Tuesday, April 25, 2006

"Oooh Baby, Band of Gold": Music That's Making Me Happy Today, vol 11

Freda Payne at the Plush Room

Right about now I bet you're saying, "Uh, Sassy, Freda Payne had... what... two, maybe three hits? Exactly how is she going to fill an entire evening at the Plush Room?" Well, it just so happens Ms. Payne is paying tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with this show, and she does a tremendous job. Pitch perfect renditions of "A Tisket, A Tasket," "Miss Otis Regrets," "You've Changed" and Ella's take on "Mack the Knife" fill the performance. She also satisfies her fans with "Band of Gold" and "Bring the Boys Home" at the end of the night. All in all, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen at the Plush Room (all of Paula West's performances notwithstanding). I even bought a cd afterward and had her sign it. It's something to get a jaded media-type like me to actually ask for an autograph.

Two of Freda's musicians ogled me as I walked through the lobby of the York Hotel on my way out the door. I took the opportunity to tell them how much I enjoyed the show, but really now. I guess it wouldn't be my life if some much older, inappropriate man didn't think he could behave any way he wanted toward me. Ah, well. Such is the burden of being sassy, I suppose.

In other music news, I have officially become addicted to iTunes. Over the past few days I've downloaded everything from the Grass Roots to the Clash to the La's to the Knitters. Soon I will be like Ann Marie who claims to spend $50 per visit to the Apple music site. I already have a decent-sized cd collection, but there's just so much music and so little time.

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