Monday, November 26, 2012

Sights and Sounds: New reviews, Rod Stewart, Gary U.S. Bonds

Good morning and I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Just to catch up a bit after a long and nice weekend, here are a few quick things to throw out there...

My latest column in Desert Star Weekly features reviews of recent DVD/Blu-ray collections featuring historic concert performances courtesy of The Stray Cats and Peter Frampton, as well as audio CDs from power-pop heroes Jellyfish and Kenny Howes. Check it out here.

Over the weekend I got to watch a preview of the upcoming PBS Great Performances holiday special Rod Stewart: Merry Christmas, Baby. In New York, THIRTEEN will air the program tonight, Monday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. Here in Southern California, PBS SoCal will air the special this coming Thursday night, Nov. 29 at 8:30 p.m.

Rod Steward comes to PBS this week.
If you are a bit jaded about how the shopping-centered commercialism of Black Friday has diminished the traditional good feelings of Thanksgiving, perhaps  Stewart's charming first-ever holiday special will get you back on track. Joined by Michael Bublé ("Winter Wonderland"), Mary J. Blige ("We Three Kings") and Cee-Lo Green ("Merry Christmas, Baby"), other guests include Trombone Shorty and Chris Botti. One of the most noteworthy things about the special is a so-called "virtual duet" where Stewart performs "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" with the late Ella Fitzgerald. The special was produced by David Foster.

Finally, Gary U.S. Bonds is releasing his first-ever Christmas is ON! holiday album on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012. Released via G.L.A. Records, the 10-track disc includes three original songs as well as his versions of "White Christmas," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

On Thursday, Nov. 29, Bonds and special guests will be performing hits, rarities and new Christmas songs at The Strand Theatre in Lakewood, New Jersey (www.strand.org) as part of the venue's "Restore The Shore" concert series, in what promises to be an unforgettable night of music.


The following week, on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. eastern, Bonds will be appearing at J&R Music World (located at 23 Park Row in New York City - www.jr.com), where he'll performing a few songs from the Christmas is ON! CD, and personally signing copies for fans in attendance.

This will culminate another busy year for Bonds, who has nine Top 40 hits, five Top 10's and a number one song -- the immensely successful 1961 million-selling single, "Quarter to Three" -- under his belt.

For further information on Bonds' new album and upcoming events, view his official Web site at www.garyusbonds.com.


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