopoulos making the debut of his film career. After shooting had started, Theo abandoned the film due to disagreements with the production team and he was replaced with Costas Lychnaras. The film however was not finished and thus never released. It was said one of the aims of the film was to promote The Forminx’ success outside of Greece and to help them eventually go on an international tour. However, The Forminx didn’t last long enough to see them traveling around the globe or getting famous outside of Greece. The Forminx disbanded in 1966 at the peak of their success. ….More

Vangelis & The Forminx – 1965-1968

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Thin Lizzy ,

are an Irish hard rock band who formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969. The band were led throughout their recording career by bassist, songwriter and singer Phil Lynott, and are best known for their songs “Whiskey in the Jar”, “Jailbreak” and “The Boys Are Back in Town”, all major international hits still played regularly on hard rock and classic rock radio stations.

Consistent with being Thin Lizzy’s leader, Lynott was composer or co-composer of almost all their songs. He was also one of the few black men to achieve significant success in hard rock. As well as being multiracial, the band drew its members not only from both sides of the Irish border but also from both the Catholic and Protestant communities. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including country and traditional Irish folk music, and psychedelic rock but is generally classified as hard rock or heavy metal.

Critic for allmusic John Dougan has written that “As the band’s creative force, Lynott was a more insightful and intelligent writer than many of his ilk, preferring slice-of-life working-class dramas of love and hate influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition.” Van Morrison, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix were major influences during the early days of the band, and later influences included American artists Little Feat and Bob Seger.

Thin Lizzy were ranked #51 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. ….More

Thin Lizzy – Bad Reputation

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Sir Elton Hercules John ,

(born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.

In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s. He has sold over 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits including seven consecutive No. 1 U.S. albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won five Grammy awards and one Academy Award. His success has had a profound impact on popular music and has contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him #49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Some of the characteristics of John’s musical talent include an ability to quickly craft melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, his former rich tenor (now baritone) voice, his classical and gospel-influenced piano, the aggressive orchestral arrangements of Paul Buckmaster among others and the on-stage showmanship, especially evident during the 1970s.

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and was knighted in 1998. He entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements. On 9 April 2008, John held a benefit concert for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, raising $2.5 million. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list on which are present Hot 100’s top 100 artists and Elton John reached #3, preceded by Madonna and The Beatles. ….More

Elton John – The Red Piano

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Kylie Ann Minogue ,

(born 28 May 1968), is an Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. She rose to prominence in the late 1980s through her role in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing her career as a recording artist in 1987.

Signed to a contract by British songwriters and producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1987, she achieved a string of hit records throughout the world. Her popularity waned during the early 1990s, leading her to part company from Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1992. During the mid to late 1990s, Minogue distanced herself from her earlier work and attempted to establish herself as a credible and independent performer and songwriter. Her projects were widely publicised, but her albums failed to attract a substantial audience and resulted in the lowest sales of her career at the time. She returned to popularity as a pop artist in 2000, and became well-known for her elaborate music videos and expensively mounted stage shows. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, Minogue returned to performing and recording in late 2006 after a period of convalescence.

Although she was dismissed by some critics during her early career, she has achieved longevity as a pop music artist. She has sold in excess of 60 million records, and has achieved her greatest successes in Australia, Europe, Asia and Latin America. She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to music. ….More

Kylie Minogue – Boombox

AlterLink

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Carlos Augusto Santana Alves ,

(born July 20, 1947 in Jalisco, Mexico) is a Grammy Award-winning Mexican rock musician and guitarist. He became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which created a highly successful blend of rock, salsa, and jazz fusion. The band’s sound featured his melodic, blues-based guitar lines set against Latin percussion such as timbales and congas. Santana continued to work in these forms over the following decades. He experienced a sudden resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990s. Carlos Santana has been known as “The Carlos”. Rolling Stone also named Santana number 15 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003. ….More

Santana – Borboletta P1

Santana – Borboletta P2

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Angelo Branduardi ,

(born February 12, 1950), is an Italian pop singer and composer who scored relevant success in Italy and European countries such as France, Germany and Holland.
Branduardi was born in Cuggiono, a small town in the province of Milan, but early moved with the family to Genoa. He was educated as a classical violinist in the local school of music. At the age of 18 he composed the music for the Confessioni di un malandrino (Hooligan’s Confession) by Sergei Yesenin.

He is married to Luisa Zappa, who wrote the lyrics for many of his songs. They have two daughters, Sarah and Maddalena, both musicians. ….More

Angelo Branduardi – L’infinitamente Piccolo

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