My friends represent two extremes when it comes to appreciation of samba. At one end, Cedric took lessons for many years and even danced in the San Francisco Carnaval parade. At the other, Leigh hates samba to the point that she will run out of the room screaming if she hears “Girl from Ipanema.” (OK, I made that last part up.) I guess we know who gets invited when my future husband and I go to to Rio.
Month: July 2015
Sam Cooke
Things I resent, part 1,000,000. Children of the 50s got to listen to Sam Cooke originals in all their gritty, gravelly glory. As a child of the 70s, I was stuck with covers by wispy white folkies. Unfair! (Exception: The Spinners’ disco cover of “Cupid,” which was awesome.)
Salif Keita
My first introduction to Salif Keita was him covering “Begin the Beguine” on the Red Hot & Blue Cole Porter tribute/AIDS fundraising album back in the late 80s. His voice? Amazing. Him singing “Begin the Beguine” in Malinke? Weird.
Playlist of the Day 