This week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed actress Alison Wright for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). You may recall Alison's stunning portrayal of Martha Hanson in The Americans. She had a bumpy childhood after her father and sister drowned in a boating accident. Alison is a marvelous artist, and she was a joy to interview. If you haven't watched The Americans, go binge. [Photo above of Alison Wright as Martha Hanson, courtesy of FXNetworks]
Chick Corea radio. To commemorate the passing of Chick Corea and to celebrate his musical legacy, WKCR-FM in New York will be presenting a 24-hour "Chick Corea Memorial Broadcast" on Monday, February 15. To listen from anywhere in the world starting at 12:01 a.m., go here. [Photo above courtesy of LAPhil]
Jazz in Finland. Last week I found a video clip from 1962 that will knock you out. I translated the Finnish text that accompanies the clip:
Conductor Ossi Runne tries to conduct a run-through with his band before recording, but the rehearsal is interrupted when he's called away. In his absence, the musicians jam on Honeysuckle Rose. The program features some of the most in-demand TV and studio players of the 1960s, such as trumpeter Jörgen Petersen, saxophonists Unto Haapa-aho and Seppo Rannikko, trombonist Juhani Aalto and pianist Nacke Johansson, bassist Erkki Sepän, drummer Erkki Valaste and guitarist Heikki Laurila. [Photo above of Unto Haapa-aho and Seppo Rannikko]
To view the clip, go here...
Audio clips. Last week, I heard from Mark Rabin, who hipped me to the following:
Marc, the Internet Archive has a new section dedicated to FM radio broadcasts of live performances. There is a wealth of great live material across many musical styles (go here). I recorded several dozen live jazz concerts from the FM airwaves on reel-to-reel tapes and later to cassettes between 1970 and the early-1990's. I recently start digitizing them and found this to be a great site to share them. I wanted to call your attention to the NPR Jazz Alive broadcast of the Tribute to Count Basie night at the 3rd Annual Chicago Jazz Festival. I believe it will be of interest to jazz fans not only for the great performances, but for the chance to hear them talking back stage with Billy Taylor, Ben Sidran and Neil Tesser. [Photo above of Count Basie]
The five sets from that evening are here, here, here, here and here.
David Thompson, a pianist who plays in the style of Bill Evans, sent along an audio clip of him playing Gone With the Wind. Here's David...
Paul Desmond. Jim Eigo of Jazz Promo Services sent along a link to a New Yorker magazine sketchbook strip by Paul Rogers illustrating how alto saxophonist came to write Audrey. Go here...
Dee Daniels. Last week, Doug Paterson sent along the following:
Hi Marc, in 2019, Dee Daniels self-released an inspirational album called "The Promise." I see Cellar Live will reissue it in May. I believe her new song "Let Freedom Ring (The Ballad of John Lewis)" will be included in the new version. [Photo above of Dee Daniels courtesy of Twitter] Go here...
Wardell Gray radio. On Sunday (February 14), from 2 to 7 p.m., WKCR-FM in New York will celebrate the centennial of tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray (above, left, with Dexter Gordon, in the late 1940s) by re-broadcasting its five-hour special retrospective that host Sid Gribetz first produced in October 2017. To listen from anywhere in the world, go here.
Old song. What's the oldest musical instrument you've heard? A lyre? A tribal drum? How about an 18,000-year-old shell? Jim Eigo sent along a link to an article on a modified conch shell that was used to sooth the savage beast. And back then, there were plenty of 'em. Go here.
Benny Green is a superb pianist and one of the most beautiful cats around today. Here he is in December at the Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz, Ca., playing a half-hour solo set featuring pieces by Carl Perkins, Horace Silver, Horace Parlan and Stanley Turrentine as well as an original. Love Benny's taste in artists and songs, his chord voicings and his sensitive, soulful approach...
