MUSIC OR DIE #21: Ray Charles, "The Genius of Ray Charles" (1959)

The font though? Less genius.

Part 21 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I really do admire the genius of Ray Charles.

TL;DR

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #20: Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue" (1959)

I don't see much blue except for your vest? The font maybe? Is this why jazz continues to perplex me?

Part 20 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to be a trash human who can't appreciate jazz.

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #19: Marty Robbins, "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs" (1959)

Looks like Nicolas Cage got lost on the set of "Three Amigos"

Part 19 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I listen to an album that puts the 'Western' in 'Country and Western.' Yippee-ki-yay.

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #18: Ella Fitzgerald, "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book" (1959)

Eye see you

Part 18 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I listen to nearly three-and-a-half hours of Ella Fitzgerald music. And then proceed to write about it all.

TL;DR:

So we're clear: She's amazing. But 3+ hours of anything...

More after The Cut >>>

MOVIE OR DEATH #3: "The Birth of a Nation" (1915)

Part 3 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

Ohhhhh boy.

TL;DR:

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MOVIE OR DEATH #2: "The Great Train Robbery" (1903)

Part 2 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I try to overcome my personal biases against Edison to review perhaps the only Western ever to be filmed in...New Jersey.

TL;DR:

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1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, or die trying (AKA the sequel)

Soooooo I may have a thing for doing these nigh insurmountable challenges.

As you may or may not know, I am already nearly 20 installments into my 1001 part(ish) series where I listen to every single album listed in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (for more info on that, clickety-click-click).

Assuming that each album is roughly 60 minutes long, that's about 1001 hours, or nearly 42 days of music to cover.

Clearly that's not enough of a challenge.

That brings me to this post. Yes, that's right - in tandem with my music challenge, I have launched a second challenge: to watch every single movie featured in the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (you can check out the book here).

Since I'm living on another continent now, which makes getting these books challenging, I'll be using this online version...which happens to have more than 1001 movies listed.

Challenge accepted. Again.

MUSIC OR DIE #17: Sarah Vaughan, "Live at Mister Kelly's" (1957)

Part 17 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I listen to a live, one-take album from an oft-forgot jazz legend. And figure out who tf Mister Kelly is, and why he wants my hat. And also ignore the fact that chronologically this comes after my previous post's album. Oops.

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #16: Billie Holiday, "Lady in Satin" (1958)

Part 16 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I explore the works of one of the All Time Greats....and it only took me about a year and a half since my last post! At this rate, I should reach the '60s by my retirement party! Appropriate, potentially...

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #15: Tito Puente, "Dance Mania" (1958)

Ain't no party like a Tito Puente party!

Part 15 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I still am awful at reviewing jazz/largely instrumental albums, but at least this one is in Spanish?

TL;DR:

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #14: Ramblin' Jack Elliott, "Jack Takes the Floor" (1958)

We gon' be up on da floor

Part 14 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I explore the roots of folk music – starting with this Bob Dylan certified (c) album.

TL;DR:

Yep.

More after The Cut >>>

MUSIC OR DIE #13–Little Richard, "Here's Little Richard" (1957)

Yes, there you are indeed

Part 13 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I FREAK OUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO REVIEWING THIS ALBUM YAAAASSSS

In which I exhibit intense professionalism as I deconstruct the roots of modern rock.

Ah, who am I kidding? I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT LITTLE RICHARD, YOU GUYS!

TL;DR

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MUSIC OR DIE #12–Machito, "Kenya" (1957)

Not to be confused with Toto's "Africa"

Part 12 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I listen to EVEN MORE Afro-Cuban jazz-pop-fusion from the 1950s!

...that is a sentence I never thought I'd construct.
TL;DR:

When this...

...is the guy making the music, you know it's gonna be good.

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #11–Sabu, "Palo Congo" (1957)

Party!

Part 11 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to demonstrate my musical ignorance, only this time to a sick new beat!

TL;DR:

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #10–Thelonious Monk, "Brilliant Corners" (1957)

After a yearlong hiatus, I AM BACK! 

I could write an entire blog post about just that album cover. Dat. Cover.

Part 10 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

TL;DR:  In which I continue my ride on the B.S. train. 

I still have no idea what I'm doing! Wheeeeee!

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #9–Count Basie, "The Atomic Mr. Basie" (1957)

That escalated rather quickly, don't you think.

Part 9 of my 1000+ part series
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to demonstrate my lack of ability to review instrumental tracks.

TL;DR

Some things never change.

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #8–The Crickets, "The "Chirping" Crickets" (1957)

Part 8 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I see how rock n' roll is still beginning to emerge from the primordial ooze. 

TL;DR:

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MUSIC OR DIE #7–Frank Sinatra, "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!" (1956)

The original cover + the reissued extra creepy cover

Part 7 of my 1000+ part series
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

When last we saw our hero, he was battling that mood indigo, but here he makes his triumphant return to the top. 

TL;DR:

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MUSIC OR DIE #6–Duke Ellington, "Ellington at Newport" (1956)

Why hello there

Part 6 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

TL;DR:

Seriously though...I don't know anything about jazz.

More after The Cut>>>

MUSIC OR DIE #5–Fats Domino, "This Is Fats" (1956)

Fats? More like PHATs, amirite?
...I'll show myself out

Part 5 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I contemplate the roots of rock n' roll, and think about blueberry pie. Mmm, pie.

TL;DR:

More after The Cut>>>