In this week's Wall Street Journal, I interviewed novelist Sue Grafton (go here), who's known for book titles pegged to alphabet letters (Y Is for Yesterday is her latest). She grew up in a stressful household in Louisville, Ky. Fearful of a dark basement that was routinely flooded, imaginary bad guys coming down the stairs and two alcoholic parents (her mother also smoked, raising the risk of starting a fire). Yet Sue was inspired by her father, a writer of detective fiction who groomed her to be an author. Through it all, Sue has a fabulous sense of humor.
Also in the WSJ, I interviewed documentation Margaret Byrne (go here) on her favorite song, 2face Idibia's African Queen and why she rarely listens to it now. Her latest documentary, Raising Bertie, will air on Monday on PBS's POV. Here's the trailer...
John Vanore. Following my post last week on one of my favorite albums of the year, John Vanore's Stolen Moments, John sent along an email:
"Thank you so much for the wonderful article. I agonized over which pieces to include in this album, wanting to create a broad stroke that would introduce and reintroduce people to Oliver Nelson's legacy. Not only do I love 3-2-1-0 and Black, Brown and Beautiful, I have, photo copies of Oliver's score and parts that he gave me in the early 1970's (along with Blues and the Abstract Truth, Self-Help, Riverside, and more). I had contacted him when I started teaching. His work became the defining music of my college students for decades. They have become keepers of the flame!
I did an arrangement of Down by the Riverside, from his Live from Los Angeles and Swiss Suite, but it was cut. I Hope in Time a Change Will Come is so strong and emotional that I chose it over Riverside.
There were so many left on the side. I recently told the band that if I'm able to get a grant, we'll do a second volume. I must also thank you for the kind words for my arranging. The guys in the band were so in love with the project, it made all the hard work a joy."
Jimmy Heath. If you're in New York next week on Aug. 28 and 29, director Bret Primack's documentary Jimmy Heath: Passing the Torch will be screened at the New York Jazz Festival. Admission: Free. Where: Harlem, at ImageNation's Raw Space, 2031 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. When: Aug. 28 at 4:20 p.m. and Aug. 29 at 3:55 p.m. For more information: Go here.
Here's the film's trailer...
Jackie DeShannon. I came across this one last week last week wandering around on YouTube. Here's Jackie in 1965 singing a little-known and very difficult Burt Bacharach-Hal David song, A Lifetime of Loneliness....
Oliver Nelson. Bill Kirchner reminded me of this version of Oliver Nelson's Black, Brown and Beautiful on Johnny Hodges's Three Shades of Blue...
Prez and Bird radio. WKCR-FM will be hosting its annual back-to-back birthday tributes to Lester Young and Charlie Parker on August 27, 28 and 29. It's a radio event not to be missed. You can tune in from around the world on your computer or phone by going here.
What the heck. Further proof that nothing can stop the Duke of Earl...
Oddball album cover of the week.
I'm uncertain why anyone would buy an album to induce tears, but that seems to have been the marketing strategy of this one. Graphically, the cover is pretty interesting. The music was aimed at those who watched others wind up in love. What might help our watcher land a suitor is to cut back a bit on the orange foudation.
from JazzWax http://ift.tt/2xkDwzJ
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