The GREATEST?

OH, FOR FUCK’S SAKE. ANOTHER BEST-OF LIST? ANOTHER “GREATEST SINGER OF ALL TIME” POLL? ANOTHER ROCK HALL INDUCTEE THAT SHOULD’VE BEEN IN TWENTY YEARS AGO WHILE SOME GENIUS ROTS IN THE “SNUBBED” SECTION? Let us—the fans of Streisand, Minnelli, Gino Vanelli, Mina, Mel Tormé, Ella, Kurt…

Creative?

Playful, Gritty, and Unpolished: 

Eric Van Aro Lets the Music Breathe on a Fearless New Release by Adam Bailey • Reviews • 05 April 2026 There is something undeniably gutsy about a jazz singer taking on Alice Cooper, but Eric Van Aro has never been one to play it safe. On his latest quartet…

The Lost Art of Musical Restraint: A Critical Opinion on Contemporary Vocal Technique by Eric van Aro Like many viewers, I occasionally find myself on YouTube. To be candid, approximately ninety percent of the content I encounter lacks artistic merit. Yet every so often, one discovers a genuine surprise. Recently, I came across a video of Patti Austin performing a Bob Dylan song with a live band in front of an audience. The performance runs roughly eight minutes—far longer than what the current attention economy typically accommodates—but it rewards patience.

The Lost Art of Musical Restraint: A Critical Opinion on Contemporary Vocal Technique by Eric van Aro

Like many viewers, I occasionally find myself on YouTube. To be candid, approximately ninety percent of the content I encounter lacks artistic merit. Yet every so often, one discovers a genuine…

Thank God i moved out of utah!

It’s Never Too Late for a Comeback: The Disappointments Returns for Season Two It’s Never Too Late for a Comeback: The Disappointments Returns for Season Two There’s a new show that understands life doesn’t always go according to plan—and that sometimes, the best stories begin after sixty. The Disappointments is a comedic TV series with a simple but irresistible premise: three gay friends in their sixties who are single, broke, and desperately trying to turn their disappointing lives around.

It’s Never Too Late for a Comeback: The Disappointments Returns for Season Two

It’s Never Too Late for a Comeback: The Disappointments Returns for Season Two There’s a new show that understands life doesn’t always go according to plan—and that sometimes, the best stories begin after sixty. The…

Unser vorheriger Blog vom 20. März? ZENSIERT! ⚠️🕵️♂️ ZENSIERT! ⚠️🕵️♂️Ja, ihr dürft jetzt wild mit den Augen rollen – aber keine Panik: Die vollständige, ungekürzte, atemberaubend ehrliche Ultra-Version könnt ihr natürlich auf unserem Blog bewundern.Einfach nach dem 20. März suchen.Ist ganz interessant.Versprochen.Außer ihr mögt keine interessanten Dinge. Dann lieber nicht. 😏

Unser vorheriger Blog vom 20. März? ZENSIERT! ⚠️🕵️♂️

ZENSIERT! ⚠️🕵️♂️Ja, ihr dürft jetzt wild mit den Augen rollen – aber keine Panik: Die vollständige, ungekürzte, atemberaubend ehrliche Ultra-Version könnt ihr natürlich auf unserem Blog bewundern.Einfach nach dem 20. März suchen.Ist ganz…

Nicht nur für unsere Deutschsprachigen Freunde…. "Was sind das für Menschen , die solche Berufe ausüben? Die Sorte(sogenannte Journalisten) , die ihre eigene Großmutter auf dem Altar der eigenen Gier opfern würde. Menschen, deren einzige Erfüllung es ist, anderen ins Unglück zu wünschen. Kurz: die ekelhafteste Ausgabe des Homo sapiens." Hier das Video hierzu: (c)2026 Topfvollgold

Nicht nur für unsere Deutschsprachigen Freunde….

"Was sind das für Menschen , die solche Berufe ausüben? Die Sorte(sogenannte Journalisten) , die ihre eigene Großmutter auf dem Altar der eigenen Gier opfern würde. Menschen, deren einzige Erfüllung es ist, anderen ins Unglück zu wünschen. Kurz: die…

Oscar and his friends It's all just a line item now. A cost of doing business. You hear these numbers—$15 million allegedly spent to push a single film during "For Your Consideration" season—and you have to marvel at the grift. It's not for you, the poor soul who actually buys a ticket. It's an inside-baseball shibboleth. Full-page ads in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter…

Oscar and his friends

It's all just a line item now. A cost of doing business. You hear these numbers—$15 million allegedly spent to push a single film during "For Your Consideration" season—and you have to marvel at the grift. It's not for you, the poor soul who actually buys a ticket. It's an…

Liza Minnelli: “Kids, wait till you hear this!” I just finished listening “kids, wait till you hear this!” by my oh so beloved Liza. I’m not going to talk about whether the reading voice was enhanced by AI or not. I heard Liza, and I love it. I won’t go into scandals, and I won’t go into Substance Use Disorder—I had my share of that with my Dad.

Liza Minnelli: “Kids, wait till you hear this!”

I just finished listening “kids, wait till you hear this!” by my oh so beloved Liza. I’m not going to talk about whether the reading voice was enhanced by AI or not. I heard Liza, and I love it. I won’t go into scandals, and I won’t go into Substance…

“The Eric van Aro Quartet”… a message from Eric

Dalla musica all’elettrodomestico: il mio personale viaggio a Sanremo via WhatsApp! di Eric van Aro E così... eccomi qui a Londra, che mi godo una serata tranquilla, quando un amico mi manda un video del Festival di Sanremo. Una girl band con una cantante di belle speranze, ospite una signora che cantava anni fa, insieme massacrano una canzone rock già di per sé mediocre, per poi passare a "Whole Lotta Love" dei Led Zeppelin, nella solita, agghiacciante pronuncia inglese all'italiana, con la sensibilità musicale di un elettrodomestico.

Dalla musica all’elettrodomestico: il mio personale viaggio a Sanremo via WhatsApp! di Eric van Aro

E così... eccomi qui a Londra, che mi godo una serata tranquilla, quando un amico mi manda un video del Festival di Sanremo. Una girl band con una cantante di belle speranze, ospite una signora che…

Billy and Bambi Ah, yes. The artistic milieu—that gilded playground where one is granted the profound privilege of mingling with the “extraordinary.” How fortunate we are to have our minds forcibly pried open by such a dazzling array of bohemian spirits, each more fascinating than the last. It is, as they say, a wonderful world to be part of, a veritable feast of inspiration and belief.

Billy and Bambi

Ah, yes. The artistic milieu—that gilded playground where one is granted the profound privilege of mingling with the “extraordinary.” How fortunate we are to have our minds forcibly pried open by such a dazzling array of bohemian spirits, each more fascinating than the last. It is,…

An Inquiry into the Absurd “Business Plans” of Public Domain Parasites To Whom It May Concern (or Should Concern Anyone with a Functioning Brain), We are writing to express our utter bewilderment—and thinly veiled contempt—for the baffling ecosystem that has sprung up around the public domain recordings of Caterina Valente. What we are witnessing is not a market. It is a clown car of redundancy, a festival of pointlessness, a masterclass in idiotic, copy-paste "entrepreneurship."

An Inquiry into the Absurd “Business Plans” of Public Domain Parasites

To Whom It May Concern (or Should Concern Anyone with a Functioning Brain), We are writing to express our utter bewilderment—and thinly veiled contempt—for the baffling ecosystem that has sprung up around the public domain…

Gene Kelly, Nick Castle and Caterina Valente by Patricia Ward Kelly

Gene Kelly, Nick Castle and Caterina Valente by Patricia Ward Kelly

The Eric van Aro Quartet In an age of digital perfection and isolated production, we are about to undertake a rare event. The Eric Van Aro Quartet are not merely releasing an album; we are resurrecting a ghost. The Album is a profound journey back to the source. Eric Van Aro grew up in the old way, surrounded by the warm hiss of tape machines and the sacred ritual of the live take.

The Eric van Aro Quartet

In an age of digital perfection and isolated production, we are about to undertake a rare event. The Eric Van Aro Quartet are not merely releasing an album; we are resurrecting a ghost. The Album is a profound journey back to the source. Eric Van Aro grew up in the old…

Oh, what a completely unexpected and heartwarming tale of petty industry gossip from the groovy 70s. Truly, the stuff of legends. So, picture it: Germany, sometime during the era of disco and questionable fashion. Barry Manilow, pop music’s premier supplier of heartfelt ballads, is quietly eating some presumably very beige promotional lunch. Then, to his *absolute shock*, the local promo hacks start casually trashing the legendary Caterina Valente. One can only imagine his horror—finding out that not everyone in a dreary German conference room shared his impeccable taste!

Oh, what a completely unexpected and heartwarming tale of petty industry gossip from the groovy 70s. Truly, the stuff of legends.

So, picture it: Germany, sometime during the era of disco and questionable fashion. Barry Manilow, pop music’s premier supplier of heartfelt ballads, is quietly eating…

Reclaiming a Legacy: On Caterina Valente, The Unseen Architect We rightly celebrate the icons. Their names are etched into the bedrock of music history: **Sister Rosetta Tharpe**, who fused gospel fervor with roaring electric blues guitar; **Joni Mitchell**, whose poetic genius and revolutionary tunings created landscapes of sound and emotion. I am, and will always be, an ardent admirer of these pioneers and the countless extraordinary women who have shaped music with their guitars, their songs, and their voices.

Reclaiming a Legacy: On Caterina Valente, The Unseen Architect

We rightly celebrate the icons. Their names are etched into the bedrock of music history: **Sister Rosetta Tharpe**, who fused gospel fervor with roaring electric blues guitar; **Joni Mitchell**, whose poetic genius and revolutionary…

…SOON ON VINYL ONLY!

…SOON ON VINYL ONLY!

Wikipedia There have been ongoing issues with inaccurate information about Eric Van Aro on Wikipedia. Previously, the German-language version of his page was targeted for defamatory edits. Currently, there are new inaccuracies being published regarding his mother, which incorrectly state that, in addition to his brother Alex, he has another sibling. The source of this specific claim is unclear. It is perplexing why anonymous editors would assert definitive personal details about individuals they do not know.

Wikipedia

There have been ongoing issues with inaccurate information about Eric Van Aro on Wikipedia. Previously, the German-language version of his page was targeted for defamatory edits. Currently, there are new inaccuracies being published regarding his mother, which incorrectly state that, in…

Happy heavenly 95th Birthday

Happy heavenly 95th Birthday

Chiaroscuro vs. Technicolor: The Ridiculous Dietrich-Valente Paradox It is, of course, a monumental feat of cultural insight to connect two figures whose primary commonality is having been photographed while residing in Europe. Dieter Batzeko’s earnest attempt to tether **Caterina Valente** to **Marlene Dietrich** has, predictably, sent the less discerning corners of the media into a frenzy of groundless comparison. Let us, therefore, administer a sobering dose of fact.

Chiaroscuro vs. Technicolor: The Ridiculous Dietrich-Valente Paradox

It is, of course, a monumental feat of cultural insight to connect two figures whose primary commonality is having been photographed while residing in Europe. Dieter Batzeko’s earnest attempt to tether **Caterina Valente** to…

Statement on the Isolation of Musical Components While the technological ability to isolate vocal and instrumental tracks from finished recordings is fascinating and can offer educational insights, we must critically examine its ethical and artistic implications. We oppose the casual public distribution and consumption of these isolated tracks. This practice fundamentally undermines the artistic vision and intent. A recorded work is a holistic creation where every element—from the lead vocal to the subtle texture of a backing instrument—is meticulously balanced and blended to create a specific emotional experience.

Statement on the Isolation of Musical Components

While the technological ability to isolate vocal and instrumental tracks from finished recordings is fascinating and can offer educational insights, we must critically examine its ethical and artistic implications. We oppose the casual public…

Presence on the Ai CIRCUIT

It is remarkable to see the artistic and sophisticated AI tributes created for Mina, the legendary Italian singer. These works showcase a deep respect for her artistry and copyrights, using technology as a tool for creative expression. In contrast, it seems the approach…

Having Fun…? What an absolutely *delightful* and *smooth* journey this album has been! Yes, the beginning was pure, unadulterated joy. A legendary singer, guitarist, Caterina Valente, ditches her own guitar for a brilliant Swiss guitarist Bill von Arx. They connect, brainstorm in her home with her son Eric, all while Caterina whips up meals. It was a veritable *picnic of creativity*. The recording sessions?

Having Fun…?

What an absolutely *delightful* and *smooth* journey this album has been! Yes, the beginning was pure, unadulterated joy. A legendary singer, guitarist, Caterina Valente, ditches her own guitar for a brilliant Swiss guitarist Bill von Arx. They connect, brainstorm in her home with her…

THANK YOU JANE FONDA! We’ve never been Jane Fonda’s biggest fan—fine, she’s a proven, powerhouse actress, granted. But my personal taste isn’t the point. What absolutely **INFURIATES** me is the decades-long, wilfully ignorant, bad-faith hammering she gets over that **"Hanoi Jane"** label. Are you people intellectually bankrupt? Have you no capacity for context, for growth, for **basic human understanding**? The incident has been dissected, explained, and lamented by *herself* more times than anyone can count.

THANK YOU JANE FONDA!

We’ve never been Jane Fonda’s biggest fan—fine, she’s a proven, powerhouse actress, granted. But my personal taste isn’t the point. What absolutely **INFURIATES** me is the decades-long, wilfully ignorant, bad-faith hammering she gets over that **"Hanoi Jane"** label. Are you…

Eric Van Aro Returns to the Source, Without a Net I am about to undertake a rare event. The Eric Van Aro Quartet are not merely releasing an album; we are resurrecting a ghost. This is my profound journey back to the source. I grew up surrounded by the warm hiss of tape machines and the sacred ritual of the live take. My career has navigated jazz, rock, Latin rhythms, and electronic music, but I have always been pulled by a deeper current.

Eric Van Aro Returns to the Source, Without a Net

I am about to undertake a rare event. The Eric Van Aro Quartet are not merely releasing an album; we are resurrecting a ghost. This is my profound journey back to the source. I grew up surrounded by the warm hiss of tape machines and the sacred…

The Valente Kids of Ticino: When Your Family Tree is Also a Tour Schedule So, you know how some families pass down recipes, bad haircuts, or a stubborn inability to ask for directions? The Valente family of Ticino passes down something else: pure, uncut, musical genius. With parents who are literal global superstars (no pressure, kids!), it was less a matter of *if* the talent would rub off, and more a matter of *how much* it would stain.

The Valente Kids of Ticino: When Your Family Tree is Also a Tour Schedule

So, you know how some families pass down recipes, bad haircuts, or a stubborn inability to ask for directions? The Valente family of Ticino passes down something else: pure, uncut, musical genius. With parents who are…

Get Your Priorities Straight: Cher’s Performance is the Least of Music’s “Fake” Problems. You're criticizing a legend for imperfect lip-syncing on live TV, while the music you stream daily is a construct of plugins and studio magic. The priority here is severely misplaced. The real issue isn't Cher's performance; it's the demand for a flawed authenticity from performers while consuming pristine artificiality everywhere else. Get your priorities straight.

Get Your Priorities Straight: Cher’s Performance is the Least of Music’s “Fake” Problems.

You're criticizing a legend for imperfect lip-syncing on live TV, while the music you stream daily is a construct of plugins and studio magic. The priority here is severely misplaced. The real issue isn't…

Jingle Blogs, Jingle Blogs, Read them All the Way! Surviving showbiz for 8 generations gives you stories. So many stories.We're telling them all—the good, the awkward, the "wait, that really happened?" Dive into anecdotes, myths debunked, and everything in between. Oh and by the way… enjoy your holidays! The ERAKI Entertainment team

Jingle Blogs, Jingle Blogs, Read them All the Way!

Surviving showbiz for 8 generations gives you stories. So many stories.We're telling them all—the good, the awkward, the "wait, that really happened?" Dive into anecdotes, myths debunked, and everything in between. Oh and by the way… enjoy your…