In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed Christopher Walken for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Chris talked about his early years in Astoria, Queens, and how his star-struck mom nudged her three boys into show business in the late 1940s and early '50s.
Here's Chris in a scene that earmarked him for strange-character roles going forward...
Anne Marie Moss. Following my recent post on singers Jackie Paris and Anne Marie Moss, I received the following from jazz vocalist Giacomo Gates...
Marc, I met Ann Marie at a gig I was doing for a group of composers in New York in the early 1990s. At one point, I was singing "Lady Be Good." When I got to the Bird solo that was set to words by vocalese singer Eddie Jefferson, Moss starting singing the melody to "Lady Be Good," from the back of the room. Then she walked up and, while singing, joined me on the bandstand. Normally, I would have somehow avoided or done something to interrupt that, but she sounded so good, we finished the song together. I didn't know it was her until she said, "Giacomo, it's Ann Marie. I love you." Slayed me.
Bright Lights. Following my post on the song The Bright Lights and You Girl, I heard from Michael O'Daniel...
Marc, the person speaking in the book you cited, in reference to Ray Charles and "Bright Lights," was quite possibly his manager and producer Joe Adams or his producer and music director H.B. Barnum. Those two would have been most familiar with "the neighborhood," which was along W. Washington Boulevard, fairly close to downtown Los Angeles, and where Ray owned a building at 2107 that housed Ray Charles Enterprises—where he had his offices, studio and crash pad. According to Google, there is now a Ray Charles Memorial Library at that site.
Gibson '67. Wish you could go back to 1967 and take a tour of the Gibson guitar factory? Bill Pauluh is way ahead of you. Go here...
Billie Holiday radio. Next Thursday, April 7, WKCR-FM in New York will present its annual "Billie Holiday Birthday Broadcast," playing her music on the radio for 24 hours. The marathon will start Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m. and continue all night, day and evening on Thursday. [Photo above of Billie Holiday and arranger-conductor Ray Ellis from the Lady in Satin photo shoot]
To listen to the Billie Holiday broadcast from anywhere in the world, go here.
And finally, here's a clear video upload of Archie Bell and the Drells performing Tighten Up on TV. Based on the Nehru jackets, the video's year is 1968. I know because I begged my mother for a blue satin one and a chain medallion in fifth grade when I was 11. She relented. Hey, what can I tell you, the Sixties were such a gas...
