Last week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed actress and author Emily Hampshire for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Emily is best known for playing Stevie Budd in TV’s comedy series Schitt’s Creek. [Photo above of Emily Hampshire, courtesy of Wikipedia]
Here's Emily in Schitt's Creek singing Maybe This Time...
Emily's new book is Amelia Aierwood: Basic Witch (Z2 Comics). Her first teen graphic novel, it's about a girl who's different and why being different is an asset, not a liability. Go here.
Lili Añel—Better Days (Wall-I). When this album was first titled and released in 2019 by Lili Añel (pronounced Ahn-Yell), the singer-songwriter and guitarist had no idea what was about to befall the marketplace, particularly album touring. None of us did. Starting in March 2020, the world was shuttered for a year as governments struggled to halt the death slide of the Covid pandemic. In October 2021, Lili re-released the album after its co-producer, Dale Melton, made improvements to the original mix. The remastered result is a sterling and powerful collection of songs delivered with the feel of Joni Mitchell and Joan Armatrading. Six of the 10 tracks are by Lili, except The Wrong Time (Barbara Añel), Number One (Joni Mitchell), Better Days (Lili Añel and Barbara Anel) and Family Affair (Sylvester Stewart). Lili's soulful jazz-folk vocals, her songwriting and her choices display enormous artistic maturity and depth. An album that should be heard from beginning to end and then repeated. Go here or here.
Lili live: If you're in New York on May 6, catch Lili at the Chelsea Table & Stage in the Hilton Fashion District Hotel at 152 W 26th Street. Go here and click the button in the lower right that says, "See Available Tix."
Here's Lili performing Thin Line...
And here's what she did with Sly Stone's Family Affair...
Three great flutes. Here's Frank Wess, Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws:
Here's Frank Wess taking his famous flute solo with the Count Basie band in Italy in 1960 on Neal Hefti's Cute...
Here's Herbie Mann playing Who Can I Turn To, in March 1965, with an arrangement by Ray Ellis...
And here's Hubert Laws with Elena Pinderhughes in 2013 playing Stolen Moments with just a drummer...
Larry McKenna—World on a String (BCM&D). Larry McKenna has long been known for his languid, seductive tenor saxophone. His soothing tone has a rich, nocturnal feel on ballads and he's best heard late at night. His new album features nine songs backed by strings—I've Got the World on a String, But Beautiful, Samantha, Emily, Dreamsville, Stompin' at the Savoy, Somewhere in the Night, Samba D Else and What Is There to Say. At 85, the Philadelphia legend is playing better than ever. His horn lets you think and dream, which makes me wish Larry would record a Henry Mancini tribute album. I'd suggest including Life in a Looking Glass from the film That's Life and Megeve from Charade. Go here.
Here's Larry playing Henry Mancini's Dreamsville...
And here's Larry playing Emily...
Who's on the left? The above photo was sent to me last week by Heidi Glow, daughter of trumpet great Bernie Glow. That's Bernie on the right in the late 1940s. The person on the left remains a mystery. If you know, please email me at [email protected]. No guesses please. Thanks!
And finally, here's Betty St. Claire in 1955 on Bethlehem singing East of the Sun, backed by Ed Swanston (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Addison Farmer (b) and Herbie Lovelle (d)...
And here's Chris Connor on Bethlehem singing Why Shouldn't I in August 1954 backed by Ellis Larkins (p) Everett Barksdale (g) and Beverly Peer (b)...
