If you’ve been following along with Oprah’s Master Class assignment as instructed, then you’re down with the whole Morgan Freeman story. If not, you missed out on a deep session highlighting an amazing career that didn’t kick into high gear until he got the job Driving Miss Daisy at the age of 50. He’s been lighting up the big screen ever since but the most priceless moment came when we were reminded of his earliest gig with the now defunct Electric Company. Most of us know what a soulful character Morgan is but his role as Easy Reader in the landmark children’s program of the 70′s couldn’t get any groovier (looks a little like Easy Reader is hitting the EZ Widers). Enjoy this choice clip of a young Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno teaching kids how to read and making us all wish we could be that out of sight.
Recommended:
Oprah’s Master Class
Die-hard fans rejoice and critics take aim. Here’s the latest single from Bruce Springsteen. “We Take Care of Our Own” is just a little taste of what to expect from the upcoming album Wrecking Ball. Just the mere mention of that title brings me back to that fateful night at the now flattened Meadowlands when the song of the same name made its first appearance. Oh and what a night it was (read the blog here). And now in living black and white, here is Jersey’s favorite boy:
Pretty much everyone knows Norah Jones from her solo records and occasional guest spots (we loved her on last year’s Rome), but her work with the group The Little Willies may come as a pleasant surprise to some especially if you’ve got a hankerin’ for classic country. She has reconvened with her band of buddies for their second recording of covers of some of country’s finest including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. While there isn’t a song that Norah can’t do right, it’s her pairing with fellow vocalist Richard Julian that makes For the Good Times especially appealing. Richard is a unique voice and great personality who also moonlights as the host and executive producer of the cool Grooveable Feast web series where he and fellow indie musicians talk shop around the dinner table. We had the pleasure of meeting him last year and you can get to know him a little better by listening to the podcast below as well as watching his 60 Second Soundtrack…it’s one of our series’ most eye opening. Together with Norah, Lee Alexander, Jim Campilongo and Dan Rieser, they put together a nice collection of music that will satisfy fans of any-genre-as-long-as-it’s-good and it also happens to lend a little bit of country to tickle our own ongoing cover tune fancy.
<< Press PLAY to listen to the Richard Julian podcast >>
More boomitude.com cover tune blogs:
Bill Frisell: All We Are Saying
Various Artists: I Got Your Cover Right Here
Sting & Christian McBride: A Stingin’ Cover
The Heavy: Covered in Blood
Bon Iver/Justin Vernon: Cover Lover
Buddy Holly: That’ll Be The Cover
Sheryl Crow: Sideways Cover
Theo Bleckmann: This Man’s Work – The Sequel
Pat Metheny: Cherish
Kurt Elling: Steppin’ Out
Last year we told you about Oprah Winfrey’s newly launched network’s best show Master Class and how we enjoyed the insightful conversations with pop culture luminaries Lorne Michaels, Simon Cowell and Jay-Z (you can read the post here). The good news is that OWN has brought the show back for another season and the Jane Fonda episode has already aired to rave reviews. So if you’re interested in brushing up on the life lessons of Goldie Hawn, Ted Turner, Reba McEntire, Morgan Freeman et al, you better show up Sunday at 10pm or set your DVR because the not-so-smart news is that it doesn’t look like there’s any make-ups scheduled. Hopefully they will address that quickly as well as replay the first season that many may have missed…and while they’re at it, they should probably rerun another highlight, Oprah’s Next Chapter with the surprisingly Opie-like Steven Tyler. Oh and it’s probably worth noting that Jon Bon Jovi is also part of this season’s lineup. Yes, that is the same Bon Jovi that’s currently headlining in the stylishly produced Advil commercial?! Live and learn!
Recommended:
Oprah’s Master Class
Recorded backstage at the Chicago Civic Opera House, watch as Wilco, Nick Lowe and Mavis Staples gracefully take on “The Weight.” Can’t really go wrong with the song but in the hands of this crowd, it takes dressing room warm up to a whole new level. It’s the perfect little pick me up that could only help lighten your load….or to quote a friend’s Facebook comment, “I think I’ll listen to this all damn day!”
If you’re looking to put a little New in your Year, here’s an artist we recently discovered that you’ll be hearing more about. It’s no surprise we’d be captivated by Sharon Van Etten since she’s so closely intertwined with two of the bands we’ve raved (and raved) about last year, Bon Iver and The National. (She’s the lovely back up vocals on The National’s song “Think You Can Wait” from the film Win Win that we told you about.) L.A. Times has named her one to watch, she’s scheduled for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight and she has a new release due out next month. She’s got that folksy Brooklyn singer songwriter vibe that seems to turn hipster heads but in a very down to earth accessible kind of way. Maybe it’s that she counts The Carpenters among her influences. Here’s your chance to catch a star on the rise…Sharon Van Etten singing “One Day” from her 2010 album Epic.
