A "DUSTY" SUNDAY - THE SEQUEL

This Sunday's Dusty Springfield tune is entitled "Goodbye".

As what is common in the music biz, many songs are recorded for an album and some are ultimately never used for a variety of different reasons. This unreleased track finally made the light of day on the 1999 Deluxe Edition reissue of "Dusty In Memphis" which was around the time when "Goodbye" was originally recorded. I'm really shocked this beautiful but sad song, written by Roland Chambers and Leonard Pakula, never made it on any official record.

If you have never heard this, you are in for a treat as Ms Springfield delivers some of her most impassioned vocals:

"Goodbye" - Dusty Springfield

JESSIE WARE IS DELIVERING SOME "TOUGH LOVE"

One of my favorite albums from 2012 was "Devotion" by British singer, Jessie Ware and she is finally back with some new music. "Tough Love" is the latest single and I'm loving this. It delivers a very tasty '80's Prince mellow vibe with Ware making it sound fresh and all her own. No clear word on when a new album will actually be released but in the meantime, soak up this tune:

"Tough Love" - Jessie Ware (2014)

A "DUSTY" SUNDAY

I can't think of a better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than by listening to some Dusty Springfield. Today's tune is "Just a Little Lovin'" from the now classic 1969 record, "Dusty In Memphis".

Working with her idol, Aretha Franklin's producers, Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd, Springfield decided she wanted to make a entire album of American soul music. The initial recording was done in Tennessee using the legendary backing band, The Memphis Cats and the background singing group, The Sweet Inspirations but the session was difficult due to the British singer's insecurities. Dusty's final vocals were later completed in New York. This song, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, was surprisingly never released as a single but still was a highlight on a near perfect collection.

"Just A Little Lovin'" - Dusty Springfield (1969)

ROBYN & ROYKSOPP: IN CONCERT

My first visit to the Hollywood Bowl this year was to see Röyksopp and Robyn on June 29th. The evening's weather was perfect and the crowd at the sold-out event were ready to party. Röyksopp came on stage first and the Norwegian electronic band, led by Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland, went through some of their biggest dance tracks. The songs, such as "What Else Is There" and "Poor Leno" were moody and funky which are not usually associated with electronic music but were quite effective.

After Röyksopp finish their set, Robyn suddenly appeared with little fanfare. This was who I had been waiting for and the Swedish pop artist didn't disappoint. Don't even get me started on trying to understand why she's not a bigger star here in America especially with such great songs such as "Call Your Girlfriend" and "Dancing On My Own" which she performed. Although now in her mid-thirties, Robyn came across decades younger as she was in constant motion throughout the night. She also introduced a couple of new songs which were quite intriguing and made me anxious to hear more.

The final act had these two Scandinavian artists join forces to perform songs from their new EP together, "Do It Again". Berge and Brundtland returned to the stage sporting masks, although far less elaborate than anything fellow EDM musicians, Daft Punk would wear, while Robyn changed in to an over-sized sequined jacket. With the help of an amazing light show and trippy video screen displays, this team burned through some of the record's tracks that put the euphoric audience on their feet to dance the night away. Have a listen to the title track:

"Do It Again" - Robyn & Röyksopp (2014)

TAKE TWO: BOZ SCAGGS

Boz Scaggs is a consummate performer who throughout his long career has created music that features a unique blend of the sounds he grew-up listening to; rock, soul, blues and jazz. His amazing skills as a guitarist, singer and songwriter has made him one of the most respected artists still working today.

He was born William Scaggs in Canton, Ohio in 1944 but lived in several places throughout the country due to his father's work. He ended up in Texas at the age of twelve and learned to play guitar around this time. While here, Scaggs got the nickname "Bosley" from a friend which was later shorten to "Boz". He met fellow aspiring musician, Steve Miller while attending middle school in Dallas and they would perform together in various blues bands all the way through to college. Scaggs decided to drop out of school and took off to Europe to pursue music full time.

He performed with several bands before landing in Sweden and recording his first solo album, simply called, "Boz" in 1965. The album didn't get much attention and Scaggs decided to head back to America. He ended up in San Francisco and would work with Steve Miller again (who at this time had his own blues-rock outfit called The Steve Miller Band) and played guitar on his first two albums. Scaggs managed to get another record deal with Atlantic and released his second solo album, "Boz Scaggs" in 1969. Once again, this record received very modest attention. He moved over to Columbia Records and it wasn't until his seventh album that Scaggs finally found long-overdue commercial success.

"Silk Degrees" was released in 1976 and with the help of his solid session band (that would later become members of the pop-rock group, Toto) there were four hit singles with "Lowdown" reaching the top five on the pop, r&b and dance chart. Scaggs would win a Grammy for Best R&B Song (for "Lowdown") and the album sold over five million copies in the U.S. This album would be the highlight of his career although he would have other hit singles later including "Breakdown Dead Ahead", "Jojo" and "Look What You've Done To Me" from the "Urban Cowboy" soundtrack.

Boz Scaggs has spent most of his time recently on the road where he has been warmly received. His latest recording was released last year entitled, "Memphis" that features a collection of mostly covers of soul and blues tunes that have inspired the musician. Enjoy two of my favorite songs from Mr. Scaggs:

BOBBY WOMACK (1944 - 2014)

Another sad loss in music as the legendary singer/songwriter, Bobby Womack passed away on June 27th at the age of seventy.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Womack came from parents who were both professional musicians. After his father, Friendly Womack discovered Bobby's skills at the guitar at the age of eight as well of the talents of his other teenage sons, he formed a group, The Womack Brothers. The band toured the gospel circuit for a number of years and Sam Cooke, who was a member of the Soul Stirrers at the time, was highly impressed by the boys. Cooke took them under his wing and promised to use them when he found fame. True to his word, Cooke signed them to his record label after he left gospel music and became a successful r&b singer. Changing the group's name to "The Valentinos", they had a top-ten r&b single, "Looking For A Love" in 1962. This lead to opening for James Brown on tour as well as being the backing band for Cooke during recording and tours.

After Sam Cooke's shocking death in 1964, The Womack brothers were left in disarray and scandal due to Bobby marrying Cooke's widow, Barbara only mere months after his death. Womack decided to leave The Valentinos and wanted to start a solo career but the scandal left no one interested, so he settled as a session player and songwriter. Womack played guitar on a number of recordings and wrote songs for a diverse group of artists including Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Wilson Pickett The Box Tops and Sly and The Family Stone.

Womack recorded his first solo album, "Fly Me To The Moon" in 1968 which began his successful run of singles and albums throughout the '70's and '80's. Drug addiction soon derailed the artist but after a stint in rehab, Womack was ready to focus back on music by the early 1990's. He gained attention after he provided vocals to the track, "Stylo" for Gorillaz from their album, "Plastic Beach" in 2010. This lead to Womack releasing "The Bravest Man In The Universe", his twenty-seventh solo album, in 2012. The album was critically acclaimed and brought the singer back in to the spotlight where he belonged.

In tribute to Mr. Womack, here are a few of my favorite songs:

"Across 110th Street" - Bobby Womack (1972)

"If You Think You're Lonely Now" - Bobby Womack (1982)

"Dayglo Reflection" - Bobby Womack featuring Lana Del Rey (2012)

GERRY GOFFIN (1939 - 2014)

The gifted lyricist, Gerry Goffin, who along with his then-wife, Carole King, wrote some of the most memorable and enduring hit songs of the rock-n-roll era, passed away on June 19th.

Although he went to school to pursue a practical occupation as a chemist, Goffin found himself making music as he had been writing lyrics since he was a child. He was working on a musical and needed a partner to write the music. Goffin met Carol Klein (who later changed her professional name to "Carole King") and began a musical partnership which soon became romantic. Goffin and King managed to have more than fifty top-forty pop hits during their time together which began with "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles in 1961. Other major hits included "Up On The Roof", "One Fine Day", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman","He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)", "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "The Loco-Motion"

After their marriage ended in 1968, Goffin went on to write with other musicians like Barry Mann and Michael Masser and had other hit songs such as "Saving All My Love For You" and "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" which earned him and Masser an Oscar nomination.

All of Goffin's songs continue to be recorded by a wide variety of artists and that's because they are well-crafted classics that will truly stand the test of time. Here is a small selection of my favorites co-written by Gerry Goffin:

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - The Shirelles (1961)

"The Loco-Motion" - Little Eva (1962)

"Up On The Roof" - The Drifters (1963)

"(You Make me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" - Aretha Franklin (1967)

"Saving All My Love For You" - Whitney Houston (1985)