Miss Kitsch

A Washington Post style editor's fascinating and irresistible look back on the Miss America pageant as it approaches its 100th anniversary.

In via del Corallo 25, a Roma, nei pressi di piazza Navona, si sale su per una scala abbastanza anonima per accedere, all'ultimo piano, al minuscolo appartamento mansardato in cui abitava Amelia Rosselli. L'11 febbraio 1996, la poetessa, nata a Parigi dall'esule antifascista Carlo Rosselli e dall'inglese Marion Catherine Cave, apri la finestra di quell'appartamento e, una volta sul balconcino, scavalcò l'inferriata e si lasciò cadere dal quinto piano giù nel cortile. Concluse così la sua vita, una vita sprofondata nel mare nero dell'inconscio, dal quale soltanto con la poesia le era stato permesso talvolta di riaffiorare. Donna di «una stravaganza sfuggente e ridanciana», come ha scritto Sandra Petrignani, Amelia Rosselli «raccontava di sé senza reticenze, con la sincerità incandescente che hanno i poeti»..

A landmark album by Donald Byrd - the first one where he really started to click with jazz-funk producer Larry Mizell! Mizell and Byrd had worked together previously on the Black Byrd album - a soaring bit of futuristic jazz funk that took Byrd's career to a whole new level – but this album's the one where they really began to make the formula cook, blending together tight funky rhythms, spacey keyboards, soulful vocals, and some of Donald's best solo work of the 70s! The whole thing's a masterpiece, and all tracks sparkle – including "Lansana's Priestess", "Witch Hunt", and "Street Lady", one of the funkiest tracks ever on Blue Note. A haunting record with a beautiful spacey groove, and one of the best-ever albums on Blue Note!

A sleazy, funky, slick and snazzy collection of music swiped from adult cinema classics! 70's and 80's magic, passion and beats!! Sultry kitsch, remastered magic and lossless classics!

Not surprisingly, Robert Goulet's Woman, Woman is preoccupied with love. This album is worth tracking down for the title track alone. It's big Vegas sound will be popular with fans of Tom Jones, et al. It is soft enough to be sweet and bombastic enough to be fun and cheesy. The other tracks include "What a Wonderful World," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," and "Love Is Blue." A good, dramatic pop album by one of the masters. Recommended for those looking for the right Goulet album with just enough kitsch to make it fun but not so much that it is unlistenable. Start here.

A sleazy, funky, slick and snazzy collection of music swiped from adult cinema classics! 70's and 80's magic, passion and beats!! Sultry kitsch, remastered magic and lossless classics!