2025 NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY

The National Recording Registry has just selected the latest twenty-five sound recordings inducted with the goal each year to highlight what it calls "the range and diversity of the American recorded sound heritage". Some of the recordings that have been honored include the debut albums of the pop-rock group, Chicago and the '80's folk musician, Tracy Chapman; the jazz legend, Miles Davis and his experimentation with electric instruments on "Bitches Brew" that became his very first gold album; "My Heart Will Go On", the love ballad from one of the biggest box-office movie hits of all-time, "Titanic" sung by Celine Dion; the recording of the jazz classic, "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Brother Bones and His Shadows which would later become the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team; the original Broadway cast album of the hip-hop flavored biography of the first US Secretary of the Treasury, "Hamilton"; "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", an album considered by many to be the masterpiece of Elton John's recording career; "Happy Trails", the popular theme song for "The Roy Rogers Show" on radio and television written and sung by Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans; Helen Reddy's enduring feminist anthem for the women's liberation movement, "I Am Woman"; and "Back To Black", the breakout hit album by the late British pop vocalist, Amy Winehouse.

The Registry is an extension of the passage by Congress in 2000 of the National Recording Preservation Act. Since 2002, the Library of Congress oversees the selection of 25 recordings, which must be at least 10 years old at the time of induction, and deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". This latest group brings the total number of recordings in the registry to 650.

Here is the complete list of the twenty-five selections entered into the 2025 National Recording Registry:

"Aloha ‘Oe" - Hawaiian Quintette (1913) (single)
"Sweet Georgia Brown" - Brother Bones & His Shadows (1949) (single)



"Happy Trails" - Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (1952) (single)



Radio Broadcast: "Game 7 of the 1960 World Series" - Chuck Thompson (1960)
Harry Urata Field Recordings (1960-1980)
"Hello Dummy" - Don Rickles (1968) (album)
"Chicago Transit Authority" - Chicago (1969) (album)



"Bitches Brew" - Miles Davis (1970) (album)



"Kiss An Angel Good Mornin" - Charley Pride (1971) (single)
"I Am Woman" - Helen Reddy (1972) (single)



"El Rey" - Vincente Fernandez (1973) (single)
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - Elton John (1973) (album)
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" - Freddy Fender (1975) (single)



"I’ve Got The Music In Me" - Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker (1975) (album)
"The Kӧln Concert" - Keith Jarrett (1975) (album)
"Fly Like An Eagle" - Steve Miller Band (1976) (album)



Nimrod Workman Collection (1973-1994)
"Tracy Chapman" - Tracy Chapman (1988) (album)
"My Life" - Mary J. Blige (1994) (album)



"Microsoft Windows Reboot Chime" - Brian Eno (1995)
"My Heart Will Go On" - Celine Dion (1997) (single)
"Our American Journey" - Chanticleer (2002) (album)
"Back to Black" - Amy Winehouse (2006) (album)



"Minecraft: Volume Alpha" - Daniel Rosenfeld (2011) (album)
"Hamilton" - Original Broadway Cast Album (2015) (album)

RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

Lizzo is back with a new sound and a new look. Following some unpleasant allegations and lawsuits made against her, the singer took some time away from the spotlight. But Lizzo has reemerged fully energized and in fighting shape, having recently achieved significant weight loss although she has made it clear she still continues to advocate for body positivity. And she has new music with the release of the title track off of her upcoming fifth studio album, "Love in Real Life". This rock-inspired song looks back at a time before social media when people connected face-to-face. The music video for "Love in Real Life" was influenced by 90's style and features Lizzo decked out in black leather and doing some moves with back-up dancers that Michael Jackson would envy. And the video for another song,the dance-pop track, "Still Bad" continues where the other clip ended. Lizzo will be hit the road this month for some shows in New York, LA and Minneapolis.





Here are some new songs that I'm feeling which includes "Taste", the latest from Coco Jones which samples Britney Spears' "Toxic";  Haim returns with the sisters getting funky while bemoaning "Relationships"; the Canadian singer, Tate McRae talks about her need for speed with her single, "Sports Car"; Sam Smith returns with a lovely ballad, "Love is a Stillness", rising British artist, Bishop Briggs has dropped a new single with the positivity anthem, "Woman is King" and Lil Nas X is back, embracing the pink, with a new single, "Hotbox".

Roy Ayers, a pioneer of jazz-funk whose music would be one of the most sampled in hip-hop, passed away on March 4th at the age of eight-four. The LA-born Ayers came from a family of musicians and began learning to play the vibraphone at the age of five. After playing with several bands and recording solo projects, he formed his own acid-jazz group in 1972, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which he chose because "ubiquity" means "a state of being everywhere at the same time". Ayers worked on the soundtrack for the Pam Grier film, "Coffy" and released the 1976 album, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" which the title track would go on to find great popularity later by being heavily sampled, with the song used at least two hundred times on various recordings. Some of his other music was also sampled and he returned the favor by performing the vibraphone as a session musician for albums of many neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop artists. During his career, Ayers would record thirty studio albums as a solo artist and with his band.

ANGELA BOFILL (1954 - 2024)

It is sad to report the passing of Angela Bofill, the gifted jazz and r&b vocalist/songwriter, on June 13th at the age of seventy. Bofill had suffered two strokes in 2006 and 2007, leaving her mobility and speech impaired. But through extensive physical therapy, she regained some speech and movement which allowed her to participate in "The Angela Bofill Experience" in 2011, a stage show where she recounted her life and career while singers, Phil Perry and Melba Moore performed many of Bofill's beloved songs. 

The Cuban-Puerto Rican singer began her professional career after meeting Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen, both musicians, producers and owners of the jazz label, GRP Records. They produced her 1978 debut, "Angie" which properly put on display her incredible vocal prowess as well as her songwriting abilities where she wrote four of the eight tracks. The single, "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" became Bofill's first hit, reaching number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot R&B chart. Her follow-up album, "Angel of the Night" became an even bigger success, reaching the top-ten on the jazz and r&b charts as well as cracking the top-forty on the pop album chart.

Bofill moved over to Clive Davis' label, Arista Records in 1981 with an agenda to help her gain more crossover appeal. She recorded a total of five studio albums over five years during her time with Arista, which featured more dance-pop and soul. While Bofill continued to achieve moderate success on the r&b chart, she was unable to become a considerable presence on the pop chart. 

After taking some time off to raise her daughter, Shauna, Bofill returned to music in 1988, releasing "Intuition" on a new label, Capitol Records and getting back to her musical roots of jazz and blues. Her final studio album was "Love in Slow Motion", released in 1996.

NEW BLUE SUN

André Benjamin, best known to the world as André 3000, began his musical career as part of the hip-hop duo, Outkast with his high school friend, Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. With their fourth album, "Stankonia", the Atlanta natives first broke out with "Ms Jackson", a song based on his failed relationship with neo-soul songstress, Erykah Badu, offering an apology to her and her mother, that went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2000. Following their next album, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" which became a monster smash in 2003, selling over thirteen million copies worldwide and winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, Outkast went their separate ways four years later.

Since then, Benjamin had spent his time pursing other interests like fashion design, acting (including a lead role as rock legend, Jimi Hendrix in "All Is by My Side") and occasionally making guest appearances on recordings by other musicians.

But now after seventeen years, André 3000 has released his very first solo album, "New Blue Sun". However you may be disappointed to find that this is not a rap record. He had tried for a number of years to create new music, working with producers of various generations, yet he was never happy with the end results, unable to feel as connected to hip-hop since he had gotten older and convinced that what he was creating was inauthentic.

But during this time, Benjamin had taken up the flute, going everywhere with the woodwind instrument. This is when he began to become inspired, working with a handful of session musicians (which included jazz musician, Carlos Niño who co-produced the album with Benjamin) that improvised together during the moment in the recording studio. "New Blue Sun" was developed from these jam sessions, with no vocals or catchy hooks involved, creating a collection of new-age, experimental jazz sounds. There is no doubt that this is one of the more original pop music releases of the year.

WORLD MUSIC RADIO

After receiving several awards (including the Oscar) for his work co-writing the score for the animated film, "Soul" and winning the top Grammy prize of Album of the Year in 2022 (with a total of five wins) for his album, "We Are", Jon Batiste's career is on a major roll. He has just recently given up his night job as the musical director on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (which he held for seven years) in order to devote more time for his own music projects. 

Batiste, who comes from a distinguished musical family in the New Orleans area, began as a child playing percussion and drums with his family's jazz outfit, the Batiste Brothers Band before later switching to the piano. He studied classical piano throughout his teenage years but went on to attend Juilliard where he received a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies. Since he finished school, Batiste has had an impressive career that began teaching classes and workshops throughout the Netherlands, recording several jazz albums and even doing some acting, appearing in the HBO series, "Treme" and the Spike Lee films, "Red Hook Summer" and "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus".

With his latest album, "World Music Radio", Batiste ventures into global music in an unconventional way. The collection is a concept album with a DJ named "Billy Bob Bo" who is playing songs on an intergalactic radio station, transmitting an eclectic mixture of musical sounds for a truly otherworldly audience. There is also an interesting mix of collaborators which includes Spanish singer, Rita Payés; the psychedelic rap of Lil Wayne; Leigh-Anne of the English girl group, Little Mix; the K-pop group, NewJeans; the dream-pop goddess, Lana Del Rey and the classic cool sax of Kenny G.

THE 50 BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES OF ALL TIME

Music has always played an important part in cinema since the very beginning of the industry. The early films were silent but were accompanied by a pianist or even, in some large cities, a small orchestra in theaters. When recorded, synchronized sound began in 1927, it was a game-charger for the movies and the first sound feature film released, "The Jazz Singer" was, not surprisingly, a musical.

Over time, documentaries were made about music and the gifted artists who created these sounds. In recent years, this has exploded with a large number of movies about musicians, well-known, obscure or forgotten, in all genres have been filling cinemas and streaming channels.

Vulture has put together a list of fifty of what they consider to be the best music documentaries of all time. First putting these selections together in 2015, they have updated this listing to include recent releases. These movies (which include a few concert films) are all important and fascinating documents. There are films which deeply explore what has made many of these popular musicians so vital; highlight professionals who had assisted singers and musicians with their careers and reveal talented artists who never had a real opportunity to shine in their lifetime yet remain highly influential.

Click below to read the article:

The 50 Best Music Documentaries of All-Time

2023 NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY

The National Recording Registry has just selected the latest twenty-five sound recordings inducted with the goal each year to highlight what it calls "the range and diversity of the American recorded sound heritage". The Registry is an extension of the passage by Congress in 2000 of the National Recording Preservation Act. Since 2002, the Library of Congress oversees the selection of 25 recordings, which must be at least 10 years old at the time of induction, and deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". This latest group brings the total number of recordings in the registry to 625.

Some of the selections this year include the breakthrough (and then highly controversial) album by Madonna, "Like a Virgin"; "Imagine", the inspirational anthem by the late, former Beatle, John Lennon; the debut album by hip-hop artist, Queen Latifah, "All Hail the Queen"; "Margaritaville", the laid back ode to the cocktail from Jimmy Buffett; Daddy Yankee’s reggaeton explosion, "Gasolina"; "Wang Dang Doodle", the first big hit from "The Queen of the Blues", Koko Taylor; "Stairway to Heaven", the lengthy, innovative rock classic that progressively shifts in tempo and volume from the blues-rock band, Led Zeppelin; the first recording of one of Bacharach-David's legendary pop songs, "What the World Needs Now Is Love" by Jackie DeShannon; the video game sound of "Super Mario Bros." and Mariah Carey's now traditional holiday song, "All I Want For Christmas".

Here is the complete list of the twenty-five selections entered into the 2023 Recording Registry:

"The Very First Mariachi Recordings" — Cuarteto Coculense (1908-1909)
"St. Louis Blues" (single) — Handy’s Memphis Blues Band (1922)
"Sugar Foot Stomp" — Fletcher Henderson (1926)
"Dorothy Thompson: Commentary and Analysis of the European Situation" for NBC Radio (Aug. 23-Sept. 6, 1939)
"Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around" (single) — The Fairfield Four (1947)



"What the World Needs Now is Love" (single) — Jackie DeShannon (1965)



"Wang Dang Doodle" (single) — Koko Taylor (1966)



"Sherry" (single) — The Four Seasons (1962)



"Ode to Billie Joe" (single) — Bobbie Gentry (1967)



"Déjà Vu" (album) — Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (1970)
"Imagine" (single) — John Lennon (1971)
"Stairway to Heaven" (single) — Led Zeppelin (1971)



"Take Me Home, Country Roads" (single) — John Denver (1971)



"Margaritaville" (single) — Jimmy Buffett (1977)
"Flashdance. . .What a Feeling" (single) — Irene Cara (1983)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (single) — Eurythmics (1983)
"Synchronicity" (album) — The Police (1983)



"Black Codes (From the Underground)" (album) — Wynton Marsalis (1985)
"Super Mario Bros. theme" — Koji Kondo, composer (1986)



"Like a Virgin" (album) — Madonna (1984)
"All Hail the Queen" (album) — Queen Latifah (1989)



"All I Want for Christmas is You" (single) — Mariah Carey (1994)
"Pale Blue Dot" — Carl Sagan (1994)
"Gasolina" (single) — Daddy Yankee (2004)



"Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra" — Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, composer (2012)

THE 25 SONGS THAT MATTER RIGHT NOW

For the New York Times magazine's 2019 Music Issue, the focus is on songs that are making a statement right now. The previous issues tried to predict which direction music was heading and now it's about twenty-five current pop songs which explore wistful intimacy, address troubling issues in our society and attempt to ignite conversation about our turbulent times. These diverse artists here, who range from well-known (Bruce Springsteen, Ariana Grande, Weezer) to not-as-well-known (Parquet Courts, Tierra Whack, Sons of Kemet), express their ideas and feelings in a variety of interesting styles and reactions.

Click below to read the article:

The 25 Songs That Matter Right Now

And here are a few songs from this list that I particularly like:

2018 RECORD STORE DAY

April 21st will be Record Store Day, a day when a wide range of musical artists release new and vintage music on vinyl. For 2018, which is the eleventh year of this event, there will be up to 500 albums and singles that will be available in this classic format. Some of the artists participating range from AC/DC, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop, Elvis Presley, U2 and Wu-Tang Clan to name just a very small number.

For the complete list of the recordings to be released in the U.S., click  below:

2018 Record Store Day Releases

And I'm sure it might be difficult for some to track down an actual record store but here is a list of all the participating outlets worldwide. Click below for this and additional information:

2018 Record Store Day Locations

Finally, one highlight will be a new song available on vinyl from the long-missed Florence + the Machine. "Sky Full of Song" is a lush ballad this British alt-rock band is well known for and Ms Welch's soaring vocals lift this song to another level. It's a very welcome return and hopefully more is soon to come.

AL JARREAU (1940 - 2017)

Al Jarreau, the smooth jazz vocalist who also dabbled in pop and soul music, sadly passed away on February 12th at the age of seventy-six. He had just announced his retirement from live performing just two days before his death due to declining health.

Born in Milwaukee, WI , Jarreau found his love of music in the Church. His father was a minister and his mother was the pianist while he and his siblings performed during services. After earning a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation, Jarreau worked as a counselor in San Francisco while occasionally singing with a jazz trio after hours. He latter teamed with guitarist Julio Martinez and they became a popular act in the Bay Area. It was at this point Jarreau decided to pursue music full time.

Jarreau soon headed to the Southland where he made a name performing at nightclubs and on television variety shows. He was signed to Warner Bros. Records and released his debut album, "We Got By" in 1975 to rave reviews. Jarreau would win the first of his seven career Grammy Awards for his first live album, "Look At The Rainbow" in 1977.

In 1981, Jarreau released "Breakin' Away" which would help the singer crossover to the pop and soul worlds and became his biggest selling album at over a million copies sold. The single, "We're In This Love Together" reached the top-twenty on the pop chart, the top-ten on the r&b chart and would win Jarreau the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He would also win Best Male Jazz Vocal Performance for "(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk" from that album as well.

Other career highlights include performing the theme song for the popular late '80's television romantic comedy-drama, "Moonlighting" which reached the top-thirty on the pop charts and he was one of the participating pop singers who lent their voices on the charity single for African famine relief, "We Are The World" in 1985.

But Jarreau was admired most as an outstanding live performer and since the beginning of his musical journey he would tour extensively in countless concerts and jazz festivals, dazzling audiences around the world in the process. The singer even appeared in the role of Teen Angel in "Grease" on Broadway in 1996. He was a great talent who will truly be missed. Enjoy a small sample of the amazing music of Al Jarreau:

RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

After her major breakthrough album, "Come Away With Me", a sultry collection of jazz-pop that went on to sell over twenty-six million copies and win five Grammy Awards including "Album of the Year" in 2002, Norah Jones wanted to keep her options open. Not wanting to be pigeonholed as just a jazz singer, she went on with her subsequent work to cover country, folk, blues and indie rock. Jones even gave acting a try with a lead role in the poorly received Wong Kar Wai film, "My Blueberry Nights".

With her sixth studio album, "Day Breaks", Jones has returned to her roots, so to speak, as she has slipped back towards the piano-driven sounds that first brought her fame. Recorded live and inspired by a wide range of jazz music, the singer co-wrote and produced the album. Her adventurous side is still evident as Jones includes some interesting covers from Neil Young and Duke Ellington. Take a look at the video for the first single, "Carry On":



Here are a few new tunes I've been digging:

"Sexual" - Neiked featuring Dyo (2016) mp3

"Keep It Moving" - Alex Newell (2016) mp3

If you want to get a party started right, I recommend you put on anything by The Whispers. This r&b group, formed in Los Angeles in 1964 and featured Marcus Hutson, Nicholas Caldwell, Leavell Degree and twins, Wallace "Scotty" and Walter Scott, scored some minor hits throughout the 1970's but had their biggest smash on the U.S. dance chart with "And The Beat Goes On" in 1980 which topped that chart as well as the soul chart. The Whispers used their classic soul vocals and merged them with a throbbing funky beat, a perfect remedy during the post-disco era for people who still wanted to dance. Enjoy two of their big hits:

"Keep On Loving Me" - The Whispers (1983) mp3

"Rock Steady" - The Whispers (1987) mp3

The Dixie Chicks had loved Beyoncé's country-flavored track "Daddy Issues" and covered it while on their reunion tour. So it was supposed to be a magical moment when the two decided to team up to perform the song during the 50th annual Country Music Awards. But the reaction to the performance brought out a lot of ugliness and thinly-veiled racism, making a big deal about her having no place on the show. I don't seem to recall this response when another pop act, Justin Timberlake sang on the show just last year. Anyway, in case you missed it, here is a clip of the Dixie Chicks and Queen Bey performing the song on the program and I think it's amazing:


Beyonce & Dixie Chicks - Daddy's Lessons (CMA... by sophanit-smart

2016 NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY

I was aware that the Library of Congress inducted films in to a registry for preservation but I really didn't know they did the same for recordings. Since 2002, they have selected sound recordings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important that informs or reflect life in the United States. The twenty-five selected this year feature a wide range of music, commentaries, radio programs, comedy albums and speeches. To date, there have been 450 recordings placed in the National Recording Registry.

Here is the complete list of the twenty-five recordings being inducted in 2016:

“Let Me Call You Sweetheart” — Columbia Quartette (The Peerless Quartet) (1911)
“Wild Cat Blues” — Clarence Williams’ Blue Five (1923)
“Statesboro Blues” — Blind Willie McTell (1928)



“Bonaparte’s Retreat” — W.H. Stepp (1937)
Episode: “Decoration Day” — Vic and Sade (June 4, 1937)
"Mahler’s Symphony No. 9" — Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, (conducted by Bruno Walter) (1938)
"Carousel of American Music" — George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Arthur Freed, Shelton Brooks, Hoagy Carmichael, others (Sept. 24, 1940)
"The Marshall Plan Speech" — George C. Marshall (June 5, 1947)
Destination Freedom — Episodes “A Garage in Gainesville” and “Execution Awaited” (Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, 1949)
"A Streetcar Named Desire" Original Soundtrack — (Alex North, composer) (1951)
“Cry Me a River” (single) — Julie London (1955)



“Mack the Knife” (singles) — Louis Armstrong (1956) and Bobby Darin (1959)






"Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-Point Game, Fourth-Quarter Coverage (Philadelphia Warriors vs. New York Knicks)" — Bill Campbell, announcer (March 2, 1962)
“A Love Supreme” — John Coltrane (1964)



"It’s My Way" — Buffy Sainte-Marie (1964)
“Where Did Our Love Go” (single) — The Supremes (1964)



“People Get Ready” (single) — The Impressions (1965)



“Mama Tried” (single) — Merle Haggard (1968)



"Abraxas" — Santana (1970)
"Class Clown" — George Carlin (1972)



"Robert and Clara Schumann Complete Piano Trios" — The Beaux Arts Trio (1972)
“Piano Man” (single) — Billy Joel (1973)
"Bogalusa Boogie" — Clifton Chenier (1976)
“I Will Survive” (single) — Gloria Gaynor (1978)
"Master of Puppets" — Metallica (1986)

BLACK MUSIC MONTH

Here is the final round-up of my celebration of Black Music Month. I hope you enjoyed the songs:

"Another Saturday Night" - Sam Cooke (1963) mp3

"Trapped By a Thing Called Love" - Denise LaSalle (1971) mp3

"Sail On" - Commodores (1979) mp3

"It's a Love Thing" - The Whispers (1981) mp3

"Love's Comin' At Ya" - Melba Moore (1982) mp3

TAKE TWO: PATRICE RUSHEN

After the parents of Los Angeles native, Patrice Rushen discovered that their baby girl was gifted at the piano, they enrolled her in music classes at USC at the age of three. Winning a competition at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1972 lead to Rushen being signed to Prestige Records as a teenager. She recorded several jazz albums and became an in-demand session player before moving on to a major-label, Elektra Records.

It was during this time that Rushen started to blend r&b and funk in to her sound and found commercial success. "Haven't You Heard", "Remind Me" and "Feels So Real (Won't Let Go)" found their way on the pop and r&b charts with "Forget Me Nots" becoming her biggest hit, reaching number twenty-three on the pop chart and number four on the r&b in 1982. This song is now best known for being sampled by Will Smith for the theme song of his film "Men In Black" in 1997.

Patrice Rushen is still very much involved in music but now more behind the scenes. She became the first female musical director for The Grammy Awards, The Emmy Awards, The NAACP Image Awards and The People's Choice Awards.  She also served as the musical director for Janet Jackson's 1993 world tour and has recently traveled as part of the touring band for such jazz artists as Lee Ritenour and Wayne Shorter.

Have a listen to two of my favorite tunes by Ms Rushen:

"Haven't You Heard" - Patrice Rushen (1980)

"Forget Me Nots" - Patrice Rushen (1982)