A to Z Reflections Post (#atozchallenge) #BOTB Results

          Of all blog events, #atozchallenge is the best by far!   The 2016 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge was for me perhaps the best one yet.  After seven years of doing this Challenge, the writing of the posts is much easier.  My Manhattan Project theme was my favorite that I've done so far, something which probably made the writing easier and the month more fun.  I'm pretty pleased with the way things turned out for me this year.

          Oh sure, I could list all of the usual things that I've seen as problems in the past, but if you are really interested in those you can go back in my archives and read my past Reflections posts.  A lot of those negatives still remain to be remedied.   Likewise, you'll find positives enumerated in those older posts that still held true in this year's Challenge.  I don't want this post to be a rerun or a rehashing of stuff I've said before.   I'll just leave my view of 2016 as it having been a very good Challenge.

          This year I found many exceptional themes presented and met more new bloggers that I've not come across in previous Challenges.  As always, the A to Z Challenge is an amazing showcase of creativity and fine writing.   So despite those smaller irritants that we find while making our way through the list, in the end I think the good outweighs any bad elements of A to Z.  The Reflections posts that I've read already substantiate this positive view of A to Z.

           My utmost thanks go to the incredible talent and diligence of the A to Z Team of co-hosts who expend a great deal of time and energy to make the April Challenge the wonderful event that it is.  Special kudos are due to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the blogger extraordinaire who has participated in every Challenge so far and who devoted hours in managing the Linky List for us.   Also I am deeply grateful to Heather M. Gardner for her very capable leadership of the A to Z Team this year.   We all appreciate the artistic talents of Jeremy Hawkins who provided the artwork and graphics used to promote the Challenge and identify participants.

             Every Team co-host (names can be found at a-to-zchallenge.com) and the other assistance from each co-host support team (list found here) contributed time, effort, and talent to make the 2016 Challenge a success.   I hope you will stop by all of their blogs to say hello and thank them for what they put into A to Z this time around.

            And finally, thanks to all who participated as well as those who watched from the sidelines faithfully reading and commenting on our posts, providing that much needed encouragement that we all need to keep us in the blogging game.  This blogging community is the best in the world because it involves the whole world.  A to Z is a blogging phenomena!

      If you have a Reflections post ready or you would like to write one, please visit the A to Z Challenge Blog to sign up.   Be sure to read the directions before adding your link to the list! 

Battle of the Bands Results

 
       For my most recent Battle of the Bands I wound up my A to Z Manhattan inspired theme by using Leon Russell's song "Manhattan Island Serenade".    Since I figured Leon's original version was not all that well known, I put it up against a version renamed "Oude Maasweg" by the Dutch band The Amazing Stroopwafels.   Their version begins with Russell's English lyrics and ends with additional verses in Dutch.  If you missed this Battle and would like a listen to the versions you can find it here.

      The Dutch version by the Stroopwafels took an amazing lead from the very start.  Though Leon Russell made a valiant effort to catch up, the Stroopwafels retained their lead throughout the contest.  This was surprising to me since I had figured that the majority of voters would go with Leon Russell's original version.   However, some were not familiar with Russell's version and the Stroopwafels swayed voters with their harmonies, smoother sound, and the guitar solo in the break.  This is what won me over as well, putting my vote with the majority who voted for The Amazing Stroopwafels.  Another surprising outcome in Battle of the Bands.


Final Vote Tally:

Amazing Stroopwafels     19

Leon Russell                      10    

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Don't Miss the Next Battle!

       My next Battle of the Bands post will appear this coming Sunday May 15th.  This Battle might be my most controversial yet.   The reactions might encompass a range including derision, appreciation, mirth, and perhaps even anger.  The song will be from an album that I have enjoyed listening to over the past month and think is one of the better albums released in recent years.   But what can I say other than, again, it all comes down to taste.  I like what I like.   I'll be offering a clue to the upcoming song with a post on Wednesday which will be part of my series on "Love and Ego".    Hope you will join me for these upcoming posts.

         Do you agree with my assessment of the 2016 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge?   Would you consider yourself to be a Leon Russell fan?   What do you think might be a highly controversial artist or music style for me to use in my upcoming Battle of the Bands match up?