Larry Kart

Let me get this straight - this closeted gay person cruised the watering holes of Chicago journalist types? Is that how they found out? And how does it become "well-known"? Because the journalist types spread the story far and wide? What constitutes proof? Multiple reports from different people, all of whom say that Harvey picked up someone they knew? To say it was "well-known" mostly establishes that the people spreading the story wanted to believe it. But unless you tell me that this man indiscriminately picked up anyone with a Y chromosome and didn't care who knew it, I'm going to chalk up this story to the likelihood that your average Chicago journalist hated Harvey's politics and happily spread the story, making it "well-known". No, not " the watering holes of Chicago journalist types," at least not per se. In Chicago, as in all cities of any size, there were watering holes that catered to gays and where cruising for one type of partner or another was the thing. Obviously under wraps by design, especially in the "closeted" pre-Gay Lib days (though for a figure like Harvey the closet door would have had to remain closed no matter what the era), these places were potentially porous because they were subject to regular police (vice squad) attention/harrassment, and some vice cops and associated law enforcement personnel like to gossip, especially about famous people they round up or run across, especially if those famous people happen to behave officiously toward them. And to whom do vice cops and such like to gossip about such things? Police reporters. Further, as one might expect, some habitues of gay bars (and/or members of the gay community at large) like to gossip about the presence in such places of famous person X -- especially if that person has a public persona that is quite different from their private one. Can't offer proof of the sort you'd accept, Dan, but while there obviously was some "gotcha" factor at work here, you'll have to take my word (or don't) that what I heard about Harvey in this respect over the years did not strike me as terribly tendentious in tone; it was more bemused and casual.

Also, as far as Harvey's public/moralistic homophobic stance goes, in his personal life he was gay. Yes, I know he had a wife and a son, but it was well-known in Chicago journalistic circles that Harvey was a heavy-duty cruiser, if that's the right term. Usual "Seinfeld" line applies, but then don't be a public/moralistic ... you know the drill.

Did that book become the basis for the Joseph Losey-directed film of the same name? Also, the first violinist to me doesn't look like he's using a bow per se. It looks like it he lets go of the string after each pull, moves his hand up, gathers string higher up (closer to the strings), and pulls down again. This would seem feasible if there were something like a spool of string above the strings somewhere. It also sound metallic to me, but wire would make it harder to do what I just described. Yes, the Losey film is based on the novel. Your account of what the first violinist is doing makes sense to me.

That's it. Also, looking at the clip again, I see that my account above of what the second violinist is doing makes no sense. Finally, what the heck is going on with Jimmy Lytell's hips during "A Blues Serenade"?

The second violin soloist seems to have things set up so that the hairs of his bow meet the strings of the violin from beneath the strings rather than from above -- this probably was accomplished by undoing the bow hairs beforehand, running them under the strings, and then reattaching them to the bow. The first violin soloist is playing with "one hair," however that's done.

That was the first sentence of "The Go-Between" by English novelist L. P. Hartley: "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=...5120&ref=nf As someone once said, the past is a foreign country.

Several years ago I ordered a classical CD from a reputable British-based site -- don't recall the name now -- and two weird charges for several hundred dollars each popped up on my credit card statement. They were made from Eastern Europe and were used to open up websites, porn operations perhaps. Charges were cancelled, and a new card seemed to fix things. I also opted to add a regular watchdog service through my credit card outfit for a fee. Unnecessary perhaps, but I sleep a little better.

The last sentence of Giddins' lead should earn him a seat on the ducking stool: "Jazz musicians have two fundamental goals: creating music that keeps listeners wondering what’s next, and finding a novel context within which to explore old truths. (There are no new truths.)" Gray-bearded philisophers could argue forever over that, between hits on Michael Phelps' bong, but the only reason to be that sententious in a piece like this is to be sententious. It's the same disease that Adam Gopnik has -- Dancing In Front of a Mirror-itis.

I could have seen her as early as 1976 or '77, at the Mill Run Theater (with a revolving stage) in a shopping center in suburban Niles. I remember feeling sad when I heard of her death. From the way she sang you would never have know she was ill.

Forrest's voice is like a sensuous laser beam. Glad to know that she was such a nice person, too.

Speaking of late-in-the-day encounters with female singers of that era who were still in fine form, I caught Frances Wayne (of Woody Herman's sublime version of "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe," Ralph Burns arrangement) with Harry James in maybe 1980, and she was ... in fine sultry form. Wayne was Mrs. Neal Hefti. Can't find a link to "Happiness," but on this 1944 novelty number, "It Must Be Jelly," with Herman (they share the vocal), her floating time is something else:

Not sure if I'd go into that place..... I was there several times to review things. A nice little lounge. Most memorable visit probably was to see comic Carol Leifer. Opening night was Passover; I was one of three people in the audience.

On the other hand, there's Lee Wiley with Condon, Hackett, Teagarden, Ernie Caceres et al: I don't have to choose.

Forrest's "The Man I Love" with Benny Goodman (Eddie Sauter arrangment) is f------- exquisite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVCqX0v6U6A...feature=related though Forrest was among the many who couldn't stand the "self-absorbed, rude, impossibly tightfisted" B.G. ("The twenty or so months I spent with Benny felt like twenty years"). She finally quit ("Find another singer, and find her fast") while the band was playing the Sherman Hotel in Chicago, this leading fortuitously to the hiring of Peggy Lee, who was singing at The Buttery at the Ambassador East, where Benny and his wife to be Alice Hammond were staying (it was she who saw Lee first and told Goodman he should check her out). In a typical B.G. move, he then required Forrest, whose contract still had a month to run, to sit alongside Lee on the bandstand every night for the duration, without singing a note. When asked why the popular Forrest wasn't performing, B.G. would say, "She's got laryngitis." But we still have "The Man I Love."

Sorry -- I'm a forgetful idiot sometimes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwfzy9In8I

Dig Harry's bluesy variations and Helen's blend of reserve and intimacy. What musicians they both were.

Thanks -- I filled it out, FWIW.

Ane where might one take a look at this?

Don't need Pete, just June -- a cappella.

Here's that video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHL-X85Ggao It strikes me as kitsch; in particular, as with a fair amount of Jarrett, the impulse to be melodic seems to precede the melodic impulse, if you know what I mean. The Home for Lost Arpeggios, located in Wistful Acres.

Al Cohn story that's been told here before, but why not again. Al is at Copenhagen's Cafe Montmarte, local acquaintance suggests that he try Denmark's famous Elephant Beer, Al says, "No, man, I drink to forget."

Al's solo on "What the World Needs Now" is pretty amazing, as is the way he and Zoot play the heads:

Here's some driving Duvivier, with Arnett Cobb and Lockjaw, from Cobb's "Blow, Arnett, Blow": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG5pNru4-5Y That should clear your sinuses.

Yes, but I wouldn't mind a woman who thinks that sex is like June Christy sings.