Kevin Weinstein

Kevin Weinstein’s love of music began while sitting with his brother in the back seat of his parent’s truck during Griswold-esque road trips, while being fed a steady diet of Kinks and Beatles cassette tapes. The pure joy these tapes provided him during these road trips is largely responsible for his ever-evolving fascination with the music of the 60s in particular and his ever-evolving obsession to all music in general. To Kevin, there is nothing more invigorating than the perfect album, old or new. And his quest to hear them all, will never end. Kevin Weinstein currently resides on the North Shore of Chicago with his beautiful wife, son and daughter. Follow him on Twitter.

In The Spotlight: Al Kooper

 Posted by at 5:00 pm  5 Responses »
Feb 052016
 

In the Spotlight showcases a cross-section of an artist’s cover work. View past installments, then post suggestions for future picks in the comments!

al-kooper

Dylan: “Turn the organ up.”

Wilson: “Hey, man, that cat’s not an organ player.”

Dylan: “Hey, now don’t tell me who’s an organ player and who’s not. Just turn the organ up.”

When Bob Dylan ordered producer Tom Wilson to bring up the organ in “Like a Rolling Stone,” it cemented the talents of a 21-year-old named Al Kooper into legend. (Kooper tells the whole story in his fantastic autobiography Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards.) Once serendipity has allowed you to put a trademark stamp on arguably the greatest rock ‘n’ roll song of all time, there’s nowhere to go but down, right?

Wrong – in fact, Kooper was just getting started.
Continue reading »

Five Good Covers: In The Pines (Where Did You Sleep Last Night) (Traditional)

 Posted by at 5:00 pm  14 Responses »
Jan 262016
 

Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.

LeadBellyNY

“In The Pines,” AKA “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” AKA “Black Girl,” is a traditional Appalachian folk song, nearly a century and a half old, that encompasses elements of searing heartbreak, perceived betrayal, death (by decapitation in many cases), and murder. Not to mention the fact the the song title is named after a location where “the sun don’t ever shine” and “we shiver when the cold wind blows.”

Not exactly “Kumbaya,” right? Which is fortunate, because if this song had been about the warm and fuzzies, it never would have lasted to become the haunting classic it remains today.

Continue reading »

Five Good Covers: Summertime (George Gershwin)

 Posted by at 4:00 pm  2 Responses »
Jan 122016
 

   Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.

UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Sam Cooke (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

“Summertime,” one of the most covered songs in music history (just ask The Summertime Connection), has always inspired masterful performances. The song weaves simple yet potent lyrics with a slow, steady harmonic progression, paving the way for poised renditions, yet its strengths allow the artists to freely improvise this musical masterpiece to make it distinctly their own. Covers range from chilling and ominous to sultry and even joyous, always maintaining the song’s soulful cool. Most importantly, “Summertime”‘s depth provides a canvas for inspired artists to create breathtakingly beautiful art.
Continue reading »

 Newer Entries