Jubilance and Janis #AtoZChallenge2021

What is it about the measured notes of

Wynton Marsalis' trumpet,

the vibrancy of Elton John's piano keys,

and the

hip-swaying rhythm of a Hawaiian mele,

that can melt your troubles away?

Music relaxes the mind and calms the nerves.

More eloquently stated during an interview, Italy's Andrea Bocelli believes music is "a balm for the soul that should be used sparingly lest its benefits wear out."

As I listen to him sing The Lord's Prayer with The Morman Tabernacle Choir, I feel the soothing, restorative power of music - that jubilant "balm for the soul."

Research for my first novel included immersion in audio/visual material on the life and music of Janis Joplin. The time was well spent although only a short scene survived the final draft which refers to "Four gentlemen and one great girl: Big Brother and The Holding Company.” In the scene, the one great girl, Janis Joplin, dominates the vocals on her inimitable rendition of Piece of My Heart.

Janis Joplin became known as the first female rock star, or as stated on the Cheap Thrills album, "the first, true female rock superstar", after Cheap Thrills by Big Brother and The Holding Company became a #1 selling record album.

For some fans, myself included, the song Piece Of My Heart is synonymous with the name Janis Joplin. Though she didn't compose the lyrics and wasn't even the first artist to take it to the charts, she made it her own and proved that a twenty-four year old Caucasian female from Texas could, indeed, sing the blues. Yes, "balm for the soul."

(644) Piece of My Heart (Official Audio) - YouTube

*****

'Ulalena - Cruising on a Sea of Words #AlohaFriday

The Hawaiian musical production, 'Ulalena, is a beautiful presentation I have seen more than once over the years. The word 'ula is Hawaiian for red, and lena means yellow. Red and yellow are the colors of Hawaiian Royalty, of the kings and queens of the monarchy. 

My assumption was that the name of the musical production was chosen for this reason. 

On stage with acrobatic cast member
following a production of 'Ulalena

Soon, however, I learned that the word 'ulalena means so much more - as depicted in the musically-rendered historical production presented at Maui Myth and Magic Theater in Lahaina.

Creation and healing are demonstrated in vibrant color and dance. Once seated in the theater, you are welcome to sit back and experience the local legends as music and dance transport you to a bygone era and a uniquely different lifestyle on the winds of 'ulalena. 

With cruise ships in hiatus and flights to Hawai'i restricted in 2020 and 2021, and the musical shut down, you may want to enjoy one of these videos: Ulalena Maui production - Bing video

*****

JANIS JOPLIN - PIECE OF MY HEART #ResearchingANovel

What is it about the measured notes of

Wynton Marsalis' trumpet,

the vibrancy of Elton John's piano keys,

and the

hip-swaying rhythm of a Hawaiian mele,

that can melt your troubles away?

Music relaxes the mind and calms the nerves.

More eloquently stated during an interview on his Christmas CD, Italy's Andrea Bocelli believes music is "a balm for the soul that should be used sparingly lest its benefits wear out."

As I listen to him sing The Lord's Prayer with The Morman Tabernacle Choir, I feel the soothing, restorative power of music - that "balm for the soul."

In an early scene of my novel, FOR EVERY ACTION, protagonist Pepper Bibeau attends a musical concert. The many hours I spent in audio/visual research of Janis Joplin's life were pleasurable, though most of the research did not survive the final draft. The telling of the concert's events covers only several lines within the novel:

The theater darkened shortly after eight o’clock. Curious whispers rippled through the audience until a single spotlight provided illumination and a male voice came over the loudspeaker system. To the heavy background sounds of tuning instruments, he announced the band, “Four gentlemen and one great girl: Big Brother and The Holding Company.” The audience exploded with applause, cheering through a prolonged set of rock music while the one great girl, Janis Joplin, dominated the vocals.

I've taken authorial license by setting this Chicago concert in August of 1968, when in fact it probably took place earlier that year. The hit song Piece Of My Heart was recorded May 20, 1968 and the record album (see footnote) that features the song was released in August of the same year.

Janis Joplin became known as the first female rock star, or as stated on the Cheap Thrills album, "the first, true female rock superstar", after Cheap Thrills by Big Brother and The Holding Company became a #1 selling album.

For some fans, myself included, the song Piece Of My Heart is synonymous with the name Janis Joplin. Though she didn't compose the lyrics and wasn't even the first artist to take it to the charts, she made it her own and proved that a twenty-four year old Caucasian female from Texas could, indeed, sing the blues.

In 1967, Erma Franklin, the sister of Aretha Franklin, was the first to record Piece Of My Heart, written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns. Piece Of My Heart has since been remade by several singers, including hit versions by Faith Hill in 1994 and Jaguar Love in 2010.

Record player with revolving table
and metal arm containing a needle

FOOTNOTE: Record album: circular, black-in-color, vinyl disk with sound-embedded grooves; the disk is placed on a revolving table and a metal arm containing a needle is set into the grooves to transfer the sound through attached speakers. No resemblance to an iPod.

Links to learn more about these performers:

Janis Joplin lived the life of a rockstar to the fullest:
http://www.hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember.2/JanisJoplin.html

  
Faith Hill (think "Breathe" and Tim McGraw):
http://www.faithhill.com/timeline.php

Erma Franklin (not just Aretha's sister!):
http://alfarchivesmi.tripod.com/

Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato of Portland, Oregon (who, together, are Jaguar Love):
http://wearejaguarlove.com/

Andrea Bocelli singing The Lord's Prayer with the Morman Tabernacle Choir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEplqV0scyo

FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences, Book 1 in the Pepper Bibeau mystery series, is available at Amazon.com for $0.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. 

https://amzn.to/2YENOcS

*****

Gyrating Hips & BLUE Suede Shoes AtoZ Challenge

The gyrating hips of Elvis Presley weren’t the first to accompany the words to the Rockabilly tune, BLUE SUEDE SHOES. The song was written and recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and he released it on the Sun label New Years Day, 1956. Later that year, the song was released on the RCA Victor label by Elvis Presley.

Blue Suede Shoes

258 x 376 pixels
20KB

The image is at:
https://asd-hs.wikispaces.com/Blue+Suede+Shoes

BLUE SUEDE SHOES was considered one of the first Rock and Roll songs and was recorded by several other singers in 1956. On the band wagon were Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, “Thumper” Jones (better known as George Jones), Jerry Mercer, and even Lawrence Welk. 

Regardless who sang the words over the years, Elvis Presley made the song his own when he sang it on national television for the first time, not on the Ed Sullivan Show, but the Milton Berle Show. It is difficult for me to imagine anyone else strumming a guitar and gyrating to the words “Go, Cat, Go, but don’t you . . .” with the authority of the King of Rock and Roll. Not even the Beatles or Michael Jackson. 

Elvis Presley recorded several songs with the word BLUE in the title, including Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Blue Christmas, and Blue Hawaii.