The Today Show—I will be on the Today Show on Wednesday, Nov. 2, to talk about my book, Anatomy of a Song, with Hoda and Kathie Lee during the show's fourth hour. It's going to be a lot of fun. Tape the show!
Published—This past week, Kevin Canfield gave Anatomy of a Song a rave review in The Washington Post (go here) while Geoff Edgers of The Washington Post wrote a fast-paced Q&A interview with me on the book (go here).
In the works—Music journalist Hardeep Phull of the New York Post interviewed me at length for a feature. Also this past week, I spent an hour in conversation with Billboard's Gary Trust, associate director of charts/radio, for his Chart Beat podcast. The podcast will go up online on Nov. 9. Gary's most recent podcast interview with singer Daya is here.
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, I'll be on Sirius XM channel Volume (Channel 106) show "Feedback" from 8:30 to 9 a.m. (EDT). The Feedback is a daily morning talk show hosted by nationally syndicated radio personality and former VH1 radio host Nik Carter, and Lori Majewski, a veteran magazine editor, entertainment journalist and author
Later that morning, I'll be interviewed by phone by Brad and John, two superb rock DJs who host Classic Rock 92.9 KISM in Washington state. They're big fans of my Anatomy of a Song column in The Wall Street Journal and read it on the air whenever it appears. Here's their hilarious promo for my appearance (go here). I'll be on at 7:10 a.m. (PCT), which you can hear live from anywhere in the world on your computer by going here.
Live appearances—On Nov. 16, at 7 p.m., I will be talking about Anatomy of a Song at Barnes & Noble in New York on 82nd St and Broadway. Interviewing me will be keyboardist-songwriter Rob Hyman, who co-composed Time After Time with Cyndi Lauper. Rob also is co-founder of Philadelphia band the Hooters. I hope to see you there. It will be a blast. For more information, go here.
Then on Nov. 18, I'll be giving an hour-long talk on the book at the Toronto radio studios of JAZZ.FM91, Canada's leading jazz station. For tickets and more information, go here. Earlier that day in Toronto, I'll be interviewed on the CBC by host Tom Power.
Please support JazzWax by buying a copy of Anatomy of a Song. You'll love it. I promise. In the U.S. go here; in the U.K. go here; and in Canada go here. And thank you to everyone who pre-ordered the book and for all of you your support and kind emails and comments.
This week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed hockey great Wayne Gretzky on growing up playing hockey on his backyard rink in Canada (go here). If you think Wayne was fast with the stick when he shattered records with the Edmonton Oilers, wait until you read how fast he was with the last line of my column.
Also in the WSJ this week, my interview with songwriter Carole Bayer Sager on Somewhere (There's a Place for Us) from West Side Story and why it helped her cope as a child growing up in New York (go here).
Harold Vick. Last night, I received the following email from Maxine Gordon, Dexter Gordon's wife, following my post this past week on Harold Vick:
"Dear Marc, I wanted to thank you for the lovely piece on my very good friend Harold Vick. What a great player and wonderful human being he was. When he had his first heart attack a few years before his death, we had a benefit for him at a club on New York's 72nd St., down a long flight of stairs across from an after-hours club called Bill’s Place. Dizzy Gillespie put himself in charge of logistics. He walked up and down the line of people who came because they loved Harold and because the best musicians in New York were there to play. Dizzy told them to dig deep in their pockets for Brother Vick. McCoy Tyner said he wanted to play. I told him that the piano was not up to his level, but he insisted. He said he had played on some very sad pianos in his day and then, of course, he played some of the greatest music we ever heard. [Photo above of Dexter and Maxine Gordon]
"When I took the cash to the hospital, I dumped it on the bed, and Vick said: 'OK, I’m going to be fine. I hope you didn’t rob a bank.' Harold Vick was a philosopher as well as a musician. He said: 'Sometimes a frank looks like a steak' (be grateful for what you have) and 'Give credit where credit is due' (never ignore those who deserve the credit for their work) and 'Tempus do fugit' (time does fly). Harold Vick was an unforgettable person and a true friend to so many. I drove with him to Philadelphia many times to have dinner with organist Shirley Scott’s family and then drop by to see drummer Philly Joe Jones and then drive back to New York. He always had a beautiful and fast car, so going to Philly was a short trip for him. Your post brought back so many great memories and I thank you for remembering the one and only Harold Vick. All the best and keep up the great work. —Maxine"
Here’s Shirley Scott’s song for Harold—What Makes Harold Sing...
Wintergatan. Yes, there are still eccentric musical geniuses roaming the planet. Dig this one...
Ella Fitzgerald. Unfamiliar with the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation headed by Fran E. Morris Rosman? Check out the foundation at the link provided as well as its Facebook page here.
Jimmy Heath turns 90. In celebration of Jimmy's birthday on Oct. 26, Bret Primack uploaded a video birthday card...
For my multi-part interview with Jimmy Heath, go here.
Clifford Brown radio. WKCR will present its annual "Clifford Brown Birthday Broadcast" this Sunday, Oct. 30, playing the hard-bop trumpeter's music around the clock for 24 hours. You can listen on your computer from anywhere in the world by going here.
Love British jazz? Arranger-saxophonist Frank Griffith in the U.K. recommends London Jazz News. You can visit the site here.
What the heck. Here are tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young along with a gang of great jazz musicians in 1958, including Charlie Shavers (tp), J C Higginbotham (tb), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Harry Sheppard (vib), Willie "The Lion" Smith (p), Dickie Thompson (g), Vinnie Burke (b) and Sonny Greer (d). This aired on one of Art Ford's Jazz Party TV episodes...
Oddball album cover of the week.
What a get! Great that in 1963 they were finally able to convince these guys (the famous ones) to stop lurking around for a while and sit for full-length interviews....
