music matters

Oh no, these aren’t another set of boring playlists, are they?
Well, I hope not.  For this series of posts, I am going to feature some playlists that I feel are worthwhile, and might lead you to enjoy some songs programmed to evoke a certain feeling, mood, or style.

Check it out
Lahaina Luna Hawaiian Mix (on iTunes)

Back story
Fall is the time of year when my family often travels to Hawaii.  Several years ago, I decided that some Hawaiian music might make a great holiday stocking stuffer.  The only Hawaiian CD I owned was Facing Future by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.  This was a good start, but I wanted something with more variety, and also recalled the spirit and adventures of our travels.  Yet I didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on various CDs to put together a great music mix.  The solution was digital music purchases, track by track.  I was new to iTunes, but decided it was worth a shot.  So I searched for songs that resonated with me, both serious and funny.  I am a firm believer that playlists are much more than a random mix of related songs or sounds thrown together.  Whether I succeeded in this particular playlist, I will leave you to judge.  But it’s been a favorite of ours over the years.  I hope you enjoy it, too.

Why these songs
Using several Israel Kamakawiwo’ole songs as the anchor, I added songs that evoked a strong memory of what’s it’s like to escape to sunny Hawaii from the rainy Northwest.  The playlist is bookended by two versions of Lahaina Luna, a song we heard performed live at a romantic dinner on our first trip to Maui.  I included some traditional Hawaiian musicians, as well as ‘campy’ acts such as Annette Funicello and Ray Conniff.  Some are serious, some are silly, but together they make us smile and wish we were on the shores of one of the beautiful islands of Hawaii.

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TV Show
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… on the Sundance Channel Wednesday nights at 10 PM.

Back story
Elvis Costello is a very interesting talk show host because he performs with and interviews guests.  Being such as well-versed musician himself, he effortlessly creates fascinating discussions with musical guests.  In 2003, Elvis guest-hosted the Late Show while David Letterman was unexpectedly absent, and this experience set the stage for his own talk show.  Elton John is the producer of Spectacle.

Check it out

Why this episode
This is the first episode of season 2, rumored to be the final season.  Bono and the Edge (U2) talk about their history and songwriting process.  It’s hard to believe these guys are in one of the biggest bands in the world, as they appear calm, reflective, and patient.  The Edge even gets his share of screen time, which is really saying something with Elvis and Bono on stage.  The final song, a mash-up of Get on Your Boots and Pump it Up, is a great collaboration between the host and guests.

More info on Elvis and the show
Spectacle on Sundance

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010