It is a rainy afternoon in June, and I am singing for seniors in an assisted living retirement community. Today’s theme is “songs about warm, sunny weather”, and I am hoping that cheerful, upbeat numbers like “Blue Skies”, “Sunny Side of the Street”, and “My Little Grass Shack” will brighten up this dreary day. People sing [...]
Author Archives: Dina
Impressions of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Say “Brazil” to most Americans and their first thought is “Rio”, along with “Ipanema” and “bossa nova”, but it is all of that and so much more.
I recently travelled to the northeast coast of Brazil and headed straight for the cultural wellspring of Salvador (Brazil’s first capital), where the banners of the city’s old Pelourino [...]
Our Block Party Talent Show (a review)
I live on a wonderful city block in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is full of artists and musicians, and sometimes in summer, with people playing or practicing their instruments, the cacophony of music drifting from open windows along the block resembles a conservatory. For many years we have had the tradition of a loosely organized [...]
Billie Holiday
My favorite Billie recording is “Live at Storyville”, an out of print vinyl album that I found in a discount bin when I was age 16. I played that lp until the scratches were louder than the music coming out of the grooves. There is always a strong reaction to great art: you either love it [...]