A Record a Week: Elvis - In Person/Back in Memphis

SIDE 1. (In Person)
BLUE SUEDE SHOES
JOHNNY B. GOOD
ALL SHOOK UP
ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT
HOUND DOG
I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU
MY BABE

SIDE 2.
MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN
WORDS
IN THE GHETTO
SUSPICIOUS MINDS
CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE

SIDE 3. (Back in Memphis)
INHERIT THE WIND
THIS IS THE STORY
STRANGER IN MY OWN HOME TOWN
A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN
AND THE GRASS WON'T PAY NO MIND

SIDE 4.
DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
FROM A JACK TO A KING
THE FAIR'S MOVING ON
YOU'LL THINK OF ME
WITHOUT LOVE (There is Nothing)

This double record also has the titles 'From Memphis to Vegas' and 'From Vegas to Memphis' in small letters. Very little internet research verified this fact.

The record, each also released on their own, is half live (In Person) and half studio (Back in Memphis). The first record is the live performance that captures the raucous energy that made him so famous and helped produce large crowds during his heyday. The songs are his most famous, along with covers of already popular hits. It covers most things you would think of when you think Elvis.

The second record encompasses many unfamiliar songs, alongside some previous b-sides. The record, while still good, does not live up to the performance of earlier-years Elvis. It sort of paints a picture of what the tail end of his career was like. It is a somber feel to it and an unmistakable sadness. Not all of the songs, but certainly as a whole.

Elvis was a force in his time. Some may say he stole African-American music and popularized the style as his own. He wasn't the only one to do this, but definitely the most famous. However, it was him who brought the music into the mainstream and one could argue that made it more palatable to those who wrote off good music based solely on their own racial views. This record, while not a greatest hits, does give a sort of an overview of his career all in one shot, while also combining the essence of the live show with that of the studio.

Sunday Brunch: Craisin Hot Cross Buns

I've seen my dad more often than usual lately and he ate these a lot when I was a kid, so this is a shout out to him.

INGREDIENTS:

Buns:
2 tsp Dry Yeast
1/2 cup Soy Milk, heated to near but not boiling
1 tbsp Vegan Margarine, soft
1 Ener-G or other Egg Replacer
4 tsp Dry Sweetener
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
dash Salt
1 1/2 cup Flour, divided
small handful of Craisins
1 tbsp Veg Oil

Icing:
1/4 cup Icing Sugar
1 tsp Soy Milk
dash Vanilla


Put yeast in a medium mixing bowl and cover with warm soy milk, stirring to dissolve. Add margarine, sugar, salt, egg replacer and stir to combine. Add in 3/4 cup flour and mix; then slowly add 2nd 3/4 cup until it is doughy, but not too dry. Knead and grease, then cover to let rise for 1/2 hour.

Take out and roll into even dough balls (I made 6, but 8 would probably work too). Put them on a greased cookie sheet, separated and covered, let rise for 15 minutes. Bake at 375F until golden brown, cool on a wire rack. While cooling, stir icing ingredients together and make an icing cross on each bun.

A Record a Week: Giants of Jazz - Duke Ellington

SIDE 1.
EAST ST. LOUIS TOODLE-OO
CREOLE LOVE CALL
BLACK AND TAN FANTASY
BLACK BEAUTY
JUBILEE STOMP
YELLOW DOG BLUES

SIDE 2.
HOT AND BOTHERED
THE MOOCHE
SHOOT 'EM AUNT TILLIE
RING DEM BELLS
MOOD INDIGO *The Jungle Band
ROCKIN' IN RHYTHM *The Harlem Footwarmers
IT DON'T MEAN A THING (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

SIDE 3.
BABY WHEN YOU AIN'T THERE
BUGLE CALL RAG
MERRY GO ROUND
HARLEM SPEAKS
IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD APPLE TREE
MERRY GO ROUND
TRUCKIN'

SIDE 4.
CLARINET LAMENT (Barney's Concerto)
ECHOES OF HARLEM (Cootie's Concerto)
CARAVAN
I LET A SONG GO OUT OF MY HEART
SOPHISTICATED LADY
JACK THE BEAR

SIDE 5.
KO-KO
CONCERT FOR COOTIE (Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me)
COTTON TAIL
NEVER NO LAMENT (Don't Get Around Much Anymore)
HARLEM AIR SHAFT
IN A MELLOTONE
WARM VALLEY

SIDE 6.
TAKE THE "A" TRAIN
I GOT IT BAD AND THAT AIN'T GOOD
PERDIDO
C JAM BLUES
ROCKABYE RIVER
JEEP'S BLUES

This one took me a couple of weekends to listen to in its entirety, so I apologize for the delay. Plus things have been busy, plus I had people here last weekend. With a side of I have no other excuses and will get back to business next week.

The 3-record collection is the last of the Giants of Jazz records that I have and as with the others, it takes a journey through the career of the artist over the span of their career. Instead of the way I did the other ones, this album seemed to mostly be Duke Ellington lead groups, except for the few songs I noted where the group name didn't include his name.

Spanning multiple styles and recording qualities, starting with the foundation of jazz and direct wax recording through to the multi-tracking days that were in their early years by the time he died. It's interesting to think that every new style of jazz heard on the record could conceivably have been brought upon by Ellington or even the very song. His progressive musical styling took jazz in new directions with the likes of Louis Armstrong and other innovators at the time. They never were around to experience anything but the beginning of the experimental likes of fusion and other newer branches of jazz. I would be interested to hear his take on that. It may not have suited his style, but as a musician I think he would have appreciated the creativity involved.

I would say this takes the 'bet of' term and brings it all the way up to 'thorough sampling of' territory. Definitely a must listen for fans of Ellington and those curious alike.

Sunday Brunch: Strawberry Applesauce

I've lost my camera, so I don't have any pictures for this posting.

INGREDIENTS:
10L bag of Apples (Empire or Mac I like best, but whatever you'd like)
1 pint of Strawberries
Sugar (to taste)
dash Cinnamon (optional)

There are two different ways to go about making applesauce. The first one, the one that is my preference, requires a applesauce colander (looks like this):

Image from http://gleaminggloat.blogspot.com

The other way is to pre-peel the apples and take out the cores. The reason I like the colander is because you only have to remove the stems and wash the apples.

Method One:
De-stem, quarter the apples and strawberries and put them in a pot with enough water to cover the bottom (to prevent burning). Cover the pot and bring to a low boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Bring down to a simmer and stir often until all the apples turn mushy. Put them through the colander into a bowl, adding sugar if the mixture is too tart for your liking and cinnamon if you wish.

Method Two:
Peel, quarter and core the apples and chop the strawberries. Put them in a pot with just enough water to cover the bottom. Bring to a low boil over medium-high and then simmer until the apples break up and become mushy. The applesauce should look like applesauce right away in this method. Stir in sugar and cinnamon to desired taste.