GrooveOut Shorts

by Troy Carrington, Andrea Rodricks, and Lance Walker

Bitch and Animal

Sour Juice and Rhyme

A dynamic, gender-bending duo with a whole lot of dyke energy, the lesbian performance artists Bitch and Animal (real names unknown) blend poetry with an infectious energy on Sour Juice and Rhyme, their second album on Righteous Babe Records. "Secret Candy" is a response to rapper Eminem’s controversial lyrics. “Feminist Housewives” is a story of two women who left their husbands for each other. They bring a feminist twist to rock and rap, using hand percussion, African djembes, steel drums, gongs, electric bass, violin, and the ukulele. More info: www.bitchandanimal.com or .righteousbabe.com/banda/sour. —Andrea Rodricks

Sarah-Jane Morris

Love and Pain

Sarah-Jane has a husky voice—more husky than some of you bears out there. That, combined with the fact that she aligned herself with the GLBT movement in England years ago in standing by her version of “Me and Mrs. Jones” with the pronouns still intact, led many in the media to believe she was a lesbian. In the media bustle that followed, she repeatedly refused to answer questions about her sexuality, further feeding the rumors. Well, sorry to disappoint, but she’s just a smokin’ blues singer with a likeness to Janis Joplin on several levels (long blonde hair, a voice that scrapes you like gravel) and a biography a mile long to go along with it. Her accolades in the past are almost too much to detail, but it would suffice to say that this actor, writer, singer, and mother will likely continue to reinvent herself. From Evolver (www.evolverentertainment.com). —Lance Walker

Various Artists

Gay.com 2003 Summer CD Sampler

Owned and operated by PlanetOut Partners, Inc., Gay.com is the leading portal offering online services to the gay and lesbian community worldwide. Their first-ever music compilation Gay.com 2003 Summer CD Sampler features an exclusive remix of Jennifer Lopez's “I'm Glad” and 14 other pop and dance tracks by some of today’s hottest performers. Country artist Rosanne Cash also makes a contribution to this soundtrack of the summer. More info: www.gay.com or www.planetoutpartners.com. —AR

Various Artists

Elegies: A Song Cycle

Elegies: A Song Cycle is a series of William Finn’s poetic and deeply personal character studies about friends, family, and colleagues he has loved and lost. Finn’s distinctive and idiosyncratic songs are interpreted by a cast featuring Christian Borle (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Betty Buckley (Cats, Sunset Boulevard), Carolee Carmello (Urinetown), Keith Byron Kirk (A New Brain), and Michael Rupert (Falsettos). From Buckley’s heartbreaking portrayal as his terminally ill mother in “14 Dwight Ave.” to Rupert’s bittersweet memories of “Mark’s All-Male Thanksgiving,” Finn’s subjects are beautifully resurrected and celebrated with inspiration, regret, and passion. From Fynsworth Alley (www.fynsworthalley.com). —Troy Carrington

Broadway Premiere Recording

Amour

Amour, recently nominated for five 2003 Tony Awards, marks the Broadway debut of composer Michel Legrand, whose lyrical and swirling Parisian melodies evoke the heyday of French pop. The show stars Malcolm Gets (TV’s Caroline in the City) and Melissa Errico (My Fair Lady, High Society). The new recording features over 74 minutes of music and a special bonus track performed by Legrand. From Sh-k-boom Records (www.sh-k-boom.com). —TC

Donnie

The Colored Section

With the somewhat choral layering of Donnie’s voice in nearly all of the tracks on this record, you might be inclined to believe you were listening to gospel music. That’s not far off—he grew up in Atlanta with ministers as parents and attended church regularly as a youth, but upon further listening, he carries you more into old soul than anything else. What should be immediately acknowledged about Donnie is that though he may carry the windpipes and vocal chords of an inherently musical family, that gift holds nothing to his songwriting. Never was this more evident than when his single “Do You Know” was released in 2002—many DJs automatically believed it was an old soul classic. Nope, Donnie wrote it, and he followed it up with a smattering of singles and promotional appearances that have culminated into this, his first album. He’s sure to grace us with many more. From Motown Records (www.flylifemusic.com). —LW

Jessy Moss

Street Knuckles

An Australian woman doing hip-hop? Anyone claiming this title might come under criticism and fire, but Jessy Moss is tough. She is tough in the ways of the world and tough in the ways of roaring that back-at-you in a steadfast, torpedo-like barrage of stories from her past that deal with retribution and forgiveness (and, as she admits, far more retribution than forgiveness). Produced by Butch Vig (responsible for Nirvana’s “Nevermind” as well as dozens of other brilliant recordings), these 11 tracks go back and forth within themselves between hip-hop, blues, and even sort of an R&B feel at points. Her voice is calm but not to the point of being catatonic—there is an energy buried underneath that she doesn’t have to splash all over the top, and it works for her tremendously. From Dreamworks (www.dreamworks.com). —LW

Sarah Brightman

Harem

Sarah Brightman’s albums have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. A musical fantasy inspired by the Middle East of legend, Harem is perhaps Sarah Brightman’s most unique and personal album to date, showcasing her songwriting talents, her passionate creative instincts, and her soaring soprano voice. From Angel Records (www.angelrecords.com). More info: www.sarah-brightman.com. —TC

Yo-Yo Ma

Obrigado Brazil

The virtuoso cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s new release, Obrigado Brazil, is his tribute to Brazilian music. While primarily a classical performer, he has made a number of crossover recordings. The disc is a collection of diverse Brazilian melodies with some of the country's foremost musicians. Through his passion for the music Yo-Yo Ma explores some of Brazil's most enduring musical styles. From Sony Classical (www.sonyclassical.com). More info: www.yo-yoma.com. —AR

The Incomparable Ethel Waters

The Incomparable Mildred Bailey

Rosemary Clooney - Jazz Singer

These ladies of American Popular song need no introduction. As legendary female vocalists with a rich musical legacy, they set the standards for others to follow. Ethel Waters was an influential singer who contributed to African-American history during the 1920s and 1930s. An early jazz singer, Mildred Bailey was one of the most dynamic musicians of the swing era. Legendary singer Rosemary Clooney was known for her distinctive, rich voice. This is the first edition in the new female vocalists series from Columbia-Legacy. The compilations are timeless classics from three of America's finest vocalists. More info: www.legacyrecordings.com or www.columbiarecords.com. —AR

Christine Andreas

The Carlyle Set

On The Carlyle Set, Christine Andreas lends her shimmering soprano to a perfect balance of jazzy sophistication and throbbing theatrical drama. This CD features a superior selection of great songs from the worlds of theater (“At the Ballet” from A Chorus Line), film (the Michel Legrand standard “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?”), pop (Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “What If We Went to Italy?”), and greats of the classic American songbook (“Autumn in New York”). From Fynsworth Alley (www.fynsworthalley.com). —TC

Billy Stritch

Jazz Live

Jazz Live, recorded in concert at New York City’s Jazz Standard, captures virtuoso pianist and singer Billy Stritch injecting a sly humor and joyous flair into both quiet ballads (“But Not for Me”) and driving rhythm numbers (“Mountain Greenery”). Stritch and his trio perform jazz classics, pop standards, and theater songs. From Fynsworth Alley (www.fynsworthalley.com). —TC

Fred Avril

That Horse Must Be Starving

Throughout his debut album, Fred Avril deftly merges many forms. Jump-cut edits lunge from analog electronic rhythms reminiscent of early Kraftwerk to entrancing, ethereal pop of Grandaddy to the rollicking psych-warp of Neu. His music has even roused the staunch German Musikexpress to rave, “Best beats since Kraftwerk.” From PIAS America. More info: www.planetarygroup.com. —TC

Various Artists

Brahms Sonata for Two Pianos, Op 34b; Mendelssohn Piano Trio No 1

Beethoven Piano Trio No. 4; Mozart Piano Quartet No. 1

These world-renowned instrumentalists have delivered captivating recitals to audiences for many years. For Brahms’ two-piano Sonata, Argerich partners with Zilberstein to bring us this complex composition. In the Mendelssohn D minor Trio, Martha is joined by brothers Renaud Capuçon on violin and Gautier Capuçon on cello. It’s not every day that one has the opportunity to listen to artists of this caliber performing together. Both CDs from EMI Classics (www.emiclassics.com). —AR

Various Pianists

Chopin, The Romantic Pianist

Frederic Chopin was the ultimate musical original. He gave the debut of his first composition at the age of eight, entering the conservatory at 16. He was gifted with an astonishing technique augmented with a harmonic sense that elevated his compositions—almost all for solo piano—to a creatively higher plane. This collection gathers some of the greatest performances of Chopin’s work from recent recordings by Angel/EMI pianists. From Angel Records (www.angelrecords.com). —TC

Renaud Capuçon and Gautier Capuçon

Face a Face

A collection of classical recordings by Halvorsen, Kodaly, Tanguy, Schulhoff, and others. Violinist Renaud and his cellist brother Gautier offer a deeply passionate and invigorating performance. Recording together or individually, the Capuçon brothers are always brilliant. Face a Face consists of 20th-century music written specifically for the violin and cello. More info: www.virginclassics.com. —AR

Fabio Biondi

Italian Violin Sonatas

Fabio Biondi and members of his ensemble Europa Galante revive lesser-known Italian composers of the 18th century (Locatelli, Geminiani, Tartini, Veracini, and Mascitti) in this new recording of violin sonatas. From Virgin Classics (www.virginclassics.com). —TC

Sarah Chang

Dvorák

The Dvoák violin concerto is one of Sarah Chang’s personal favorites, and she has finally recorded it for EMI Classics with familiar collaborators the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis. The concerto is coupled with Dvorák’s beautiful Piano Quintet featuring world-renowned pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. From EMI Classics (www.emiclassics.com). —AR

The Clash

The Essential Clash DVD

For the sake of reference, I think The Clash is one of the greatest bands of all time, but the best thing about this DVD is that someone else cared enough to prove it. The only way to describe the music of The Clash is to use the word “timeless,” and the imagery that the creators of this disc have implemented to carry on that legacy is some of the best work I’ve ever seen on a music DVD. The problem with most music DVDs in general is that they aren’t typically intended to document anything and instead end up being a loosely tacked-together promo piece for the band. On top of that, the sound is usually substandard on most releases. This disc avoids both of those handicaps and beautifully captures the spirit of The Clash in an extremely well-put-together film that works like a documentary but doesn’t have to play like one. It should be noted that any skeptics who might think this DVD was produced with the intent of capitalizing on the press surrounding Joe Strummer’s death earlier this year should definitely rest easy. Brilliant work—plus my lesbo friend Shu loves them, and she says only real

lesbians love The Clash. From Epic (www.epicrecords.com/theclash). —LW

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