fasstrack

HAVE you guys considered the notion that finding something hilarious one day then leaving you cold another may well have more to do with where YOU were at at given points than the piece? That's true for opinions on anything, and maybe it wasn't mention b/c it's so obvious. But we love, hate, become indifferent-like the changing seasons. Now excuse me. I promised myself I'd read some Rod McCuen...

Oh, you're nuts. N-V-T-S, nuts! Anyway the best thing about Silent Movie IMO: it gave Sid Caesar a chance to work out and be seen by a new generation. And, speaking of masters of physical comedy, have to spin around so a spool of film could unravel. No accents, no schtick-just that priceless face. And don't even get me started on Marty Feldman...

Stupid is the whole point of the 3 Stooges. That and greatly timed physical comedy. But in their own way they were astute anarchists. I had a 5 DVD set (I know, I know...) on which there was a hilarious courtroom parody where they were witnesses in a murder trial. They gave testimony on instruments (they were swing musicians) ending with Curly thumping on and twirling around a bass. By the time the case was closed the prosecutor's toupee had been plucked off by a trained pigeon and the whole procedure was turned upside down-by these wacky swing musicians. It was as well done, funny, and anarchistic as anything by the Marx Brothers IMO.

Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?' Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?'

I saw Annie Hall in a theater yesterday. Still fresh as a daisy. It puts a lot of the throwaway talents and films mentioned here in their low places. Why is this film abknowledged as one of the champs and still filling theaters 35 years down the road? It has the basics and is original in takking about age-old themes. And Allen as a director-writer knew his range (basically that one nervous nebbish he got so much out of) and was unafraid to let others shine-Diane Keaton in this case. A tour-de force. I even liked her singing-again b/c the 2 songs and tempos suited her. And, as with Spike Lee, the movies LOOK incredible. Maybe Jim Carrey doesn't write-or couldn't sell his pitches, but properly framed and presented IMO he could be one for the ages. He has to find his film-making muse. BTW I know Sandler is a lightweight, just thought some of his earlier movies good escapirt fun. Ditto that rubber doofus face. He's far from untalented, just lazy these days.

He was better than the movie-which wasn't terrible, but should have been way better.

Yet Cable Guy bombed. I guess audiences prefer crazy perky Carrey to crazy dark Carrey. These guys take it hard, too. Carrey really thought he deserved an Oscar for Man on the Moon.

The 3 Stooges NOT FUNNY?!! That's it. Gimme my beach ball. Dave, I think the most effective Carrey was Dumb and Dumber, where he and Jeff Daniels played off each other to perfection and each had his innings. I agree that high energy types like Carrey can be a bit much. They need the right material and people w/the balls to tell them when they've gone around the bend. But stars are surrounded by ass-lickers. And money is thrown at them: Carrey as Scrooge in a 3D cash-in of A Christmas Carol a few years back. Terrible remake, hard to say no to that kind of green.

Carrey is the greatest physical comedian since Jerry Lewis-according to Lewis. Offstage he's coiled panther-like. Maybe he's annoying on talk shows-big ego, takes over. Like Robin Williams. But he IS an amazing talent. IMO the biggest mentioned here thus far.

Ha. Chris is a tough room (;. Chevy Chase, BTW, has a bug up his ass with musicians. He played in a rock band as a young man and maybe that's what he wanted to do. He's always trying to get into the act, like when he MCed the Jazz Foundation's Great Night in Harlem fundraiser and ruined it w/shitty piano playing-w/great players in the wings yet. If anyone knows Joe Puma's caustic wit you'll like this: Puma and a bassist were working a very small restaurant. The bass player had to make a call and there was no room to put the bass down so he asked Joe to hold it. So who walks in on sword-mouth Puma standing w/a bass like an eqquine-faced Cyrano but our man Chevy. Being a smart-ass he tells Puma 'Oh! Bass player! Play me some LaFaro'. To which Puma immediately rejoined: 'Act me some Olivier'...

Who could forget the char-faced Bill Murray singing 'Oooh---Dr. Leo Marvin's a GENIUS!! Your DEATH THERAPY cured me, you GENIUS!!'...

Ha! It doesn't grate ME! I play it as a guitar solo and have w/organ trio. It's made to order when you want something slow and sexy and that 3 chord bit at the end is good to blow on. Plus it's looong-and Phil Spector has lots of time to kill...

No help needed. Ronnie Cuber lit a big enough fire for 2 people. 8 people. Kept young, talented George on his toes. And Lovelace and the Dr. kicked ass. Ain't broke, don't fix it. Anyway there were plenty of guests on the compilations-like Benson Burner.

A little discussion of this side here: AOTW Thanks! I have in storage. How could I forqet Thad?! A hero. I rememcer My Little Brown Book being sung, forgot it was e Ernie pandrews. As for Jimmy Jones-maybe one of the all-time underrated people. Listen to his string writing for Wes on Fusion! or backing of Sarah Vaughan on that womderful EmArCy w(Brownie and all those ballads. (is it called Sarah or Sarah Vaughan?) I have to get back to Kenny's date. There's 2 ways to be a leader: try to show what a MF you are and risk being a hog or bore-or show how beautiful the music is while being a good, uninsecure host. Kenny is such a class act.

There's a beautiful Kenny Burrell recording from the late 60s-early 7os: Ellington is Forever. It came out then as 2 LPs. I can't even remember the personell, but I seem to recall Sweets Edison. Everybody was on that level. Nice ensembles, solo pieces by the leader, and vocals too. JH was the youngblood on it and blended right in-though well into a career gigging and recording as a leader. You can hear the humility, joy, and respect.

Joe Cuba. Absolutement!

Now they're talk radio. When I was a kid of 9-11 I was an insommniac, plus I could hear my parents argue in the master bedroom. Those guys were lifesavers. The other big hits getting airplay: Bang Bang (Jimmy Castor) ('Do you like cornbread?), Stop in the Name of Love, My Girl. I'll stop there. Now they're talk radio. When I was a kid of 9-11 I was an insommniac, plus I could hear my parents argue in the master bedroom. Those guys were lifesavers. The other big hits getting airplay: Bang Bang (Jimmy Castor) ('Do you like cornbread?), Stop in the Name of Love, My Girl. I'll stop there.

Morning Mist may be his best. I forget the tunes on there. Li'l Darlin', right? Satin Doll? The original cover-true to 50s-60s practice-had a sexpot looking come hither.

On WMCA AM-the 'good guys'. Then Ramsey Lewis put it out and it was just as big.

That's NOTHING!! On the other side you put a quarter in the slot and a medley of Blue in Green, Flamenco Sketches, Eronel, and In a Silent Way plays. Chuck Wayne is on dobro. He wasn't paid for that neither. Nyuk nyuk.

I also agree about his small group playing. The date w/Pres and Nat Cole is priceless. The one w/Zoot and Bucky (Milt Hinton was on bass BTW, and I'm pretty sure Lionel Hampton was a guest. On the cassette version I had some of it is just a duo w/Zoot and Bucky) is either called Somerset or just Zoot Sims/Bucky Pizzarelli. Does anyone-for extra credit-remember the name of the head of the nunnery that takes in Michael Palin's knight (I suppose I could stay a BIT longer...) in Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

Lee Musiker-who BTW made those tapes (and supposedly was once fired by Bennett when he heard). He sure did the comedy world some good, though. 'Get a goddamn shave. I'm running a BAND, not the fucking goddamn HOUSE OF DAVID BASEBALL TEAM' I don't happen to think Rich was an asshole, just old-school. I'm sure he was in the service. There's more than one way to lead a band and get results. Ellington and Herman were pretty lax about certain things like drugs/drink-and had great bands. According to Dave Panici (sp?) running out of reefer was one trigger for the bus tirades. Compare Buddy's tapes to Paul Anka. BR never said 'I'm the most important person on that stage'. The story about the band quitting when he bought a Cadillac rather than pay them...let's don't even go there. I heard the early 70s band at Buddy's place-but I was too young for it to impress. It was the 1st big band I'd seen, and the BR on the bass drum and stands seemed cool, ditto his reply of 'I don't care any more' to a guy whispering to him.

This goes back a few years, to '76. JH was 1 of 2 major tenor influences, the other being Wayne Shorter. Mark Levine came out w/a a really interesting LP: Up Til Now (Catalyst, and long out of print I'm sure). I got it b/c of Tom Harrell-and he's great on it but so is Ray Pizzi and the writing and thinking by Levine. I can't remember the tenor player's name now, but his piece was Owed to Joe.

You might find it interesting, because the documentary maker does not have any archival footage or info to use, so instead it focuses on oral history and connecting with those still alive that new CC. It's an incredibly grass roots approach, you would like it I'm sure. So would I. I'd visit his grave in KC if allowed, also the Charlie Parker Museum. That is if I ever get there.