BuzzSugar

Buzz Gift Guide: Hey, Daddio!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:30:36 PST

Welcome to another one of my Buzz Gift Guides for all the entertainment lovers in your life. Yesterday I tackled gifts for moms and today I've got some ideas for the original special fellow in your life: Dad.

I know a lot of dads (not just my own) who were sad to see HBO's mobster hit The Sopranos end, so I was delighted to find a whole collection of wines inspired by the show. You can choose from an old school Chianti called "Uncle Junior's Wine" and a Pinot Grigio inspired by Carmella ("light but tasty enough for a strong woman"), among others. If your dad's a fan of the show he'll probably get a kick out of these.

If your dad's a music lover he might enjoy this CD and DVD box set of Frank Sinatra singin' his hits in Vegas, a collection of Louis Armstrong's Christmas tunes, or Martin Scorsese's rock doc chronicling two Rolling Stones concerts, Shine a Light.

Of course, many dads would be thrilled to get this humongous set of James Bond films on DVD. And finally, while it's not exactly my favorite series, my dad really does think Two and a Half Men is one of the funniest shows on TV, so I'll be picking up the fourth season on DVD for his collection this year.

Shine a Light ($18.99)	Sinatra: Vegas ($63.98)
The Sopranos Wine ($24.99)	James Bond Blu-ray Collection Six-Pack ($111.95)
Two and a Half Men - The Complete Fourth Season ($28.99)	The Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters: Louis Armstrong & Friends: Music ($10.99)

Check out HolidaySugar for all of our holiday coverage and gift guides.

What Musical Act - Dead or Alive - Would You Want to See Live?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:30:42 PDT

Over the weekend, I was hanging out with friends when David Bowie's "Young Americans" hit the jukebox and, of course, everyone started singing along. It suddenly struck me that that song would probably be awesome to hear live, and that I bet Bowie gives a fantastic live performance. I started thinking of other musicians I'd love to check out in concert - including those whom I'll never get the chance to see.

Of the musicians from days gone by, of course, it would have been a thrill to see the Beatles live. I would have truly loved to have seen Johnny Cash in person, and would have given pretty much anything to have seen Louis Armstrong live (actually, there's some great footage of these two performing together, check it out after the jump). In the land of the living, I hope to someday get to an Estelle concert, and though this might seem lame to some of you, I'd jump at the chance to see The Police in concert.

I'll stop there so you can weigh in. Who do you hope to see someday? Who do you wish you could have seen, once upon a time? To check out the Louis Armstrong/Johnny Cash video and add your thoughts,

Source

A Wonderful Playlist of "What a Wonderful World" Covers

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:34:40 PDT

Yesterday's news of Forest Whitaker's Louis Armstrong biopic immediately made me think of the last time I heard the song that will be the movie's title: "What a Wonderful World." My ears pricked up when I heard the song as covered by Joey Ramone in the recent Simon Pegg comedy How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. I wasn't thrilled with the movie as a whole, but I like a lot of the music in it - especially this track.

Nobody can do "What a Wonderful World" quite like Louie did, but that hasn't stopped a bajillion musicians from trying. Just doing a quick search on imeem brings up many varied covers, from Ghoul's death metal version (which doesn't sound like a wonderful world at all), to Eddy Arnold's lovely version that is currently being used in a teaser trailer for Oliver Stone's movie, W.

I sifted through the extensive list and picked out my favorite versions of the song and still, no matter how many times I hear it (which is many now), it brings a dippy smile to my face. It's so warm and life-affirming, no wonder everyone wants to cover it. Want to hear "What a Wonderful World" this is, with covers ranging from rock, jazz, bossa nova and more? To check out the playlist,

What a Wonderful World Covers

Source

Forest Whitaker to Direct and Star in Louis Armstrong Biopic

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:37:07 PDT

It's a wonderful world for Forest Whitaker.
According to Variety, Whitaker will direct and star in a Louis Armstrong biopic titled What a Wonderful World. The story will have the help of a Paris-based production company, Legende, the company behind another musician biopic, La Vie en Rose.

Some facts:
The movie, which is "the first big-screen project to be authorized by the Armstrong estate, will kick off during the musician's impoverished early years in New Orleans and primarily chronicle his career as a trumpet virtuoso and improvisational singer."

Whitaker's thoughts:
"'Armstrong left a monumental mark on our lives and our culture,' said Whitaker, who portrayed jazz great Charlie Parker in Bird. 'He lived an amazing life and, through his art, shifted the way music was played and would be heard after him, not just here in the U.S. but all over the world.'"

What do you think of movie biopics?
Louis Armstrong's music never fails to make me happy; I can't explain why, exactly. So, I'm interested in a big film about his life. I was recently reading, however, a rundown of all the things wrong with making biopics (they are "more about the lead actor/actress than about the subject," etc.), and there are some valid points there. At the same time, I kind of can't wait to see Whitaker bring Louis Armstrong to life on the big screen. What do you think?

Source and source

Flashback: Louis Armstrong Had a One-Track Mind

GiggleSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:00:00 PST

I love Louis Armstrong, but there's a whole lotta gluttony up in here! The lyrics may seem funky, but let's consider what we listen to nowadays: "Gimme, gimme more. Gimme more. Gimme, gimme more."