Coming Soon: Collector Vinyl Reviews

Hello all!

Stay tuned to these pages as in the very near future, I am going to be going through my extensive  collection and posting reviews of long out of print vinyl records.

Since the triumphant return of vinyl which began about a decade or so ago, thousands of folks have started to enjoy collecting records again.  If you are a novice, it can be hard to tell what's good and what isn't just from crate digging.

Since I have been a collector all my life, I am going to publish a series of articles with some tips on what to look for, what is valuable and what isn't and where some of the best places to find gems lurk! I will also be writing reviews of performances so that you can have some ideas for things to seek out to add to your collection.

I hope you will enjoy them as much as I will enjoy revisiting some old friends and hopefully giving them a new lease on life.

Stay tuned! I will begin publishing reviews beginning Sunday evening, October 27!

Happy listening!

I'm Back

So it's been some time since I have blogged, and a great deal has happened to me in the past year. To begin with, I lost my mother on February 19. That was quite a blow and I have yet to fully recover from it. Thanks to other events, I find myself at a crossroads and in need to reinvent myself for about the sixth time in my life.

I have always lived by the motto "never give up, never give in." This philosophy has seen me through all of the tough times I've experienced, and it continues to do so today. In spite of what now seem to be countless setbacks and crises, I am still alive and well, a member of two wonderful communities, one religious and the other deeply spiritual, and I am not hungry, lonely or homeless! I have been fortunate to have been able to move into a lovely new home and I find a great deal of serenity in just being in this quiet and peaceful place.

The holidays are upon us, and I always write a Christmas letter that is widely read and I am flattered to say, appreciated. Heads up, this year's is going to be tough to write. But I will try my best, as always, to find a message of hope and peace, even in these very troubled times.

I look forward to building a new readership and I thank you for your time.

It's Been Awhile

Greetings all,

It has been more than five years since I have posted on my blog, and now that I have decided to remove myself from the Dallas Theater Community, I will have more time to think and to write and to come up with some clever things to say on my blog.

Upcoming topics include music and art, the Trump kakistocracy, thoughts on sober living, spirituality and finding the good in everyone, including myself. Stay tuned everyone. I should be interesting

Oh yeah, and I'll be posting record reviews too

In Praise of the Public Library

Since my youngest days, the public library has been one of my sanctuaries. It was at the New Castle, Indiana public library that read my first biographies of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, and it was there that I came to appreciate classic American cinema through their circulating collection of silent eight millimeter films.

It was also there that I learned to truly love classical music. Since we could not afford to buy lots of records, the library's collection of long playing records was my infinite source of great music. For me, the library was, and still is, a wonderland. It was a place where I could get lost for hours reading great stories, histories and biographies.

Our fair city of Dallas has an amazing public library system. It has dozens of branches that offer myriad services that go well beyond just lending books and movies. They offer help with your taxes, help getting signed up for health insurance, help finding a job through seminars and workshops that are frequently offered. They give people who can't afford it free access to the internet. They provide a safe and quiet place for students to study and do research. In a word, the Dallas Public Library is a gold mine of resources for our community.

Yet, this invaluable resource is so low on the public totem pole that they only have enough funds to keep the doors open for just over forty hours per week.

Literacy and access to information is one of the most important building blocks of a strong and free society. The expertly staffed, remarkably modern, thoroughly efficient library system that we have here is a priceless asset. What is appalling is that our city government so under-funds it that it has to be completely closed two days a week, and when it is open, it is open for fewer than ten hours a day.

I encourage you, dear readers, to do two things. First, start patronizing the library to get the books that you want to read and the movies that you want to see. I know that anyone savvy enough to read The Tenor Diaries must also be an avid reader of books and periodicals. So consider stocking your e-reader with files from the library, or, if you're like me and still love a thick paper tome, try checking out some books from your local branch.

Second, make your views known to our mayor, our city manager and to our city council. Tell them that this time honored resource is important to you and to your family. Tell them that you expect your tax dollars to be better put to use in making our libraries more available, open longer and able to keep completely current with acquisitions.

The libraries in Dallas are some of the finest in the country. Please show your support by using them and advocating for them at City Hall.

Please Help Support Choral Music in Dallas

Dear friends,

It is not often that I use this space for a direct appeal, but since it's my space and and you're a supportive audience, here we go.

In 1999, I founded The Helios Ensemble, a consort of professional musicians that produces operas, concerts and recitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The group has undergone a number of reincarnations over the years and we are about to set out on a new venture.

In August of this year, we will present The Helios Festival of Voices, a weekend of choral and vocal concerts for your enjoyment. After lying dormant for a few years, this is our first major venture in some time.

I am happy to report that we have a wonderful and active board of directors that is working very hard to make this festival a reality. Future plans include enlarging the summer event into a workshop and institute for professional and amateur singers and conductors.

All of these lofty goals cost lots of money, and here's where I am personally asking for your help. Please consider making a tax deductible contribution to The Helios Ensemble today. No gift is too small and every dollar helps to employ  fine professional musicians to present great concerts of choral music to our community. Ticket sales raise only a portion of the money needed to stage the kinds of concerts that we present, and that I am sure you enjoy.

Please make a generous, tax deductible contribution to The Helios Ensemble by sending a check to

The Helios Ensemble

C/O Robert Brooks, treasurer

9632 Vista Oaks Drive

Dallas, TX 75243

Your support will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for helping to make great music possible in Dallas!

Kevin Sutton

Artistic Director 

The Helios Ensemble

Why I Will Be Paying the Tax Penalty for the ACA

The controversy continues to swirl around the Affordable Care Act, and at first I was a loyal Democrat and supported the law wholeheartedly. That is, until I tried to get health care myself.

Like a good citizen, I battled the slow web site and got signed up right after enrollment opened last year. It took some doing but I got my policy and was excited to have health care for the first time in years.

Yeah, right.

Comes January and I discover that the doctor assigned to me by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas did not accept the policy. Yep, that' right. BCBS had assigned me to a designer concierge medical office that didn't accept ANY kind of insurance, let alone my subsidized discounted policy. So, I call BCBS. Well, I tried. It took weeks to get through to them, and I was only able to get to speak to someone after I blew up at a representative who was calling ME to ask why I had not yet paid my premium. I told her why on no uncertain terms.

Not only did the doctor they assigned me not accept my plan, hardly anyone else did. Were I to keep my insurance, I would have to visit a clinic in the very worst part of our fair city. Yeah, that's right, the ghetto.
Not happening gurl.

I finally got through to BCBS, only to be told that if I wanted to change my policy, I would have to contact healthcare.gov, that since I bought my policy through the marketplace, they couldn't change it. Oh, well, if I wanted, they would sell me a policy independent of the marketplace....for $800 a month. Yeah, that's as much as my rent folks.

SO, I dutifully called healthcare.gov, only to be told that no, they couldn't change my plan, nor could they edit my profile and re-enroll me. I would have to do that through my provider.

See where this is going?

So as of today, March 27, 2014, my Blue Cross plan has been cancelled due to lack of payment. I'll be damned if I will pay for something that I can't use. Furthermore, I can't re-enroll and start all over again until November. Healthcare for every American!!!!

 Yeah, right.

Thank you, dear government for mounting yet another cluster fuck. Oh yeah, I even wrote to my Senator about my problem. He wrote me a very nice paragraph expressing his sympathy and directed me to contact my state senator for help. Let's see how that goes.

Good health to you!!

Hearken Back if you Will...

Everyone who knows me knows that I love vinyl records, and that I have a special affinity to the classic vinyl issued throughout the fifties and early sixties on labels like Capitol. Columbia and RCA, not to mention Verve and Blue Note and the like.

One of my favorite pass times is to troll through used record stores or the usually hidden away bins of records in thrift stores or garage sales to find some wonderful fifty cent treasures. Last night my adventures led to a four dollar shopping spree that netted some amazing finds.

First, for a whomping $.49 I found copy of Ruby Braff and his men playing "A Hi-Fi Salute to Bunny." Trumpeter Bunny Berigan had died fifteen years before this 1957 issue, and RCA wanted to pay tribute to the great trumpeter who sadly could handle neither business nor alcohol and died broke of cirrhosis of the liver at the age of thirty-three. With an all star cast featuring Braff on trumpet; Walter Page on bass; Steve Jordan, guitar; Nat Pierce, piano; Buzzy Drootin, drums; Pee Wee Russell on clarinet; Benny Morton, trombone; and Dick Hafer on tenor sax, these boys whip out seven signature Berigan tunes that swing to the max. It never ceases to amaze me how well vinyl holds up over the years. This 57 year old record sounds amazing, mono and all!

I have always believed that Don McLean is one of the greatest composer/lyricists in the history of American song. Of course, he's famous for American Pie, his 1971 masterpiece lamenting the passing of Buddy Holly. (That album contains two other absolutely brilliant songs in Vincent and Crossroads.) McLean recorded rather prolifically in the seventies and eighties, never really achieving the widespread success of Pie.  For a mere $.99 I picked up his ballad collection Tapestry. Even when Don is being silly he has something important to say (think On the Amazon and Narcissisma from his 1972 eponymous release) and Tapestry doesn't disappoint. McLean has always been able to tunefully and poignantly get to the heart of any matter be it a love song or an encomium. The money tune on this collection is And I Love You So, which became a much bigger hit for Perry Como than it did for its composer.

And finally the gem of the evening, which cost me some big bucks ($1.99), was a 1967 release by the Swingle Singers. What that octet could do with da-ba-da-ba-da was amazing, and this collection of music by Spanish masters is breathtaking. Featuring vocal transcriptions of great instrumental works, the Swingles cover music of Sarasate, Rodrigo, Granados , Albeniz and Soler. The high point is the stunning rendition of the adagio from Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. The perfect balance and intonation of this crew that was to inspire dozens of future famous vocal groups like The Manhattan Transfer and the New York Voices, is simply beyond belief and it must be noted that there was no such thing as autotune in 1967.

There are so many forgotten wonders lying around all over the country in boxes of old records. I encourage you to dust off your old turn table and give that old fashioned vinyl a spin. I think you'll be amazed at what you will discover. Happy digging!!!!

Twenty Questions Trivia Quiz 2014

Looking back over past entries I noticed that it has been a year since I sent out a little trivia quiz. So, I thought I would post one for 2014. Last year the prize was a lollipop and a gold star. Being more health conscious this year, the prize will be a cupcake and a diet coke. Have fun! And no Googleing!!!!

1. What famous piece of classical music determined the standard length of the compact disc?

2. Who said, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." ?

3. Who was the first recording artist to use the technique of overlaying multiple tape tracks to harmonize with herself?

4. Who composed the song "Smile" made most famous by Judy Garland?

5. Who discovered and perfected alternating current?

6. What famous politician invented soft serve ice cream?

7. If you are a phlebotomist, what is your profession?

8. Who was the federal agent that led The Untouchables?

9.  What was the professional name of Denis Pratt, also known as the Naked Civil Servant?

10.  What significant social uprising happened in 1969 on the evening of Judy Garland's funeral?

11. Desilu was a television production company founded and run by whom?

12.  Susan Harris, who created The Golden Girls, became famous a decade earlier for another controversial sitcom. What was it?

13. In what city was the 70's sitcom "One Day at a Time" set?

14. Who was the only bachelor President of the United States?

15.  What was the name of the law that banned the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages in the US?

16.  Why will Lady Mary Crawley never be the Countess of Grantham?

17. What was the name of the office that enforced the Motion Picture Production Code?

18. What is the only X rated movie to win a best picture Oscar?

19.  Traditionally, American first ladies adopt a cause to champion during their husband's term in office. What is the cause of first lady Michelle Obama?

20.  Name the nine members of the United States Supreme Court.

Please leave comments with your scores! I would love to hear how you did!

Some Lovely Bach from a New Source

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)


Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord, BWV 1027-1029
Marianne Muller, viola da gamba
Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord in G, BWV 1019 (transcription for viola da gamba)


Marianne Muller, viola da gamba
Francoise Lengelle, harpsichord

TT: 71:09
Zig-Zag Territories ZZT 340



By the early eighteenth century, the viola da gamba, although still popular in France was fading into the background in favor of the more sonorous cello. Bach however loved the instrument and very likely played it himself. Indeed, Bach used the gamba, which so closely matches the timbre of the human voice, in some of his most poignant expressions of sorrow in both the St. Matthew and St. John Passions, and in the Actus Tragicus.

These works are somewhat unusual in that the harpsichord is given its own independent part, fully contrapuntal and containing its own melodies, rather than its customary role of providing the harmonic bed for the melody instruments. This is undoubtedly due to the lighter sound of the gamba, which would enable it to balance nicely with the less hefty sound output of the harpsichord. 

It is likely that Bach composed more than the three extant sonatas (the first of which is his own transcription the sonata for two flutes, BWV 1039). Alas, we only have these three. But what delights they are! These works are undoubtedly some of Bach's most tuneful and elegant forays into instrumental music. 

Mmes. Muller and Lengelle offer radiant performances in this recent recording on the Zig-Zag Territories label, a company with which I am just becoming acquainted. Marianne Muller produces a warm and vibrant tone and her performances come alive with humor and spirit. On occasion I found her tendency to slightly halt the tempo in certain phrases with an extra stretch here or a little gap there to be disconcerting but on the whole these are trivial complaints and can be dismissed as interpretive licence and sensitive musicality. They are just not to this writer's particular taste. 

Francoise Lengelle is fleet of finger and plays with great clarity and attention to detail. Individual melodies are brought out with elan and there is a deft balance between soloistic playing and accompanying. Ms. Lengellé clearly knows the difference between the two and adapts to both roles beautifully.

In this day of the download, this is the first recording I have ever reviewed that I heard via a subscription service and not from physical media. I can say that I found the listening experience to be quite satisfactory, and although Rhapsody (tm) does not provide program notes or performer biographies, these were easily found by a quick Google search and a visit to the label's website 

Regardless of your chosen format, this recording is a lovely seventy plus minutes of music making, and should appeal to a broad array of tastes. Highly recommended.

Dallas Symphony Delivers Mixed Bag in Mostly Russian Program

Tonight's Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert offered up a mixed bag in both its choice of repertoire and the quality of the performances.

Guest conductor Paul Phillips, known to work wonders with the student orchestras at Southern Methodist University led a program of works by Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and Copland that was at times fascinating, at others bold and exciting and at still others found wanting.

Opening with Dmitry Shostakovich's Five Fragments, Op. 42 from 1935, Phillips molded taut and concise statements from these brief studies in orchestration. One wonders if these works would have been more effective cast for smaller forces, given that most of the orchestra sat idle at any given time throughout the brief ten minute work. Most notable was the rather haunting third movement, scored for muted strings. It was interesting to hear a rarely performed work by such a major composer, but in the end, it served only as a curious appetizer, with little to take home.

The youthful Ukrainian pianist Anna Federova joined the orchestra for a disappointing romp through Rachmaninoff's hyper-romantic Second Piano Concerto.  While Ms. Federova's considerable technique was in evidence, her playing lacked the physical power to create the  rich sonorities called for in the score. Coupled with an overblown and generally sloppy orchestral accompaniment, we occasionally found ourselves cupping hands to ears to hear the piano. Ms. Federova also erred on the side of cliche when it came to playing Rachmaninoff's arching melodies, particularly in the slow movement. I often just wanted her to get on with it instead of milking every last semi-quaver until it ran dry.

Of course, the Meyerson audience lumbered to its feet at the end of the concerto. When will our fair music loving public learn that fast and (occasionally) loud, do not make for a life changing experience? The de rigueur standing O has become tiresomely trite around these parts. Not everything, especially tonight's performance, deserves such high praise.

Aaron Copland's massive third symphony rounded out the program. It is pretty rare to hear this enormously scored work in live performance, and Phillips and the DSO did not disappoint this evening. Kudos to the brass and percussion sections for some serious virtuosity. Maestro Phillips kept the tried and true Fanfare for the Common Man ending moving at a nice pace, building the final climax slowly and delivering a nicely thrilling payoff at the end.

Fred is Dead. Good riddance!

It was just announced that arch-hater Fred Phelps has died. The only two words that I can bring to mind in response are good riddance. I would love to be a fly on the wall at his entrance interview with St. Peter.

Although it's not my place to judge, I have no sympathy for him or for his family, as they have made careers out of sowing hate, lies and bigotry for more than fifty years. May he wallow in the dung heap of history along with other such charmers as say, Hitler, Pol Pot and Stalin.

The world is a little bit cleaner today. So long, asshole!

Brilliant Cast Dazzles at Collin Theater Center

Rarely is one treated to so consistently fine a collegiate theater experience as Collin Theater Company's vibrant and near perfect production of In the Heights, the 2005 musical about the trials and triumphs of families in New York's Washington Heights neighborhood.

The plot revolves around the lives of the residents of a Latino community in the early 21st century. Nina, the play's central character, is the barrio's great white hope; the first in her family to go to college, Stanford, no less. The story opens when she returns home to disappoint family and friends by having lost her scholarship and subsequently dropping out of school. Amidst financial woes, mixed race romances and struggles with cultural identity, fortunes change when Abuela Claudia, matriarch of the entire neighborhood wins a large lottery jackpot. Before she can spend her money, Abuela dies, and through her death comes redemption for nearly everyone she touched in life.

In thirty years of theater going, I have rarely seen such a uniformly talented cast. Forty-plus strong, this gifted ensemble sings, raps, dances and acts with skill, precision and complete credibility. Taylor McKie's sophisticated dance numbers are brilliantly executed. Mark Mullino has trained his singers to shine both as soloists and as a choir, and the balance between movement, music and elocution is nearly perfect.

Clinton Greenspan plays the fetching Usnavi (named after the Naval vessel his father spies in the harbor upon entry into the U.S.). Mr. Greenspan is deftly able to run the A to Z emotional gamut with aplomb, always believable and never over-wrought. His dark good looks and well honed musicality are a powerhouse package, making him a young actor with much future promise.

Megan Black's satin voice is the selling point for her portrayal of the conflicted Nina. With spot on intonation and a uniform clarity from the top to the bottom of her range, Miss Black is a singer's singer and a joy to hear. Amanda Brown as Abuela Claudia turned in the most polished vocal performance of the night with her show-stopping first act aria, followed very closely by Juliette Talley's you-go-girl second act ass kicker, pulled off to perfection despite a faulty microphone that could have upstaged a less seasoned and confident performer.

The Rookie of the Year award, especially for his superb singing, goes to Leo Thomasian, who's understated yet perfectly executed side kick Sonny, often stole the show. This is a young man with a gift who deserves a much wider audience.

Colin Philips provided splendidly sung comic relief as the Piragua Guy and Mark Quach's brazen dance moves made his performance one of the evening's great delights.

In a production with very few weaknesess, I did wish for some of the younger chorus members to butch it up a bit, and I found Phillip Slay's effete portrayal of Kevin Rosario to be more metrosexual than patriarchal. But those were but mild distractions.

Mark Mullino led a superb nine-piece orchestra whose presence was powerfully felt yet never overwhelming.

In short, this was a joyous night of theater. You've got one more chance to see it, tomorrow afternoon, and this is a spiritual uplifting not to be missed.

In the Heights was written by Quiara Algeria Hudes with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The Sound of Ignorance

Last night, NBC took a big ratings and financial risk by mounting the first complete live production of a Broadway musical on prime time television in over fifty years. And while the production of Rogers and Hammerstein's classic The Sound of Music  was not without its flaws, its merits far outweighed its shortcomings, and those of us who love the theater can hope that NBC's experiment is a harbinger of things to come.

What I want to address here is the flurry of comments with which teachers, actors and musicians deluged the social media sites. Although there was a good deal of positive commentary, I feel that it is my obligation as a professional musician, teacher and critic to address some of the outright stupidity that I read.

I particularly want to speak to teachers. From what I was reading last night, it would seem that Walmart, who was the major sponsor of the event, is also issuing music education degrees, such was the level of incompetence that I read from people who are supposed to be in the business of educating our future actors and singers.

For example, one person wrote: : "I don't see why they would want to remake a classic in the first place." The implication here is that NBC was trying to do a remake of the now classic Robert Wise film of  The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. This was obviously not the case. Anyone who knows both versions of the show knows the changes that were made to the stage production for the film. So to the person who inquires as to why The Lonely Goatherd was being sung in place of My Favorite Things,  I would advise you to do your homework and learn both productions.

NBC did not attempt to re-make Julie Andrews. Rather it mounted a production of the stage musical. Revivals happen every evening on Broadway, and to make a comment like "I don't see why they would remake a classic" is well, just stupid. By that logic, we would not have Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Neil Simon, or for that matter Andrew Lloyd Webber, because we would be proscribed from mounting any production that was not the original.  Such a practice would also kill all regional, community and touring theater because if we couldn't do a new production, we'd all have to flock to the theater of origin to see a show.

Further, I was dismayed at the snarky and even cruel comments that people were making about the NBC production. This was particularly egregious from educators. To simply throw out a tirade of negative comments without backing them with any constructive criticism is not only immature,  it's useless to any reader, especially a student. If we want to train future professionals to be discerning, then we need to define for them just exactly what good is. We do not need to reel off a string of snide one liners.

Ultimately, the NBC production had its weaknesses, this is true. In particular, Carrie Underwood's inexperience as an actress and her lack of classical vocal training showed in last night's performance. And, if I were the casting director, I would have cast a somewhat older actor in the role of Max Dettweiler.

Yet, the good that NBC did by producing a live musical in a prime slot far outweighed the bad. The sets were gorgeous, the camera work outstanding and on the whole, the cast acted and sang with aplomb. Even more importantly, we got a lesson in what a live performance can be like. It has risks, and there is the possibility of an imperfection or two (like when the cameraman slipped in the wedding scene giving us four seconds of shaky picture.)

What our teachers should be touting is that a major network gave a number of younger and even first time actors a shot at a major production. After all, don't we want there to be work available for our now students when they become future professionals? The answer is clearly yes.

And so I say to our nay saying educators, first, learn your craft. Before you spout off idiotic comments about song placement, please at least have gone to the trouble to have seen or read the original play. Second, set an example to your students by backing up your critiques with something more than clever sarcasm. After all, we critique students so that they can learn and grow. And last, think a little bit about what a contribution NBC made to the future of our art and show a little gratitude. Remember that theatre with a future is your job security. Unless you just really want to see the arts in schools reduced to nothing and thus forcing you into the minimum wage workplace.

Some Thoughts On Music Media

Back in 1987 when I was a young skinny dark-haired graduate student, I took a job in the local Sam Goody Store in Nashville. Compact Discs were starting to take over the market and vinyl records were seemingly doomed. CDs provided a huge resurgence for record labels who by the end of the 80's were in quite a sales slump. Not only did the new technology offer what was then perceived as perfect sound, but it saved tons of shelf space and weight when moving to a new apartment too!

The market was booming because not only did everyone want the newest releases in the new format, but thousands of listeners spent millions of dollars replacing their old vinyl collections with CDS. I can't tell you how many stories I hear today of people who sold their records and have lived to regret it.

The huge debate amongst music aficionados centered around a handful of topics: 1. Do CDs really sound better than vinyl records? 2. Will all of the important titles from the LP era be issued on CD? and 3. Do CDS really last forever?

Thirty years later, some of those questions are still debated. As to sound quality, I will always contend that except for the pops and tics that come from a worn record, LPS have and always will sound better. But that's not proven and many blind tests have failed to definitively answer the question. I will say, however, that there is still nothing more amazing than pulling a new record out of its sleeve, checking out the amazing cover art and playing that baby for the first time. For a guy my age, vinyl will always be king.

As for the reissue question, for the most part that answer was yes, and it was the reissue business that kept the major labels afloa through most of the 90s. There were things here and there that never made it to the silver disc, but for the most part, the catalogue was saturated with every imaginable title, including thousands of recordings that had been out of print for years.

Question three is proving a mixed bag. Many CDS, particularly ones issued early on in Japan, and many a home burned disc did not last forever. Their information deteriorated and you are no longer able to play them. Add to the fact that CD players have a rather notoriously short lifespan, particularly higher end models, and you have some problems at hand.

That brings us to today. Although the digital revolution has not managed to kill the vinyl record, in fact vinyl has enjoyed a big resurgence in recent years, it has brought about the death of the record industry as we knew and loved it, and with it, the compact disc is breathing it last or so it seems.

In his excellent book Appetite for Self-destruction, Steve Knopper documents the spectacular fall of the American record industry, brought about by sheer hubris and stupidity. I myself predicted back in 1987 that one day in the not too distant future, all the music in the world would be available in a big data base accessible to one and all through an inexpensive monthly subscription.

It would take the advent of high speed internet to make my prophesy come true, but it did. And the record labels sat back and watched it happen, completely unprepared to deal with the consequences of file sharing and the easy and free distribution of music.

Some say that the demise of the industry is a bad thing. I contend that it was an inevitable good because there is now more music available than ever before and countless artists who would have never been picked up by a major label now have a voice in the greater music world. Huzzah!

DIGITAL MUSIC SERVICES

Now that we have had a little history lesson, (call it a reminiscence if you will) here are some of this writer's observations about some, and I emphasize here, selected, digital music streaming services.

It all started with Napster, and we all know what a copyright nightmare that turned out to be. Napster lost its lawsuit and was eventually swallowed up by Rhapsody, a product of Real Networks. (Remember when you had to download a Real player to see movies or hear music on line in the dial up days?)

Rhapsody offers a ginormous track library for a modest price and is available for most any kind of delivery device you can imagine. My biggest beef with them is the careless way that they handle classical music. Yeah, I know, we aren't the biggest market share, but if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right and Rhapsody frankly SUCKS when it comes to the proper labeling and categorizing of  Bach, Beethoven and the boys. After many years of devotion to Rhapsody, I finally got fed up with them and switched to SPOTIFY.

Spotify's layout and format took me a little getting used to, but now that I have figured it out, I love it so far. They have an enormous library of albums, they DO properly label classical music (although I find that their classical selection is rather bogged down in giant compilation sets that most serious music listeners skip over on sight) and they have lots of great extra features, including detailed biographies of most of their artists. All for 9.99 a month.

If you are a serious classical listener, there is only one place to go, and that is to the Naxos Music Library.

Klaus Heymann's little label that could has now just about conquered the world of classical music. With 87,000 plus cds available to stream and a catalogue that grows by the week, it's hard to beat this service. Include complete program notes, services for schools and teachers and a price point of $20-30 a month depending upon bit rate, you just can't go wrong. Naxos also offers Jazz, world, audio books and lots of other categories for your listening pleasure.

Another personal favorite is Grooveshark, which offers a very friendly interface and a big catalogue of music for free. They do offer a premium service as well, but the print ads on the site are not intrusive and the only real advantage to paying is to have access to their mobile apps.

Pandora is worth mentioning as well, but call me selfish, I like being able to select my own music. If I am in discovery mode, then Spotify, Rhapsody and Groove shark all have "Radio" functions that allow me to explore music that other people are listening to.

I have yet to explore Google music, but with 74 lifetimes worth of music at my fingertips, I had to stop somewhere.

We live in a wonderland of media, and frankly, I think we could argue that there is too much on hand. Where to we start? But hey, we also have just as many books to read and movies to watch. So hunker down in your den and bust open the Chardonnay! You've got lots of listening to do.

Happy music making everyone!

Returning to My Favorite Hobby

My mother will tell you that I learned to read off record labels. Ours being a very musical family, there were always dozens if not hundreds of records in our home, and my parents and grandmother taught me at a very early age to love records. More importantly they taught me how to properly care for them and to respect that they were extremely valuable. I think that I was about the only five year old in history that was allowed to operate the family phonograph unsupervised. I would always seek out the record player in any new home I visited, and I took it quite personally when my mother's friends wouldn't allow me to operate the machine!

Since getting sober on April 15, I have been going back to my roots and rediscovering and reengaging in the things that molded my early life. I am once again an avid reader, I practice the piano regularly and I am getting seriously back into collecting and listening to vinyl records. I thought I would share some of my recent adventures and comment on the state of record stores in general.

First off, I found what every collector dreams of just today, and that is a couple of bins of nice records dropped off at my favorite thrift store. For a whomping five dollars, I got my hands on ten little gems, and if I had had more cash in my pocket I would have bought several more. The nice man at the thrift gave me a special deal since I told him that I was a musician and loved vinyl. Those are the things you love when you pursue this hobby. Consequently, I got my hands on ten really nice records from the fifties and sixties for a song. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Once upon a time, Dallas was a record nut's paradise. Sadly, the good stores are mostly gone with one exception which I will discuss in a moment. Vinyl has made a big comeback, especially amongst young people and consequently, the prices for used records have taken a precipitous climb. Part of this increase is due to greed on the part of store owners and just plain stupidity. Caveat emptor!!!! Make sure that before you drop fifteen bucks on a used record that you know what you are getting, because most of the records available in Dallas stores at any rate, are just ridiculously overpriced.

So here's a little low-down on what I have observed of late in the BIG D and a review of local outlets for vinyl

GOOD RECORDS 

Located on lower Greenville avenue in Dallas, this little slice of the vinyl Garden of Eden is by far and away the best record store in the city.

Now here's a word of warning to old timers who are just getting back into the market. New records are not cheap. Your average brand new record will run you twenty bucks, and more if the pressing is on 180 gram vinyl. My first reaction to these prices was rather hostile until I stopped to think that a] a new record back in the day was around ten to twelve bucks b] it's been at least twenty years since I seriously collected new vinyl so take the passage of time, and the fact that records don't sell in the quantities that they did in the 80's, $20+ is really not unreasonable.

Good Records carries the largest selection of new titles in Dallas, and they also have new pressings of many old favorites. Add to that a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff and this store is a true winner. They are huge supporters of local musicians and so, even though you may pay a few bucks more than you might on line, I heartily endorse Good Records as my primary source of new additions to my collection.

And, although their selection of used records is pretty limited, they are fairly priced and graded for condition. They also have a full selection of CDS and great hours. Good Records is a good old fashioned mom and pop record store that is in business for the love of music. Go back and watch the campy 90's film Empire Records  and you will get the idea.

CD SOURCE

Located in the Old Towne shopping center at Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue, CD SOURCE has long been a staple of the bohemian music scene. Crammed to the gills with thousands of CDS and DVDS, CD SOURCE has recently gotten into the vinyl business.

Although I have always liked the hippy atmosphere and the friendly and off-beat staff, I find that this outlet has more annoyances than endearments.

Their vinyl stock is crammed in to every nook and cranny, basically a disorganized mess, difficult to browse and overrun with more trash than treasure. For every gem you find you will have waded through twenty pieces of crap. Couple that frustration with a pricing structure that basically parrots EBAY and AMAZON and you're in for a less than stellar experience.


HALF PRICED BOOKS

Recent visits to Half Priced Books big superstore on Northwest Highway  have run the gamut from frustrating to infuriating.

HPB used to be the best bargain store in town, but now someone has informed their buying staff that it's cool to triple all their prices for vinyl. Couple that with bins that are overrun with knock off repressings of classic jazz titles and an extremely inconsistent title selection and I have concluded that aliens have landed in the back room and sucked the brains out their buyers.

I've pretty much written this store off as a source, although I from time to time find gems at their Preston and LBJ location.

SHAKE RAGZ

Located on Live Oak Street just off of Haskell Avenue, this store is a wonderful time capsule of music's golden age(s). Packed to the brim with vintage audio equipment, musical instruments and memorabilia, this little cave also has a respectable record section.

I was pretty excited to check it out until I looked at the price tags. The big sign over the bins that read "This is not a thrift store, so don't expect thrift store prices" should have been the giveaway. From the looks of it, the same records have been sitting in those crates since the 70's and the prices are simply ridiculous.

There is a nice little back room full of five dollar records, but a trip through ten or fifteen crates revealed mostly junk.

TRYTONE CLASSICAL RECORDS

Lloyd Sitkoff's private record business in Carrollton is a classical music lover's paradise. Lloyd has upwards of 20,000 records and just as many cds, and he deals almost exclusively in classical music. If he doesn't have it it's not to be had. He's a great guy, prices his items very fairly and can get you what you need. You can check out his treasure trove by making an appointment at 972-242-4767.

FOREVER YOUNG

Forever Young Records in Grapevine, TX could be a collectors wet dream. Thousands of Square feet of damned near every record ever pressed makes this place a nostalgia overdose. Sadly, high prices keep this buyer from being a regular customer there.

DOC'S RECORDS

Fort Worth boasts a groovy store called Doc's. Although I haven't visited in some months, and they have moved to a new location since I last shopped there, Doc's as I remember it has an excellent and varied selection of vinyl in fine condition and at very fair prices. I am looking forward to a trip over to Cowtown to check this place out again soon.

Anyways, there are some thoughts for anyone looking to add to their collections and spin some black discs. Here's wishing everyone some very happy listening.

On the Current State of Things

I am made rich by making my wants few.

Thus the wisdom of the great thinker Henry David Thoreau. That simple phrase got me to thinking about the state of our economy, and how we live in it.

I have a couple of younger friends who are recently graduated from college or graduate school. They are both extremely bright and able guys who walked out of school and into very good paying first jobs. They also need every penny of that good salary to pay back the mountain of debt that they incurred in student loans. They both have nice cars, nice apartments, good clothes and an active social life. And a load of worry about how they are going to repay loan debt that hovers dangerously near to six figures. Not to mention save for retirement, eventually buy a home and all of those other things that make for a 'successful' life.

In my youth I was really materialistic. I had to have all the latest gizmos and gadgets, a decked out apartment, a new car and a wardrobe full of clothes that were expensive for expensive's sake.

Myriad mistakes, a prolonged legal battle and a descent into alcoholism took away all of my fancy toys. In fact it nearly took away everything that I had. And while I am not looking to join a monastery and don a monk's habit, I have through the grace of God and the twelve step group that saved my life, come to look at material possessions and what they do for my inner happiness in a new light.

First I have come to realize that we as a society need desperately to address the high cost of college education and the gross disparity between the cost of living and the typical wage. Not to mention the disparity of income between the haves and the have-nots in our country. But these are huge political issues that I have neither the education or the political power to attack on a grand scale.

Therefore I have put some serious thought into how I can live my life in a way that provides for my needs while at the same time preserving out planet's resources and making the modest income that I am able to earn go the furthest and be used to its most economical extent. Here are some things that I have put into practice that have not only brought me a great deal of peace where money is concerned, but have also given me a great deal of inner peace.

Let us start by repeating Thoreau's wisdom: I make myself rich by making my wants few.

Notice first that he said wants, not needs. What can we do to want less and in so doing actually have more? I have started at home by turning my little villa into what I call my gallery of recycled chic. With few exceptions, all of the furnishings in my home were obtained second hand. Some were family heirlooms, some were hand-me-downs from friends and others were bought from a local thrift shop that benefits a local women's shelter.

The result is a fashionably bohemian apartment that is comfortable, pleasant to look at and furnished at a minimal cost and a lowered impact on the environment. I buy most of my clothing second hand at the same thrift shop as well as many of my accessories and kitchen ware. Yes, there are times when you have to buy new things. I understand that. But so often, we don't.

When I am finished with something, I try to give it to someone else who might need it, or I sell it on Craigslist instead of just throwing it away. I often donate unwanted things to the same thrift shop where I buy so much. This whole practice saves me tons of money and in turns helps others in need.

Money is becoming more and more scarce for many people. The recent protests by fast food workers bears this out. It is my hope that retailers will begin to take notice that a barter and recycled economy is on the rise if for no other reason that people can't afford anything new. It simply isn't necessary for certain products to cost as much as they do. Of course, an argument like this begs the questions of outsourcing, cheap foreign labor and all of its inherent evils. These are problems that also need addressing, and I hope that my readers will join in the debate for solutions to these dreadful societal diseases.

In the meantime, here are some things that you can do to conserve resources, save yourself some money and come to find the joy in the simple things in life. Yes, I know that in this world there are things that we simply need to buy. We need computers and we need cell phones and we need transportation. But let's think about some of these ideas.

1. SHARE MEALS

One of the problems we single people face is wasted food. It is very hard to cook for one person and processed, packaged food is no where near as good for us as freshly prepared meals made with good and healthful foods. I have a group of single friends who rather frequently meets up at my villa to share a meal. Each of us provides one or two of the ingredient and everyone gets to eat well for a tenth of the cost of the same meal in a restaurant and nothing goes to waste. The added benefit of fellowship and conversation makes the enterprise all the more appealing.

2. RECYCLE

Do you really need  a brand new $1200 sofa? How about checking out used furniture stores or thrift shops. My little bargain center is located very close to one of Dallas' more affluent neighborhoods and daily gets in beautiful furniture items for less than half the cost of a new piece. Once it lands in my living room, no one knows that I bought the thing used. (except when I brag about how much money I saved!)

Everyday dishes, household accessories (candle holders, picture frames, lamps etc.) can be found used and in beautiful condition for a fraction of the cost of a new item.

3. WALK

If you live in an urban neighborhood like mine, most of your daily needs will be in walking distance. I never drive to the post office, the grocery store (unless I am stocking up for the month), the dry cleaner, the coffee shop and to most restaurants in my area. It's good for the body and it's good for the earth. I know that this doesn't work for everyone, but it does for many.

4. USE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Netflix and Hulu are just lovely and I am a fan of all bookstores, but face it, the public library has thousands of books, DVDs, audio recordings,and  books on tape and CD. Now many libraries offer downloadable books for your e-reader. Take advantage of the fact that all of this stuff is FREE for you to use. If you do buy books, go through them from time to time and donate those that have been sitting on your shelf unopened for months to the library for others to use and enjoy.

This also leads me to another point. READ MORE! Books are the best entertainment around. Learn something. Get engrossed in a good story. Make yourself more interesting at parties by actually having more stuff in your head to share.

These suggestions are but a start, but I hope that you will think about what you've just read and try to put some of these ideas into practice. They have made me a happier and more contented person and I think they will have the same effect on you. Happy reading everyone.

The Stoli Boycott

Much has been made in the press about the recent draconian anti-gay laws passed in Russia. And, true to form, the gay community has reacted in a rather knee jerk way by boycotting Russian Vodka brands, particularly Stolichnaya, or "Stoli" vodka.

In the 1990s, the gay community successfully staged a boycott against the Philip Morris company by refusing to consume Miller Beer and Marlboro cigarettes. That boycott is considered by many to be one of the most successful and effective actions of its kind in history. PM caved and now they slap a rainbow on damned near everything that comes out of their warehouses.

How effective, however, will a boycott be on a vodka brand that is for the most part made in Latvia and not Russia? I contend, not very.

First of all, why is it we always eschew products that contribute to the belief that gays spend most of our time drunk and high and in a cloud of smoke? Why does most of our consumer activism originate in a bar?

The truth is, boycotting Stoli isn't going to affect the financial security of a single Russian, and certainly not  Russian lawmakers headed by their gulag commandant Vladimir Putin. If we are to make an effective protest, we need to attack something that will hit the Russian government in the pocketbook and in their international reputation.

The obvious answer lies not in a barroom but in an athletic stadium. There should be a world wide demand on the International Olympic Committee to immediately cancel the Winter Olympics in Solchi and move them to another location. Calgary, Lillehammer, Tokyo....there are bound to be former Olympic sites that still have all of the infrastructure in place. To yank the games from Russia would hit their government where it hurts and show a rogue like Putin that this isn't Nazi Germany and you can't sew pink triangles on gays and leave them open to discrimination and potential physical harm.

Let's use a little common sense for once and attack a problem at its source instead of just switching vodka brands.

Some Thoughts for Today

Most of my journey away from alcoholism has been a spiritual one. I have found that in order to stay sober, it has been essential for me to reconnect with God (in AA we say "God as we understand Him"). Since I am unashamedly a Christian, you may assume that I understand God through the person of Jesus Christ.

One of my greatest enlightenments thus far has been one of trust. I have come to simply trust that God will assist me in all my difficulties, provide for all of my needs and remove from me any flaws or sins that block my path to a relationship with Him.

Now you might notice that I did NOT say that God has given me everything I want. The Ferrari, the mansion in Highland Park and the private jet are still on my bucket list. But everything that I have truly needed has been provided in God's own due time.

I have come to practice a spiritual discipline of prayer, study and meditation each day that is now essential to my emotional equilibrium and stability. I feel empty if I fail to say my daily prayers (in the shower since I figure while I am cleansing my body I might as well cleanse my mind and spirit) and study. This study includes the wisdom of other paths and thinkers, particularly those of Buddhism.

Here's an exercise that I have found very helpful and uplifting. Jesus said, "ask and you shall receive." Thus, every morning, I ask God to give me ten things that I need. It may be the will not to drink today, or the means to make the money to pay the rent, or the courage to make amends to someone that I have hurt by word or deed. It can be anything, as long as it's a need and not a want.

Then at the end of the day, I thank God for twenty things that he gave me that day. They are often the very things that I asked for in the morning, but since God's gifts to us are at least ten times what we need, I thank him for twice as many as I asked for. I thank him for giving me a place to live, a means to make a living, for friends to keep me company, for my two cats who show me such unconditional love and affection. You can thank him for any blessing.

By doing this every day, I find that I stay in tune with the things in life that are most important spiritually: trust, and gratitude. It has worked for me thus far and I pray that you give it a try and that it works for you.

Have a lovely day!

In Memoriam Jaqueline Wollan Gibbons

It was with the deepest sadness that I learned of the passing of Jaqueline Gibbons. There are probably fewer than a dozen people in the world that I hold in the kind of esteem, respect, awe and love that I have for Jackie. Her death leaves a gaping hole in my heart and spirit.

Beyond brilliant, Jackie was an intellectual force of nature. Her depth and breadth of knowledge on hundreds of topics was astounding and sometimes a little intimidating. And yet she had a gentle way of sculpting souls. I shall never forget when she and Hal invited me to dinner in their home some twenty years ago, and Jackie took the time and compassion to have a serious talk with me about the merits of humility, grace and kindness. Without ever putting me down, she helped me to see that true success comes from being nice to people, by building up others over oneself and by letting one's accomplishments speak for themselves.

Jackie Gibbons was one of the kindest, gentlest, most gracious and beautiful ladies I have ever had the honor of knowing.

With her departure, the world has not just lost a loving wife, mother and friend. We have lost a poet, a dreamer, an environmentalist, a musician, a philosopher and a peacemaker. Jackie sought and found perfection in so many realms that it is impossible to categorize her life. She was all things to all people, or at least she tried her very best to be.

Words cannot express the influence that this quietly joyful woman had on my life. She was the voice of reason, the caress of compassion and a cauldron of calm. It is easy to say that she left the world a much better place for her having passed through it. It is painful to admit that without her, we are all diminished. Thankfully, she touched so many lives that there is a strong hope that the seeds she planted in all of us will continue to grow and flourish, and that her good soul will live on in the lives of all who loved her so much.

And so, dear lady, farewell and rest in peace. And as your beautiful spirit soars around the universe, please pause from time to time to come back and visit us and lend us a cosmic hand. You will never be forgotten as there is no way that a spirit as rich and beautiful as yours could ever really die. I'll miss you very much. Thank you dear Jackie for making such a positive difference in my life, and for sharing some of yours with me and so many others. I love you very much.

News and Views from the Tenorsphere

Wow what a week!

Let me begin by saying that I hope that all of you had a blessed Holy Week, Easter, Passover or whatever religious or personal holiday you might have celebrated last week. We here in Dallas enjoyed some absolutely beautiful weather and I personally had a wonderful week of work, worship and relaxation with friends.

Tomorrow afternoon I am off to Montana for the eleventh annual Montana Early Music Festival. Maestra Kerry Krebill has assembled her usual cast of stars from all over the country to bring some magnificent Italian cathedral music to life. I never cease to wonder at how Kerry can bring off musical miracles year after year in the beautiful setting of the Montana mountains. Check out the festival at www.musikantenmt.org.

I don't have a single point to make with today's post, but a couple of things have caught my attention in the news of late.

One is the recent speech that legendary Dallas developer Don Williams delivered to a group of high powered Dallas land barons at the Dallas Country Club. Mr. Williams has always been an outspoken advocate for the less fortunate and he quite eloquently called out our fair city's more affluent for their lack of interest in developing the poorer parts of Dallas. Bravo to you Mr. Williams for having achieved so much in your own career and for wanting to help other people achieve their dreams as well. I encourage my readers to check out recent editorials and reports about Mr. Williams efforts at www.dallasnews.com.

On a lighter note, I have been exploring and enjoying one of our city's somewhat hidden gems, the beautiful Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. Chock full of delightful restaurants, boutiques and art galleries, this is a treasure of culture and grace. Noteworthy is Oddfellows Restaurant and Bar at 316 West 7th Street. Lovely atmosphere, charming (and very good looking) staff, reasonable prices and delicious food and beverages make this a must try culinary destination. Check it out.www.oddfellowsdallas.com.

Ok, it's off to the presses, and the laundry, and the packing, and the score marking.....ugh. Have a beautiful day and thanks for reading.