The Music of My Life.The Music of My Life * Pat Rocco * Cabin Records At first spin a CD by an edgy New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of electro wunderkind wun·der·kind n. pl. wun·der·kin·der 1. A child prodigy. 2. A person of remarkable talent or ability who achieves great success or acclaim at an early age. might seem to have little in common with a disc by a 60-something crooner who calls Hawaii his home. But listen to them closely, and the similarities between these two artists are as apparent as Frank Sinatra's sizzle siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. . Aside from being gay, Khan and Pat Rocco both share the same "my way" spirit. Chances are, while you may have never heard of Khan, you've heard his music. This prolific 25-year-old DJ, record-shop owner, and producer (whose real name is Can Oral) has recorded under a slew of monikers. Passport is a compendium com·pen·di·um n. pl. com·pen·di·ums or com·pen·di·a 1. A short, complete summary; an abstract. 2. A list or collection of various items. of his impressive body of work and serves as a sonic visa into his world. Khan lets no groove go unturned--or unsampled, for that matter--and the results can be jarring, mysterious, and invigorating in·vig·or·ate tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" . "Suck Blood," for instance, weds heavy-metal distortion with a wallop of a dance beat, turning it into the most wicked of go-go box bump-and-grinders. "I Put a Smile on Your Face" is a giddy techno joy ride, while the pumping "G.E.N.A.T.T.A.C.K.Z. Part1" pays homage to the body-rockin' beats of the '80s. Passport shows the beat master that Khan is. The Music of My Life is also a career overview. Rocco, who now resides on the Big Island with his partner of nearly 30 years, has enjoyed a life of singing, acting, directing (experimental gay-themed films that are gaining recognition), and activism (he claims to have introduced the first gay-themed float to Los Angeles's Hollywood Christmas Parade The Hollywood Christmas Parade took place every year for 75 years on the weekend after Thanksgiving in the Hollywood community in Los Angeles, California, United States. The parade's 3. in the late '70s). An assemblage assemblage: see collage. assemblage Three-dimensional construction made from household materials such as rope and newspapers or from any found materials. of his favorite love songs, show tunes, and little-known gems, this is Rocco's first recorded output since 1959--and the singer expects The Guinness Book of World Records to herald the CD as the first release of the new millennium. To celebrate, Rocco includes his original sassy--almost campy--version of Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot" and gives Duke Ellington's "Tomorrow Mountain" a robust treatment. Purists might wince when he strays a little off course tonally, but it's hard not to love the guy's verve. Rocco's heart is always in the right place, and The Music of My Life is primed to become a cult classic. For more information on the music and lives of Khan and Pat Rocco, head to www.advocate.com |
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