In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed Blondie's Chris Stein for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). We talked about growing up an only child in Brooklyn, his tough time in school and how he became interested in photography. Chris is a fantastic photographer who documented the 1970s and '80s in New York in all of its dangerous, broken-down and freakish glory. The guitarist's latest book of photographs from the period, Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene (Rizzoli), is a must. It knocked me out.
Also in the WSJ, I wrote about the new Charles Mingus boxed set Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery/46 Selden (BBE), which also is a must if you love Mingus (go here). You'll hear saxophonist John Stubblefield, trumpeter Joe Gardner and pianist Don Pullen along with drummer Roy Brooks and bassist Mingus. The music on the box set the stage for Mingus masterpieces Changes One and Changes Two for Atlantic a year later.
SiriusXM. If you missed my hour-long appearance last week on SiriusXM's Feedback (Channel 106), hosted by the great Lori Majewski and Nik Carter, we talked about Barry White and played some of his early music and his hits. I went into his biography, why his music was important, and how he altered the music scene in the 1970s and redefined masculine sensitivity. To listen, go here.
Birdland, in three volumes! Fascinated by the old Birdland club on Broadway and 52nd Street? Love old photos of jazz musicians playing at the club? Looking for a unique gift for yourself or a loved one? Wow, are you in luck.
Producer Milan Simich has assembled the definitive Birldland photo collection. The images wouldn't all fit in one book. So A Night at Birdland and Other Places: The Golden Age of Modern Jazz in New York 1949-1959 is a three volume set. Each volume is 8" by 8 3/4." The first two run more than 500 pages and the third is more than 300 pages. No long-winded text. Just page after page of crisply reproduced images, many of which I've never seen before, with informative captions. It's gotta be Prez, Bird, Shearing or the Basie—and way more. Chapters are divided simply by year. There also are up-close photos of pamphlets about the club, newspaper clippings and more. One look through and I found myself listening to music of artists from the images. Love the one of Doug Watkins, Horace Silver and Hank Mobley with their jackets off in '54 lounging on a sofa between sets.
The three volumes aren't cheap. Only 200 editions were printed and they're going fast. All three volumes sell as a set for $300 plus $30 for shipping. For questions or to order, send an email to Milan here: [email protected]. A great way to spend the winter while listening to the music. Think of it as three meals out.
Booker Ervin. Barrie Walker in Paris sent along a link to a clip of saxophonist Booker Ervin playing Eerie Dearie from Ervin's The Blues Book (1964) as a backdrop to a video of a French-Italian film. Fabulous combination. Go here...
Dizzy Gillespie radio. This Sunday (November 11), "Symphony Sid" Gribetz will present a five-hour radio program celebrating early Dizzy Gillespie on his “Jazz Profiles” from 2 to 7 p.m. (EST) on WKCR-FM in New York. You can tune in from anywhere in the world on your computer or phone by going here.
Money radio. WRTC in Hartford, Ct., is into its annual fundraising season. So Chris "King" Cowles put together a two-hour Greasy Tracks show recently with R&B songs with the word "money" in its title. You can listen to the taped show by going here. The themed playlist is posted at the landing page.
Champian Fulton—The Stylings of Champian. This is the pianist-singer's 10th album and it's loaded with coy treatments of jazz standards. Champian sings and plays piano and is backed by bassist Hide Tanaka, drummer Fukushi Tainaka and flugelhornist Stephen Fulton. There's a lot of experience in her voice, which is flecked with Blossom Dearie's casual sophistication and hip intimacy. A bit of Billie Holiday and Betty Carter note-bending as well. Curious, I asked Champian how her name is pronounced: "It's pronounced the same as Champion and it's my given name. My parents thought of it, thinking they would have a boy. Their little 'Champ.' Then I was a little girl, but they were already in love with the name, so they just changed the "o" to "a." I don't have a nickname; nobody ever calls me "champ" or anything—just Champian." Well, Champian it is. And she's quite a jazz pianist, as you'll hear. You'll find the album here.
Here's Champtian's treatment of Lollipops and Roses off the new album...
And here's Champian live in France four years ago on Day In, Day Out...
For more on Champian, go here.
Teri Roiger, a superb jazz singer, will be In New York on Thursday, November 29, at Kitano singing selections from the Billy Strayhorn songbook on the 103rd anniversary of Strayhorn's birth. Teri will be backed by pianist James Weidman, bassist John Menegon and drummer Steve Williams. There are two sets—at 8 and 10 p.m. For more information, go here or call (212) 885-7119.
Stately Ghosts of England. In 1965, NBC aired a documentary on English ghosts produced, directed and written by Frank De Felitta (above). His son and director Raymond De Felitta ('Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris, City Island, Madoff) sent along links to the color broadcast. .Mind you, I'm not a ghost guy. But when I started watching part 1, the writing and direction were so good, I couldn't stop. Seriously. Frank De Felitta was amazing as NBC's leading documentarian back when TV was intelligent.
What the heck: Here's the late, great Teddy Pendergrass singing The Whole Town's Laughing at Me in 1982...
Oddball album cover of the week.
At first glance, it looks as if this 1963 cover was appealing to smart, discriminating women with sophisticated taste in music. Until, of course, you look carefully and realize that the idiot art director made the woman in the photo one of the chess pieces (note the chess-piece base at the bottom of her photo).
