In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed Jane Birkin for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). In the 1960s, Jane was an icon, the face of Swinging London as a model, stage and film actress, and romantic partner of Serge Gainsbourg. The "Birkin style" is still a look today. During our conversation, we talked about her London childhood, her deep love for her parents, the pain of boarding school and the trip to Italy she took with her father, where her life changed.
Here's Jane in Blow-Up in 1966...
Here's Jane with Serge Gainsbourg singing Je t'ame in 1969. Their albums together are intense, sexy and move in slow motion. Worth exploring are Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg (1969) and Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971)...
And here's the story behind the Hermès Birkin bag, which was named for her...
Joy Marshall. Last week, following my posts on singer Joy Marshall (here and here), I received the following from Roger Cotterrell in London:
Hello Marc, what a fascinating post! Joy Marshall is almost forgotten here as a singer, but the legend of her personal life lives on in published memoirs. Perhaps you know of Peter King’s autobiography "Flying High: A Jazz Life and Beyond" (Northway, 2011). If so, you know that he tells the story of his stormy, doomed marriage to Joy in full, rather harrowing detail. Her relationship with Tubby Hayes set up a situation between the two saxophonists, which was hard on King since he played regularly in Tubby’s big band. Their situation rippled around the jazz scene here then.
You are right to say that Peter was "nearly emotionally destroyed" by his marriage to Joy. One problem is that at the time, he was as personally fragile as she was. My wife and I knew him well in the last years of his life. You are certainly right about her musical talent, and it is good that you have drawn attention to it.
Whenever she gets mentioned here now, usually only in passing in histories of modern jazz in Britain, she's often cited as a negative influence because of her self-destructive personality. Thanks for seeing a more positive side of the picture. It is certainly welcome. Best wishes, and thanks as ever for your always interesting blog.
Jim Hall's wife, Jane, wrote me last week after I posted my interview with Bill Evans, the dancer, on his late-'70s performances with the Bil Evans Trio:
Marc, speaking of sitting on piano benches, many years ago, Duke Ellington’s band was playing for dancers at New York's Rainbow Room. Jim [Hall] and I went, along with Mort and Judy Lindsay. It was my birthday. I was young and fearless then and possibly tipsy when I sat down next to Duke as he was playing. He was great, smiled and we chatted a bit about Ben Webster and Cottontail. Ben was living in Sweden or Denmark then and was a friend of ours.
Anyway, your recent interview about Bill Evans and the dancer Bill, who sat next to him briefly at the piano on stage before dancing to "Waltz for Debby" reminded me of that time. I blush thinking about it now. Years later we met Duke at the White House and he remembered the bench incident. I was astounded. A great man!
PS: Regarding your Wayne Shorter post, I thought you'd enjoy this trio performance at Montreux in 1987 featuring Jim, Wayne and Michel Petrucciani...
Bobby Shew. Danilo Morandi in Switzerland sent along a link to a clip of superb trumpeter Bobby Shew playing Clifford Brown's Joy Spring via Zoom with the Western Illinois Jazz Studio Orchestra [photo above of Bobby Shew courtesy of Summit Records]...
FM Radio Archive will keep you busy for days. It features live recordings broadcast over the radio. Last week, I heard from Kim Paris at the archive:
Marc, thanks for mentioning FM Radio Archive a few weeks ago. I wanted you to let you know that Raoul van Hall has been kind enough to share some of his Jazz From the Left broadcasts with me on Northern California Public Media. You'll find them here.
Hot Lips Page radio. On Sunday (May 9), from 2 to 7 p.m. (ET), Sid Gribetz will present a five-hour radio special celebrating the career of trumpeter and vocalist Hot Lips Page on “Jazz Profiles” on WKCR-FM in New York. Listen from anywhere in the world by going here.
New York foodies. Ever wonder the lengths to which some New Yorkers will go to find, eat and share the best food in the city? Last week I stumbled across just such a food fanatic's daily blog. At Instagram, go to @feedingolivia. Youll find fizzy content and pro-level photos so sumptuous you'll be trying to order from places cited. For example, here's how the dish above is described: "Go to @wuswontonking for their duck buns and wonton noodle soup, but don’t miss their Dungeness crab, battered and deep-fried to a golden crisp and adorned with salty garlic bits."
For daily posts, just click the image in the circle. The slide show will begin. If you want to stop on a page, click on the page on your computer or, on your phone, hold the page with your thumb. Want to go back? Click or tap the left side of the photo. Avoid reading if you haven't eaten yet. More photos and content? Here ya go...
Cacio e pepe at the Leopard. The most perfect meal tonight at @theleopardnyc. Thank you @jordanfrosolone for spoiling us and making tonight so memorable!
I will think about tonight’s lemon meringue from @nycprimerib for a very long time. [Photos above courtesy of @feedingolivia]
