[Dixielandjazz] Aretha blesses America

[JimDBB@aol.com]

In a 4th of July extravaganza from the Capitol this, nation once again had to 
endure having its national songs subjected to abysmal renderings by american 
pop singers.  Biggest offender today was the soul Queen, Aretha Franklin.  
Ms. Franklin arrived onstage, weighing in at about 400lbs and gave us a 
dreadful 'God Bless America.'  Every 'Soul' vocal distortion that you've ever 
heard was thrown into this.   Worse was yet to come when the Orchestra went 
into a truncated Beethoven Ninth and Aretha  added her vocaleses to the 
finale.  Mercifully, the orchestra, chorus and the fireworks pretty much 
overwhelmed her offerings.

On a jazzier and brighter note, earlier in the day and on the way to 
Milwaukee I turned on the radio and dialed in WEBZ, NPR in chicago.  A 
marvelous interview with MIchael Cosgrove was underway. Cosgrove is the 
curator on the Louis Armstrong Archives and he had some interesting things to 
relate.  He played a tape of a record session that was never released.  
Columbia thought that it would be clever to have Louis record, "Mack the 
Knife" with Lotte Lenya, who had sung this song in the original show, "the 
Three Penny Opera". she is mentioned in the song.  She is a square show 
singer and can't get the ending that Louis is trying to show her.  It is 
amusing to hear this as Louis is very gracious and patient, and over and over 
                 tries to show her the ending.  

Louis Armstrong's creative genuis will continue to unfold as the years go by.

JIm Beebe