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[bk]

BK, I was listening to "Unsung Musicals" today and I particularly love the recording of "Sherry!" My question is, how did you come in contact with the song that made you want to record it? Christine Baranski and Jonathan Freedman are "so alive" in that version, to quote one of the lyrics, that it makes me hit replay almost every time I heard it.

I knew the song from Marilyn Maye's version - but Larry Rosenthal, the composer, knew I was doing the album and sent me the show version and I flipped.  I cast Jonathan right away and he recommended Baranski, who was delightful.  elmore did a great chart, and it took about three tries for us to get just the right tone and joy - I just kept giving tiny little suggestions and they took them and ran with them.  It's a wonderful track, and far superior to the one on the studio cast album, in my opinion (and the opinion of the composer).

[bk]

And here is my treat for you tonight.  Dancers Over Forty is an organization in NY - they do panels and evenings honoring various and sundried composers.  A few weeks ago they did one honoring Michael Bennett.  Here is part one of seventeen parts - watch them and be thrilled, be moved, laugh, cry - it's what I just did for the last three hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDYxqZN8BoU&feature=related

[John G.]

BK, I was listening to "Unsung Musicals" today and I particularly love the recording of "Sherry!" My question is, how did you come in contact with the song that made you want to record it? Christine Baranski and Jonathan Freedman are "so alive" in that version, to quote one of the lyrics, that it makes me hit replay almost every time I heard it.

I knew the song from Marilyn Maye's version - but Larry Rosenthal, the composer, knew I was doing the album and sent me the show version and I flipped.  I cast Jonathan right away and he recommended Baranski, who was delightful.  elmore did a great chart, and it took about three tries for us to get just the right tone and joy - I just kept giving tiny little suggestions and they took them and ran with them.  It's a wonderful track, and far superior to the one on the studio cast album, in my opinion (and the opinion of the composer).

It's vastly superior to the studio album, though I'm grateful to have that recording just to hear the rest of the score -- which is exactly what your recording made me want to do. Just as "New Words" makes me want to hear more from Maury Yeston's score. 

[John G.]

And here is my treat for you tonight.  Dancers Over Forty is an organization in NY - they do panels and evenings honoring various and sundried composers.  A few weeks ago they did one honoring Michael Bennett.  Here is part one of seventeen parts - watch them and be thrilled, be moved, laugh, cry - it's what I just did for the last three hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDYxqZN8BoU&feature=related

Loved the Hullabaloo number from the second part. Great dancing. Does anyone know if the black woman dancer is the same one who did "Turkey Lurkey Time" later on the Ed Sullivan Show? It was the replacement cast of "Promises" and Donna McKechnie had left by then and so had Baayork Lee. But the dancing was still groovy. 

[John G.]

The thunder and lightning are still all around me, but I must head to bed.

[bk]

My pal Gene Castle is in the Hullabaloo number.  What I never knew was that in the famous Turkey Lurkey Time Tony awards clip, the dancer to the right, who I'd always assumed was original cast member Margo Sappington, is, in fact, her replacement Julane Stites.  Julane would then move on to replace Donna in the center position and it is she who's in the Ed Sullivan clip.

[JoseSPiano]

Good Evening!

WOW!  What a difference a day makes!

[JoseSPiano]

I have no idea what show she was on or what this woman is laughing about, but she sure was enjoying herself...

I just forwarded that clip to a Hungarian friend of mine.  -Maybe he'll know - I think that looks like a clip from Hungarian TV.  I shall keep you posted.

[bk]

Watching a motion picture on the DVR - probably won't finish it this evening, though.

[JoseSPiano]

I don't know if TD Bank is national or local, but these commercials with the repellent Regis Philbin are particularly loathesome and unseemly.

TD Bank is a national bank based out of Canada that bought out a couple of US banks.  -TD used to be Commerce.

-Now what about his partner in crime in those commercial, Kelly Rippa?

[JoseSPiano]

We're having a taco party for dinner tonight to celebrate Rob's completion of his first quarter of paramedic classes.  In the next week, he'll do his hospital clinicals and have 1/5 of the program under his belt.

Congrats to your DS Rob, DR Ginny!

[JoseSPiano]

Hi, DR PennyO!

Hi, DD Sherlock!

Oh... And Hi, DR Jane!

  And he gave her his sweet gentle kisses, without needing a treat to bribe him.

But did you give him a treat afterwards?

[JoseSPiano]

Lesson Three:  Red onion can give you killer heartburn.

Kitchen Tip #284: To cut down the sharpness and lessen the "effects" of raw red onion, place the chopped red onion in a bowl and soak in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Drain thoroughly, maybe even place on a paper towel to dry, then use in your recipe.

[JoseSPiano]

I think the red onion may have been one of the reasons I didn't feel so well over the weekend.  I ate a lot of tuna pasta

The mayonnaise - which is a fat-based condiment - can also cause heartburn.

*My own variation - which I also made this past weekend: I added about a cup of frozen peas and carrots to the pasta during the its final minutes of cooking.  I would have added a bit of chopped celery for some extra crunch too if I had had some in my crisper.

[JoseSPiano]

DR elmore---TD Bank is here in Northern Virginia, too.   And we get those commercials with Regis and Kelly too.

DR KevinH - You may have mentioned this before, but... Which part of NoVA do you live in? I grew up in Arlington and Fairfax, and worked a bunch in DC proper post-college.

[JoseSPiano]

DR elmore---TD Bank is here in Northern Virginia, too.   And we get those commercials with Regis and Kelly too.

Those commercials with Mr Philbin trying to be coy and cutsie-poo are so horrid I will never go near that institution!

BUT they have free pens! And lollipops! And water and dog biscuits for your pooch!

[JoseSPiano]

back from the Vixter's last school concert of the year - it was really wonderful  -despite  lots of crying at the end!

Awww...

Will it be on YouTube eventually?


-I mean the crying, of course.

[Laura]

Dumb question, Jose, but could you save (or freeze) that onion water and use it in soup broth or in cooking other vegetables?

[Sam]

Dear Laura,  I just picked up a copy of  Phoenix Home & Garden.  I can't get over the vast amount of things to do, culture galore.  And really nice gardens.

[Sam]

Night all.  I'm really tired.  Trying to be at work before 6AM tomorrow.

 

[Sam]

VIBES 

[JoseSPiano]

Dumb question, Jose, but could you save (or freeze) that onion water and use it in soup broth or in cooking other vegetables?

You could, but it really wouldn't have much flavor.  The water basically dissolves the "bad" chemicals (lachrymatory-factor synthase enzymes) in the onion which are also the main cause of tears.

*One additional factoid: onions harvested in the spring and summer are less tear-inducing than ones harvested in the fall and winter. Spring and summer onion usually contain more sugar and water(!) which means they have less of the "bad" stuff - and are also usually sweeter.

[JoseSPiano]

DR Laura - And that was not a dumb question.

[Laura]

Thanks, Jose.

My version of the pasta salad uses the light or low-fat mayo. I know the chefs on this board will be horrified; however, I am trying to avoid a future heart attack.

[JoseSPiano]

Thanks, Jose.

My version of the pasta salad uses the light or low-fat mayo. I know the chefs on this board will be horrified; however, I am trying to avoid a future heart attack.

Another alternative is to use equal amounts of (low-fat) mayo and (low/no-fat) plain yogurt. -And be sure to mix your seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, grated lemon rind, etc.) into the mayo/yogurt before adding it to your pasta and tuna.

*And even though it may not be low-fat, another healthier alternative is to dress your tuna-pasta salad - or your favorite pasta salad and veggies - with an olive-oil based vinaigrette.

[MBarnum]

Sometimes you need to just sit and get nothing done

Unfortunately, I seem to do that more often than not.

[MBarnum]

"If I had had some in my crisper" is the title of my new novel of revenge and regret.

[JoseSPiano]

"If I had had some in my crisper" is the title of my new novel of revenge and regret.

I think one day - maybe a Sunday - we need to come up with a an opening paragraph for all these various "titles".

[JoseSPiano]

Or maybe I'll just continue my story about "Little Mikey Barnum" and the Spirits of Bollywood Past and Present.

[Laura]

Thanks, Jose.