A cover of "Talking Old Soldiers"

From the Detroit Free Press;

LaVette gets a rave

Bettye LaVette, the Detroit veteran of American soul music, has filmed a new video for her Grammy-nominated "The Scene of the Crime" album, a reinterpretation of Elton John's "Talking Old Soldiers." It was filmed by Lex Halaby in Detroit's the Locker Room bar in early June.

In his Pick of the Week at USA Today, critic Ken Barnes wrote: "The 61-year-old Detroit soul survivor transforms Elton John's 'Tumbleweed Connection' obscurity into a tour de force about outliving the people one loves the most. ... LaVette's chill-inducing performance is without question one of the finest you'll hear all year."

Her "The Old Soldiers Tour" has seen LaVette at the Telluride Jazz Celebration, the Monterey Bay Blues Festival and the inaugural Rothbury Festival. The tour continues up until the holiday season.

"Elton" voted off of The One and Only

Apparently their is a reality show in the UK called "The One and Only" where contestants impersonate musicians. One contestant was Elton John and was voted off the show;

MUSIC teacher Ed Hintze has returned home to Weymouth after being voted off reality show The One and Only.

He ventured out from behind the piano to perform Elton John's I'm Still Standing, but lost out after a sing-off with the show's Cher impersonator.

Mr Hintze, 34, had survived the initial vote on the BBC1 show on Saturday night, when the Kylie Minogue tribute act was sent home.

Although two other acts wanted to keep him in the contest, four supported Cher in the 'superstar' vote after the sing-off.

Mr Hintze is a music shop boss and music teacher at All Saints' School in Weymouth.

Your Songs: The Music of Elton John

A jazz tribute album;

Tonolo/ Goldstein/ Swallow/ Motian, Your Songs: The Music of Elton John\



*** (Obliq Sound)



John Fordham

Friday May 18, 2007

The Guardian



This tribute to Elton John will probably enhance the songwriter's standing among jazzers as his romantic melodic tunes and poignantly soulful harmonies turn out to be ideal material for improvisation. The velvety sound and dark bell-notes from Italian lassical-violinist-turned-jazz-saxist Pietro Tonolo contrast with Steve Swallow's graceful bass guitar lines over drum visionary Paul Motian's restless brushwork on a haunting account of Blue Eyes. Gil Goldstein's deft, Jarrettish piano lines and Motian's imperious cymbal beat illuminate Rocket Man, and Tonolo's fragile soprano sax sound against Goldstein's accordion catches the vulnerability of Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word without adding schmaltz.Tonolo's two originals have a little less impact, but it's a fine example of jazz musicians remaking famous songs in their own likenesses.

Tracks;



Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Blue Eyes

Your Song

The One

Rocket Man

Tiny Dancer

2 original compositions

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