5 on Friday -- Set 316

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

Although I started this year's April A to Z Blog Challenge with a strong opening week, I'm also continuing to retrain at my day job following a year-long medical leave. In the new era of pacing for strength and endurance, my old mind-over-matter thing is now history. Once again, I'll get back to the entries for the remainder of the challenge over time. I've missed three 5 on Fridays, so I've adjusted the set list number to reflect a total that includes the three missing sets -- they'll be posted as soon as I can get to them.

Now, onward to my once-a-month project for 2016.

This year I'll be focusing on Songwriters. Check back on the first Friday of each month as I take a look at the work of artists whose creative voices are most often brought to us through the performances of others.

May belongs to Cole Porter. 

My attraction to his work definitely began with the Sergio Mendes Brasil 66 version of Night and Day, which has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I've been lucky enough to sing some of his pieces in choir, which gave me a deeper insight into just how brilliant he was.

There's a reason that some artists' work rise above their contemporaries to become standards and classics, performed over changing decades and in all kinds of styles. The reason is simple: the authenticity of the work resonates deeply, speaking to all of us about what it feels like to live, to love and to survive.

The hardest part of getting this set list together was not the exquisite pleasure in assembling a long 'short list' of songs. The hard part was leaving off so many glorious gems.

1 - Let's Misbehave - Irving Aaronson and his Commanders featuring vocals by Phil Saxe 

2 - So In Love - k d lang 

3 - Night and Day - Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 

4 - You're the Top - Ella Fitzgerald 

5 - I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra 

If you'd like to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.