Music: April 2003 Archives

So I bit and downloaded iTunes 4 and started playing around with it. Haven't ordered anything yet, but I'm sure I will — it's too temptingly easy not to. And fast! (If you have a broadband connection, anyway.)

But there is one teensy fly in the ointment... their categorization system.

Celine Dion, I regret to inform Apple, is not World Music. Nor is Yo Yo Ma a Latin performer. I don't really consider Irving Berlin an Opera composer. Oh, he's not — it's just that his songs were performed by Kiri Te Kanawa. (Update: Suicidal Tendences? Hip hop? Shurely not.)

Also, in their Soundtrack section, they have several items with artist names like "Original 1953 Broadway Cast", "Original Broadway Cast", and "Original Nashville Cast". That may not be useful information, but I don't know how other record stores deal with it. Probably the same way — it just seems more glaring here, since apparently you have to browse by artist before you browse by album.

Still, it's all pretty darn cool, and it's only the first couple of days.

So KALX was playing a bunch of Nina Simone songs, and there was one called "Sealion Woman" that I thought was cool. It was apparently a remix from Japan. Searching online, didn't get more details on it, but did find this station in New York state that has RealAudio archives of their shows, including one with that song (not the Japan remix)

--> This is the DJ's playlist page... I'm listening to the March 29 show: www.wfmu.org/playlists/BB

So, she died today, at age 70.

I saw her in concert at the Paramount Theater a couple of years ago with my friend Leila. She was obviously not in good health, even then; an aide had to help her walk to her piano. She gave a vigorous, if somewhat short, performance, though. I remember she made some very pointed remarks about George W. and how we needed to do something about him... Anyway, I am now doubly glad I got to see her.

Ah, just looked up the date of the concert — it was July 11, 2001.

--> Obituary from the NY Times: www.nytimes.com/aponline/ obituaries/AP-Obit-Nina-Simone.html