ghost of miles

It’s often charming and fun, and poignant in its portrayal of adolescent friendship. Quite an interesting cast, with Peter Sellers (in his first U.S. role, I think) as a charlatan concert-pianist Lothario and Tom Bosley and Angela Lansbury as the parents of one of the two girls who are the lead protagonists, both of whom were played by newcomers. (Hayley Mills and Patty Duke were originally touted for the roles but were unavailable.) It’s also one of director George Roy Hill’s first outings. Based on a 1958 novel by Nora Johnson, daughter of screenplay writer Nunnally Johnson, who partnered with her to adapt the book for the film. Elizabeth T. Walker (billed as Tippy Walker) delivers a mesmerizing performance as Val, the girl in the oversized fur coat. (She went on to make a few more movies and was on the late-1960s weekly TV version of Peyton Place, and is friends with our very own Allen Lowe.) I first came across mention of the film years ago in an article about Daniel Clowes, who cited it as one of the inspirations for Ghost World. (In the movie adaptation Enid has a poster for the film on her bedroom wall.) On the topic of John Szwed, you might also dig his new book Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith.

A sweetly beguiling Elmer Bernstein score:

I am now “Proficient.” Thank God, any lingering anxieties can now subside… and it happened right here on Organissimo.

Good question. Percussion Bitter Sweet is definitely a much more politically overt record than Ir’s Time (also Booker Little’s last studio appearance, iirc?). John Szwed is working on a Max Roach bio which might offer more details on the context and legacy of Roach’s early-1960s discography. I like the whole run of his 1960s records… it was hard to whittle them down for a show.

Some of my favorite J.J. in this set:

Didn’t get around to listening to this posthumous 2023 jaimie branch release, but high marks for it… I hope the video of Fly or Die playing it live (which turned out to be their final performance) eventually gets public distribution: Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) Also recently came across this moving video of a Sept 2022 memorial march to the Red Hook docks in memory of her: (Via her label International Anthem, a fantastic Chicago operation with which I’m sure is familiar to posters in this thread)

The Music Nobody Knows: The From Spirituals to Swing Concerts aired again this past week and remains archived for online listening.

NPR’s Jazz Night in Americ did a show about Strata East a couple years back.

Working this very moment on a Night Lights show about Max in the 1960s that will air next week!

jaimie branch, Fly or Die Live

An outstanding posthumous album from jaimie branch. Damn, what a loss.

News of his death just posted on Facebook by writer Pat Thomas. >>It's with a heavy heart that I announce the death of my friend, mentor, and collaborator Les McCann (I occasionally was also his butler). I reissued several of his classic albums on CD or LP, coauthored-coedited (with Alan Abrahams) Les' book of photography: "invitation to openness" and most recently contributed liner notes (with Scott Galloway) to a triple-LP set of vintage live recordings "Never a Dull Moment" - Les was a fantastic photographer, bawdy comedian, provocative raconteur about his fellow musicians and according to 1970s era secretaries at Atlantic Records - provided masterful oral encounters. Many of his solo albums are essential - but most folks will remember him for his signature version of Gene McDaniels "Compared to What" and with Eddie Harris - the iconic live album "Swiss Movement" - as powerful and dynamic as "Live at Leeds" and "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" - Les' Van Nuys apartment was often the place to be for me during the past decade - he often sat naked while smoking a joint, watching sports TV, answering the phone and painting evocative surrealistic watercolors.<<

Sure do miss this guy.

We're re-airing Santa-O! A Very Hip Christmas this week on Night Lights, and it remains archived for online listening. Some obscurities here such as Eddie South performing "Snowfall" (with a young Billy Taylor on piano) and a broadcast performance from the Boyd Raeburn big band featuring David Allyn singing George Handy's song "Picnic in the Wintertime." Also Maynard Ferguson's "Christmas For Moderns," Billy Taylor again with an arrangement of "Joy to the World" for David Frost's Christmas album (done when Taylor was the musical director for Frost's TV show), Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Johnny Mercer joining forces for some caroling, a vintage air-shot of Anita O'Day doing "The Christmas Song," Bill Evans playing (and singing!) "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Babs Gonzales putting his unique spin on a reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and much more.

Having just turned 58, I am now described in my profile as a "Rising Star." What is this, a DownBeat poll? 😄

No, just a recurring thing with me. 😄 I was a huge Rush fan as a kid and actually got to see them on the Moving Pictures tour in 1981. Michael Chabon recently touted that Geddy Lee book, which has piqued my interest in it.

Oh yeah! I went on a late-70s Rush binge myself recently. Right now—same era, come to think of it:

LP only for all three volumes iirc. Those sets are massive!