x
Yesterday a major event was arranged by Fleure at her Enchanted Corner in order to raise funds for Relay For Life which supports efforts to cure cancer. Being April 1st Fleure had called her event Fools for a Cure, and as well as the entertainment provided free by a very talented programme of musical performers Fleure had also put a huge amount of work into constructing an extensive Carnival nearby. I can testify to the great fun of the Carnival having spent almost an hour battling with and being battered by Dottie on the dodgems and the tremendous fits of laughter which that gave us :)))
In the evening I went back to listen to two of the musicians. First was Elvina Carlucci who was at her most charming and entertaining best - thank you Elvina :)) Later I returned with the intention of blogging a new performer for me - Shantu Selene.
x
Shantu Selene or real life Danny Bowman from the Midwest USA composes, sings, plays, records, and produces in his own studio. He's an established and popular performer in Second Life.
His influences are: Elvis, Beatles, Hendrix, Clapton, old time rock and roll, with a touch of blues and country here and there, occasionally peppered with a little Latin. A real musical mongrel...but from a very good vintage.
Shantu started by saying how important it is to donate to Relay for Life and that he felt a personal involvement because cancer had also touched his own family. He began with James Taylor's 1971 hit You've Got a Friend written by Carole King.
When you're down and troubled
and you need a helping hand,
and nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you got to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.
Here is a professional singer !!! Shantu is so easy to listen to and wonderfully entertaining. He plays great acoustic guitar, and puts together excellent backing tracks.
His next was Bobby Darin's 1959 soulful rock hit Dream Lover Again his acoustic guitar playing was tuneful, skillful and effortless and provided a perfect contrast to his mellow voice. There was a good balance of guitar and voice, all was easy to listen to, pleasing and cool.
Shantu has more than 20 originals on his Song List. His next song Show Your Love was one of these.
Two hearts one dance looking for sweet romance
hey baby !
show your love ......
Oh one dream one life one chance to get it right
show your love ....
Two more originals followed Here Comes You and one requested by Gramma Fiddlesticks If I Never Find Tomorrow
And if I never find tomorrow will you still be there .....
Hare Fadoodle has a thing about bunny jokes :))) and requested Marc Cohn's 1991 song Hoppin in Memphis
Put on my blue suede shoes and
I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain
W.C. Handy
Won't you look down over me
Yeah, I got a first class ticket
But I'm as blue as a boy can be
Then I'm walking in Memphis
I was walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel ?
Shantu has an individual style and makes all the songs his own. His acoustic guitar playing is nicely embellished with a distinctive hard slap on the wood !!
There were 17 people in the audience all having fun, enjoying the evening and dancing :)
 |
| Carnival |
Much more was to come !! Shantu continued with a gorgeously romantic, overlooked and underrated ballad Angel
Angel, with those angel eyes
Come and take this earth boy
Up to paradise
Angel, may I hold you tight?
Never kissed an angel
Let me kiss one tonight
If I said "I love you"
Would I be speaking out of turn?
I'm only human, but I'm willing to learn
Angel, make my wish comes true
Let me be in heaven here on earth with you
Angel, never kissed an angel
Let me kiss one tonight
Written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, Elvis recorded it in July 1961 for his 1962 film Follow That Dream. Elvis easily has the best rendition of it. It's one of hundreds of hidden gems by King Elvis.
Shantu sang it with such beautiful style :))
Two more Shantu originals followed. First This Love then Dance With Me requested and laid claim to by Sally McMillan.
When Frey Bravin requested Over The Rainbow Shantu said he would try to do it justice, and with a tremendous injection of power he did exactly as promised !!!
.... somewhere over the rainbow !!!
Oh what a great voice !!!
Hare couldn't resist :)) " I was hoppin for this one. Hoo! Awesome ! "
Shantu's hour was over but, as there was nobody on after him he just kept singing :))
He drastically changed mood with an Elvis song rocked up in his own way -
Jailhouse Rock
" dancin to the Jailhouse Rock !! "
The great entertainment continued with a Joni Mitchell song redone by Counting Crows - Big Yellow Taxi
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
...... ..... ....
Shantu's last song was a request by Fleure Unchained Melody and again he sang it so beautifully.
Woah my love my darlin I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time ......
At the end Shantu had run over his time by 24 minutes !! Nobody was complaining :)) I'll certainly be back to listen to him again !!
He thanked all his friends on Facebook who had tuned in and signed off with -
" Peace and Love "
Thank you Shantu and thank you Fleure for a wonderfully entertaining show !
Shantu can sing, play and entertain and he's a heck of a nice guy with a modest manner and infectious laugh !!
Here's a link to his site on Soundclick Get his originals there.
Here is the SLURL to get to Fleure's Enchanted Corner
x
No comments:
Post a Comment