Some time back in the eighties a friend put me on to Thats the Way I Feel Now, a compilation of Thelonius Monk material compiled and produced by Hal WIlner. Inspired by the thinking and how it all held together that led me on to Lost in the Stars, an album of Kurt Weill songs. It also seemed to help that Wilner chose to work with artists like Tom Waits and other that I admired. Stay Awake, featuring Disney songs has been a favourite and when I heard that Jarvis Cocker had roped in Hal Wilner to pull it in London as part of the the Meltdown festival I booked tickets.
As other reviewers may mention it was a mixed bag with some high peaks and a few lowlands. Already one of those peaks - Pete Doherty doing Chim Chim Cheree - has found it way onto YouTube (check it out below). At least he bothered to memorise the words. Grace Jones blew us away with her take on Trust in Me from Jungle Book and Pere Ubu's frontman David Thomas battling it out with Nick Cave on Heigh Ho was a treat. Honourable mentions too for Nick Cave (Hi Diddle Dee Dee), Baaba Maal (Bare Necessities), Howie B (Little Wooden Head) and Gavin Friday (Siamese Cat Song).
38 Disney songs for over two hours including: Terry Adams, Marshall Allen, Howie B, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Doherty, Sky Edwards, Fenella Fielding, Gavin Froiday, Ed Harcourt, Leafcutter John, Grace Jones, Baaba Maal, Roger McGouch, Shane McGowen, Beth Orton all backed by Colonel Hathi's Marching Arkestra. Musical Direction by Steve Weisberg, Jun Miyake, Steve Bernstein, Kate St Jon and Stev Beresford. (Oh, and I've missed a few out). PHEW!
INTERVIEW WITH HAL WILNER
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