Category: Music
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Musings and Movie Music for a Sweltering Spring Sunday in South Florida
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Blogging, Books, Boy of Harvard (Men of Harlech parody), Creative Writing, Florida Weather, John Williams (Composer), Life in Florida, Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Michel Legrand, Movie and TV Soundtracks, Movies, Music, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: Coda, Song Parody, Spring in Florida, Summer of ’42 (1971), Uncategorized, Zulu (1964)Afternoon, Sunday, May 18, 2025, Miami, Florida Man, it’s hot. It’s like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn’t take this kind of hot. – Neil Simon, Biloxi Blues It’s another searing subtropical spring day in South Florida, the hottest day I’ve experienced since my return home from New Hampshire last October. The temperature is 90°F (32°C) under…
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Midweek Musings: Music, Memories, and More ‘Reunion: Coda’ Royalties!
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Creative Writing, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kiri Sings Kern, Kiri Te Kanawa (Dame Kiri), Life in Florida, Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaAfternoon, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Miami, Florida Hello, Dear Reader! It’s a splendidly sunny late spring day here in southeast Florida. The temperature has climbed to 88°F (31°C), and with the humidity sitting at 52% and a gentle west-southwest breeze wafting at 5 MPH (8 Km/H), it feels closer to 95°F (36°C). Yes, it’s one…
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More Musings for Mother’s Day 2025: Of Mothers, Sons…and Music
Evening, Sunday, May 11, 2025 – Miami, Florida Mother’s Day always brings a mix of emotions. The ache of missing my mother is ever-present, but today, I choose to celebrate the memories—the quiet, joyful moments that defined our bond. Mom and I shared an unspoken connection through the things we loved: books, films, dogs, and…
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A Musicale for the Last Monday in April 2025
Late Morning, Monday, April 28, 2025, Miami, Florida Hi, there. Here in my corner of South Florida, it is a hot, sunny first day of the regular workweek. Currently, the temperature is 82°F (28°C) under sunny skies. With humidity at 58% and the wind blowing from the east at 9 MPH (15 Km/H), the heat…
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Late Night Reflections: Writing After Dark
Night, Sunday, April 27, 2025, Miami, Florida If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. It’s almost 10 PM here as I write this, the second blog post on this last Sunday of April 2025. I rarely do this so late; I may have done it a few times when I lived in Tampa,…
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Behind the Music: “Boy of Harvard” and Its Dreamy Origins
Exploring the playful creativity of Reunion: Coda When it comes to weaving whimsy into storytelling, the dream sequence in Reunion: Coda is a standout moment. Set during Jim Garraty’s high school commencement, this scene offers readers a glimpse into the humorous and poignant workings of Jim’s imagination as he dozes off during an inspirational speech.…
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Sunday Serenade: Songs and Compositions I Enjoy
Midday/Early Afternoon, Sunday, January 5, 2025, Miami, Florida Hi, everyone. Well, while I am feeling a bit better today, I’m still under the weather. So, instead of the usual narrative blog post or occasional review, here’s a selection of music from YouTube for this first Sunday of 2025! Enjoy!
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Saturday Serenade: Some of My Favorite Piano Pieces*
Midday/Early Afternoon, Saturday, January 4, 2025, Miami, Florida * Including piano transcriptions of orchestral compositions. Hi, everyone. I’m feeling a bit better today, but still dealing with a persistent cold. I’m exhausted from the symptoms and medication. Instead of my usual long blog post, here are some of my favorite piano performances. Enjoy!
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Music Album Review: ‘Kiri Sings Gershwin’: A Swinging Tribute to Timeless Classics
Kiri Sings Gershwin (1990) Label: EMI Records Genre: Standards/Crossovers Artists: Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano), John McGlinn (conductor), New Princess Orchestra Release Date: October 25, 1990 Regular readers of this blog won’t be surprised. Still, I seem to follow the beat of a different drummer because I prefer older musical styles to contemporary ones, especially when…
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Music Album Review: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Shines in Kiri Sings Kern
Kiri Sings Kern (1993) Label: Angel/EMI Records Genre: Crossover/Standards Artists: Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano), London Sinfonietta (Orchestra), Jonathan Tunick (Conductor/Arranger) Release Date: March 16, 1993 Jerome Kern (1885-1945) remains one of the most influential composers in American popular music. Alongside legends like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers, the New York-born Kern…
A Certain Point of View, Too 