William Price King has selected some wonderful international carols to share with us in the lead up to Christmas. We hope it will help to ease you into the festive spirit.
“O Tannenbaum”is a German Christmas carol based on a traditional folk song which was totally unrelated to Christmas but became associated with the Christmas tree by the middle of the 19th century and from then on sung as a carol. The lyrics were penned by music teacher/composer Ernst Anschutz who based his text on a 16th century Silesian folk song by Melchior Franck, “Ach Tannenbaum.” The melody was derived from a 16th century folk tune “Es lebe hoch der Zimmermannsgeselle.” Here is an exquisite rendition of this carol sung by the Vienna Boys Choir.
Carol of Orestiada ( Κάλαντα Ορεστιάδας) is a traditional Christmas Carol from the city of Orestiada in northeastern Greece and performed by the Rosarte Children’s Choir, conducted by Maria Demitriadou. The Rosarte Children’s Choir has twice won a gold medal at the Choir Olympics (in Graz in 2008 and in Riga in 2014). It is the only Greek choir that has achieved this distinction and is recognized internationally as one of the best children’s choirs in the world.
“Il est né, le devin enfant” (He is born, the divine Child) is a French carolfirst published in 1862 by R. Grosjean, organist of the Cathedral of Saint-Dié des-Voges, in a collection of carols entitled “Airs des Noëls Lorrains.” Here this carol is beautifully performed by the Gondwana Choirs (the Gondwana National Choirs and the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choirs) of Australia, and directed by Lyn Williams.
We hope you have enjoyed these carols from around the world . thanks William.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Over the last three months, I have been privileged to share the thoughts and wisdom of friends within the writing community in response to the prompt ‘I Wish I Knew Now What I Knew Then!’. In case you have missed any of these guest posts I will be sharing their links in this catch up series.
Romance author Jacquie Biggar shares a short story based on the prompt, that reaches out to those who are trapped in addiction and scared to reach out for help.
Author Darlene Foster admits to coming from a long line of worriers and wishes she could pop back and tell her younger self that it is largely a futile exercise.
Jazz singer and composer, and permanent contributor to Smorgasbord, William Price King, explores dancing and its benefits, in particular tap dancing which he wishes his younger self would have taken more advantage of.
Chris Graham is more frequently referred to as The Story Reading Ape. Chris has been a huge supporter of my blog since the early days and this support extends out across the writing community. Chris shares his thoughts on the prompt in the form of a delightfully thought provoking piece of poetry.
Pre-school teacher Jennie Fitzkee shares her thoughts about the narrow views we tend to hold as children and young adults, and how life and experience teaches valuable lessons…
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you have caught up with any posts you might have missed.. The final recap will be next week.. I hope you will join me and my guests again.. thanks Sally.
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2022.
Here is my second selection of top 1995 hits which I hope you will enjoy.
Tom Petty – You don’t know how it feels
“You don’t know how it feels” was Tom Petty’s way of expressing his personal and professional desire for autonomy. Taken from the album “Wildflowers,” the single reached #1 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, #3 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Petty’s last top-40 hit in the US. MTV, VH1 and many radio stations aired a censored version of the song taking the word “roll” out of “let’s roll another joint,” as well as a version that played the word “joint” backwards. There was also a version of the song replacing the word “roll” with “hit.” Nonetheless, Petty won the MTV Music Award for Best Male Video with this song. The girl in the video is Raven Snow, who appeared in several episodes of Zalman King’s “Red Shoes Diaries” and the film “Delta of Venus.”
July 9th Jerry Garcia’s unexpectedly final concert with The Grateful Dead, at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
TLC – Waterfalls
“Waterfalls,” written by TLC band member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes with Marqueze Etheridge and Organized Noize, is considered the group’s signature song. “Waterfalls” spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving TLC their second US #1. It was also the #2 song of the year on the Billboard 1995 year-end-chart. “Waterfalls” peaked at #1 in New Zealand and Switzerland while reaching the top ten in many other countries. It received critical acclaim, earning two Grammy nominations at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996 for Record of the Year, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Billboard named it #11 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. The video won four MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year (making them the first African-American act to ever receive the trophy), Viewers Choice Video, Best Group Video, and Best R&B Video.
September 7th 12th MTV Video Music Awards: TLC, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, & Madonna win
Here are my second picks from 1995
Annie Lennox – No More I Love You’s
“No More ‘I Love You’s‘” is a song written by British musicians David Freeman and Joseph Hughes and originally recorded by them as the Lover Speaks. It was released in 1986 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album. The song was covered by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox and became a commercial success for her in 1995, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart. Annie Lennox
October 1st Farm Aid VIII held in Louisville, Kentucky; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band, John Conlee, and Steve Earle
The Rembrandts – I’ll Be There For You
“I’ll Be There for You” is a song by American pop rock duo the Rembrandts. The song was written by David Crane, Marta Kauffman, Michael Skloff, and Allee Willis as the main theme song to the NBC sitcom Friends. In 1995, after a Nashville radio station brought the song to mainstream popularity, Rembrandts members Danny Wilde and Phil Sōlem expanded the theme song with two new verses and included this version on their third studio album, L.P. (1995).
The single reached the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand and Norway, as well as in Ireland and the United Kingdom in both 1995 and 1997. In Canada, the song reached number one for five weeks and was the most successful single of 1995, while in the United States, the song reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for eight weeks alliemaster93
October 25th Singer Cliff Richard receives his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, – 1st rock star to be knighted
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcasterwho enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2022.
Here is my second selection of top 1987 hits which I hope you will enjoy.
Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well
“Wishing well,” composed by D’Arby and Sean Oliver, was the second single from the album “Introducing the Hardline According to Terrence Trent D’Arby.” The song reached #1 on both the Soul Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and #1 in Canada. It peaked at #4 in the UK and became a Top 10 hit around the globe. D’Arby performed the song live at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, where he was nominated for a Grammy as “Best New Artist.”
July 13th Kylie Minogue releases her debut single “Locomotion”
Chris de Burgh – The lady in red
“Lady in Red,” composed by British-Irish singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh, was the second single from his album “Into the Light,” referencing his wife Diane. The song was a massive hit across the world, quickly becoming de Burgh’s best-selling single and his signature song. It reached the #1 position in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Norway and Belgium while peaking at #3 in the US. The song was de Burgh’s third UK hit single and the first to reach the top 40.
July 21st Guns & Roses debut album “Appetite for Destruction” is released, and becomes the best-selling debut album of all time with more than 30 million copies sold
Here are my second picks from 1987.
Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes I’ve Had the Time of My Life
“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” is a 1987 song composed by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz. It was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, and used as the theme song for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. The song has won a number of awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. To give emotional depth to the song, Warnes had a video playback machine and footage of the final scene brought in to synchronize her singing with the movie’s ending scene, particularly “the lift” BillMJennWVEVO
September 30th Roy Orbison and friends (including James Burton; Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and k.d. lang) film performance at the Ambassador Hotel’s Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles, California for Cinemax
Bon Jovi – Livin’ On a Prayer
“Livin’ on a Prayer” is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band’s second chart-topping single from their third album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit. Bon Jovi
November 13th Sonny & Cher perform together for the final time, singing “I Got You Babe” on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ (NBC)
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcasterwho enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Welcome to the round up of post you might have missed during the week here on Smorgasbord.
We have been busy enough around here with final end of summer jobs in the garden… more topsoil and the turf coming in next week to complete the lawn work in the front of the house.. and then we finish the back in the next month. They need to be done before we put the house on the market next year and then we can start on the redecoration inside… it is five years since we did the last round and it needs freshening up.
We have been talking about where we go next, it will still be in Ireland and we are leaning towards the coast between Wexford and Waterford giving us access to both of them but still in a rural or coastal location if possible. The motorway that now goes all the way from Dublin to Wexford is to be extended on to Waterford in the next few years and that will make it very much easier to travel that southern coast.
My mother’s family originate from a small hamlet called Ballinacura in cork. Having managed last year to gain access to some records from the 1820s, it looks like the men in the family were pilots who would row out to ships and bring them into harbour. They also worked on the river.. When we move we are going to explore further in person which is much more effective. David’s family moved to Waterford from Cork and so we both have our origins there.
Just a note about the next couple of months.I am in writing mode at the moment and so I am scheduling non time sensitive posts out two weeks or so. If you are in the Cafe and Bookstore and have a new book due to be released.. either on pre-order or available in the next month or so, please email me on sally.cronin@moyhill.com so I can put a date in the diary to share the news.
We went to see No Time To Die the latest Bond film on Wednesday. It is a long film 2hour 45 minutes but it is action packed and the time flew by. It was certainly a great send off for Daniel Craig as James Bond and tied off quite a few loose ends with some surprises along the way. We had recently rewatched Spectre and this film picks up where the story left off . I still think Skyfall was the best of his films but can recommend this to all Bond fans and it will be interesting who picks up the 007 designation next. Here is the official trailer courtesy of James Bond 007
Gwen Plano shared her reviews for three poetry collections in a lovely feature this week and I was in great company with Elizabeth Gauffreau and Colleen Chesebro...
This week William Price King,Carol Taylor and D.G. Kaye have done an amazing job with their contributions and so grateful to everyone who has visited, liked, commented and shared the posts.
And congratulations to contributor to the laughter series Malcolm Allen and his long term partner Sarahwho married earlier in the week. Here is a lovely photograph of the occasion.
The amazing Jennie Fitzkee who delights us with her stories from her classroom came to the attention of the producers of the Kelly Clarkson Show and that began a wonderful adventure with the culmination in Jennie’s appearance on the show.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts in the US and UK starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my second selection of top 1973 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event:May 17th Stevie Wonder releases “You are the Sunshine of my Love”
Dawn (Featuring Tony Orlando) – Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree
“Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree” hit the top 10 in ten countries, and topped the charts in eight. It reached #1 in the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2008, Billboard ranked the song as the 37th biggest song of all time.
News Event: June 17th Dolly Parton records her song “I Will Always Love You” (later huge hit for Whitney Houston) for RCA in Nashville
Carly Simon – You’re so vain
“You’re so vain,” written by Carly Simon, reached #1 in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and #3 in the UK. It is ranked at #92 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of All Time and was voted #216 in RIAA’s Songs of the Century. In August 2014, the UK’s Official Charts Company crowned it the ultimate song of the 1970s.
News Event: September 27th “The Way We Were” single released by Barbra Streisand (Billboard Song of the Year 1974)
Now time for my second top chart picks from 1973 and that was a great year in the UK for clubs and dance halls.
Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly With His Song
“Killing Me Softly with His Song” is a song composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The lyrics were written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman after she was inspired by a Don McLean performance in late 1971. Lieberman released her version of the song in 1972, but it did not chart. In 1973 it became a number-one hit in the United States, Australia and Canada for Roberta Flack, also reaching number six in the UK Singles Chart.
News Event: October 20th Queen Elizabeth II opens the Sydney Opera House
Wings – Live and Let Die
“Live and Let Die” is the theme song of the 1973 James Bond film of the same name, performed by the British–American rock band Wings. Written by English musician Paul McCartney and his wife Linda McCartney, it reunited McCartney with former Beatles producer George Martin, who produced the song and arranged the orchestra. McCartney was contacted to write the song by the film’s producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli before the screenplay was finished. “Live and Let Die” was the most successful Bond theme up to that point, reached No. 1 on two of the three major US charts (though only reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100) and No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart.. It became the first Bond theme song to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but ultimately lost the award to Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were”. It was also nominated for the Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcasterwho enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts in the US and UK starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my first selection of top 1973 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event: January 14th “Aloha from Hawaii”, an Elvis Presley concert, becomes the most watched broadcast by an individual entertainer
Billy Paul – Me and Mrs. Jones
“Me and Mrs. Jones” describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, Mrs. Jones. The single became Paul’s only #1 single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. On the Adult Contemporary chart it reached #10 and made it to #12 in the UK. Paul received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.
News Event:February 19th “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” single released by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (Billboard Song of the Year 1973)
O’Jays – Love train
“Love train” was a #1 hit on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100 charts in the US. In the UK it peaked at #9, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was the O’Jays’ first and only number-one record on the US pop chart. In 2006 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
News Event: March 1st Pink Floyd release their album “Dark Side of the Moon”, since sold over 45 million copies
Now time for my first top chart picks from 1973 and that was a great year in the UK for clubs and dance halls.
Elton John – Crocodile Rock
“Crocodile Rock” is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in summer 1972 at the Château d’Hérouville studio in France (it was listed as “Strawberry Studios” in the album’s credits), where John and his team had previously recorded the Honky Château album. It was released on 27 October 1972 in the UK and 20 November 1972 in the U.S., as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, and became his first U.S. number-one single, reaching the top spot on 3 February 1973, and staying there for three weeks. In the U.S., it was certified Gold on 5 February 1973 and Platinum on 13 September 1995 by the RIAA.
News Event:April 7th 18th Eurovision Song Contest: Anne-Marie David for Luxembourg wins singing “Tu te reconnaitras” in Luxembourg
Helen Reddy – Delta Dawn
“Delta Dawn” is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey, best known as a 1972 top ten country hit for Tanya Tucker and a number one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973. A tragic tale of lost love…
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcasterwho enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
This week I have handed over the book review to resident music columnist Jazz musician, composer and singer William Price King who has read Pause, Play, Repeat:The real impact of Covid-19 on musicians by Sammy Stein.
About the book
What was the real impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives and careers of musicians? In candid interviews, 18 musicians at the top of their game, including Ray Gelato, Tony Kofi, Ivo Perelman, Emm Gryner, Collette Cooper, Adrian Cox, Tara Minton, Champian Fulton, Graeme Flowers, Chris Bestwick, Camilla George, Alex Ward, Elise Morris, Grace Garland, Esther Bennett, Jennifer Lauren, Claire Cope and Beatrice Betley, discuss the impact of Covid-19 on their music, careers and lives.
They discuss the sudden loss of work and income, the closure of venues and rehearsal spaces, the effect on their emotional well-being and the sense of being caught up and overtaken by events completely out of their control. Access to reliable advice, funding and grants as well as support through the music community is also discussed. The musicians explain how they continued to be creative, how new collaborations were formed, the negatives and the benefits of lockdown. The musicians are based in different countries, of various ages and each has their own take on their experiences before and , during the pandemic.
They also give their views on the long term effects of the pandemic. These interviews describe the true effects of the pandemic on their lives and how they felt as a musician caught up in a global disaster. Most are jazz musicians but many play across genres. The interviews are profound, open and revealing. With a foreword from Ivors Academy and support across the music industry, the importance of documenting the effects of Covid-19 on musicians is important and necessary.
William Price King’s review for the book April 10th 2021
In her book “Pause, Play, Repeat,” Sammy Stein illustrates how the Covid-19 pandemic brought the live music industry to a standstill for jazz musicians. Through a series of interviews she segues into the lives of successful, touring musicians and documents their experiences during the lockdown. Using their own words, she paints a poignant portrait of how their lives suddenly changed when music festivals and recording sessions were cancelled, and when night clubs and theaters closed down. Their fears, anxieties, and the need to access new platforms to be more creative, resourceful, and collaborative such as on-line live streaming and Zoom sessions are underscored, as well as the desire to boost their efficiency with new recording software for their home studios. In this book Ms. Stein offers great insight into the lives of these musicians, as they try to adapt to their new realities. An enlightening read indeed.
Sammy Stein is no newcomer to the jazz world. She is the author of “All That’s Jazz,” and “Women in Jazz” which won the “Jazz Times Distaff Award,” and was named “Phace Magazine Music Book of the Year.”
If you like well researched and cleverly written narrative, you will love Sammy’s work. A writer who is highly respected in the fields of jazz, women in jazz, gender disparity and music. Jazz critic and columnist, one of UK’ S ‘go-to’ authors. Jazz festival curator, radio shows. The writer of series for radio and playlists, many people have enjoyed Sammy’s entertaining and diverse verbal blogs and guest appearances on shows, as well as her Women In Jazz series or shows and articles. . Music is this author’s passion, especially jazz and bringing lesser-known acts who deserve attention to the public arena. Sammy has had 5 books published and many superb reviews, including 2 Jazz Times awards.
Sammy also collaborates with other authors and musicians. She is International Editor at the Jazz Journalists’ Association.
Her columns include Something Else Reviews, Free Jazz Collective and Jazz Views.
Musicians comment on Sammy’s approachability and honesty in her reviews and writing. Her book include ‘Women In Jazz ( 8th House), In Their Own Words ( 8th House) and All That’s Jazz ( Tomahawk) and her passion for music is clear. One commentator said ‘the jazz jumps off the page’ and another ‘she gives clear facts yet does not try to force the reader’s opinion, the depth of research is incredible’. Researchers like working with Sammy, as do many musicians and she is a highly respected author.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
In the run up to Christmas Day I am going to share some of my memories of this time of year, some favourite food and drinks, plus some music you might enjoy. I have taken snippets from 2016 and 2018 to share with you.
My Christmas memories…
In early 1965 a film was released in the UK that was to be a turning point for me and the start of a lifelong crush on the lead actor. Christopher Plummer was 36 at the time that The Sound of Musicbecame available to the general public and not just musical theatre goers. I was just twelve but I saw myself as Maria from that moment on. I saw that film three times in the next 18 months and I could rattle all the songs off at a drop of hat including The Lonely Goatherd with requisite yodelling.
My ardour did not diminish, and when we returned to Portsmouth in 1967, I managed to coerce a school friend into forming a double act. At age 14 we were encouraged to reach out to the community at Christmas, and undaunted by the prospect of performing publicly, my friend and I dressed ourselves in replicas of the film costumes. Actually my mother was missing a pair of old curtains, so we did not stray too far from the script…and we offered our services to three old people’s homes in the local area.
We would turn up after school in the weeks before Christmas and join the residents for a cup of tea and a piece of cake before performing our repertoire of songs from The Sound of Music. I must admit that a couple of songs in and there was a fair bit of nodding off…not to be outdone I would burst into The Lonely Goatherd and it served to enliven the audience who would look around bemusedly at the sound of a strangled cat in between the verses.
I did however have a ‘moment’ in my early 40’s. We were on holiday in the French Alps one summer and had hiked up one of the surrounding mountains. We reached a plateau that was dotted with alpine flowers and after we had consumed our packed lunch and with no one else in sight, I took my chance. I stood in the middle of the meadow and gave the title song as loud a rendition as I possibly could. I threw my arms wide as I finished and turned in a slow circle to receive the applause of my husband, only to find that a large group of Japanese tourists had just reached the edge of the plateau and were snapping photographs and clapping madly…I think they thought that it was especially laid on for their lunchtime entertainment. A quick descent was called for in the opposite direction.
I was lucky not to be arrested for disturbing the peace!
It would not be Christmas without sharing our very own music maestro and his tribute to the season William Price King with The Christmas Song.
The Sixth day (30th December) is dedicated to St Egwin of Worcester.Egwin was of noble if not royal blood and was born in the late 600’s and became a monk. Because of his lineage the royal court and hierarchy in the church pushed for his elevation to Bishop in in 693. He had strict moral code and was a benefactor for the poor and orphans. He was also very strict with worshippers and clergy alike and became increasingly unpopular when he began insisting that marriage vows should be taken seriously and that the clergy should be celibate… In the end tired of the resistance to his firm stance on these issues he took himself off to Rome to get the blessing of the Pope.
A number of ‘miracles’ occurred on the route and having received vindication from the Holy Father he returned to Evesham. He lived until between 917 and 920 bringing about many changes including founding Evesham Abbey which was one of the most important Benedictine Monasteries of medieval times. He died and was buried there but all was destroyed in the purges in the 16th century.
Six geese a laying– some say this symbolises the six days of creation but most assume it was a continuation in the bird theme from the Four Colley Birds, Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree…..
At this time of year we remember those that we lost and who will not be with us as we celebrate a family holiday. This haunting song by Sarah McLachlinalways brings those I have lost to mind. In the Arms of an Angel. Sarah has a beautiful Christmas album Amazon US
Christmas Fare
Christmas Dinner has many popular courses, and it is likely these days that family members or friends who are coming to your home are vegetarian.. Carol Taylor has created an amazing menu for those who prefer to not have meat or poultry and I recommend that you head over to bookmark the lovely recipes that she has prepared: Vegetarian Christmas Menu
Now time for something to drink…..Whilst it is customary to see cranberries in a sauce on the Christmas Dinner Table, you can also enjoy in a cocktail during the holiday period. Cranberries have a great many health benefits…. which might be slightly diluted when adding alcohol.. but here is a video that will give you a recipe to try.
Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you have enjoyed the post, as always I would love to hear from you.. thanks Sally.
This week William Price King shares the music of legendary American band Earth, Wind and Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or simply EWF) is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, dance, Latin, and Afro pop.They have been described as one of the most innovative and commercially successful acts of all time. Rolling Stone called them “innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing” and declared that the band “changed the sound of black pop”. VH1 has also described EWF as “one of the greatest bands” ever.
The band was founded in Chicago by Maurice White in 1969, having grown out of a previous band known as the Salty Peppers. As well other prominent members of EWF have included Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Fred Ravel, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds and Andrew Woolfolk. The band is known for its kalimba sound, dynamic horn section, energetic and elaborate stage shows, and the contrast between Philip Bailey’s falsetto vocals and Maurice White’s baritone.
The band has won six Grammys from their 17 nominations and four American Music Awards out of 12 nominations. They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood’s Rockwalk, in addition to receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With sales of over 90 million records, they are one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time.
The band has also received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Soul Train Legend Award, as well as a NARAS Signature Governor’s Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019, along with Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, Sesame Street and Michael Tilson Thomas. Sources:Wikipedia
“September” was released as a single in 1978 on ARC/Colombia Records and reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, #8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #3 on the UK Singles Chart. “September” was used in the opening of the 1997 movie “Soul Food” and HBO even named a movie after the song. It made its way into TV shows, commercials, sporting events and video games. In 2008, it was played at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions. The song was penned by Maurice White, Al McKay, and Allee Willis and was nominated for the CMT Music award as the CMT Performance of the Year. The structure of the song is a four chord dance cycle that keeps moving forward, like the four seasons, in an endless transition from warm to cool.
“Boogie Wonderland,” composed by Allee Willis and Jon Lind, was recorded with the female singing group ‘The Emotions’ and released in April 1979 on Colombia Records. It peaked at #14 on the dance chart, #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. This song was inspired by the movie “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” with Diane Keaton as a lost soul who goes to clubs every night to dance away her misery, looking for true love, someone to drag her out of her abyss. “Boogie Wonderland” was nominated for a Grammy in the categories of ‘Best R&B Instrumental Performance’ and ‘Best Disco Recording.’
“Fantasy” is from the album “All ‘N All” and was released as a single in 1978. Composed by Maurice White, Verdine White, and Eddie del Barrio, it reached #32 on the US Pop Chart, #12 on the R&B singles chart, and #14 on the UK singles chart. This piece was composed over a period of three months and was inspired by the film ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’
“Fantasy” was nominated for a Grammy Award as ‘Best R&B Song’ and is featured in the films ‘Be Cool’ starring John Travolta, and Private Lessons.’
“That’s The Way of the World” was the sixth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire on Colombia Records. Daryl Easlea of the BBC described the album as a “soul masterpiece. The album peaked at #1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts and was certified Triple Platinum in the by the RIAA. It was nominated for an American Music Award in 1975 and 1976 for ‘Favorite Soul/R&B Album and won a ‘Rock Music Award’ in the category of ‘Best R&B and Blues Album.’ While many hits of the disco era were meaningless, Earth, Wind & Fire considered their songs meaningful, and this one projected a positive message in a turbulent time.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
His debut jazz album was entitled “Home,” and was a collection of contemporary compositions he composed, with lyrics written by his wife Jeanne King. His second album was a Duo (Voice and Guitar) with Eric Sempé on the guitar. This album included original songs as well as well known standards from contemporary jazz and pop artists. The “King-Sempé” duo toured France and thrilled audiences for more than three years before going their separate ways. King has formed a new duo with French/Greek guitarist Manolis, and is now exploring new ideas, in a smooth jazz/soul/folk direction.
In addition to singing and composing, King has been collaborating with author Sally Cronin over the past few years on her blog “Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life,” with the series “A Man And His Music – Jazz, Contemporary, Classical, and Legends” and now, the “William Price King Music Column.” Working with author Sally Cronin has been an exhilarating experience in many ways and has brought a new dimension to King’s creative life. King has also created a micro blog, “Improvisation,” which features and introduces mostly jazz artists from across the jazz spectrum who have made considerable contributions in the world of jazz; and also artwork from painters who have made their mark in the world of art. This micro blog can be found on Tumblr.
His vocal mentors are two of the greatest giants in jazz, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé. King has a distinctive wide-ranging voice which displays a remarkable technical facility and emotional depth.
Christina Strigas is a Montreal, Greek-Canadian, who has self-published three novels. a trilogy based upon the real life of Zaharoula Sarakinis, a spiritual healer.
Now time for something to drink…..Whilst it is customary to see 
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