Stayin Up Screamin'

Since I slept horribly last night (a mere forty-five minutes) I came home and passed out this afternoon causing my current experience of that '2nd wave' of energy. I don't expect I'll be falling asleep for another say, hour and a half or so.  Regardless one must make the most of their conscious life... This evening I took out one of my Lowel Pro lights and started playing around with some abstract still life work.  It was surprisingly quiet outside my room for a typical Manhattan night and so I opened up Itunes and searched for what to flood my room with.  Instinctually I always stop by Tom Waits first and tonight made the decision to pass him up moving next onto mister Cab Calloway.  I played a few tracks, maybe seven or eight and skipped over to Youtube to watch my favorite filmed version of his infamous "Minnie The Moocher" which I'll embed a bit further down this post for you all to enjoy.  After gettin my Calloway Boogie on and skippin into the swing of things I was really getting into my lighting experimentation but with all my other lights off save for my Pro light  the mood was very heavy an called for something of a bit darker flavor.  I returned to trusty old iTunes and who should I come to rest upon but the one and only, original Shock Rocker and master of the Blues, Screamin' Jay Hawkins.  I turned up the volume and let "I Put A Spell On You" ring throughout my walls.  After a few more tracks by the eccentric singer again I returned to Youtube in order to watch my favorite recording of the aforementioned song.
I'd love to see some of your favorite recorded performances from way back when. Just post the link in the comments section below and I'll be sure to check them put and respond.

Cab Calloway's Minnie The Moocher:


Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put a Spell on You:



If you're a fan of all things prohibition era and you dug that Calloway tune click HERE to be redirected to an excerpt from Francis Ford Copolla's nineteen eighty-four film The Cotton Club where they pay homage to the great band leader.  It's a personal favorite of mine starring Richard Gere as a lowly cornet player who rises up the social ladder in a most turbulent way all the while surrounding one of Harlem's most famous Jazz clubs.  If for nothing else it's worth taking a look at for the music. I hope you take me up on that recommendation and I hope you enjoy the film.

Sincerely,

-S.


P.S. If you're in the Manhattan area and are wondering what has happened to the once infamous Cotton Club just click HERE to see where it's still alive with jive. Later on in the month or perhaps next month I'll go a little further in depth about the Cotton Club and all the talent we probably wouldn't have without it's existence.

The image I'll take away from tonight:

©Steve Shilling

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