August 9, 2011

As the epitome of vocal cool and confidence, Frank Sinatra ruled the Las Vegas strip for more than two decades. This compilation draws on four of his best performances there between 1961 and 1987. In a 1966 recording, Old Blue Eyes is at his Rat Pack best on "I've Got You Under My Skin," with growling backup from Count Basie and his orchestra. But he was no less spunky in '82, singing "New York, New York" with humorous asides to Chicago and Kansas City before taking the tune home on a high note.

Part of the Minneapolis posse of Lutheran musicians that includes Jona­than Rundman and Echelon, Nate Houge offers up a heartfelt CD that creates a gentle mood for worship and the time leading to it. The 28 songs run the gamut from "Faith Renew" (anchored by the simple, sweet playing of violinist Mari Carlson) to the bongo-driven "God Over Everything," which begins with the familiar "holy, holy, holy" refrain. Highly recommended for use with kids and youth groups, though there's nothing childish about this fine disc (natehouge.com).

We should respect people with whom we disagree. Should we also respect their convictions, even when these comprise an overarching interpretation of life with which we fundamentally disagree?

With the recent resurgence in the Four Seasons' popularity thanks to Jersey Boys, it's an apt time to rediscover Cannon (born Frederick Picariello), another East Coast Italian-American who worked with Four Seasons producer Bob Crewe. The 24 songs here recall the pre-Beatles era, and the amazingly propulsive "Tallahassee Lassie" sounds as rough and tumble as anything you'll hear by Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry. Other swingin' hits here include "Pali­sades Park," penned by former Gong Show host Chuck Barris.

Some education reformers are trying to shift the focus from test scores to the broader circumstances of children's lives. One idea emphasizes schools as places where children connect with the broader society.

"People need to hear the good news," says Katherine Willis Pershey of First Congregational Church in Western Springs, Illinois. "If the church doesn't take on this mission, I'm afraid—well, that's where that sentence can end. I'm afraid."

When he's not backing up Wilco members on their solo projects, singer-songwriter Morgan Taylor makes sparkling kids' music, drawing comparisons to adult artists from Bread to the Beatles. Taylor sings about characters like a frisky eel that dresses in a wardrobe of single socks ("Slim Gets in 'Em"). The tender pop ballad "Beehive," with timpani accents and vocal swells, suggests an outtake from the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds.

With roots stretching back seven decades, the Blind Boys of Alabama  still chug along, aided here by a host of country luminaries, including Vince Gill ("Can You Give Me a Drink?") and the Oak Ridge Boys ("Take the High Road," which pairs majestic vocals with laid-back twang). It's hard to imagine a more delicious mix than the lean Dobro slide guitar and Sunday morning call-and-response vocals that fuel the remake of Muddy Waters's "Why Don't You Live So God Can Use You."

Wild Goose was a weekend of fun and free spirits, as amateur musicians circled up to play, local beer flowed, Frisbees soared and people lingered around campfires. It was also punctuated by moments of intense reflection.

Chicago's LaSalle Street Church has become a haven for musicians. This is largely due to the dynamic ministry of Gary Rand.

Meek's Cutoff has been labeled everything from a revisionist western to a feminist allegory. It rejects the conceit of a romanticized West, instead questioning the various roles and realities that accompanied the pioneers on their journeys.