With only a week to go until Christmas, there's still time to treat yourself or music-loving family members and friends to my new book, Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hit That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop (Grove). You can buy the book here in the U.S., here in the U.K. or here in Canada. No matter what your taste in music, I know you'll love it.
Listen while you read. If you wish to listen to all 45 songs in my book while you read—or just while working at your computer—go to my free Spotify jukebox here.
In The Wall Street Journal this week, my interview with basketball star Larry Bird, who played with the Boston Celtics for 13 seasons (go here). Larry doesn't do many interviews, and this one on his childhood was truly special.
Also in the WSJ, my interview with film legend Tippi Hedren on Les Brown and Doris Day's Sentimental Journey in 1945 and Tippi's first love (go here).
Gals and Pals. Following my post on European vocalese groups, reader David Chilver wrote:
"Since my original email to you about Sweden's Gals and Pals, I did additional research and discovered something that may explain why the group dropped off the radar after the 1960s. It's quite sad. Beppo Grasman (standing half way up the stepladder in the photo above) who also played trumpet with Charlie Parker when he visited Sweden, suffered from serious depression. He committed suicide in December 1969. Ulla Hallin (standing half way up the ladder directly opposite Beppo) was his longtime lover and was so despondent about his death that she took her own life exactly one month later in 1970. So the group lost two of their members, and although replacements were found, they were never quite the same, understandably. What a tragic story and what a sad loss of two talented artists."
Sonny Rollins. In 1986, Robert Mugge directed a documentary film about Sonny Rollins in performance called Saxophone Colossus. You can view it here...
Jan Lundgren. Following my post on Jan's new appointment as artistic director at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen, reader Ian Mackenzie sent along a link to a concert by Jan in tribute to Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson...
MPS' Black Forest Studios. Last week, reader Enno Roosink sent along a link to information on MPS Records' studios in Germany's Black Forest as well as a trailer on the label and studios...
Stuck for a gift? Check out Bruce Klauber's Jazz Legends site (go here). There you'll find some great DVDs, CDs and mp3 downloads of Swing-era bands. Included is the little-known documentary on Lester Young, Song of the Spirit (here). To search the site for artists who interest you, go here.
Elizabeth Chan—Five Golden Rings (Merry Bright). Elizabeth is so passionate about holiday music and writes some of the best new Christmas songs around. And wow, can she sing. Her new vocal album is fresh, festive and loaded with joy and good cheer (go here). For more on Elizabeth and her past Christmas albums, go here. Trust me, you're going to thank me for turning you on to Liz and new original holiday songs.
The Classic Big Band Christmas Album (Sony Legacy). If you dig Christmas music from the Swing era, this one will keep you warm. Tracks range from Winter Weather by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee and Winter Wonderland by Sammy Kaye to Woody Herman's Let It Snow, Glenn Miller's Jingle Bells, Les Brown's Christmas Song and What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Charlie Spivak. You'll find this album as a download or on vinyl here.
What the heck. Here's a 1964 clip of the Superbs from Los Angeles on American Bandstand singing their sole hit Baby Baby All the Time, with Eleanor ‘Punkin’ Green...
Oddball album cover of the week.
Judging by this album cover, cleaning house was a real gas back in the day. Hard to know who the hands belong to on the right serving coffee (clearly not the husband—he's presumably at work) or what exactly is sitting on that second plate. Based on her wired expression, coffee may not be the most ideal beverage.
