In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed actor Ron Perlman, who currently is in Don't Look Up as well as Nightmare Alley (go here). Ron talked about growing up in New York's Washington Heights and his parents, who lived through the Depression and worried about the uncertainty of his early acting career. That is, until the day his father showed up when Ron was performing in college as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. His father returned the next day alone. During a drive the next day, his father told Ron that he had to become an actor, that it was clear that's what he was born to do. [Photo above of Ron Perlman courtesy of Comicpalooza]
Here's Ron on Craig Ferguson in 2013, with his fast Washington Heights comebacks...
Julie London. Following my Christmas Day post on Julie London, I heard from pianist Harold Danko, who sent along part of his fabulous 2019 interview with Ken Weiss in Eric Nemeyer's Jazz Inside magazine (go here). In the interivew, Harold relates a story about his encounter with the singer [photo above of Julie London in Emergency!]:
Back in the early 1970s, I was with the Mel Lewis Band. We were at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, Ca., and there was an announcement that Elizabeth Montgomery and Julie London were in the audience. Julie London—wow, we all had her albums, including “Calendar Girl,” and I watched her on "Emergency!" And [actress] Elizabeth Montgomery, we all watched her on "Bewitched." They were both in the audience. I told Mel Lewis, "Look, Julie London is it for me. You’ve got to introduce me!" He said he’d take care of that.
It turned out Julie was sitting kind of right in front of the piano and I didn’t even know it. So, after the set, we went out and Mel said to Julie, “My piano player, Harold Danko, wants to meet you.” So, it was nervous me and Julie London. I said, "Wow.’"And she complimented my playing, and I said something stupid like,"You got me through junior high." It was so inane. She said, “You’re just trying to flatter a middle-aged lady.” And I looked at her, right in the eye and said, "No way."
So, anyway, Mel’s still standing there with me and her husband and actor, Bobby Troup. Julie said to Mel and me, “Mel and Harold, why don’t you come over while you’re here?” And Mel said, “No, my niece is here,” and I’m thinking, ‘Mel! Don’t! This is it!’ So, Julie London looks at me and says, “Well, Harold, can you make it?”
I might still have this somewhere packed away: She wrote down on a napkin “Julie” and her number. And the guys in the band were just rolling because I’m like in the sky. The next day comes and I’m debating to call or not. We had a few days off, and I finally called. Bobby Troup answered the phone.
I said, "This is Harold D-D-D-Danko, piano, ah, ah, dah, dah...," and he said, “You probably want to talk to Julie.” So, she got on and said, “Harold, come over.” I said, "Well, I don’t have a car." So, Bobby came and got me at the hotel and drove me up to wherever they lived, and there was Julie London at home.
Her daughter was taking driving lessons, so I went out and did a drive with her daughter while Julie cooked some fettuccine. I had fettuccine with Julie London and Bobby Troup, and for days, I was on the bus dazed. The guys said, “You’re missing Julie, aren’t you?” It became a band joke.
Lorez Alexandria. I recently heard from Kim Paris of the FM Radio Archive:
Hi Marc, Mark Rabin shared with us his recording of Lorez Alexandria at the 1980 Chicago Jazz Festival, which is now available at the FM Radio Archive here.
Maynard Freguson. Bill Kirchner recently sent along an audio clip of the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra at the Red Hill Inn in Pennsauken, N.J., on December 21 and 22, 1962. The songs are Give Me The Simple Life, Morgan's Organ, Doane's Bone (aka Maine Bone), I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, The Fox Hunt, Londonderry Air, One for Otis, Blue Birdland, Zip `N` Zap (aka Ain’t Life Grand), Chicago, MF Christmas Medley and Take the "A" Train. [Photo above of the Red Hill Inn, courtesy of Joe Deluca's Facebook page.
The personnel featured Maynard Ferguson (tp), Nat Pavone (lead tp), Rick Kiefer and Don Rader (tp); Lanny Morgan (as); Willie Maiden and Frank Vicari (ts); Ronnie Cuber (bs); Kenny Rupp (lead tb); Don Doane (tb); Mike Abene (p); Linc Milliman (b); and Rufus Jones (d).
Here's the gig (just click on the "Watch on YouTube below in the black box)...
Jimmy Forrest. Last week, following my post on 10 Jimmy Forrest audio clips, I heard from Jerry Shriver:
Thanks, Marc, for introducing me to Jimmy Forrest. Hadn’t heard of him ‘til now. You may want to mention to readers that Spotify has made the four albums of the Art Pepper Live at the Village Vanguard box available. I have no idea when this took place. I just discovered the addition after doing a search on Pepper. I was always able to find the “Complete Galaxy Sessions” box but never the components of the “Vanguard” box—“Thursday Night” “Friday” “Saturday" and “More.”
Ira Nepus, who has played trombone in the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra for more than 30 years and whose father was a co-founder of the Hot Club of France in Paris during the 1930s, sent along New Year's greetings to me and readers as well as a clip:
Hi Marc, thank you for all the great JazzWax! Here's something we did for a movie back in 1997 that I thought you and readers would enjoy...
For more on Ira, go here.
Boston jazz nostalgia. Last week, Chris Cowles sent along a post on Boston's Paul's Mall and Jazz Workshop (above), clubs where I spent many a night while in college listening live to Bill Evans, Sonny Stitt, the Brecker Brothers and so many others. Go here.
Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams radio. On Sunday, Sid Gribetz of WKCR-FM in New York will host a three-hour Jazz Profiles broadcast from 2 to 5 p.m. (ET) on the joint recordings of trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams. To listen from anywhere in the world, go here.
And finally, here's the monster known as Pepper Adams, one of the baritone saxophone's giants, with pianist Bill Evans, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Philly Joe Jones at La Grande Parade du Jazz in Nice, France, on July 16, 1978. Here they are playing Cole Porter's I Love You...
