What’s On the Turntable?

Diana Krall–The Look of Love

She’s Dusty Springfield at the keys. I’m continuously amazed by her limitless talent and so many of her female contemporaries. In all deference to the “Divas,” both past and present, there are so many others that are worth our attention. Beyond her talent, Diana provided the inspiration for me to go back to the music of my youth; To those that were not really on the radar. Oh there was Grace Slick and Janice Joplin, but they were of an entirely different ilk. Although I was a big fan of Motown, there were only a few 45s sporting the names of such females as Martha Reeves and Mary Wells. (Women Motown singers are a discussion in an of itself-Brenda Holloway, Tammi Terrell, Kim Weston, etc. etc.) But Diana, and maybe the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction, got me to really appreciate the likes of Dusty, Petula Clark, Lulu, and of course, Bobby Gentry. They were the carryovers of a latent sound, you know before the British Invasion led by male blues rockers. My obsession trying to replicate these guys pushed the ladies right off of my radio dial.

That was then, this is now. I have a new, if not a great, appreciation for the women soloists from those times. It wasn’t that hard since my father’s collection included the likes of Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee, and Julie London. By the way, they are all now a part of my inventory.

At least now, I’m back appreciating what I missed and what talent is still out there to explore.