The GFOS

So I'm checking in items at the library the other day and the Godfather of Soul stops by....

Well, actually I just looked down and noticed that I had in my hand an excellent compilation of songs by James Brown.  There are a slew of compilations of Brown's music, and a lot of them are pretty suspect.  However, In The Jungle Groove is one of the better collections out there, and we've got it on CD right here at the Pima County Library.  Read on for for more details!

Heroes for Just One Day

Fun fact I learned in library school: researchers at one large public library discovered that about most of the items people check out are ones that they found through browsing (as opposed to ones on a list, or ones they'd put on hold). The library is all about serendipity, like finding that hidden treasure on a shelf, or grabbing a choice item that's on display. This is just as true for music as it is for books. My favorite impulse checkout CD so far is War Child Presents: Heroes.

Realmente lo mejor/Simply the best

A strong mainstay in the Latin alternative music scene, Julieta Venegas has been making music since the release of her debut album, Aquí, in 1997. A wonderful vocalist and songwriter, she is originally from Long Beach, CA but raised in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Her music is a mixture of Latin alternative, pop, rock en Español, with generous additions of traditional regional Mexican music found throughout. She's also an accomplished instrumentalist and well-known for her amazing accordion playing, an instrument not traditionally played by women within the Latin music scene. She is a breaker of barriers in her music on all levels. Julieta has won five Latin Grammys and one Grammy award for her album, Limón y Sal. She has collaborated widely with other Latino artists through her career. A great example of this is her 2008 album MTV Unplugged, where she recorded with Mexican pop singer Natalia Lafourcade, Spanish rap artist La Mala Rodriguez, and Brazilian pop star Marisa Monte.

If you're looking for a great intro to Julieta's music check out her album, Sí, full of pop love ballads, available for check out at your local branch and on Freegal. For a more comprehensive view of all her best hits, download songs from her album, Realmente Lo Mejor, also available on Freegal.

-Marissa

Play with The Polyphonic Spree

If you've never heard the upbeat, choral, layered sounds of The Polyphonic Spree, you're in for a treat if you check out their show, coming up soon on March 30th at the Rialto! Read on to learn more about this fun band...