Greetings music sluts, and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday! Today, DJ Li'l Scratch is bringing you an unsung modern jazz diva who's not as celebrated as she really ought to be. But then isn't that most of us? Are you unsung and uncelebrated? Maybe it's time you did something about it. Speak up, flaunt your feathers, point out your attributes. If no one else is, then you'd better, amirite? But anywayI'mgettingofftrack, tonight at the Manor's "Yes, Yes! Now Make a Circle!" bar and lounge, DJ Li'l Scratch will be playing this diva who's not only a jazz chanteuse, but an actress, composer, playwright and published author. Feeling lazy? Don't hang around her. Oh, and do you think you have to move to New York when you're young in order to chase fame and become a jazz great? Yeah, she blew past that old saw, too.  Question: Is her first name pronounced "Nina" or Nena?" Enquiring minds want to know. But reall...

The Cathedrals of Art, 1942 Florine Stettheimer

  Credit: Broadimage Perhaps something about a physical feature you've never noticed? Your personal style? Maybe a lovely comment on a personality trait. What's something someone has complimented you on that has really stuck with you?

The Champion in Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), 1871 Thomas Eakins

 

In 1947, the best-selling books included "Gentlemen's Agreement,"   "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank and this children's classic: Among the top movies were "Miracle On 34th Street," "The Lady From Shanghai" and the film noir masterpiece " Out Of The Past," here synced to the theme song of its remake, "Against All Odds." I love that video because it gives Kathie and Jeff the happy ending they didn't get in the movie. Oh, get your minds out of the gutter, I didn't mean that kind of happy ending! Not that I'd have a problem with one of those (giving or getting), but oh well, have a Happy Open Post or a Happy Ending, either or both! Photo Credits: AK, Wikipedia

Credit: Clint Brewer/Backgrid Here are Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau enjoying some cuddles at a park in Santa Barbara yesterday. The two lovebirds had a picnic with Perry's 5-year old daughter. This still feels very weird. How are you Canadian Peckers feeling? I suppose Justin's a chip off the ol' block after all.

Greetings music sloots, and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday. Today, we're going to meet a ghost - but not the spooky kind. This is a "ghost singer," one of the select few who did not make a name for themselves by providing the singing voice for popular movie stars during Hollywood's Golden Era. It was all very hush-hush. For years this ghost singer remained silent, as her contract forbid her from saying a peep, but tonight, at the Manor's "Bean Flick Lounge," DJ Li'l Scratch will be playing some of her best tunes sung for other people - and more. So let's unveil her, shall we? Why, it's that ghost-tacular singer herself, India Adams, who began her career as a high school lass singing with a friend's three-piece band, performing at various clubs around Los Angeles. It didn't take long for an MGM talent scout to take notice and to hire her for a prime ghosting role in 1953: providing the singing voice for none other th...

Americana, 1931 Charles Sheeler

  Here's David Beckham receiving his star on the Hollywood walk of fame this Friday. He was joined by his family: Posh, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper Seven (remember when she was born?! Damn y'all we are old).  Notably missing from the event was the couple's eldest son, Brooklyn. Victoria and David famously fell out with their son in recent years, culminating in him sharing a public instagram post alleging years of control and mistreatment. Thankfully for everyone, Tom Cruise was able to attend the ceremony instead! Here is in a totally natural-looking photo. I wonder who has the most filler in their face? Mazel! Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty

  Self-Portrait, ca. 1937-38 Leonora Carrington

 

Sure, life is chaotic at times, but there's always the arts, and in 1970 there was some damn good entertainment, including the premiere of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (seriously, Mary was in two of the greatest sitcoms of all time, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and this one)! Some amazing music as well, particularly this masterpiece (a short, but fascinating "making of" video): By the way, I am delighted to share that I took care of Art Garfunkel back in the room service days and he was charming, kind of like a benign, befuddled old English teacher. So c'mon, hop in your new Nova and join us. After all, it's Open Post, darlings! Photo Credit: AK

  Source: Cosmopolitan True love is dead! Ariana Grande and her boyfriend of three years, Ethan Slater, have broken up. Sources told TMZ that the couple quietly ended their relationship a few months ago and are finally sharing the news to the public. The two originally met on set of Wicked and announced their relationship in July 2023. There was much speculation that the pair had cheated on their respective partners, as both of their marriages ended around the time they announced their coupledom. Despite their denial of infidelity, Slater's ex-wife, Lilly Jay, allegedly found texts shared between Grande and Slater while he was still married to her, and she says she was "blindsided" by their divorce. I wonder who Ariana will date next! Sources: TMZ, Page Six

Greetings, bed-hoppers, and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday - today in a laidback, after-bang mode, if'n you know what I mean. And I know you do. For such times, when blasting 80s hair metal just won't do, you need the stylings of a lass whose singing is both skilled and chill like a lotus. Intrigued? Be sure to come to the Manor's "Crossing Swords" lounge at around 4am (or before closing at sunrise).  That 's when DJ Li'l Scratch will be playing tunes performed by a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a sphinx. Yes, it's another Mystery Lady™. Or yet another jazz songbird who recorded only one LP, then - poof! - vanished into oblivion. Unsurprising, since her LP dropped in the late-1950s during the inexorable rise of rock 'n' roll, which decimated the jazz songbird market. In the case of Easy Williams - what a name! - it's a shame, because her slinky-gal vocals are smooth, intimate and a lot of fun - and well suited to...

The Spanish Singer, 1860 Edouard Manet

Jenny From The Block™ recently filmed a segment for SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma, and shared her personal take that you have to be from the five boroughs in order to claim official New Yorker status. Rahma pressed the popstar further by asking if you can claim New Yorker status after living there for 50 years, but JLo stuck to her guns and said no! She is a New Yorker purist and no imports are permitted, no matter how long they've lived in the Big Apple. Just don't try out her bodega order , lest you be met with a blank stare. Source: SubwayTakes on Instagram

The Boys, 2023 Mark Thomas Gibson

 

There's this new one out called "2001: A Space Odyssey" and everyone says it's great but the commercials look weird. How about "The Graduate?" I don't know what it's about but they say the soundtrack is killer! Yeah, I know, tickets are expensive (who's got 2 whole dollars to throw away?) so maybe we can watch some TV? " The Beverly Hillbillies" are on tonight, or maybe "The Mod Squad"  with that DREAMY Clarence Williams III.  Oh shoot, turn it up, I love this song! This post is inspired by that pic up top. Haven't seen that Grand Prix (I always pronounce it as "pricks") in several years, but whenever I used to pass it, it always looked like it was rakishly winking at the whole neighborhood, and as far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing. So let's rakishly wink and chat and listen to music and watch stuff. After all, it's Open Post, darlings! Photo Credit: AK, Getty Images