Music for a Rainy Night

Clockwise: Darren Ockert; Janis Ian; Matt Gold; and Dave Koz.

Here on the East coast, the rain started during the middle of the night, and has continued all day, at least for us. There are some reports it might change to snow, but so far, it has not. As I look out the window, I can hardly see, for the rain has beaten through the screen, causing a watery blur to make outside seem distant. So the cold and damp day also makes me want to reach for a blanket to curl up on the sofa, or even to crawl back into bed, snug in a warm blanket or two. All this made me think of a song or two, perfect to capture this feeling. It was then the light bulb went on, and I knew what I was going to post about - the rain. So I opened up iTunes, typed in 'rain' to see what came up. And a stunning 472 possibilities came up, giving me plenty of room to pick and choose. I decided to go with artists who were out and proud members of the LGBT community, making beautiful music. I still trimmed further, simply by picking some favorite songs. And one of those favorites is by Darren Ockert, an ElectroPop singer/songwriter. His song "Out of the Rain" is off his album 'Anything Is Possible'. The chorus is so damn catchy, I find the song irresistible.

You can purchase the album 'Anything Is Possible' on iTunes or Amazon. Folk artist Janis Ian is best known for her stunning "At Seventeen", a song that takes a close look at a young woman coming of age, and the pressures that come with maturing into womanhood. Her songs were often stories that were based on her experience, coming straight from the heart. Such is the case for the next song, "Night Rains". The moody song captures the feelings and emotions behind one of the rainy nights. Enjoy Janis Ian singing "Rainy Nights", off the album of the same name.

You can purchase the album 'Night Rains' on iTunes. There is something very sexy about listening to the Jazz Saxophone, which is almost doubled when I know it is a handsome man like Dave Koz. And when it is a song that seems to spen a bit of time steeping, and a little time brooding, all while you listen, I can't help but think this is a wonderful treat. That is how I feel about "Lullaby for a Rainy Night", a hit single off the 1996 album 'Off The Beaten Path'.

You can purchase the album 'Off The Beaten Path' on iTunes or Amazon. For the final song of the post, I picked a song that was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by great Johnny Mercer. "Come Rain or Come Shine" was published in 1946, and quickly became a favorite of singers around the world. Some of the greatest names in the music business have taken their turn, an a couple have already appeared on this blog. I love when an artist can take a classic like this song, and deliver a performance from their heart that stands by itself, and I think I found that when I heard singer/songwriter Matt Gold take on "Come Rain or Come Shine". This song is a Jazz standard, but in this live performance, Gold makes it sound new and fresh. Listen for yourself.

Unfortunately, Matt Gold's performance of "Come Rain or Come Shine" is not available for purchase. But you can buy his debut album 'Drown Before You Swim' on iTunes or Amazon. And you can also listen to it on his Soundcloud page. I hope you are staying warm and dry this wet and chilly day.