medjuck

Great! Thanks. In a Mizz and It Can't be Love are the same song. I think the official title is in a Mizz, but "It can't be love..." is the opening line of the song. This citation is not in Meeker's book. I met him once and he told me he was sending all of his information to the Library of Congress even though he was about to retire from the British Film Institute. I think he didn't trust the BFI to do the job. But I've never known how to access the data base before. I guess I should have just googled his name. Thanks again.

Kane puts on a beach party and the scene opens with a Black man singing a song that haunted me for years. I didn't know what it was and neither did any of the film scholars I asked. Then I bought The Chronogical Duke Ellington 1939 vol 2 and the first cut was Ivie Anderson singing that very song: In a Mizz. So now I'm trying to figure out who sings it in the film. IMDB lists what seems like a 100 small parts from Kane (did you know that Nat Cole is the off screen piano player in one scene?) but doesn't list the name of the singer of In a Mizz (or perhaps identifies him in a way so I couldn't tell). Anyone recognize him?

The Parker books are quite different from the rest of his ouvre. (You could believe that Richard Stark and Donald Westlake were different people.) I don't know what the accepted canon is but my favorite Westlake books are Dancing Aztecs and Help I am Being Held Prisoner. Of his Dortmunder books I especially like Good Behavior. BTW Those who appreciate Richard Stark would probably like Thomas Perry's The Butcher's Boy.

I used to help edit a film magazine in which a guy in prison once interviewed Westlake via mail. I remember Westlake pointing out that Parker had been played in movies by a White man (Lee Marvin), a Black man (Jim Brown) and a woman (Anna Karina). He thought that it might mean he hadn't drawn the character strongly enough.

I loved Westlake. I think Dancing Aztecs is my favorite. In one of his Dortmunder books, Dortmunder reads a Richard Stark novel and tries to imitate Parker the tough anti-hero of the Stark novels. IIRC every 2nd chapter is by Stark. (If you haven't read the obit above, Stark was a Westlake nom de plume.)

I guess "The Genius hits the Road" is pre-1960." First Lp ever stolen from me. I always loved it but don't think I've seen it on cd even though I think it included Georgia on my Mind.

May 2009 be a much happier year for everyone than 2008. (Even if, like me, you had a pretty good 2008.)

Would you say that about Art Tatum? Tatum did let me know the important notes. That's the big diff for me. That's certainly the politically correct conventional wisdom.

I like the 2 Al Cohen arrangements on "Look to the Rainbow" (the Evans/Gilberto record) too. As to Quiet Nights: My memory is that on the Lp release the sound was very thin. If you listen to this material on the Evans/Davis box set it sounds way better. I started listening to it again after I heard a vocal version (John Hendricks, I think) of one of the original songs from it. And speaking of Evans projects that never happened: how about the ones with Prez and Louis Armstrong. Apparently Joe Glaser killed the one with Pops and the Grim Reaper the one with Prez. I loved Evans reaction which was something like "Lester wanted to the do record but I guess he wanted to die more."

According to a letter in today's LA Times she was virtually black-listed because of that . Couldn't even get on Hollywood Squares.

Back on topic: This obit doesn't mention that Detour was shot incredibly quickly even for a B movie. IIRC in one week. Maybe it was 2.

Any idea who's playing sax on "Invitation" and "In Your Own Sweet Way"?

Two volumes available cheaply on iTunes store. But apparently they don't actually play together on most numbers. Couldn't find it listed on Woody Shaw discography. Anyone have discographical information?

Would you say that about Art Tatum?

The Blues and the Abstract Truth

Happy B'day!!

Well maybe not more than we want to know. Didn't Liberty buy Blue Note around '65? That's why EMI now owns BN. I don't think this article even mentions Blue Note.

The only one I have is the Pee Wee Russell which includes the Candid set with Coleman Hawkins. The sound is completely different with the bass pumped way up. (I gotta admit I sort of like it that way.) They're so sloppy that they repeat one song twice and leave out one they list in their completely inadequate notes.

Anyone got any? Does "We Free Kings" count?

This is a great set, though for some reason Basie's piano intro to Lady be good is missing. (It can be found on Vol 9 of the Masters of Jazz Charlie Christian series.) I've often wondered about the exact order of the performances. IIRC the discs don't completely jibe with the order described by Hammond in his autobiography.

And the "X" in Xmas. Merry, happy whatever you celebrate!!

As I'm sure you know the original cd release of the Lp was not taken from the Avakian tapes and offers alternate takes. Were they unedited?

The Jim Hall/Bill Frissell collaboration is now available from Artists Choice. I pre-ordered it as a download so I'd get it right away. Like it a lot. Sort of wish I'd been more patient and waited for the hard copy.

I just remembered: it's "Move".

On the number called "The Chase" they play a very familiar riff but I can't remember what it's from. Anyone know? (It's about 3:30 into the piece.) It's driving me nuts.