In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed comedian Jim Gaffigan for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Jim is what's known as a clean stand-up comic, meaning he gets his laughs without using four-letter words. [Photo of Jim Gaffigan courtesy of Jim Gaffigan/IMDB]
If you're unfamiliar with Jim, here's an example...
Jim's also an actor. In Linoleum, out this week, he plays two roles. Go here...
Rick Weinberg, founder and editor of California Business Journal, found my new book at the Barnes & Noble in Huntington Beach, Ca....
Count Basie at Birdland. Yesterday, after my post on Count Basie with Steve Allen at Birdland, I heard from Bill Oliver:
Oh, Marc, now pretend in 1956, you are 14, had never experienced jazz music— much less the Basie band—and were seated at one of those LP-size table tops at Birdland in front of Marshall Royal. It changed my life.
I was 14 and with my uncle, Paul Oliver, and his childhood friend and fellow wartime veteran Rocky Coluccio—also known as Rocky Cole, the musical director for Patti Page.
Now exhale. At intermission Basie sat down at the table to talk with Rocky, who said these words: “Bill, I want you to know Bill Oliver. He catches your act whenever he’s in town.” Rocky was not one for understatement. My first-time exposure to the band was beyond hypnotic.
Now I am 80 and forever grateful for the musicians who have brought such happiness and such wonder into those years. Thank you, always, for keeping all of it young.
His tribute to a friend. Lee Prout sent along a YouTube clip of pianist Peter Smith playing Prayer for Jay, an original song dedicated to his friend, Jason Fisher, who died on Feb. 23, 2022. It was taped live at United Recording Studios by Dante Polichetti and edited by Ben Sharples. This version of his original composition will appear on the album Dollar Dreams by the Peter Smith Trio, to be released on Real Magic Records on March 3. Go here...
Bill Crow. Following my post last week on Neal Miner's documentary on bassist Bill Crow (above), I heard from George Coppens:
Thank you, Marc, for highlighting Bill Crow, a favorite of mine for quite some time. I have a fine clip in my collection of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet in 1958 with Bill Crow on bass performing at the Newport Jazz Festival. They play "As Catch Can!" Go here...
Speaking of Bill, here's an outtake from the documentary, sent along by Carl Woideck...
Josh White. The name may not mean much to people now, but back in the 1930s and '40s, Josh White (above) was a folk and blues singer-songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also was a major recording artist and influence on artists in many forms of music. David Crosby, for one, told me White's recording of Strange Fruit deeply influenced him as a child. On Friday, I heard from Josh White III, the grandson of White:
Marc, thank you so much for the article on David Crosby! I’m trying to plan a 110th birthday event for my late grandfather in his hometown of Greenville, S.C. next year. I’m not sure if you’re aware but Greenville commissioned a free-standing, bronze relief of him unveiled in October 2020. Here are pictures of the front and back:
Here's Josh White's 1942 Keynote recording of Strange Fruit...
To read my interview with David Crosby on Josh White, go here.
Evaline Ness, a terrific American mid-century illustrator, was highlighted at the British FishInk blog last week. To read the posts, here's Part 1 and here's Part 2. Don't forget, you can sign up at the site for its emailed posts.
Al Haig. Following my post on Al Haig, I heard from LP designer Malcolm Walker:
Marc, I enjoyed your piece on Al Haig. I designed all the covers for his records on Tony's Spotlite label—"Invitation," "Special Brew," etc. All, except one. When I finally met Al, Tony introduced me as the designer of his albums "Invitation" and "Special Brew." Al was pleased to meet me and called his then girlfriend Joanne over: "Hey Joanne, here's the guy who did the covers for my LPs." He liked them very much, he said, but that his next one was going to be done by someone else because he was a fan. I thought, "Yeah, that's OK." But later on, I thought, "Wait a minute, I'm a fan too!!!"
Working with me at the time was a friend, Bill Major, who took some brilliant photographs of Al that have never been seen, I plan to use them in an Al Haig discography I have been preparing for publication for some time. My wife and I last saw Al at the Pizza Express in London one Sunday evening, the day before he left to return to New York. He was playing so well, though he kept making howling and yelping noises like a dog between numbers. A complicated man. I think I may have told you the story of the Victorian self-pouring teapot I used on the cover of Special Brew, along with the tea he was constantly drinking at the time.
Teenie Harris. Last week, I heard from Phil Dorsey of TheBocX.com, a 24/7 streaming music station [photo above of Charles “Teenie” Harris ca. 1938 by an unknown photographer]:
Hi Marc, I hope this email finds you well! I just wanted to touch base with you. We recently added capsules of JazzWax content with links to your posts at our website, The BocX Streaming Music Station. We really like your writing and insights, and wanted to link to your pages for our listeners.
Also I wanted to share something else you may be interested in. There was a photographer named Teenie Harris for the Pittsburgh Courier, a newspaper aimed at the black market from the 1920s until his death in the 1970s. He saved all his negatives, and the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh obtained them from his family.
They have had rolling exhibits for years of his outstanding work. He photographed all the celebrities who came to Pittsburgh for shows over the years. Lots of Jazz artists and shows at the biggest jazz haunt of the city at the time—The Crawford Grill.
The site is a rabbit hole of great photos. For example, I recently typed in Duke Ellington, and the site search came back with 10 pages of 10 pictures each!
For Teenie Harris's photo archive, go here.
Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Last week, Tom Fine sent along the following:
So many classic rock albums were recorded using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Two of them were the Stones’ “Exile on Main Street” and Led Zeppelin's “Physical Graffiti.” Also, the first Bad Company album. The Stones took the RSM on tour during their peak performing era in the 1970s. For more, see this YouTube clip...
Lucy Yeghiazaryan has a new album out—Lonely House (La Reserve). You may recall Lucy from my 2021 interview here. Recorded with Michael Kanan at the piano, the album features Lucy singing ballads of solitude and isolation. You'll find the alum here.
Here's Lucy singing By Myself...
FM Radio Archive. Kim Paris sent along a bunch of links to recordings of jazz artists performing live over the radio:
Hi Marc, thanks for all your recent mentions of the jazz artists below at JazzWax this month.
Ron Carter is featured in eight different broadcasts, ranging from a 1967 concert with Miles Davis to a 2022 NPR Jazz Night in America episode. Go here.
Dave Stryker performed at the 2018 Jazz Port Townsend event, which was broadcast on KNKX. Go here.
Bud Powell was featured in an episode of NPR's Jazz Profiles in 2008, hosted by Nancy Wilson. Go here.
Dexter Gordon has two—from Keystone Korner in San Francisco in 1980 and from Montreux, Switzerland, in 1987. Go here.
Ray Brown is featured in a trio with Milt Jackson in a 1993 KJAZ recording from Yoshi's in Oakland, Ca. Go here.
The Charlie Parker All Stars performed at the 1980 Chicago Jazz Festival in a NPR broadcast. Go here.
Stan Getz is featured at the 1980 Chicago Jazz Festival and in 1987 at Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark. Go here.
Joe Chambers played with Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land at the 1989 Antibes Jazz Festival. Go here.
Dexter Gordon radio. WKCR-FM in New York will celebrate the centennial of Dexter Gordon by presenting a 24-hour broadcast on Monday, February 27, starting at 11:59 p.m. (ET) Sunday night. Sid Gribetz will be at the microphone from 6 to 9 a.m. (ET) on Monday. Additionally, the station will feature a live interview with Dexter’s widow, Maxine Gordon, at 4 p.m. (ET) on Monday. Listen to the festivities from anywhere in the world by going here.
And finally, here's Chris Connor singing I've Got Beginner's Luck, from her favorite album, Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song (1957), with Herbie Mann (fl,as), Ralph Sharon (p,celeste,arr), Barry Galbraith (g), Oscar Pettiford (b) and Ronnie Free (d)...
