Welcome March!!!

WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS!! aka, "BOTB".

A big shout out, and thank you to our blog hosts:

FAE

Stephen T. McCarthy

We feature two different recordings of the same song. Listen to both, and then vote for the song version you like the best.  Feel free to leave me a comment, along with your vote. 

Our battles take place twice a month ~ on the 1st and 15th. The results come six days later ~ on the 7th and 21st. That's when I return, add all of the votes, including mine, and announce the winner. Feel free to return and see if your choice won!

If you would like to listen, and vote in other battles, please see the participant list in the right hand margin. If you would like to join this bi-monthly blog event, visit the blog host, Stephen T. McCarthy. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate.

Today's Battle song: 

"["How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" is a song composed by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the 1982 film Best Friends, where it was introduced by Patti Austin and James Ingram.[1] The Austin/Ingram version became a single in 1983 and reached #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 55th Academy Awards.]"  

Read more here:

1 - Tito Nieves with an unknown female, duet

2 - George Benson + Carmen Bradford 

Intermission & Closing out February...

Today, I bring a close to February, and the LOVE month music.  Was it lost love, or did you "agree to disagree?" After all is said and done... I have the "Warmth of the Sun." How about you?

Take it away "Beach Boys"!

Battle Results - "Reason to Believe"

Welcome back!! Votes are tallied:

Tim Harden @ 11 votes
Damita Jo @      7 votes (including mine)



A very special thank you to our event hosts:

Fae

Stephen T. McCARTHY

Your interest in joining this blogging event would be most welcomed. Please go to Stephen T. McCarthy's blog, leave your name and blog link in the comment box!

NEXT BATTLE DATE: March 1st. Hope to see you then!

I'm closing out with Rod Stewart's version of this song.

Reason to Believe

WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE BANDS!! aka, "BOTB".


First, a big shout out, and thank you to our blog hosts:

FAE
Stephen T. McCarthy

We feature two different recordings of the same song. Listen to both, and then vote for the song version you like the best.  Feel free to leave me a comment, along with your vote. 

Our battles take place twice a month ~ on the 1st and 15th. The results come six days later ~ on the 7th and 21st. That's when I return, add all of the votes, including mine, and announce the winner. Feel free to return and see if your choice won!

If you would like to listen, and vote in other battles, please see the participant list in the right hand margin. If you would like to join this bi-monthly blog-event, visit the blog host, Stephen T. McCarthy. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate.

Today's song, "Reason to Believe."


Wiki says: " "Reason to Believe" is a song written, composed, and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. The original recording of "Reason to Believe" comes from Hardin's debut album,  recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve Records label in 1966 when he was 25." It has since been recorded by artists including Carpenters and Rod Stewart in 1971 and 1993. 


Wiki says: Damita Jo DeBlanc (aka Damita Jo), was an American actress, comedian, and lounge music performer. She worked with Ray Charles, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. And, in 1963, she released a recording for Mercury Records with Billy Eckstine and the Bobby Tucker Orchestra. She also did a cover of Tim Harden's song, "Reason to Believe," in 1968.


Today's challengers: Tim Hardin vs Damita Jo

Results Post for Feb. 1st ~ when we were, 'In the Mood'

Welcome back - it's the RESULTS POST for the February 1st Battle of the Bands... and my little tale of love for the "Lost & Found - Valentine's Edition," featured my grandfather, and his huge impact on my musical upbringing.  Both blog events were fun; thank you hosts!!

Along with my love tale, I featured, "In the Mood, " written and composed by Bob Garland. The two versions were very different, but almost everyone wanted Jeff Tyzik's full orchestration. I can't blame you; I loved it too. That left the swinging piano sound of Shirin hanging out to dry. So here's the vote - an epic blowout, but I am so impressed that many loved the "Big Band Sound." Sorry piano buffs, (smile).

Grand Tally -whoa!
Jeff Tyzik - 18 votes (including mine)

Shirin's piano - 4 votes

Jeff made quite the impression, and I have decided to hit you with more of his program and sound. He isn't all about "the swing." He's quite versatile. I especially want to leave you with this song, called, "Better and Better," from his 1982 album, "Radiance". You will (I promise) love this. From Swing to Jazz - take it Jeff!

I'm closing with a big thank you to our music event hosts:
FAE
Stephen T. McCarthy

Next Battle Date: Monday, Feb, 15, 2016... Hope to see you here!

"In the Mood" for BOTB, and the Lost & Found - Valentine's Edition

Welcome to Battle of the Bands! (aka BOTB) and...

My battle features a song that reminds me of my first love, and partner in crime - my Grandfather! I have him to thank for my first introduction to music, and what a genre it was. I'm talking Big Band sound! Our favorite thing was dancing to all of the songs he played. Good stuff like, "Little Brown Jug," "Ja-da, Ja-da, Jing, Jing, Jing," and "Pennsylvania 6-5000." To the man who gave me music, and gave it abundantly - two versions of one of our favorite dance tunes... 'cause we were always, "In the Mood." 

Thank you to the "Lost & Found -Valentine's Edition Blogfest hosts: Arlee Bird, Guilie Castillo Oriard , Elizabeth Seckman, Yolanda Renee, Denise Covey, and Alex J Cavanaugh.  

NOW ~ let's do Battle of the Bands!!!  

Our hosts for Battle of the Bands:

Fae

Stephen T. McCarthy

Here's how we battle:

We feature two different recordings of the same song. Listen to both, and then vote for the song version you like the best.  Feel free to leave me a comment, along with your vote. 

Our battles take place twice a month ~ on the 1st and 15th. The results come six days later ~ on the 7th and 21st. That's when I return, add all of the votes, including mine, and announce the winner. Feel free to return and see if your choice won!

If you would like to listen, and vote in other battles, please see the participant list in the right hand margin. If you would like to join this bi-monthly blog-event, visit the blog host, Stephen T. McCarthy. Leave him a message, and your blog address. We would love to have you participate. 

Song Background:

Joseph Copeland "Joe" Garland was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger, best known for writing "In the Mood".  The original recording of Joe Garland's version was made by Edgar Hayes and his Orchestra in 1938, with Garland participating. In this recording there was a baritone sax duet rather than a tenor sax battle. Garland then brought "In the Mood" to Glenn Miller, who created a shorter arrangement, in order to fit on the one side of a 78 rpm record. (Any flat disc record, made between about 1898 and the late 1950s and playing at a speed around 78 revolutions per minute is called a "78" by collectors.) Thanks to Wiki for the information. Today I bring you two fun versions of the song, "In the Mood". Let me know, in the comments which version you like the best. Thank you!

Today's battle challengers:

1 - Jeff Tyzik - In The Mood - 1981

2 - Shirin -  piano cover

Result post for "Easy Living"

Welcome to my BOTB Result post! Most of you had heard Uriah Heep's song, "Easy Living." I didn't place them in this battle, instead using two other artists' covers. It went pretty well. Though I thought early on that Alex Masi would take the battle, Shirley Zwerus took a number of votes, making it a decent battle. Here are the final votes:

Alex Masi @ 15 votes

Shirley Zwerus @ 10 votes

I purposely posted a little late to see if anyone else wanted to participate. I appreciate everyone for listening and leaving a vote.  I would also thank our event hosts:

FAE

Stephen T. McCarthy presents battle of the bands

Your interest in joining this blogging event would be most welcomed. Please go to Stephen T. McCarthy's blog, leave your name and blog link in the comment box!

Today I leave you with the original song by Uriah Heep... See you next time!