Exceptional Musicians Name Their Top 10 Songs, Chapter 6 Gordon Camp

Gordon Camp Shares His Top 10 Favorite Songs

I am sure that many of my readers have heard Gordon Camp play. He sits in with many of the bands playing here in the Valley.  Gordon loves to play the Trumpet, and he is really good at it.  Gordon studied Trumpet with Jazz greats Doc Severinsen and Donald Byrd.  He has also toured with Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., Barry White and Natalie Cole, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and Lou Rawls.  Gordon is a great addition to all the other world-class musicians who spend their winters in the California Desert.

                                                  Gordon Camp's Top 10 Songs....In No Particular Order:

1.  "Up Jumped Spring"

2.  " Lush Life"

3.  "There is No Greater Love"

4.  "Stardust"

5.  "Stella By Starlight"

6.  "The Scene Is Clean"

7.  "Hi-Fly"

8.  "Moon River"

9.  "Skylark"

10 "Bye Bye Blackbrid"

CD Review: Tony Bennett Duets II

Tony Bennett has just released his new CD, "Tony Bennett Duets II", as a follow-up to his highly successful first Duets CD. Ever since Sinatra released his first and second "Duets" format several years ago, more and more artists are turning to this duets format. From my perspective, I really love these CD's because they all seem to be covering tunes out of the "Great American Songbook".  The two Sinatra Duet  CD's are still two of my favorite CD's. I think this format works because it uses some of the greatest songs ever written sung by a combination of a great seasoned singer with other great singers who in most cases have not recorded songs out of the "Great American Songbook". The last part of the Duet format might just be the most important, it needs to be produced by Phil Ramone.  I don't remember ever hearing a CD that Phil Ramone produced that I didn't love! And I am not alone  respecting the talents of Mr. Ramone who has received 36 Grammy Nominations and 14 Grammy Awards. Bennett's Duets II follows his formula and the results are outstanding.  I love almost all of these Duet CD's because I get to hear new recordings of the songs I love and because, I get to listen to artists that don't usually record this the standards. For the most part, I always seem to be caught off guard by these artists whose taste in music is materially different than my musical tastes and how great they sound singing standards. I find it difficult to listen to some of today's newer music of  and evaluate the quality of the performers' voices and talents.   But when I hear them sing a great standard, I find it easy to evaluate their future musical potential.  In the Bennett CD I heard some singers that I knew, but were not favorites of mine, sing standards that knocked me off my chair.  For example, on Track One Lady Gaga singing "The Lady Is A Tramp". I find it hard to focus on Lady Gaga's voice with all the distractions going on when she performs.  But singing this standard, she is nothing short of outstanding. I know she sells millions of CD's but none of them turn me on compared to hearing her singing one of the great old songs.  Another example on Track Three Amy Winehouse singing the great old chestnut, "Body And Soul". Singing doesn't get any better than this! What a shame we lost her so young! And on Track 5, k.d. lang singing Blue Velvet. I have listened to many of Ms. Lang's CD's and to me they are all just ok.  But everything she has done singing standards with Tony Bennett are exceptional in every way, and her voice reminds me of Jo Stafford. In my opinion, everyone of the 17 tracks on this CD are keepers.   This is a CD worth buying because you will be playing it over and over again for a long time.  All the songs selected by Tony Bennett are just great, and take a look at the lineup of great singers that join him:

Andrea Bocelli
Michael Buble'
Mariah Carey
Natalie Cole
Sheryl Crow
Aretha Franklin
Josh Groban
Faith Hill
Norah Jones
Lady Gaga
k.d. lang
John Mayer
Willie Nelson
Queen Latifah
Alejandro Sanz
Carrie Underwood
Amy Winehouse

   

Brian Nova At The Wonderful Cafe des Beaux-Arts

Last Wednesday March 16, went to Cafe des Beaux-Arts to have dinner and enjoy the music of Brian Nova. If you like live music, and you talk to any of the great jazz musicians in the Desert, you are sure to hear Brian's name mentioned.  I certainly have but I had only heard Brian playing in groups with his stand up bass.  I knew from the few solos that Brian played that he was a talent I needed to know more about. 

Before I get to Brian, I have to mention a few comments about Cafe des Beaux-Arts. For anyone who has not dined at Beaux-Arts, you are really missing one of the best restaurants in the desert. It is one of my favorites and just not for dinner. It is one of the best restaurants in Palm Desert. It is right in the heart of the best shopping street in the Desert, El Paseo.  In addition to lunch and dinner, Beaux-Arts also serves an excellent breakfast. A great way to enjoy your morning coffee and read the morning newspaper. Didler Bloch is the proprietor of Beaux-Arts and he has been at the restaurant each time we visited.  This no doubt explains why Beaux-Arts is one of the best-run restaurants in the country. Be sure to say hello to Didler next time you visit.  Didler is a true renaissance man with a love for music, art, theatre and of course great French cuisine. 

Almost as soon as I heard Brian play Guitar, there was no doubt that he mastered this instrument. Brian played a few great classic jazz numbers, and I was very impressed with his finger dexterity and ability to compose some very original improvisations. Brian must have the fastest fingers in the West. But the quality that impressed me the most was Brian's ability to not only play notes fast but with great clarity, separation and composition.  In talking with Brian at one of his breaks, I learned that he has studied with two music icons that top everyone's list of great jazz guitarists, Herb Ellis and Joe Pass. Understand that no one gets to study with this caliber of musicians unless they see very unusual talent in the student.

Brian told me he spends the winters in the Desert and then tours the world the rest of the year. So there you have it, another example of why the Desert is the best place on earth during the winter for live music played by superb musicians.  But Brian's talent does end with guitar and stand up bass, he is an excellent singer with a soft, warm voice that is perfect for great songs from the "Great American Songbook".  I had a wonderful couple of hours dining and listening to Brian playing guitar and sing and my only regret is that the night had to end.   I will be back to hear more from Brian and I strongly urge anyone of my readers here in the Desert, to get to Beaux-Arts on Wednesday nights to enjoy Brian's great sounds from along with the outstanding food and service. 

Of course, in the tradition of the desert, a few guests dinning at Beaux-Arts came up to perform with Brian and as usual they were all very good. I think I have their names correct, Missoni Lanza, Erich Stratmann and Jim Salestrom. If I didn't and they read this blog, please send me any corrections and I will post them. 

Lastly, the great Vancouver flautist, Tom Keenlyside made an appearance and performed several songs with Brian. As always, Tom was just brilliant. Tom has been sitting in with most of the best jazz players in the Desert this season, and I would love to see Tom performing with his own group.  He is such a great talent who has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall and David Foster just to name a few.  Tom moved here last winter and is a great gift to all of us who love great live music.

Brian & Tom Keenlyside

Brian & Missoni Lanza

Brian & Jim Salestrom