Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend...and usually a good cause to check out when you're not enjoying some songs. Today's a short week with remixes of a great No. 1 hit from the '00s, a classic country couple, some underrated '90s hip-hop/dance and a way to bring some positive energy to the people of South America!
Alicia Keys, No One (Remixes) (J/RCA) (iTunes / Amazon)
Soulful singer/songwriter/pianist Alicia Keys was never far from the top of the charts after her breakthrough "Fallin'" and 2001 debut album Songs in A Minor (which helped net her five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album and Best New Artist). But 2007 saw her score a third No. 1 courtesy of "No One," which blended her effortless way around a ballad with some catchy upbeat rhythm. This digital single features a couple of rare remixes alongside acoustic and instrumental versions of the track.
Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter, Leather and Lace (RCA) (iTunes / Amazon)
Though these country hitmakers were married since 1969 - and stayed that way until Jennings' passing in 2002 - it was only in 1981 that they recorded an album together. (It was a crucial time for Waylon, who was struggling with drug addiction at the time and was starting to slip commercially.) While it features covers ("It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," Chuck Berry's "C'est La Vie") and a few Colter originals, it interestingly does not feature the intended title track, written by Stevie Nicks and later recorded by her as a duet with Don Henley. (That version reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982.)
Patti Page, The East Side / The West Side (Mercury)
East: iTunes / Amazon
West: iTunes / Amazon
Released two years apart in 1957 and 1959, these jazzy collections by the bestselling female artist of the '50s aren't as thematically linked as you might expect from the titles, other than the similar cover composition and the work of arranger/conductor Pete Rugolo. Still, with fine renditions of standards like "I Fall in Love Too Easily," "They All Laughed" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It," there's good vibes to spare throughout any city limits.
The '06 Style, Steppin' Into the House (Profile) (iTunes / Amazon)
A catchy one-off single on the typically hip-hop oriented Profile label from 1990, The '06 Style formed at the Gamma Xi fraternity on the UCLA campus and caught the magic of a changing dancefloor culture from one decade to the next. Fun fact: co-founder Tim "That Guy" Reid II is the son of TV actor Tim Reid, a familiar face who appeared on shows like WKRP in Cincinnati, Sister, Sister and That '70s Show.
Finally: bring some energy to South America. If you're worried about the environment and our society's use of fossil fuels, it can be hard to find the hope in places. Luckily, Mundo Sostensible Consultores is a great organization working to bring clean energy projects like solar power arrays to communities across Peru, bringing good jobs and better renewable energy to a biologically diverse country in Latin America. Check the link in the last sentence to see what they're all about, and if you've got some funds to spare, here's a donation link to help them with their current projects.
Harry N Cohen says
Thanks for the reminder about Waylon and Jessi. I will definitely give it a listen.
Patti Page...truly so much more than her incredible string of hits. She could sing just about anything...simply and elegantly.
Thanks for these great selections.