Dixieland at Disneyland

The first nighttime Disneyland event on the Rivers of America was not Fantasmic! Instead, it was Dixieland at Disneyland, debuting in 1960. There was no New Orleans Square yet, but it was such a very popular event, that they did it again. Imagine riding all the beloved attractions of a young Disneyland and getting to see a living legend perform- Louis Armstrong. Live jazz from a master, a cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat at night, and all of this for one very affordable price! I'd give up Fantasmic! in its current state in a heartbeat to cruise the river at night again. But any way you look at it, Walt's park was the place to be. What a Wonderful World indeed!

Charlie Puth to the Rescue

Charlie Puth delivered something I did not expect. I was in a drought of sorts. Nothing sounded good to me. It's not too often I experience a season like that when music doesn't appeal to me and everything sounds a bit tired, flat and uninspired. And then something changed. Browsing around, I found a jazz version of Done for Me. I liked the original a lot, so I gave it a listen. It was so fresh, so unexpected, so fun. And like that in an instant, everything began to sound good again. Now, Charlie, how about a whole album of jazz?

(Photograph from Entertainment Weekly.)

All Hail the Queen Latifah

Quick takes on a terrific disc: Queen Latifah makes one great jazz album as she comes clean with her roots and moves farther away from the street stuff. Arrangements are tight, the musicians swing as they should, and vocals perfectly float into your ears. Keeps me eager for more.

Good cuts- Simply Beautiful and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, showing alot of diversity in style. Don't Miss Cuts- Hard Times and If I Had You. Just stunning. Perfect for those late night top down in the car summer drives. Trust me, you'll want to hear these over and over.