Show Time!

Today, when people, who didn't have the age and good fortune to experience Oscar Alemán live on stage, are listening to his records, they may seem to forget that Alemán's success as a musician largely depended on his ability to entertain audiences attending his live performances. Reports and tales from people, who actually experienced his live stage acts together with his Quinteto de Swing or Orquesta de Jazz, often have pointed to Alemán's good humor and joking on stage. Earlier, this was a natural part of entertainment to keep up the high spirits of the audience so that people would not get bored with the show. In Alemán's case humor was an integrated part of his concept of 'good music', this aspect is detectable in many of his solo contributions as small quotations from unexpected tunes within the actual tune being played. Further, some of his vocal contributions on records also reflect a good sense of humor, - humor thus seems to be the well of aqua vita, from which great entertainers and stage acteurs get their inspiration to stand the pressure of staying in the spotlight at ease.

To illustrate what good humor means in entertainment I found an uploaded video at YouTube reflecting the subject and further refering to a tune also recorded by Oscar Alemán - Enjoy John Reynolds and The Ditty Bobs performing "You Made Me Love You" sung in Spanish like Alemán's version ("Estoy Enomorado") and with great whistling and guitar playing



To end this small entry you may enjoy another uploaded video, this time featuring the original sound track from Alemán's recording of "Estoy Enamorado" - WARNING: The accompanying moving pictures are for gents only, but I think ladies will forgive them - and me, as well - having a healthy laugh following the 'naughty' but rather 'innocent' show on screen from anno dazumal. Anyway, I hope you to enjoy

Jo