Without a golden wand or mystic charms, fantastic things began when Doris Day lifted her voice in song. Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff of Cincinnati, Ohio intended to pursue a career as a dancer, but a car accident at age thirteen curtailed her plans. "I couldn't walk for almost three years," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2011. She then added with characteristic spirit and optimism, "That was the greatest thing that happened. Instead of dancing, I sang. They carried me three times a week up a
In the Mood for Love: Cherry Red Collects Early Blossom Dearie in New Box Set
This past weekend - April 28, to be exact - would have marked the 95th birthday of Blossom Dearie. The singer-pianist-songwriter with the recognizably wispy, coquettish voice recorded over 30 albums for labels including Verve, Capitol, and Fontana, and collaborated with talents including Johnny Mercer, Michel Legrand, and Bob Dorough. Cherry Red's El label has just celebrated Dearie's early years with a new 3-CD set, The Adorable Blossom Dearie (superseding the label's previous single-disc
Changing My Tune: Kritzerland Reissues, Remasters Classic Gershwin, Coward Tributes
Kritzerland is continuing its long-running series of reissues drawn from Ben Bagley's Painted Smiles archives. The label has just announced new editions of the long out-of-print George Gershwin Revisited and Noel Coward Revisited. George Gershwin Revisited remains one of the starriest releases in the Revisited series, featuring Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch, Bobby Short, and Anthony Perkins. Keeping with the focus of the series, producer Bagley and musical director-arranger Norman Paris
Release Round-Up: The Second Disc's 2019 Record Store Day Must-Haves
Looking for our usual Release Round-Up? Alas, there's not much new in the way of catalogue music this Friday (and we've already filled you in on Billy Paul and Leon Russell!), but for a very good reason: tomorrow sees releases a-plenty as part of Record Store Day! Without further ado, welcome to our annual rundown of Must-Haves for this year's RSD event! Once you're through reading, let us know what you're most looking forward to picking up tomorrow at your favorite local independent
Review: Nat "King" Cole, "Ultimate Nat King Cole" and "International Nat King Cole" [UPDATED]
March 17, 2019 would have been Nat "King" Cole's 100th birthday. While the man born Nathaniel Adams Coles only lived to the age of 45, he more than earned his royal moniker over his three decades of performing. He paved the way for African-American artists as the first black man to host a nationwide television variety show, and quietly but devotedly crusaded for civil rights. At the time of his death, at the height of Beatlemania, he was selling some seven million records a year. The Cole
Whatever Lola Wants: "Spotlight on Gwen Verdon" Arrives from Stage Door
On April 9, the FX network will premiere Fosse/Verdon, a new miniseries chronicling the tumultuous romantic and creative relationship and marriage of director-choreographer Bob Fosse and superstar dancer-actress Gwen Verdon (encompassing such classic musicals as Damn Yankees, Chicago, and Sweet Charity). Before that, the U.K.'s Stage Door label is celebrating the late, great Verdon with a new anthology, many of the tracks on which resulted from her partnership with Fosse. Spotlight on Gwen
Release Round-Up: Week of March 22
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up. Here's what's on the way today, March 22! Aretha Franklin, Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings (Rhino/Atlantic Catalog Group) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings presents Aretha Franklin's iconic concerts at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles during January 1972 in full. Both the Thursday night and Friday night sets are accounted for, spread across four 180-gram LPs. For
Review: Nat "King" Cole, "Ultimate Nat King Cole"
Yesterday, March 17, 2019, would have been Nat "King" Cole's 100th birthday. While the man born Nathaniel Adams Coles only lived to the age of 45, he more than earned his royal moniker over his three decades of performing. He paved the way for African-American artists as the first black man to host a nationwide television variety show, and quietly but devotedly crusaded for civil rights. At the time of his death, at the height of Beatlemania, he was selling some seven million records a
Release Round-Up: Week of March 15
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Nat King Cole, Ultimate Nat King Cole (Capitol/UMe) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada To celebrate Nat King Cole's centennial and his legacy of enduring music, Capitol/UMe has partnered with the Nat King Cole Estate for a number of exciting projects. Among them are two new collections that showcase Cole's remarkable talents -- both available today Ultimate Nat King Cole arrives on CD and digital, with a 2-LP configuration to
Ease On Down: Pat Boone and Family Celebrate Springtime and Easter on New DVD
Last November, MPI Home Video celebrated the holiday season with pop, film, and television star Pat Boone and his family with the release of a double feature DVD: Pat Boone & Famlly - Christmas and Thanksgiving Specials. Now, MPI is continuing the series with the Boones' Springtime and Easter Specials. When Pat began his series of specials for ABC-TV under the aegis of executive producer Jerry Weintraub in 1978, his daughter Debby had recently ascended to superstar status with the
Stop! And Think It Over: Perry Como's Color "Music Hall" DVD Features Nancy Wilson, Bobbie Gentry, George Carlin
For a staggering six decades, Perry Como was a welcome presence on television screens with his long-running, award-winning programs. Perhaps no recording artist used the medium of television as well as Mr. C did, all the while charting dozens of hit records including "Catch a Falling Star," "Magic Moments," and "It's Impossible." Last year saw a new PBS biography and song retrospective (Till The End Of Time - Perry Como Classics) and an accompanying 4-CD set with 100 original recordings
In Memoriam: Hal Blaine (1929-2019)
You may not know the name, but you know the sound. The sound of Hal Blaine was one of jubilance, energy, drama, power, ferocity, and swagger, ever deployed solely in service of the song. Upon his death yesterday at the age of 90, Brian Wilson deemed him "the greatest drummer ever." Few could argue with that description, as Blaine was Los Angeles' first-call drummer during perhaps the greatest period of pop invention in the latter half of the twentieth century. From 1966 to 1971, Blaine
You Made Me Love You: Judy Garland's "Lost Tracks 2" Collects 50 Rarities on 2 CDs
June 22, 2019 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of Judy Garland. Though Garland was only on this earth for 47 short years, she packed that time with incendiary performances on stage, screen, radio, television, and records. That still-singular body of work has been exceedingly well-documented in the years since her death, but remarkably, there's still more to be discovered. JSP Records has just followed up its acclaimed 2010 collection Lost Tracks 1929-1959 with a second
The Story of His Life: Hal David Celebrated on Public Television, Upcoming CD and DVD
"Words by Hal David." That credit graces many of the most cherished popular songs of the second half of the twentieth century, including "(They Long To Be) Close To You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "The Look of Love," and of course, "What the World Needs Now Is Love." Beginning this weekend, Public Television stations nationwide will be celebrating the life and legacy of Hal David with a new special. What the World Needs Now: Words by Hal David from John Paulson Productions is hosted by The
Love Is The Thing: Nat "King" Cole Comes to Public Television, New CD Collection and DVD
All hail the King! The velvet voice of Nat "King" Cole is coming this weekend to Public Television as TJ Lubinsky's My Music series premieres a centennial celebration of the late singer-pianist born March 17, 1919. My Music: Nat King Cole's Greatest Songs includes full performances of his greatest hits, most beloved classics, and favorite standards including the timeless "Mona Lisa," "Unforgettable" and "When I Fall in Love," the cool "Route 66," and jubilant "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of
Mellifluous Cacophony: Blue Note Celebrates 80th Anniversary With Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Blue Note Records, the legendary label that continues to deliver some of the most striking jazz music ever recorded. In recent years, Joe Harley spearheaded an audiophile vinyl reissue series called Music Matters which included many Blue Note classics. Over a decade has passed since the inception of that project and now, Harley and Blue Note president Don Was have launched a new initiative called the Tone Poet Audiophile Reissue Series. The series
Light My Fire: Legacy Brings Unheard José Feliciano Concert to Digital and Streaming with "Live 1967"
Over the last several months, Legacy Recordings has been quietly releasing gems from the vault and reissuing overlooked titles from the Columbia, RCA Victor, Arista, Bang, Monument, Ode, and Epic vaults as part of a digital music series. While our primary focus at The Second Disc remains with physical media, periodically we will shed some light on the best of these digital compilations and reissues, such as this previously unreleased live recording from one of the best guitarists and
Release Round-Up: Week of February 22
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! We kick off with not one, but two, releases from The Zombies! The Zombies, The Complete Studio Recordings (Varese Vintage) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees are being celebrated this week with two comprehensive vinyl box sets - one for the U.S., and one for the U.K. market. The 5-LP, 61-track U.S. version, from Varese Vintage, includes the band's two American albums in mono - She's Not
Release Round-Up: Week of February 1
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Johnny Mathis, I Love My Lady (Second Disc Records/Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Link TBD) Johnny Mathis' legendary lost 1981 collaboration with CHIC receives its first-ever standalone release from Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music! For the occasion, I Love My Lady has been outfitted with brand-new artwork and a deluxe 24-page booklet featuring an introduction from Nile Rodgers and interviews with Johnny and
UPDATED WITH TRACK LIST: Back To The Garden: 'Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration' Tribute Concert Coming to Theaters in February, Soundtrack Arriving in March
Few musicians have had as lasting an impact on music as Joni Mitchell. In her four-decade career, she made groundbreaking music that traversed genres and continually stunned fans and critics alike. The music icon celebrated her 75th birthday in style last November, as Jörn Weisbrodt and The Music Center in Los Angeles hosted a pair of star-studded Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration concerts in her honor. The line-up (which Joni helped select) featured many of her closest friends and dearest
Short Takes: Dusty, Bowie, Walker Brothers Salute Ivor Raymonde; Streisand, Sinatra Featured on "Mrs. Maisel"
Last year, the Bella Union label released a collection that fell under the radar. Happily, we here at Second Disc HQ have discovered Paradise: The Sound of Ivor Raymonde, available in 1-CD, 2-LP, and digital formats. The name of Raymonde will surely be familiar to fans of Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, or The Walker Brothers, but those are only three of the artists with whom the late producer-arranger-conductor worked his magic. Paradise, co-curated by his son Simon Raymonde of Bella Union
Darling, It's Incredible: Nat King Cole's Centennial Celebrated With Two New Compilations and Marvin Gaye Tribute Album
Unforgettable...that's what he is. This year marks what would have been the 100th birthday of one of America's finest performers of popular song: Nat "King" Cole. In his decades-long career, Cole blazed the trail for many entertainers to come, influencing the likes of Count Basie and Ray Charles along the way. Universal Music Group will celebrate his milestone centennial with a pair of retrospectives this spring, plus a digital expansion of another vocal icon paying tribute to the
Back To The Garden: 'Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration' Tribute Concert Coming to Theaters in February, Soundtrack Arriving in March
Few musicians have had as lasting an impact on music as Joni Mitchell. In her four-decade career, she made groundbreaking music that traversed genres and continually stunned fans and critics alike. The music icon celebrated her 75th birthday in style last November, as Jörn Weisbrodt and The Music Center in Los Angeles hosted a pair of star-studded Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration concerts in her honor. The line-up (which Joni helped select) featured many of her closest friends and dearest
The Year In Review - The 2018 Gold Bonus Disc Awards, From A to Z
Happy 2019 and welcome to The Second Disc's 9th Annual Gold Bonus Disc Awards! It's time once again to recognize this year's cream of the crop - those exemplary reissues and box sets big and small that proved to be truly outstanding products for physical media lovers worldwide. There was no shortage of great reissue titles in 2018; in fact, we covered over 700 releases in all! And after much deliberation, we're excited to unveil our favorites. This isn't your run-of-the-mill Top 10,
Quiet Nights: Cherry Red Reissues Doris Day's "Latin for Lovers" In Expanded Mono/Stereo Edition
Doris Day and the music of Latin America: what a beautiful combination. In November 1964, the singing superstar entered Columbia Records' Hollywood studios to record what would become her final long-player for the label. (Doris Day's Sentimental Journey was released later, but recorded earlier.) Latin for Lovers represents Day at her finest, featuring her warm, sensual, lovely interpretations of some of the era's greatest songs. Cherry Red's SFE Entertainment imprint has recently revisited
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