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DIAMOND CUTS: A Compilation of Baseball Songs and Poetry
Hungry for Music, 1997.

This entertaining CD features a delightful variety of cuts, ranging from bluegrass, folk, pop, and blues, to jazz, rap, and gospel. Unlike mainstream-targeted baseball music collections, Diamond Cuts’ twenty-five offerings are more inclusive of the great diversity inherent in the game. The strength of this collection is in the seldom heard releases that are featured, such as “The Ball Game,” “This Side of the White Line,” “Oscar Charleston,” “The Secret to Life According to Satchel Paige,” and “The Ballad of Ty Cobb.” There are also some well-known tunes like “Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball,” “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio,” and “Centerfield”. Great variety with lots of different artists, as well as short readings by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Buck O’Neil, and Bob Costas. Many of the versions on this CD were created especially for Diamond Cuts, and proceeds from sales also benefit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

“A soundtrack for America’s pastime... an album that proverbially touches all the bases: baseball, music, and verse.”
—The New York Times

Item No. 02 $15.99
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DIAMOND CUTS: Triple Play
Hungry for Music, 1999

Jeff Campbell's third collection of baseball songs (22 cuts and 70 minutes of play time) is another eclectic mix of interesting music you won't find other places, including several folk, blue grass, and instrumental ballads. Our favorites include Tom Russell's "Sunny¹s Diner," Greg Brown's "Laughing River," Chuck Brodsky's "Letters in the Dirt," Dan Bern's "They Ain't Got Baseball," Jeff Arundel's "Harmon Killebrew," and Christine Lavin's hilarious "Ballad of a Ball Game." There's also a kickin' "Dock Ellis" by SF Seals and the up-tempo "World of Orioles Baseball" by Jason Siemer.

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DIAMOND CUTS: Grand Slam
Hungry for Music, 2000

This fourth compilation of baseball songs by Hungry for Music (20 cuts and 71 minutes of play time) may be the best one yet, as Jeff Campbell continues to bring together a great variety of musical artists and styles in this wonderfully eclectic mix of baseball-themed songs. Our favorite cut is of course Dan Bern's "Merkle" (in spite of some artistic license with the facts), inspired by a story in EFQ issue 15:4, but we're also partial to the up tempo "Bill Veeck and the Baseball Man"; Jake Flack's "Earl Weaver"; Bill Kirchen's "Three Strikes and You're Out"; Ruthie and the Wrangler's "Bagged Me a Homer"; the country flavor of Marcus Hummon's "Cheap Seats" (on the beauty of minor league baseball); the wonderful piano rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by stride piano great Johnny Guarnieri; Jazzman Dave Frishberg's "Matty" tribute; and folksinger Chuck Brodsky's "Gone to Heaven" (about baseball comedian Max Patkin).

Item No. 05 $15.99
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DIAMOND CUTS: Bottom of the Fifth
Hungry for Music, 2002

The fifth volume in this series features twenty cuts and sixty-six minutes of music, and like the past four releases, is sure to bring lots of satisfying listening. Tracks include songs about baseball greats Joe DiMaggio, Walter Johnson, Ozzie Smith, and Mickey Mantle, but the strength of this CD, as with previous compilations, is the variety of music styles and stories, such as Chuck Brodsky's "Bonehead Merkle," Dan Bern's "If the Dodgers Had Stayed in Brooklyn," Padre coach/singer/songwriter Tim Flannery's "The Baseball Song," George Winston's "Baseball Blues,"Henry Sapoznik's Yiddish version of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game,"EFQ contributor Mikhail Horowitz’s wonderful "Cool Casey"parody, and Tim Wilson's hilarious "Ballad of John Rocker."

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DIAMOND CUTS: Top of the Sixth
Hungry for Music, 2003

The sixth release in this fine series of baseball songs features twenty-one cuts and 74 minutes of play time. Like past collections, there is a variety of music and artists, including rock, folk, jazz, country, and instrumental performers. Baseball personalities featured in song include Moe Berg, Dizzy Dean, Pedro Guerrero, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Rube Marquard, Biff Pocoroba, and Cal Ripken. Highlighted themes include T-Ball, AstroTurf, ballpark food, and dreams of becoming a big leaguer. Our favorites include a great "It's Opening Day" rendition by Esther Haynes and the Swingin' Dingers to kick off the CD; Bill Mallonee's "You Give it All Your Heart" (Little League); Tom Russell's "The Kid from Spavinaw" (Mickey Mantle); George Winston's "Maris' Farewell"; and anything from Chuck Brodsky and Dan Bern, two artists who have appeared on every Diamond Cuts release. And EFQ contributing editor Mikhail Horowitz again recites one of his fine poems, "Pearly Babe."

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DIAMOND CUTS: 7th Inning Stretch
Hungry for Music, 2004

Another year, another great release of baseball music by Diamond Cuts, featuring 23 songs and 76 minutes of playtime. Seventh Inning Stretch includes songs about baseball personalities such as: Warren Spahn, Herb Score, Babe Ruth, Ron Guidry, Curt Flood, Joe DiMaggio, Pete Rose, Richie Ashburn, and others. Our favorites include an Elvis-style tune ("Hardball Boogie") by Flea Bops; Greg Hardy's "Babe Ruth's Piano"; Steve Goodman's classic "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request"; Chuck Brodsky's "Whitey and Harry" folk ballad; Dan Bern's catchy "Gamblin' With My Love"; Ron Rogers' bluesy "Willie Mays"; a recitation of Ogden Nash's baseball poem by NPR's Bob Edwards, and an acoustic blues guitar rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

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DIAMOND CUTS CD COLLECTION
Volumes I thru VII
(Save $7 off individual CD prices)


Item No. 09 $105.00
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Hungry for Music is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., whose “primary mission is to aid in cultivating the self worth and self-discipline of disadvantaged children through music and creativity programs.”

The Baseball Ballads
by Chuck Brodsky, 2002

Folksinger Chuck Brodsky hits a home run with this terrific collection of story songs about an eclectic mix of baseball personalities and personal heroes. Brodsky's focus is on the lesser known and least understood figures in baseball history, and his musical talents and appreciation for a well-researched story shine through in the words and lyrics. Tracks include "The Ballad of Eddie Klepp," "Gone to Heaven" (Max Patkin), "Dock Ellis No-No," "Letters in the Dirt" (Richie Allen), "Bonehead Merkle," "Moe Berg: The Song," "The Unnatural Shooting of Eddie Waitkus," and "Whitey and Harry" (Richie Ashburn and Harry Kalas). An interview with Chuck Brodsky appears in the Fall, 2002 issue of EFQ.

Item No. 10 $15.00
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"HARMON KILLEBREW"
Single CD w/ dust jacket

Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Jeff Arundel recorded this wonderful tune of bygone days at Met Stadium as part of his "edgy" 1996 "Ride the Ride" CD, and produced less than 1000 promotional singles with a special Killebrew baseball card themed jacket. Back of DJ features stats from reverse of Killebrew's 1970 Topps baseball card.

Item No. 11 $5.00
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