For my "Anatomy of a Song" column in the WSJ this week, I interviewed Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and other members of Blondie as well as producer Mike Chapman and saxophonist Tom Scott on the writing and recording of Rapture (go here). The 1981 song is significant because it's considered the first rap hit to reach No. 1 using original music rather than sampling the beats of other artists records.
Here's the album version...
And here's the video...
Also for the WSJ this week, I interviewed retired Admiral William H. McRaven on his childhood in Texas for my "Houe Call" column (go here). Admiral McRaven was head of U.S. Special Operations Command between 2011 and 2014. If you're unfamiliar with Admiral McRaven's 2014 commencement address at the University Texas, you're in for a motivational treat. By the way, the phrase used by the admiral at the end is, "hook 'em horns," the University of Texas's slogan and hand sign. [Photo of Adm. William McRaven in his home in Austin, Texas, in May by Brent Humphreys for The Wall Street Journal]
Here the admiral's university address...
SiriusXM. I'll next be on SiriusXM's Feedback (channel 106) with Nik Carter and Lori Majewski on June 21 from 9 to 10 a.m. (EDT) to talk about Blondie's Rapture. I'll also have 10 amazing music clips. Don't miss it.
Stanley Cowell. After my post on Stanley Cowell, Norm Snyder sent along one of his images above of Cowell and Charles Moore. Norm says the image was probably taken in the mid-1960s at the Detroit Artist Workshop.
Lennie Tristano. Following my post on Lennie Tristano last week, I heard from Jack Goodwin in England:
Hi Marc. Great to see those amazing videos again. There's only one Lennie Tristano! The gentleman with the bald head assisting Lennie to his piano was pianist Lloyd J. Lifton of Chicago. He studied with Lennie for many years but also acted as guide and helper on occasions. He accompanied Lennie on this tour of Europe in 1965.
Once again, here's the video in question (Tristano comes out at 18:16)...
Bret Primack. At All About Jazz, Steve Provizer has a Q&A with Bret Primack on the making of his documentary, Ira Gitler Lives. Go here.
Jeri Southern. Steve Taylor alerted me to a radio interview with Jeri Southern and her daughter, Kathryn King. Go here.
Rita Payes. Brett Gold sent along the following tip:
Marc, I try not to impose and suggest things to you except on very rare occasions (I'm sure you get enough unsolicited material), but I recently found a bossa nova singer on YouTube who is extraordinary. Her name is Rita Payes, and I think she's from Barcelona. Here she is:
Musik.pm. Over in Gothenburg, Sweden, Bengt-Ove Boström (above) writes a jazz blog in English and Swedish. Bengt-Ove started the blog in 2012. Some of the Swedish posts (marked with "sw" at the end of each link) have been translated into English. Go here.
CDs you should know about:
Alan Matheson—the pianist, cornetist and flugelhornist has recorded three superb duet albums with bassist Wade Mikkola. They are Souvenirs (2017), Summer Evening (2014) and Duetti (2013). The music is lyrical, moody and rich in depth and Scandinavian flavor. All three albums also are available at Spotify. Alan is based in Vancouver, where he teaches in the music departments of Vancouver Community College and the University of British Columbia. Here's Stan Kenton's 1956 song Sunset Tower...
For Finnish readers: Alan's CDs are for sale at the Helsinki record store, Digelius Music. The store has been operating since 1971. Alan and Wade will be playing there in mid-July to celebrate the store’s 48th anniversary.
Cheryl Lynn—Got to Be Real: The Columbia Anthology (Soul Music). Cheryl Lynn had a number of disco hits in the 1970s and early '80s, the biggest being Shake It Up Tonight in 1981. Now, Cherry Red, on its Soul Music label, has gathered Lynn's work for Columbia on two CDs. Made me want to dust off my roller skates. Go here.
Here's Cheryl Lynn in 1981...
Eddie Palmieri—Mi Luz Mayor (Uprising). Latin-jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri has been recording since 1962. Just in time for summer, his latest album is music that sets off like a pack of firecrackers—featuring top Latin and jazz horns and vocals including Gary Smulyan, Ronnie Cuber, Conrad Herwig, Brian Lynch, Carlos Santana, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Herman Olivera and others. The music sizzles from the opening track. Go here.
Here's the entire album. Just let it play...
Sent by...Frank Moser. Here's vibraphonists Bobby Hutcherson and Joe Locke playing Old Folks...
Two from me...here's Jimmy Rushing singing Goin' to Chicago with Benny Goodman's band...
And here's T-Bone Walker on Goin' to Chicago with quite a backup ensemble—Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Wilson, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims, James Moody, Benny Carter and Bob Cranshaw....
What the heck: Here's Randy Crawford and the Crusaders performing Street Life in 1979...
Oddball album covers of the week.
There's nothing too oddball about these. I just wanted to gather a bunch of jazz albums with dots on the cover...
