In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed abstract expressionist Larry Poons for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). I've long admired Larry and his art, all the way back to 1965, when my father took me several times to see The Responsive Eye, the seminal op-art exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art. I was 9 and loved Larry's piece, Nixes Mate. [Photo above of Larry Poons, courtesy of Larry Poons]
Here's Nixes Mate...
Then several years ago at the home of late record producer Tommy LiPuma, there on the wall was Larry's magnificent Pumpkin, an explosive work...
As you can imagine, it was a thrill and a joy to spend time with Larry and his wife, Paula. Here's Larry in 1988 politely suffering a pompous interviewer who isn't listening to his answers. The video gives you a sense of Larry's fast mind and intellect...
Here's Larry more recently on the happy accident that triggered his "throw" paintings in the 1970s...
Stream TV. Friends know I watch a ton of streaming television to keep current for my "House Call" column. So they email with notes like, "What are you watching now?" or "What should I watch next?" Here's my list and, yes, all of the shows happen to be from Britain...
- Poldark (above)—I'm currently binging. Fabulous English period saga about a former British captain who fought the Americans in the Revolution and returns home to Cornwall to make a life for himself (Amazon Prime).
- Belgravia—upcoming English period series that takes place in the 1800s. By Julian Fellowes, who wrote Downton Abbey. I watched the first season in advance. (Due April 12 on Epix)
- Worricker—A richly rewarding three-episode trilogy about an English intelligence officer who today is fighting off political forces within the government (Amazon Prime).
- Dr. Thorne—English period series from Julian Fellowes, who opens and closes each episode with an acerbic narrative while seated in front of a drawing-room fireplace (Amazon Prime).
- The Last Post—English drama series about military police stationed in mid-1960s Yemen just as the population begins to radicalize (Amazon Prime).
- Endevour—English series that pairs an older and young detective in Oxford, England, during the swinging 1960s (Amazon Prime).
That should keep you occupied for a few weekends.
McCoy Tyner died on Friday. I'll have an appreciation of the jazz pianist on Monday.
McCoy Tyner radio. To honor the late pianist, WKCR-FM in New York will feature a memorial tribute on Sunday, March 8, from 2 to 9 p.m. (EDT). To listen live from anywhere in the world on your cell phone, iPad or computer, click the yellow "Listen" button here.
Pat Moran emailed last night. The marvelous jazz pianist whom I've posted about here and here told me she was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2018. Go here...
Here's Pat with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Johnny Whited in 1957 playing Onilisor, an obscure Frank Rosolino song with his name incorrectly spelled backward...
Gato Barbieri. Last week, David Chilver sent along the following email...
Hi Marc. So good to be reminded of some of the sounds of the 1970s in last weekend's post. The ones of Gato Barbieri struck a particular chord and brought back some memories. Many people are unaware that Barbieri lived and worked in Italy for a good part of the 1960s. You may know that he made a small number of fine recordings there, in particular on movie soundtracks with arranger/composer Piero Umiliani.
These recordings reveal a player who hadn't yet found his full identity and whose sound (and conception) are more Coltrane-like than the raspy more passionate "cry" he developed later. I have always preferred the earlier Gato. Here are a couple of interesting examples.
The first one has a personal connection. My Aunt Lydia (Macdonald) worked with Umiliani on the soundtrack of a rather trashy and forgettable movie called Svezia Inferno e Paradiso. Barbieri was also part of the line-up.
One of the scenes called for a lullaby, and Lydia composed it and wrote the lyrics (although I don't believe she was ever credited). I know she wrote the song because I can remember her working on it at the piano when I visited and stayed with her as a teenager one summer at her home in Rome. Anyway, her version from the soundtrack is in the first clip below.
I also remember Lydia telling me (much later) that Gato, with whom she had got on well, had particularly liked the composition and that he did his own version of it which is in the second clip below. For some reason, it was given a different title. Nevertheless, it's a lovely rendition. "Gato Barbieri Plays Lydia Macdonald" is perhaps an unlikely musical image to conjure up—but it actually happened!
Here's singer Lydia Macdonald backed by Piero Umiliani for the Italian film Svezia Inferno e Paradiso...
Here's Barbieri's instrumental version...
And here's Barbieri playing on the Umiliani soundtrack for the film Una Bella Grinta (1965), including Enrico Rava (tp) and Franco d'Andrea (p)...
Milt Buckner. Last week, Danilo Morandi in Switzerland sent along a clip of organist Milt Buckner with tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate and drummer Wallace Bishop in Paris in 1967 playing Them There Eyes...
Willie Bobo, the incredible Latin percussionist, was featured recently on Chris Cowles's Greasy Tracks show on WRTC-FM in Hartford, Ct. Listen to the two-hour show for free (but avoid using Chrome as your browser for this) by going here.
Ornette and Bix radio. All day Monday and Tuesday, WKCR-FM in New York will present its annual Ornette Coleman and Bix Beiderbecke Birthday Broadcasts. You can listen from anywhere in the world on your cell phone, iPad and computer by going here.
What the heck: Here's Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., formerly of the 5th Dimension, singing their #1 1977 pop hit You Don't Have to Be a Star (to Be in My Show)...
Oddball album cover of the week.
Yamma-hamma, fright night.
