Handel: Messiah - Christmas Music

Handel: Messiah.  Christmas Music.  New York Philharmonic.  Leonard Bernstein, Conductor.   On the Columbia Masterworks label, this record should be in the Smithsonian.  I revere this work.  I've attended many live performances of Handel's Messiah - and every time it, it - well, it works.  It brings me close enought to the elusive "Christmas spirit."  My favorite performances are the ones held annually on the 2nd Sunday in December, at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, under the direction of a lady who my piano teacher many moons ago.  But let's review George Frederick Handel himself.  Reading the back album cover, he was born at Halle, Germany, Feb. 23, 1685.  Messiah was composed in 1741.  The work was first performed in Dublin.  In London, Handel led performances of it in 1743, 1744, 1745, and again in 1749.  My dad told me once that Handel was the "British Bach."  I think that means Handel was every bit as great and prolific a composer as Bach.

Name this Record

Another Name this Record post.  Here are some clues: It was certified Gold in March, 1974.  The band's name is from the signature phrase of a Dicken's character.  It's the band's sixth studio album.   This, the original vinyl release, is - as you can see above - a gatefold-sleeve, containing printed lyrics on the inside.  This is the cover's center main page, showing a photograph of each band member.   This is the band's first album released by Warner Bros. Records in the USA.   It contains one of my all-time favorite songs, which made the Billboard charts.  Here is why I love the song:  I saw it played live by some local band in some old dive bar on the southside.  I will never forget how that joint was set up for live music.  The stage for the band was "behind" bar.  Picture an evelavated stage with an orchestra pit down in front.  Well, that's where the bar was - so people in the "front row" were actually sitting on bar stools, facing the bar - and the stage.  Then when the band did this song that I love, the bartender put on a wireless mic and sang lead vocals - while pouring and serving drinks!

ZZ Top - Fandango

Boy, is this record scratchy.  It is is in bad shape - sonically, but when I put it on the turntable, I don't seem to mind the pops and hisses.  Fandango! is the fourth album by ZZ Top, from 1975.  Half the cuts are selections from live shows, the other half are "new" songs from the studio.  When I bought it yesterday, (50 cents), I could not tell if it was a live album, or studio, based on the cover photo.  It is actually both.  I love the back cover photo (left) with the map of Texas stitched on to the back of Billy Gibbons' leather coat.  Side one has live Texas boogie woogie medlies on it, and side two ends with the I'm-Going-Out-Tonight anthem, Tush.  I saw ZZ Top this past summer at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival.  The word Fandango, is used to describe a style of folk and flamenco music and dance.  "In the early '80's, a "digitally enhanced" remixed version of this recording replaced the original 1975 mix. The remix version was used on all early CD copies and was the only version available for over 20 years. A remastered and expanded edition of the album was released in February 2006, containing three bonus live tracks.  The 2006 edition is the first CD version to use [music producer] Terry Manning's original 1975."  According to sources on the Internet.