You Call That a Grammy?

I do! Disregarding any other opinions for the moment, I thought last night's 53rd Annual Grammy awards were given to the right people. Sure, every year there are always a few artists that probably do not deserve the nomination, let alone the award. However, I thought this year was at least better in terms of the shiny gramaphones being presented to their rightful owners. Outside of the blues genre, my personal favorite was Arcade Fire's win for Album of the Year (The Suburbs). I love this band and I'm glad they are finally getting recognition for their work. If you have not heard them and would like to listen to some of their stuff, I cannot help you. What do you think this is, an indie rock blog?

The biggest disappointment of the night for me, other than Justin Bieber's hair, was Bob Dylan. Despite his insightful lyrics, folky-rock sound, and magical harmonica, this veteran Woody Guthrie-wannabe was really not good. That's putting it in the most sympathetic terms. He sang live with Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers, who I think are decent. Honestly, the old guy brought the newbies down. Now, I'm a huge Dylan fan. Let me clarify, I'm a huge 1960's- and "Hurricane" (1975)-Dylan fan. Here is an example:

As you can probably already tell, the times really are a-musically changing. Still, I miss the old Bob Dylan. I understand that I should not complain. Who knows? Maybe he was just having a bad night or got infested with laryngitis. Hopefully in the future he can sound better (without auto-tune, by the way). The winners of my Grammy Awards, which have no validity and essentially mean nothing outside of my own mind, include:

Buddy Guy (Best Blues Song for "Thank Me Someday")

Eric Clapton (Best Blues Album for Clapton)

Joe Bonamassa (Best Blues Artist)

Like I said before, these "awards" mean nothing except to me. After thinking more about it, maybe receiving a Grammy is not all it is talked up to be. I realize that the Grammy's are a pretty big deal - they are the Oscars of music. But if artists like Eminem and Lady Gaga are the ones taking all the awards, maybe getting a Grammy is not all that special. Honestly, the musicians who create music solely for the love of creating music are the ones I think deserve the most recognition. Of course, it is impossible to determine if a musician makes music because they love it. Or is it?

"For me, it's about the music. I'm just the messenger, and I hope to do it as long as I live." - Eric Clapton (http://www.thinkexist.com/)



Eric Clapton? Never not heard of him. He's the real deal.

"My whole life, my whole soul, my whole spirit is to blow thath horn." - Louis Armstrong (http://www.thinkexist.com/)



I think the greatest trumpet player of all-time, not including Miles Davis, is a true musician.

"When you don't have anything, you have everything." - Mother Teresa (http://www.goodreads.com/)

(http://turnbacktogod.com/)

Mother Teresa was not a musician to my knowledge, but an inspiring person nonetheless. I guess this Catholic thing is starting to grow on me.

Artist of the Week: Emily Anne Reed

(http://www.tv.broadway.com/)

Old-time jazzy singer Emily Anne Reed is a contestant on the tenth season of the popular singing show American Idol. Now, American Idol is not the happiest place on earth; DisneyWorld takes that crown. Therefore, this show can be quite tiresome and frustrating to the viewer, yet extremely addicting. Even so, the voter-generated reality program has given the universe some worthwhile talent. I could count on my hand the number of contestants on American Idol that I enjoy: LaToya London, David Cook, Fantasia Barrino, Chris Daughtry, and Melinda Doolittle. Sorry, no Adam Lambert.

Anyway, Emily Anne Reed has got a very unique voice that is jazzy enough to warrant my support throughout the upcoming American Idol season. She sings in a band called Emily Anne's Delights, which you can find more about here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-Annes-Delights/241109978206. Although originally from Arlington, Virginia, Reed auditioned for American Idol in San Francisco by singing Harry Warren's "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," and later "Honey Babe Blues." She does not begin singing until about a minute into the video. Here it is:

Because American Idol is scheduled to air 1-2 nights during the next few months, I'll sporadically update on Reed's progress on the show, assuming she stays on for some time.

New Album of the Week: I Feel You by Herb Alpert & Lani Hall

Released 02.08.11

(http://www.amazon.com/)

Hey, it's Valentine's Day. I think this swing jazz album is the most appropriate for the occasion. It's not blues by any means, but it's still decent music. My recommended sample track would be the opener, "Moondance," because it was one of the first jazz songs I ever listened to. And, if it makes any difference, Alpert and Hall have been married for over 36 years.

Congratulations to Grammy winners...
Jeff Beck (Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Hammerhead"), Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined at the Hip), and Buddy Guy (Best Contemporary Blues Album for Living Proof).