Philadelphia International and me

Philadelphia International Records to give it  its full title has always been a part of my life ever since I just I turned 8 years old and as regular readers know I wrote an entry a good year or so back on the O'Jays on of this labels most famous acts.
If you haven't read it just click on the 'music' topic index and you'll find it in that search.
First of though earlier this year a special 4 cd box set was issued entitled "Philadelphia International Classics - the Tom Moulton remixes". Tom Moulton was a DJ who understood earlier than many the importance of the longer discotheque mix extending the 'groove' for dancing and sometimes simplifying the sound just for that audience by taking off special effects.
 He got involved with the label doing these remixes for the funk act Peoples Choice and the song "Do iI any Way you Wanna" from 1974 and in 1977 Philadelphia International issued a lp long deleted of some of his remixes of them and other artists.#
This set has all those tracks plus some brand new remixes including that great early 80's song "Nights Over Egypt" by the Jones Girls done in the same style (no added echo, synthesized drums) extended and remixed from the session masters for really good quality.
If you love 12" remixes you'd love this set on England's Harmless  records (HURTXCD 112).
Another act I liked around this time was The Intruders who had several hits such as Cowboys to Girls, Love Is Like A Baseball Game, (win, place or show) She's A Winner and I'll Always Love My Mama and i had for a long time the cd version of 1973 "Super Hits" compilation of theirs.
I was able to find a copy of the 1996 "Cowboy to Girls-the best of" which has a lot more songs on it which was part of Sony's Blues & Soul legacy series which was really well mastered a lot more detailed compare to that older disc
Finally back to those O'Jay's.
Prior to them signing to this label they were signed to another - Neptune- and issued an lp called "In Philadelphia" back in 1969 which had been out of print for absolutely ages.
In truth this is mainly cover versions of popular songs of that era however it's the arrangements that clearly show what was to come on that classic album "Backstabbers" famous for "Love train" and "992 Arguments" that remain a gem,
It was briefly issued in 1994 in the states on cd but even that can be hard to find so, as resourceful as ever, I found a copy in Germany cheaply and pay for it to be shipped over, completing at long last my O'Jay's collection on cd.

Fairy Tail

Fairy Tale is an anime set in the magical kingdom of Fiore and in many ways is an old school shone anime from it's slapstick comedy, silliness, dungeons and dragons style fantasies around a group of wizards in an elite unit The Fairy Tail Guild to earn a crust or two. Think Slayers and you won't be far off.
We have topless male wizzards, blondes, happy the talking cat and hot headed fire users such as Natsu who we learn was raised as a baby by a fire breathing dragon!
The main character focus is Lucy who forms bonds creating a group of reliable friends to asist her in her missions so their's a Naruto style Teamwork ethic running through the episodes.
So far in there's over 100 episodes made,  we have part 1 (episodes 1 thru 12) now with part 2 to follow on May 27th and I'd expect them all to trickle out over the next few years.

Party dresses

A few weeks back we were discussing  little girl fashion and the difference between what inspires those of us who are more centred around what's contemporary  and those of you who who go for a older more crinoline style.
One thing I did mention was outside of 'uniform' (stands to attention!) and clothes that may be either warmer or perhaps more suited to play, I do like party dresses where you do want to stand out twirling around.
In actual contemporary children's dresses there are a number of such items available in inexpensive lines too from the major outlets and indeed some supermarket chains of which this is a good example:

This one is by F&F called "Borderline print floral" and is available from Tesco's.
Although it has a ribbon feature, it's fairly unfussy with modest cuts and a 3/4 length and I must say I love that print.
Where contemporary trends also would differ is today you'd team that up with leggings, possibly 7/8 length or tights rather than frilly topped socks for a look that's feminine  but less 'pouf'.

Easter 2012

How was it for you? Easter that is.
Poor chocolate bunny met his demise yesterday as he got chopped into bits and landed up in my tummy which seems a shame considering how much care was put into making him look lovely but then  chocolate's for eating don't you think?
Great things I love about Easter include the excuse to wear 'Bunny Ears' and crafts which I think I wrote here once about but I don't recall ever making a Easter basket like the girl in the picture. Apart from the chocolate I listened to the Tchaikovsky ballet cds I mentioned last week and watched some animes.

Ivory Edition

Hi peoples.
This week I'm 'pawley'(tm) so can't do much with one paw and the other is having to be rested so sorry in advance for not being on certain websites and that.
Seeing paws are a constant theme I thought I'd put together an entry featuring music played by paws on another kind of keyboard I've been listening to during this period.
I've always loved the Polish composer Chopin from a very early age having records of his music but during a period where classical music migrated to the cd, I lost many of mine only getting around to replacing a recording of his Piano Concertos.
Late last year DG issued a special box set marking the 70th birthday of the Italian pianist Maurzio Pollini featuring all his solo recordings of Chopin's piano works (477 990-8) housing 9 cds as originally issued of the Etudes, Preludes, Polonaises, Scherzos, Nocturnes as well as the Second and Third piano sonatas complete with reproduction card covers and a inset.
Many of these performances are among the very best ever issued and best of all while to have bought each new would of set you back over £100, I was able to get it for just over £23 which is quite a saving!

At the same time I spotted a 5 cd set of Liszt's solo piano works going cheap by the Hungarian Georges Cziffra on EMI (648351 2) recorded from the late 1950's thru 1985.
His talent lay in finding what inspired Liszt and playing it back - some said he was the reincarnation of him - and although he adds a few touches of his own compared to some more modern  recordings, he keeps you rivetted to the Hungarian Rhapsodies and other featured works  from start to finish.
I did have a few of this performances originally on lp so it was nice to be acquainted with them again.
At the same time I ordered Liszt: Piano concertos 1 &2 plus two other works to round off the collection.
EMI Encore 7243 574736 2 0
Orchestra de Paris conducted by  Georgy Cziffra Jr with Georges Czaffra on piano
Electrifying performances from 1971/2.

Finally, we all know about my love for ballet, right? well coming soon - and Mr Postman before Easter please - is a special 6 cd set of the full music from Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty that has the recordings the London Symphony Orchestra made with André Previn in the 1970's that I used to own each work on 2 separate cds issued by EMI France so the rather full notes about the history of the scores and commentary on each part of the ballets are in French, not that that bothers me.
EMI France 50999 6483777 2 1
Plenty of character in this performance giving you that 'at the ballet' feel.

Before I forget Blogger has changed it's layout to a slimmed down type so I'm having to get used to new places for various settings like labels (aka tags).