Ladysmith Black Mambazo

For our last musician of the week, I’m featuring a group from South Africa called Ladysmith Black Mambazo. They became famous in North America after collaborating with Paul Simon, part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, my dad’s favourite musicians (they sing The Sound of Silence, featured in the movie Trolls and adapted by Pentatonix).

Some of their music:
Homeless (cowritten with Paul Simon, its melody based on a Zulu wedding song)
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (with Paul Simon)
This Little Light of Mine (tribute to founder Joseph Shabalala)
Hour-Long Tribute to founder Joseph Shabalala (continued here)
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Amazing Grace
Sing (with Big Bird in Muppets)
Peace Train (with Dolly Parton)
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (with PJ Powers, theme for England’s 1995 Rugby World Cup)
UCLA Concert
KEXP Live performance

Andrea Bocelli

In honour of Father’s Day this weekend, we’re featuring a famous Italian singer, Andrea Bocelli, who is also blind (like Stevie Wonder). Music fills his home and he collaborates with many other musicians as well.

Some of his solo songs:
– Because We Believe (Ama Credi E Vai) – Torino 2006 Closing Ceremony
– Nessun Dorma, an aria from the opera Turandot by Puccini – EURO 2020 opening ceremony
– Con te partirò – live From Piazza Dei Cavalieri, Italy in 1997
– The Music of the Night, from Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s The Phantom of the Opera
– Caruso – live From Piazza Dei Cavalieri, Italy in 1997
– Music For Hope – Live From Duomo di Milano, compilation of songs to bring Italian hope on Easter Sunday amidst the covid pandemic

Some of his famous collaborations:
– Perfect Symphony – with Ed Sheeran
– If Only – with Dua Lipa (watch this version about his life)
– E Più Ti Penso (The More I Think of You) – with Ariana Grande
– The Prayer – with Céline Dion
– Time to Say Goodbye – with Sarah Brightman
– Notte ‘e piscatore – with another famous opera singer Luciano Pavarotti
– The Circle of Life – with Elton John
– Somos Novios (It’s Impossible) – with Christina Aguilera
– I Still Can See Your Face – with Barbra Streisand
– Vivo Per Lei (I Live for Her) – with Judy Weiss
– We Will Meet Once Again – with my favourite singer Josh Groban!
– Remembering (苏州河) – with Na Ying, from 2020 film The Eight Hundred (based on The Battle of Shanghai in WWII) (*parent discretion advised – violence/war*)

Singing with his family:
– Return to Love – a Christmas surprise for his wife, Veronica Berti
– Love Me Tender – with his oldest son, Amos Bocelli, on piano
– Ven a Mi (Fall On Me), from Disney’s The Nutcracker and The Four Realms – with his younger son, Matteo Bocelli
– Perfect Symphony – cover with Matteo Bocelli
– Hallelujah (live at Teatro Regio di Parma) – with his daughter, Virginia Bocelli
– Ave Maria – with Virginia Bocelli
– Ich Liebe Dich – with Virginia Bocelli
– Sogno (Dreams), Statue of Liberty Concert July 5, 2000 – dedicated to his father, Alessandro Bocelli, who passed away a few months prior on April 30, 2000

N’we Jinan

By now, you may have heard or learned in your class about the horrible news of a mass grave discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops. To honour the 215 children and show support for our Indigenous communities, our school (and many other buildings) is lowering our flag at half mast, and encouraging everyone to wear orange this week. Music has helped people express and manage emotions that are too strong for words, and it’s one way some people can find healing in situations like this. Therefore, this week we’re featuring N’we Jinan, a nonprofit Canadian record label that gives First Nations students their voice back by allowing them to create their own music in mobile recording studios.” Their name means “We Live Here” in James Bay (Eastern) Cree, and HERE is how they came to be and what they do.

Some of the songs recorded by N’we Jinan:
– We Won’t Forget You: written, recorded and filmed with students from Sk’elep School of Excellence in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Kamloops, British Columbia
– Why Us: written, recorded and filmed with youth from Tachie of Tl’azt’en Nation in British Columbia
– Hide & Seek: written, recorded and filmed with high school students selected from the Surrey School District Board in Surrey, British Columbia (do you recognize Guildford Mall?)
– Our Journey Home: written, recorded and filmed with students from Sardis Secondary School in Chilliwack, British Columbia
– We Are Medicine: written, recorded and filmed with Nuxalk students of Acwsalcta School in Bella Coola, British Columbia
– Let Us Not Worry: written, recorded and filmed with youth from Ditidaht First Nation, British Columbia
– Where Happiness Dwells: written, recorded and filmed with youth from Blueberry River First Nations, British Columbia
– Worthy: written, recorded and filmed with youth from in Adams Lake Indian Band, British Columbia
– The Highway: written, recorded and filmed with students of ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School in Kitsumkalum First Nation, British Columbia

You can find other Indigenous artists and their music here.
My other connection is that I studied a First Nations language called Kwakwala as part of my linguistics degree at UBC, and we had a chance to learn it from a native speaker then analyze and document it. Unfortunately, many languages and songs are now lost or endangered.

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Continuing on from the style of Broadway musicals with Lea Salonga (who has sung many of these songs by the way), this week’s feature is on a British composer named Andrew Lloyd Webber. He’s famous for writing musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. More recently, he wrote a musical adaptation of School of Rock, and a new version of Cinderella (premiering in London this summer!).

Some of his classics:
– “Memory” from Cats (based on T.S. Eliot’s book of cat poems)
– “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (based on the Bible character Joseph)
– “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from Evita (featured Madonna, based on the story of female Argentinian leader and actress Eva Perón)
– “The Music of the Night” in the Phantom’s underground home and “All I Ask of You” from The Phantom of the Opera (feature Sarah Brightman, Webber’s second wife)
– “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar (controversial)
– “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard

Lea Salonga

For Mother’s Day this Sunday, we’re looking at one of my favourite Broadway singers: Lea Salonga. She’s a mother herself and played a few mother characters in Broadway musicals. She is the original voice of 2 Disney princesses and an award-winning Filipino singer who’s famous internationally. I had the honour of listening to her sing live at the PNE in August 2011!

Music:
– Reflection, from Disney movie Mulan (watch this behind-the-scenes sneak peak!)
– A Whole New World, from Disney movie Aladdin (she always invites a male fan on stage to sing this with her at live concerts, like this concert in New York)
– On My Own, Éponine from Les Misérables (my favourite musical! She was the first Asian actress to play Éponine)
– I Dreamed a Dream, Fantine from Les Misérables (a single mother, abandoned by her lover, works hard to provide for her daughter)
– Fantine’s Death, from Les Misérables (Fantine hallucinates about her daughter, Cosette, as she entrusts Cosette to her former boss, Jean Valjean), live video (but worse audio) here
– I’d Give My Life For You, from Miss Saigon (MATURE musical about a Vietnamese giving up her life so her half American son can have a better future)
– I Enjoy Being a Girl, from Flower Drum Song
– I Have Dreamed, from The King and I (start at 3:30 for her singing)
– Tomorrow, from Annie (when she was very young!)
– Wind Beneath My Wings (tribute to her mother Ligaya)
– Pure Imagination, from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (with her daughter, Nicole Chien)
– Shy, from Once Upon A Mattress (with Nicole Chien too)
– The Prayer, duet with Josh Groban (my favourite male singer!)

Lea Salonga speaks on being Asian in musical theatre and race representation on stage in this interview.

After Covid, take the opportunity to watch a live musical at Theatre Under the Stars, Arts Club Theatre Company, or a production by Align Entertainment or Royal City Musical Theatre (both of which I’ve performed with before!). Many high schools also put own their own musical productions.

Sir Elton John

This Wednesday is called International Day of Pink, a day for people to “stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to continue fighting for equality and acceptance” by wearing a pink shirt. In honour of this day, I’m featuring Sir Elton John, a famous bisexual musician still alive today.

Some of his famous songs:
– Circle of Life (Disneyland 2016!) and Can You Feel the Love Tonight from the Disney movie The Lion King (I grew up with this movie singing all the songs!)
– I’m Still Standing (featured in the movie Sing)
– Your Song
– Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (featured in the movies Gnomeo and Juliet and Ella Enchanted)
– Candle in the Wind (originally written about actress Marilyn Monroe, then made a new version for Princess Diana’s funeral)
– Don’t let the Sun Go Down On Me (performed on his show “The Million Dollar Piano”, live at the Colosseum at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas)
– Rocket Man
– Crocodile Rock
– Tiny Dancer
– Looking Up
– (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again (Academy Award winner 2020)

Walk Off the Earth

In honour of Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, I’m featuring a group called Walk Off the Earth. Following the death of Amanda Todd in 2012, they collaborated with several other Canadian musicians to re-record the song True Colors by Cynthia Lauper, with proceeds donated to Kids Help Phone. They started on Youtube and features mainly covers, often using uncommon instruments or found sounds.

Some songs we might be listening to this week:
– True Colors by Cynthia Lauper (collaboration with other Canadians musicians to form Artists Against Bullying; inspired by increase in bullying/cyberbullying and Amanda Todd‘s death, with proceeds donated to Kids Help Phone)
– Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye (5 people playing 1 guitar!)
– O Canada (not your typical picnic in the park!)
– Shape of You by Ed Sheeran (boomwhackers, kalimba, pop tubes, container of dried pasta, doing splits to play cymbals)
– Hello by Adele (whirly tubes, boomwhackers, bells, fly zippers, tap dancing, cymbal high kick)
– Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (kazoo, shakers, ukuleles, cajon)
– Savage Love by Jason Derulo & Jawsh 685 (ukulele tossing, toy piano, steel tongue drum, squeaky horns)
– Old Town Road by Lil Nas X (hand bells, mug, bowls of coins & guitar picks)
– Cheerleader by OMI (inside their tour bus)
– A History of The Beatles 1962-70 (20 songs in 7 minutes)

Stevie Wonder

To continue our study of Black History Month, this week’s feature musician is Stevie Wonder. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy, signing with Motown’s Tamla label at the age of 11, and at age 13 became the youngest artist with a No. 1 single. He is also a social activist (short summary here) advocating for anti-racism, famine relief, AIDS awareness, and improving services for the blind and those with disabilities.

Some of his works we’re listening to this week:
– Isn’t She Lovely (written for his daughter, Aisha)
– I Just Called to Say I Love You (won an Oscar award for Best Original Song, which Stevie Wonder dedicated this to Nelson Mandela, and resulted in getting his music banned in South Africa)
– Happy Birthday (composed to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King‘s birthday, which Stevie Wonder dedicated 10 years to making a national American holiday)
– Ebony and Ivory (ebony is black wood and ivory is a white material made from animal tusks/teeth, materials used to make a piano; symbolizes black and white people living in harmony; sung with Paul McCartney from The Beatles)
– Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing (featured in the animated movie Sing)
– Sir Duke (we play this in FAT Jazz too! It was written for Duke Ellington, the pianist we saw in It Don’t Mean a Thing with Ella Fitzgerald, and the lyrics mention several jazz giants)
– Superstition
– As
– Living for the City
– Faith (with Ariana Grande, also featured in the movie Sing)

He’s performed in the 1999 Superbowl Halftime, for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, for President Barack Obama, and holds many honours, including 22 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Award for lifetime achievement, Gershwin prize for Popular Song, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ella Fitzgerald

We’re kicking off Black History Month (February) with a jazz legend, Ella Fitzgerald (more detailed biography for intermediate students), known as “The First Lady of Song.” She had a difficult childhood, and faced racism and segregation from an early age, but maintained a positive outlook on life. You can also listen to a read-aloud book on her called Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill. Here is a small selection of what we’re listening to in class (I play a lot of these with my husband and friends in FAT Jazz! Look in the “Gallery” for a recording of us playing A Tisket A Tasket!). Did you know that Gerald in the famous Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems is named after Ella Fitzgerald (say “Elephant Gerald” really fast)?

A Tisket A Tasket (1938)
Summertime (1968) – we listened to the duet with Louis Armstrong (see George Gershwin)
Blue Skies – features scatting (nonsense syllables to improvise on a melody line)
It Don’t Mean a Thing (1965) – more scatting, Ella’s “doo-wah” copies the brass instruments (trumpets and trombones) closing and opening their plunger mutes (watch them in the background at 0:35); also listen to how fast the bass line is going!
Dream A Little Dream of Me – collaboration with Louis Armstrong
Moonlight in Vermont – collaboration with Frank Sinatra

More famous songs we didn’t have time for in class:
My Funny Valentine
All the Things You Are
Misty (1965) – one of my favourite jazz standards <3
Puttin on the Ritz
Lullaby of Birdland
Satin Doll (1966)
One Note Samba (1969) – even more scatting!

Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra “(December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.” (Wikipedia) We listened to New York New York (referenced by Alex in Madagascar), Fly Me to the Moon (first song to be played on the moon), The Best Is Yet to Come (inscribed on his tombstone), My Way (featured in the movie Sing), Come Fly With Me, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin. Ask your parents or grandparents about him…they might have interesting stories to share!