Ariana Gillis - Dream Street [Official Music Video]

It has been five years since Ariana Gillis posted this on YouTube -- it still haunts me, still a favorite. My thanks to Chris Johnson at BlueRootsRadio.com for introducing her to me. He's back on Live365 and you should give BlueRootsRadio a try. Stream it for free! (And I wonder if Ariana has lived up to her promise. Must do some Research.)

Alan Rickman - Truly Madly Deeply

I miss and am still mourning actor Alan Rickman who died this past January. This is a favorite moment, a song from the movie Truly Madly Deeply, which seems apropos, missing Alan, here performing with Juliet Stevenson. "The sun ain't gonna shine anymore" but there IS some sunshine on YouTube.

Lord Of The Dance - Jim McCann

This is one of my favorite Celtic sounding songs sung by the awesome Jim McCann who I just learned died this past March 5, 2015 at the age of 70. He had lost his beautiful voice to throat cancer in 2002 after a remarkable singing career, including a stint with The Dubliners. He lives on in such music. Thanks, Jim, for sharing your gift with the world!

Pete Seeger - "Forever Young"

Legendary Pete Seeger recites Forever Young with a chorus of kids and great music backing him up. Such spirit and love emanating from him to the children and by extension to us. His banjo's quotation reads, "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender": more peaceful than Woody Guthrie's guitar. This video is thanks to Amnesty International. From "Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International". http://amnestyusa.org/chimes

A must see: Les Misérables. My brother David said the Broadway musical pushed all the right buttons and certainly this film clip does too, with the haunting "I Dreamed a Dream" [sung by Anne Hathaway] and those great cinema angles.

Shirley Horn: But Beautiful

Via Paganmaestro (check out his other music videos on YouTube), a beautiful rendition of But Beautiful sung with beautiful phrasing by Shirley Horn:

"Vote Republican" by Roy Zimmerman

I wish all those even THINKING of voting Republican would listen to Roy Zimmerman's humorous modern political folk song. It was posted to YouTube in October of 2010 but is so appropriate to what is going on now politically. Do yourself a favor and watch and share this. Maybe we'll wake up enough people to stave off the Republicans in November.

FYI, you can follow Roy Zimmerman on both Facebook and Twitter. My thanks to radio host Norman Goldman for sharing this on his show and on Facebook.

Imagine

Imagine -- finally, Central Park
Originally uploaded by Kate Anne

It took my son and his friends being in town for the Porcupine Tree concert at Radio City Music Hall for me to finally get to see the Imagine mosaic at Strawberry Fields in Central Park. How New York of me! Had to play tourist with my visitors :) FYI -- it is close to the Dakota where John Lennon lived. Enter Central Park at 72nd and Central Park West. Veer a little to the left and follow the crowd. (Great Porcupine Tree concert btw.)

Target Ain't People

Thanks to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, corporations are allowed to pour even more cash into our elections and they are not even having to identify themselves. In the case of Target, a Minnesota law forced them to 'fess up. Target is only one -- we must get off our rears and re-claim our democracy. It is We the PEOPLE and not We the corporations!!!! Check out the MoveOn.org sponsored boycott Target site, http://targetboycott.org.

Drill, Baby, Drill! vs Jail, Baby, Jail!

Good 2:34 second parody. Now I would like Patsy Monteleone to do a followup based on Shannyn Moore's latest mantra, "Jail, Baby, Jail".

Latin Quarter - Phil Ochs

Found this exquisite song via a mention by the director of the upcoming (when?) Phil Ochs' film. It deserves more play and the band more follow-up. Good stuff. (And yes there is no opening info on the PhilOchsthemovie.com site so we must live in suspense and follow @philochsfilm on Twitter.)

AIDS Walk 2009

AIDS Walk 2009
Originally uploaded by Kate Anne

Leon and the Peoples sing at the post AIDS Walk concert as folks wait for the 2009 talley. Over $5.6 million was raised during tough economic times. Huzzah!

End the Death Penalty

"We should not waste one instant, one day, one cent, one dime serving death."
- Gov. Martin O'Malley, (D) Maryland

Gov. O'Malley spoke out on his stand on Rachel Maddow's show last night as he continues to work to end the death penalty. Rachel noted the governor is part of Celtic Rock band, O'Malley's March.

Irish Celtic Music

In the midst of birthday and St. Patrick's Day celebrations, I took some time for retrospection and created a playlist on YouTube. This is Irish music and/or Celtic music that speaks to my soul or perhaps my soul memory and feeds me, body, mind and spirit. Long -- with some deliberate repeats. Enjoy!

Rod takes Manhatten

Rod takes Manhatten
Originally uploaded by Kate Anne

The second cell phone shot of Village great Rod MacDonald.

Friends and fans may wish to check out my better camera Rod photos and also visit Rod's MySpace page where you can play some of his music.

(I met the Button Buddha Ruth Klein there -- kind enough to alert me of his being in NYC!)