Center44 "The Shout Out" Weekly Newsletter/Blog

In 1979, yodeling has-been Slim Whitman, who'd been discovered 30 years earlier by Col. Tom Parker, shot a modest TV commercial to help sell a greatest hits package. With his pencil moustache, slick jet black hair, and spangly rhinestone cowboy get-up, he looked like an extra from a saloon scene of a 1930s western. And yet, Whitman's "All My Best" became a late-night telemarketing phenomena and a cultural touchstone, going on to sell four million records and becoming the best-selling television-marketed album in history. "Beautiful Dreamer" was featured on Monica's January 15th show on WFMU and is available via iTunes and Amazon.

60s Murano glass chandelier by Aureliano Toso -
67" high - presented by D'Light

Considering this youtube clip has had nearly 16 million views, you may have already seen it.  But in case you missed it, "Guilty Dog: Did You Eat the Cat Treats?" is a classic bit of pure dog-ness.  

Watch. 

 "I Wish I were Twins" by Valaida Snow

Trumpeter and singer Valaida Snow was an exceptional talentwho lead an intense and dramatic life. She played ten instruments, spoke seven languages, and famously traveled in an orchid colored Mercedes, dressed in an orchid suit, her pet monkey rigged out in an orchid jacket and cap, with her chauffeur in orchid as well. The toast of Paris and London in the early 30s and on Broadway in the 40s, Snow was arrested on drug charges in 1941 by the Germans during a European tour and was held for 18 months in a Nazi concentration camp.
"I Wish I Were Twins" was featured on Monica's January 8th show on WFMU and is available via iTunes and Amazon.

Center44 is pleased to announce the arrival of Langs de Wal, purveyors of 19th and 20th Century American, European and Latin American works of art spanning a wide range of styles and movements. One of their most recent discoveries is photographer Raymond Ciborowski, a native New Yorker dedicated to traveling the world to capture the beauty and meaning found within forgotten corners of the global industrial and architectural landscape.  Here are a few examples of Raymond’s fantastic limited edition photographs which can be purchased in sizes ranging from 19” to 72”.  And you'll find more from the Langs de Wal collection in New This Week, below.

"You Will Spend Your Forevers With Me" 2010,
by Raymond Ciborowski

Stephin Merritt's beautiful basso profondo and whipsmart wit take us for a last dance on this sweetly spinning lullaby - an ode to the temporal joys of gathering ye disco rosebuds while ye may. For when the hips give out and the knees start to creak, "There'll be time enough for rocking when we're old." Mortality has never sounded so melodic. From 69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields' critically acclaimed 3-disc opus that reinvented the pop songbook. Featured on Monica's January 1st show on WFMU and available via iTunes and Amazon. 

Rare Carved Figural Turkey Carving Set
Presented by Digs

Barovier & Toso Bird Sculpture
Presented by Greg Nanamura

Italian Gilt Wood Carved Eagle, 18th C
Presented by Urban Eight

 "Snow Bird" by Chet Atkins

Virtuoso guitarist Chet Atkins flies free and easy across the frets on his 1971 cover of Anne Murray's massive hit, "Snowbird". An architect of the "Nashville sound," melding honky tonk with pop in the 50s and 60s, Atkins cut countless session and solo recordings, including dates with Elvis, the Everly Brothers, and Hank Williams. Inspired by Merle Travis, Les Paul and Django Reinhardt, his own picking style influenced George Harrison, Duane Eddy, Eddie Cochran, Eric Clapton and others. "Snowbird" was featured on Monica's December 18th show on WFMU and can be found on The Essential Chet Atkins via iTunes and Amazon.

"Orange Blossom Special" by Felix Slatkin

"Orange Blossom Special"  is known as "the fiddle player's national anthem." Written in 1938, it's named after a super swanky passenger train renowned for its speed and luxury that ran between New York City and Miami between 1925-1953. Felix Slatkin's 1962 recording of this country classic is nothing short of a symphonic hoedown, capturing all the opulence and acceleration of riding this fabled train. "Orange Blossom Special" was featured on Monica's December 11th show on WFMU and can be found on iTunes  and Amazon.

Holiday Hours

Center44 will close for the Holidays from

Saturday, Dec. 24th - Sunday, Jan. 1st

We'll reopen with regular hours on Monday, Jan. 2nd.

We wish everyone the Merriest of Times!

"How Glad I Am" by Fontella Bass

Nancy Wilson's 1964 recording remains the best-known version of "How Glad I Am," but mid-sixties sensation Fontella Bass killed it on her own plush and deeply intense version for the Chess/Checker label. Shortly after her big career hit, 1965's blistering "Rescue Me," Bass's soaringly soulful talents were stifled over mishegas related to royalties and writing credits. Bass, the daughter of gospel vocalist Martha Bass of the Clara Ward Singers, went on to marry and record with renowned avant-garde trumpet legend Lester Bowie, co-founder of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and eventually returned to her St. Louis gospel roots. "How Glad I Am" was featured on Monica's December 4th show on WFMU.

This very brief video, titled

"Panda Sneeze"

is one of the funniest ever!

 "Wild Thing"  by  The Wild Ones

In May, 1965, shortly after her divorce from Richard Burton, Sybil Burton opened mod discotheque Arthur on East 54th Street. It became the hottest club in town with regulars that included Tennessee Williams, Princess Margaret, Lee Remick, Rudolf Nureyev, Truman Capote, Liza Minnelli, and Andy Warhol. Burton also married the much younger Jordan Christopher, a hunky former hairdresser turned musical director of Arthur's house band The Wild Ones. Jordan soon left the band for a budding acting career but The Wild Ones went on to record the original 1965 version of "Wild Thing," written by Chip Taylor (brother of Jon Voight). It wasn't a hit for them but was quickly covered by The Troggs and a garage rock anthem was born. "Wild Thing," featured on Monica's November 27th show on WFMU, can be purchased via iTunes.

 "When You're Smiling"
Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra
feat. Georgia White

This swinging 1930 recording of "When You're Smiling" by Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra also marked the debut recording of barrelhouse blues vocalist Georgia White and it's killer-diller. Noone is considered one of the best jazz clarinetists of all time and the one-two punch of his snaking solo over and under White's exuberant vocal makes for one swell toe-tapper. Recorded in Chicago for the Vocalion label, it can be found on both iTunes and Amazon (Amazon Link). "When You're Smiling" was featured on Monica's November 20th show on WFMU

We get sent so many wonderful YouTube clips that we've decided to add a new feature to the Shout Out called "Tube of the Week" so we can share some of the best with you. 

We begin with "Rotate Your Owl" - provided by new contributing editor Chris Rudkin.  And, yes, that's a real owl.  Enjoy!