January 23, 2002
From the desk of Mindles H. Dreck:Fever Pitch
Peggy Lee lived a long rich life, but her passing is still a sad milestone.
I don't listen to Peggy Lee recordings much, but those I have heard revealed that she was capable of really putting herself into the lyrics. Her personality came through in her singing. she was so expressive and conveyed emotions easily through song.
Hers was an unusual and rare ability. I once had the privilege of listening to Yo-Yo Ma play live in someone's living room. We all sat in a circle around him in a kind of trance. If you've ever seen him play, you know he goes into a kind of trance. His eyes narrow and his breathing patterns change. It's almost like his whole body becomes part of his instrument and they are possessed together by the music. Yo-Yo has an infectiously exuberant personality, which comes through in his playing and sucks you into it.
Like Yo-Yo Ma, the greatest musicians transcend technical proficiency and reach this emotionally charged plane. There are too few who can do that, and Peggy Lee was one.
Posted by Mindles H. Dreck at January 23, 2002 6:15 AM | Technorati inbound links