Greetings, music sloots and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday! Today we have a beautiful-sounding mystery, because unlike so many music performers, past or present, there's virtually nothing to be found out about this one-of-a-kind jazz songstress on the internet - which, no matter your background or era, is pretty hard to do these days. And these days? We really need her.
Yes, we desperately need the dulcet tones from a singer who's been there and back. In fact, we need Cora Lee Day (center in the photo above), a noted actress who had a late-career renaissance in "What's Love Got To Do With It?" and the compelling "Daughter's Of The Dust," for which she should have received an Academy Award (or at least a nomination) (but I digress) (as I'm wont to do). Born in 1914, many claim that she first worked as a model in New York City. This isn't hard to believe, since she was stunning to look at and quite tall. Somehow, she next transitioned into becoming a jazz singer.
For reasons that still confound me, she recorded only one LP, 1960's luscious "My Crying Hour." The album was released on Roulette Records, which had scary ties to New York City mobsters, including Vincent “The Chin” Gigante and Morris Levy. In other words, it was basically a money laundering front for the Genovese crime family, who were loath to pay royalties to any of their artists. Luckily, as far as we know, Cora emerged unscathed.
On her LP, her delivery on standards like "Trouble Is A Man" and "When Your Lover Has Is Gone" is deceptively gentle, yet steeled with mournful unease. Her style is less about vocal fireworks and more about nuance and a deeply felt connection to the songs she performs. This is a singer you can really feel. Unsurprisingly, her album is cherished by jazz aficionados. Give a listen below and you'll understand why, I promise.
What are you listening to this week? DJ Li'l Scratch wants to know. Till next time...purr, bitches, purr! 🐾
Every January, America takes a moment to dust off Martin Luther King Jr., aggressively smooth his razor-sharp edges, only to put him back on the shelf by dinner. We do this and congratulate ourselves for it. We quote the dream speech because it’s soothing and comforting. However, we skip over the demands as if they never existed; we do this partly because they don’t fit the narrative we prefer. Mostly, though, it is that fairness is still being sold to the public as being too costly. We remember the great orator and his tone, but the substance is criminally discarded. Martin Luther King Jr. is presented today as a passive, gentle unifier, a moral mascot for civility, a man who asked us to be kind and then carry on with business as usual. That sterile version of King is safe. He fits neatly into corporate emails, school assemblies, and social media platitudes. He asks for nothing. He is no threat to the status quo. This version allows people to avoid confronting themselves or...
Here's Cristin Milioti attending the Buddy premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT yesterday. She wore head-to-peeptoe Saint Laurent for the occasion. The top half of this outfit looks very appropriate for the chilly Utah weather. But the whole look takes an unexpected (read: horrifying) turn when she wore lacy lingerie shorts with sheer tights tucked into pink peep toe shoes. The contrast is jarring, and the colour scheme is confusing. What are your thoughts on this look, Peckers?
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