* Ladies & gentlemen ... Lake Tahoe proudly presents - for one night (and ONE night only) - the greatest band you never heard in your life *

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Dilemma: You've made a pact with the Devil.
For one night (and one night only), he grants you your wish of forming the ultimate super-group
& getting them to perform on stage (at Lake Tahoe.)
The band can be as small (or as large) as you like - and can consist of ANY musician (dead or
alive) of your choosing.
The only rules that Ol' Nick insists upon, though, are that:

(i) Karen MUST be included ... Despite his many faults - he puts it down to a troubled childhood,
you see ("Domineering mother, and all that") - he knows talent when he hears it;

(ii) each band member must (in one way or another) be extraordinary; and,

(iii) the band must swing (in other words, have, roughly speaking, a jazz background. This rules
out J. S. Bach & Beethoven.)

Are you up for the challenge?

But what does 'Nicky Boy' want in return, I hear you say, for granting you your wish?
Money?
Diamonds?
Beer?
A public-relations makeover?
(No, no ... it's FAR worse than that.)
World domination?
(cue sinister music and a lot of cackling) ...

No ... he demands that you endure an entire evening of listening to Whitney
Houston butcher A Song for You (No, Nick, you can't ask for THAT! Cue
frothing at the mouth) and Nicki Minaj & Megan thee Stallion 'doin' their
thang' (Aaaggghhhhh!!! Lord, have mercy on me.)

But, more seriously, here goes ...

My super-group:


Frank Sinatra - (male) lead vocals & 'ringmaster' ... I'm torn between Sinatra, Bing Crosby
& Nat King Cole (Whose voice compliments Karen's the most?)

Karen Carpenter - (female) lead vocals & occasional drums ... The very definition of "irreplaceable";

Buddy Rich - drums ... Too flashy? Not subtle enough?

Jimi Hendrix - lead guitar & vocals ... "Warm" voice (Compliments
Karen's very well);

Glen Campbell - rhythm guitar & vocals ... ('Wichita Lineman'. Enough said!);

Stanley Clarke - bass guitar ... From the group Return to Forever
(Chick Corea, et al.) Torn between
Clarke & Jaco Pastorius (Weather
Report);

George Gershwin - keyboards ... Torn between Gershwin & Leonard Bernstein (composer of the music
for West Side Story.) Karen always
said that she wanted to appear in
musicals (Well, this is her chance
- AND to be in a band with Buddy
Rich) ...

... accompanied, of course, by the Nelson Riddle orchestra.

That's a helluva 'band', don't you think?
(Apart from Karen, my choices aren't set in stone.)
Feel free to comment (I won't be offended.)
Are my choices perverse?
Are there any glaring omissions?
Does the band need augmenting with, say, a violinist? (Stephane Grappelli?) or
a percussionist (Ruth Underwood - from Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention?)

*** Don't forget ... ONLY Karen's position in the band is non-negotiable (All
the others are, to some extent, up for grabs) ***.

Unfortunately, Richard Carpenter hasn't made the cut (but, then again, neither
have Bacharach, Lennon nor McCartney) - although I'd be more than happy
for Richard and Nelson Riddle/Billy May to co-arrange/orchestrate the
super-group's material.

If you like, you can include your ideal set-list for the Lake Tahoe concert -
but, don't forget, as it's a one-off, this is your only opportunity to hear
your 'ultimate band' perform.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas & Best Wishes for the New Year.

Steve.

 

[JohnFB]

A little surprised Ol' Nick doesn't insist that the band must play "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (maybe not, because the Devil got his ass kicked by Johnny and lost the bet).

Or, at least "If There's a Rock n Roll Heaven They Must Have a Helluva Band"

Nat King Cole's voice is the best match for duets with Karen...(the Gods of Music would smile very warmly upon this pairing)...

Billy Joel on piano/keyboards (could provide excellent backup vocals too).

Nelson Riddle & Billy May both have much more experience with swingin', jazz-oriented arrangements than Richard...

Allison Krauss for backup/harmony vocals (speaking of heavenly voices).

Burt Bacharach & Hal David for official band songwriters - songs composed just for this unholy occasion...

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Nelson Riddle & Billy May both have much more experience with swingin', jazz-oriented arrangements than Richard

Apologies to everyone reading my original 'thread'.
(Some of my sentences were a bit long - and it played havoc with the lay-out.)

Yes, definitely Nelson Riddle or Billy May with the arrangements.
I've always felt that Richard's arrangements/orchestrations were a little 'stiff'
(lacking rhythmic propulsion) at times (This manifested itself particularly on
Made in America.)

I'll have to listen to more Allison Krauss - now that you've mentioned her.

But JohnFB ... your super-group doesn't have a guitarist (Does the orchestra have a
resident guitarist? ... And who's on drums? (Just Karen?)

 

[JohnFB]

...

I'll have to listen to more Allison Krauss - now that you've mentioned her.

But JohnFB ... your super-group doesn't have a guitarist (Does the orchestra have a
resident guitarist? ... And who's on drums? (Just Karen?)

Every one you listed, except the changes/additions I cited...

Here's a sneak preview of Alison , the OTHER voice of an angel - and she has the chops to be your "fiddle" player too...

 

[Mike Smith]

Just get the Lexington Lab Band to do the instrumental accompaniment.

 

[Jack A.]

Alright, my choices appear to be a little different than other peoples', haha.

1. KAREN. I think we'll let her handle the majority of the leads here. We also will give her a chance to do a drum solo partway through the show.
2. Brad Delp and Peter Cetera as the secondary lead singers. (Cetera sort of had a jazz background with Chicago. )
3. And while we're at it, let's throw in the three horn players from Chicago to help fill out the sound (Lee Loughnane, Jimmy Pankow, and Walt Parazider.)
4. The Bee Gees as backing vocalists. Russell Hitchcock from Air Supply could also add some of that nice falsetto to those harmonies.
5. How about Richard on keyboards?
6. Eddie Van Halen as lead guitarist. I'm sure he'd put a neat spin on the "Goodbye to Love" solo.
7. And for rhythm guitar, two other of the world's greatest guitarists: Terry Kath and Slash.
8. Tom Scholz on bass.
9. Neil Peart as the main drummer for most of the show.

And special guest star, Michael Jackson, who appears partway through to perform a surprise duet with KC!
And finally, David Foster as the songwriter and producer.

I'll admit this band probably wouldn't "swing" very well - but it would be my dream lineup.

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Alright, my choices appear to be a little different than other peoples', haha.

1. KAREN. I think we'll let her handle the majority of the leads here. We also will give her a chance to do a drum solo partway through the show.
2. Brad Delp and Peter Cetera as the secondary lead singers. (Cetera sort of had a jazz background with Chicago. )
3. And while we're at it, let's throw in the three horn players from Chicago to help fill out the sound (Lee Loughnane, Jimmy Pankow, and Walt Parazider.)
4. The Bee Gees as backing vocalists. Russell Hitchcock from Air Supply could also add some of that nice falsetto to those harmonies.
5. How about Richard on keyboards?
6. Eddie Van Halen as lead guitarist. I'm sure he'd put a neat spin on the "Goodbye to Love" solo.
7. And for rhythm guitar, two other of the world's greatest guitarists: Terry Kath and Slash.
8. Tom Scholz on bass.
9. Neil Peart as the main drummer for most of the show.

And special guest star, Michael Jackson, who appears partway through to perform a surprise duet with KC!
And finally, David Foster as the songwriter and producer.

I'll admit this band probably wouldn't "swing" very well - but it would be my dream lineup.

Yes ... I think we can trust Karen with handling "the majority of the leads here", Jack. (She
was a pretty decent singer, by all accounts.)

I particularly like the inclusion of Eddie Van Halen & Neil Peart.

Re: Van Halen ... I 'play' the guitar - badly - and once (many years ago!) had the
misfortune of seeing a transcription of the guitar solo in Michael Jackson's Beat
It (in a music magazine.) I decided, pretty much there-and-then, that, maybe, I
wasn't cut out for 'playing' the guitar, after all.
Yes, Van Halen would have sounded great on Goodbye to Love.

Re: Neil Peart ... I like Rush - but have to admit that after listening to Karen sing,
it took me a very long time indeed to get used to listening to Geddy Lee's dulcet
tones once again. Rock fans will know exactly what I mean.

Re: Bee Gees ... My biggest problem with the Bee Gees isn't the songs - but the
high-pitched vocals (They may very well clash with Karen's contralto.)

It's been a while since I've listened to Air Supply, Boston or Chicago (I quite like
the latter's early stuff. But, what was it with Chicago and double albums,
though?) More seriously ... whenever I listen to If we Try (from Lovelines),
I'm always reminded of Chicago (Presumably, Karen was a fan? I suspect that
was the sound she was after.)

Not sure about Richard on keyboards (Warsaw Concerto, anyone?) He just
doesn't swing, you know (More Rachmaninoff than Oscar Peterson.)
Maybe we could get someone in who can kick some serious butt?

Not sure about Slash, either (Do we need two rhythm guitarists? I'm sure
Terry Kath would be more than capable - by himself - of the role ... And, he
could contribute vocals.)

 

[David A]

Hmmm...create a band from any time and in their prime, for one night of kick-ass "swingin'" music...sounds fun! This of course has to assume that some world-class head-liners are willing to "play their role" and not be the leading element of the act, right?

• Karen...duh. Most leads and the rest duets or group harmonies, a few drum spots (and maybe a dueling drums interlude somewhere)
• Elton John - keyboards, vocals - a few leads, backing and duets
• Prince - lead guitar...obviously he can contribute some vocals as well
• Nancy Wilson - rhythm guitar and backing vocals
• Bass - Louis 'Thunder Thumbs' Johnson - (M. Jackson's Thriller, Beat It, etc.)
• Drummer - Many to choose from...I'll go with Steve Gadd...his work with Steely Dan was amazing (Aja album)
• Brass and strings...the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (well, they'd be in the pit in front, where else?)
• A troupe of 4 mixed male/female backing vocalists, who are relatively unknown but can sing like crazy
• "Special Guest" walk-on's for duets or solo songs during the show:
  
  • Janis Joplin - does a solo - ok, I know she's more blues and soul than jazz, but come on...whatever she does is going to light that place on fire
  • Nat King Cole (duh) - duet medley with Karen
  • Perry Como - his voice blends beautifully with Karen's IMO

So ok...pretty wild grouping but most if not all have at least _some_ jazz influence...I could go on with "special guest walk-ons" that would create a concert that would last for days, but I'll keep this fantasy to a 'realistic' time frame

And who Emcee's this whole shebang? Hmmmm....I DON'T KNOW! I can't think of anyone who could corral all of this type of talent and personality into a coherent show...anyone have a recommendation?

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Hmmm...create a band from any time and in their prime, for one night of kick-ass "swingin'" music...sounds fun! This of course has to assume that some world-class head-liners are willing to "play their role" and not be the leading element of the act, right?

• Karen...duh. Most leads and the rest duets or group harmonies, a few drum spots (and maybe a dueling drums interlude somewhere)
• Elton John - keyboards, vocals - a few leads, backing and duets
• Prince - lead guitar...obviously he can contribute some vocals as well
• Nancy Wilson - rhythm guitar and backing vocals
• Bass - Louis 'Thunder Thumbs' Johnson - (M. Jackson's Thriller, Beat It, etc.)
• Drummer - Many to choose from...I'll go with Steve Gadd...his work with Steely Dan was amazing (Aja album)
• Brass and strings...the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (well, they'd be in the pit in front, where else?)
• A troupe of 4 mixed male/female backing vocalists, who are relatively unknown but can sing like crazy
• "Special Guest" walk-on's for duets or solo songs during the show:
  • Janis Joplin - does a solo - ok, I know she's more blues and soul than jazz, but come on...whatever she does is going to light that place on fire
  • Nat King Cole (duh) - duet medley with Karen
  • Perry Como - his voice blends beautifully with Karen's IMO

So ok...pretty wild grouping but most if not all have at least _some_ jazz influence...I could go on with "special guest walk-ons" that would create a concert that would last for days, but I'll keep this fantasy to a 'realistic' time frame

And who Emcee's this whole shebang? Hmmmm....I DON'T KNOW! I can't think of anyone who could corral all of this type of talent and personality into a coherent show...anyone have a recommendation?

Elton John

Any regrets that Karen/Richard recorded no Elton John songs, David?

Richard tried (for 18 months!) to persuade Karen to record Skyline Pigeon (from Elton's
first album) - but to no avail (Presumably, he wanted the song on Horizon.)

She'd have been great on Daniel or Sorry seems to be the Hardest Word.

Steve Gadd

I know what you mean about drummers. Once they attain a certain standard, they're
almost impossible to choose from.

On Aja, Gadd's drumming is superb.

A drum 'duel' between Karen & Steve Gadd would be quite something!

Fantastic idea.

Nat King Cole

By the way, you're the second person to have mentioned him.

In my opening thread, I was torn between Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

I've now ruled out Bing - as I can't see him 'fronting' a band that swings (especially one
with Prince & Janis Joplin.)

Why don't we 'let our hair down' and have both Nat King Cole and Sinatra in the band?

(Are Perry Como's vocals too similar to Nat's? Warm and soft.)

Prince

Years ago, I heard that Prince had written a couple of songs (I think one of them
was Manic Monday) with Karen in mind.

I have no idea if those rumours were true.

Can anyone (on the forum) elaborate?

Nancy Wilson

I haven't heard enough of her to form an opinion.

Louis Johnson

Like drummers, bassists are almost impossible to choose from - but he had great
rhythm.

Why don't we just flip a coin?

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Now this takes me back ...

When I was 7 (in 1975), I started piano lessons (as I wanted to be a composer.)

The lessons lasted only 3 years - as I grew interested in football.

Well, the first record I bought (when I was 9) was a recording of Beethoven's Piano
Concerto No. 3; and, around the same time, I also bought a recording of Beethoven's
Piano Concerto No. 5 (pianist: Artur Schnabel; Chicago Symphony Orchestra;
conductor: Frederick Stock) on vinyl (RCA Camden Classics Victrola.)

I still have the L.P., believe it or not, after all these years, but prefer to listen to CD's
of the Berlin Philharmonic (as conducted by Herbert von Karajan.)

I'm not sure about the Emcee or the male/female backing vocalists.

 

[Jack A.]

Any regrets that Karen/Richard recorded no Elton John songs, David?

Richard tried (for 18 months!) to persuade Karen to record Skyline Pigeon (from Elton's
first album) - but to no avail (Presumably, he wanted the song on Horizon.)

I’ve already created my own revision to the lyrics for “Candle In The Wind” to make it about her (“Goodbye, Lead Sister…”)

Where did you learn about the Skyline Pigeon story? That’s interesting…

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

I’ve already created my own revision to the lyrics for “Candle In The Wind” to make it about her (“Goodbye, Lead Sister…”)

Where did you learn about the Skyline Pigeon story? That’s interesting…

It's on Page(s) 166 - 167 (of the book; editor: Randy L. Schmidt):

Yesterday Once More: The Carpenters Reader - Revised and Expanded Edition.

In an interview (dubbed 'Carpenters - Good, Clean, All-American Aggro!) with Ray
Coleman (Melody Maker; 1975) - Richard complains that he'd been trying to get
Karen to record Skyline Pigeon "for a year and a half" but that he couldn't "get
Karen to do it. She won't do it".

Given the timeline ("a year and a half"), I'm assuming that Richard had been
trying to persuade Karen (from about Autumn 1973) to record the song.

18 months sure is a long time (Richard must have really liked the song!)

 

[Jack A.]

Ah, ok, thank you - I haven't read that book yet, may need to pick up a copy. Wonder why she refused to record some songs, but relented on others that she didn't like (Solitaire, Rainbow Connection).

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Ah, ok, thank you - I haven't read that book yet, may need to pick up a copy. Wonder why she refused to record some songs, but relented on others that she didn't like (Solitaire, Rainbow Connection).

My gut feeling, Jack, is that Karen liked Skyline Pigeon as much as Richard - but wanted to
distance herself from the songs she rehearsed/recorded/performed on stage and the songs
that she listened to at home.

If that's the case, I can see her point of view - for I couldn't be a singer and go on tour for weeks
(months?) on end, rehearse/perform a song (in this case, Skyline Pigeon) countless times and
then have the desire to listen to it at home.

Regardless, a missed opportunity (Classic song.)

I feel a rant coming on ...

Rainbow Connection

What was Richard thinking?

(I like the man, but sometimes he baffles me.)

First, he gets Karen to record Sing and Please, Mr. Postman ... and then he gets her
(then a woman of around 30, no less!!!) to record Rainbow Connection (as performed
by the illustrious Kermit the Frog) ...

... Kermit the Frog, for gawd's sake ... It's not exactly mature, now is it? ...

and this is after Karen had tried to shed her 'clean-cut' image by recording songs of a
more 'mature' nature (for her solo album.)



Like I said: sometimes, Richard baffles me.

 

[Mark-T]

I don’t care for Skyline Pigeon at all, so give me Rainbow Connection any day.

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

I don’t care for Skyline Pigeon at all, so give me Rainbow Connection any day.

At first, I wasn't crazy about it at all, Mark, but after a while, it grew on me.

It's now one of my favourite Elton songs.

 

[newvillefan]

At first, I wasn't crazy about it at all, Mark, but after a while, it grew on me.

It's now one of my favourite Elton songs.

Same goes for me when it comes to Tiny Dancer. Never released as a single during his heyday but for some reason it’s become one of his classics, because he’s included it on most of his hits albums, despite it never being one. Same as Carpenters’ This Masquerade. It’s been featured on that many mainstream collections, people now believe it was a hit single in their heyday (and inclusion as a B-side doesn’t count).

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Same goes for me when it comes to Tiny Dancer. Never released as a single during his heyday but for some reason it’s become one of his classics, because he’s included it on most of his hits albums, despite it never being one. Same as Carpenters’ This Masquerade. It’s been featured on that many mainstream collections, people now believe it was a hit single in their heyday (and inclusion as a B-side doesn’t count).

I've always liked Tiny Dancer.

I saw a TV programme (on Elton) a year or so ago - where they showed footage of Elton
(in the early 70's), at home, sitting by the piano, explaining how quickly he wrote the song
(The name of the programme eludes me.)

Wasn't Neil Sedaka signed to Elton's Rocket Management company in the 70's?

I'm not sure (the) Carpenters' ever performed This Masquerade live.

There are a few web-sites (on Google) that deal with the duo's set-lists over the years -
but the info. provided is very patchy.

(This may well form the basis of a new thread!)

I've mentioned this elsewhere ... but (on You Tube) there's a guitarist - by the name of
Walter Rodriguez Jr - who performs guitar arrangements of This Masquerade &
Close to You ... amongst others.

 

[newvillefan]

Wasn't Neil Sedaka signed to Elton's Rocket Management company in the 70's?

Yes he was and it’s that label that released his comeback album ‘Sedaka’s Back’.

 

[David A]

Elton John

Any regrets that Karen/Richard recorded no Elton John songs, David?

Richard tried (for 18 months!) to persuade Karen to record Skyline Pigeon (from Elton's
first album) - but to no avail (Presumably, he wanted the song on Horizon.)

She'd have been great on Daniel or Sorry seems to be the Hardest Word.

Steve Gadd

I know what you mean about drummers. Once they attain a certain standard, they're
almost impossible to choose from.

On Aja, Gadd's drumming is superb.

A drum 'duel' between Karen & Steve Gadd would be quite something!

Fantastic idea.

Nat King Cole

By the way, you're the second person to have mentioned him.

In my opening thread, I was torn between Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

I've now ruled out Bing - as I can't see him 'fronting' a band that swings (especially one
with Prince & Janis Joplin.)

Why don't we 'let our hair down' and have both Nat King Cole and Sinatra in the band?

(Are Perry Como's vocals too similar to Nat's? Warm and soft.)

Prince

Years ago, I heard that Prince had written a couple of songs (I think one of them
was Manic Monday) with Karen in mind.

I have no idea if those rumours were true.

Can anyone (on the forum) elaborate?

Nancy Wilson

I haven't heard enough of her to form an opinion.

Louis Johnson

Like drummers, bassists are almost impossible to choose from - but he had great
rhythm.

Why don't we just flip a coin?

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Now this takes me back ...

When I was 7 (in 1975), I started piano lessons (as I wanted to be a composer.)

The lessons lasted only 3 years - as I grew interested in football.

Well, the first record I bought (when I was 9) was a recording of Beethoven's Piano
Concerto No. 3; and, around the same time, I also bought a recording of Beethoven's
Piano Concerto No. 5 (pianist: Artur Schnabel; Chicago Symphony Orchestra;
conductor: Frederick Stock) on vinyl (RCA Camden Classics Victrola.)

I still have the L.P., believe it or not, after all these years, but prefer to listen to CD's
of the Berlin Philharmonic (as conducted by Herbert von Karajan.)

I'm not sure about the Emcee or the male/female backing vocalists.

Thanks for your response to my gaudy list of performers and sorry for the late reply.

Yes, I can think of a number of Elton songs - especially early in his career - that Karen would have done a great job on, from Your song even up to the Yellow Brick Road album, with a song like Harmony.

Agreed on including both Nat and Sinatra - how could you go wrong with that?

As for Nancy Wilson - sister of Ann Wilson, the Heart band - you've for certain heard her playing if you've ever heard a Heart song, as she plays (mostly electric acoustic) rhythm guitar on every song they recorded, with great backing vocals to Ann - she does carry lead vocals on (only) one of their big hit songs - These Dreams. She is highly regarded as an excellent rhythm guitarist, although in my view still a bit under-rated. There are other, better known (and maybe even technically "better") rhythm guitarists to choose from, so this was more of a personal choice - and hey, it's my event to put together! If you want to hear something by her I'd recommend listening to her extended acoustic opening to their Crazy on You hit song (live version), you can find it on YouTube somewhere.

As for my question about an Emcee - I thought for a moment "what about Cacey Kasem?" then shuddered at why my brain would go there. Nostalgia I guess. But...NO. In the end, I don't think there's any need for an Emcee, per se', just a voice-over introduction (including a shout-out to me for putting this together hah!) and then let the artists rip. Of course it would require people behind the scenes to organize and produce this madness, but I'll pass on trying to name names there (although Todd Rundgren comes to mind - wait, stop!).

 

[BILLSJUKEBOX]

Let me just get this straight. You made a deal with the devil. Why would Karen be with him? Wouldn't you have to talk to God to get her back? You want a swing band, but you want them to play funeral tribute songs like Skyline Pigeon. Didn't Karen sing enough of those songs when she was with us? How about something upbeat so the swing band can show their stuff. Maybe get Ella Fitzgerald and Nat king Cole. Then just pick up a complete swing band like Ellington or Goodman. Just let Ella pick out the songs.

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Yes, I can think of a number of Elton songs - especially early in his career - that Karen would have done a great job on, from Your song even up to the Yellow Brick Road album, with a song like Harmony.

Re: Elton John

It's odd that Carpenters' recorded no Elton songs.

I'm not sure they'd have even considered recording Your Song or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - as people associate
the two songs so much with Elton (Richard wouldn't be able to put his own 'personal stamp' on them.)

Harmony: great choice (What about I've Seen that Movie Too?)

Not sure about Sweet Painted Lady on the set-list (for obvious reasons ) - nor Saturday Night's Alright for
Fighting.

Great double-album, though. Probably my favourite (Closely followed by The Who: Quadrophenia.)

Agreed on including both Nat and Sinatra - how could you go wrong with that?

Re: Nat King Cole & Sinatra

Agreed, then, David ... Nat & Sinatra, it is.

Just imagine ... Karen, Nat King Cole & Sinatra together, on the same stage (The ticket price would be astronomical.)

Karen could do a duet with Nat & then a duet with Sinatra ... Then, maybe, the three of them could do a trio?

Re: Nancy Wilson

I've heard of Heart - although I haven't them particular attention over the years.

I've gone onto You Tube, like you said, and heard a 'live' version (from 1978) of Crazy on You.

I like the melodic guitar playing (I'm not crazy about the singer, though! Forgive the dreadful pun .)

It's not 'flash' (as in '64 squillion notes per second' - like certain heavy metal guitarists) - but, clearly, there's
nothing wrong with her technique.

Thanks for the recommendation.

I've gone onto a web-site called 'Ultimate Classic Rock' - where they've rated Little Queen as Heart's best album.

I'm not sure what you think of that opinion, but I'll listen to the album, to-night.

Re: Emcee

But, David, the answer's right in front of you ...

It's your show ... Why don't you be the Emcee? Why settle for a mere "shout-out" or a "voice-over introduction"
when you can "get out there" (on stage) & compere, for one night only (never to be repeated) this wonderful
line-up of musicians? (Everyone else in 'showbiz', even Simon Cowell, would jump at the opportunity.)

An evening with Whitney & Co. awaits us.

 

[STEVE@ENGLAND]

Let me just get this straight. You made a deal with the devil. Why would Karen be with him? Wouldn't you have to talk to God to get her back? You want a swing band, but you want them to play funeral tribute songs like Skyline Pigeon. Didn't Karen sing enough of those songs when she was with us? How about something upbeat so the swing band can show their stuff. Maybe get Ella Fitzgerald and Nat king Cole. Then just pick up a complete swing band like Ellington or Goodman. Just let Ella pick out the songs.

The bit about 'Making a pact; etc ... ' was just a turn-of-phrase, Bill: a fancy, light-hearted way (nothing more) of
asking members of the forum to list their 'ultimate' line-up of musicians.

I would never suggest that Skyline Pigeon be on the set-list (for, as you alluded to, it would be out of place) ...
And, it certainly doesn't swing.

Mention of the song arose as a fellow member (David A) proposed that Elton John be on keyboards.

What about this for an idea:

Why don't we have two female singers (Karen, Ella Fitzgerald) and two male singers (Nat King Cole, Sinatra)?

The 'swing band' could be Duke Ellington's (I proposed the Nelson Riddle Orchestra - although, apart from
Karen's participation in the concert, nothing's 'set in stone') and, maybe, let Ella & Sinatra choose the
set-list.