Taken 4 Granite - The Trololo Song (I Am So Happy to Finally Be Back Home)

A musical tidbit from my Velvet DJ set last night. 

A wonderful a cappella harmony treatment of Eduard Khil's song, well-received by the crowd!

Taken 4 Granite is an award-winning family barbershop quartet, based in the New England area. 

Check out their homepage!

Where's YoYo?

My friend Myrdin Sommer was hanging out in the crowd at my Velvet DJ set last night. She was also inspecting the new 'Myrdin-logo' tattoo she's recently crafted for herself. 

I might also be in her 'video-reference' document, somewhere?? Hard to know really, who can tell?? - - There's a lot going on in the foreground. Also glimpsed are Ellen Vervloet and practically Pen MacPherson.

(video yanked from a Gyazo link posted at Myr's Flickr page)

Bruce Conner's Breakaway (1966), featuring Toni Basil

A quickie posting here (rather than at my 'I'm Learning To Share' blog or elsewhere), for a couple of reasons; 1) Toni Basil's single is in my playlist for a DJ set at The Velvet tonight, and I wanted to share the amazing 1966 experimental film associated with it. And 2), My previous experience has been that any complete video of that 1966 Bruce Conner 16mm short film has been pretty difficult to find online - - so I suggest you watch it now, while you can.

(this film contains split-seconds of blurry nudity, fyi)

Yes, Antonia Christina Basilotta, the woman in the frenetic film, is that Toni Basil, around the same time that she was a dancer and choreographer for TV and film productions, 15-ish years before her 'Mickey' fame. 

The song is also hers, from a cool 45 single released that same year on the A&M label. Very catchy, very Motown-y, very "In Crowd"!

Also click the video below for some amazing behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Dennis Hopper talks about Bruce Conner, Toni talks about her experience and the Los Angeles art scene of the era, and more... 

Museum of Contemporary Art 2013 mini-documentary: 

'Bruce Conner - BREAKAWAY - Art + Music - MOCAtv'

- Click on wikipedia's entry for info on the life and career of artist Bruce Conner. 

Follow Wiki's 'external links' at the bottom of the page for further Bruce Conner treats!

Vinnie & The Stardusters - "Quesadilla: a Tortilla with Cheez/Walk Around Naked" (1998)

 This mash-up / medley / parody thing went over very well in that 3/01 Velvet set. A crowd-pleaser!

A fun band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, off of their 1998 album, 'Novelty Music For Casual Sex'.

Ahmad Jamal - 'Poinciana' Live at The Olympia, Paris, 2012

Ahmad Jamal's classic 1958 signature arrangement of 'Poinciana' was a featured highlight of my 02.17.21 DJ set @ The Cellar. Here he is in a brilliant, joyous and hypnotic rendition of the same song, performing live with his group some 54 years later.

Blossom Dearie - I wish you love + Impro blues (Live on french TV, 1965)

 A sweet Blossom Dearie song was featured in the jazz set at LUX, on 12.18.20. Just another opportunity to ask: OMG, how cool is Blossom Dearie??? Check it out...

Regarding this blog's title...

Here's Carl Perkins to explain...

There's lots of good versions of this tune out there... Piano Red, Dr. Feelgood and the Interns, Jerry Reed, and oh yeah - - The Beatles and others - - but this is still the version I like best!