Last week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed actor-comedian Bob Odenkirk for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Bob recently starred in the TV series Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad and in the feature film Nobody, a 2021 action thriller he co-produced. Bob talked about growing up with a father who constantly worried his kids over his own anxieties over family finances, creating enormous fear and insecurity. [Photo above of Bob Odenkirk, courtesy of AMC]
In Nobody, Bob plays a a mild-mannered family man who must revert to his former occupation—a professional assassin—after he and his family become targets of a violent crime boss. Here's Bob in a highly choreographed and violent scene as a group of thugs board a city bus looking for trouble...
What I Watched. This weekend, I continue my new feature that should make your streaming choices a little easier. In past months, I heard from so many of you asking what I recommend given how many TV series and movies I consume in advance of my WSJ "House Call" interviews. So rather than email back titles, I've decided to post a running list each week for one and all:
Watched in the past week...
Somewhere in Queens (2022)—A drama-comedy that stars Ray Romano (Everyone Loves Raymond), who also wrote the screenplay and directed. The coming-of-age film centers on an introverted high school teen who's a little off and whose father (Romano) is a little off. Basketball and a first love seem like a way out for both the teen and his father, but nothing is as it seems. (Hulu).
Spy(les) (2009)—Also known as Espion(s), this French action-thriller centers on an airport baggage handler who is pressured into helping the French and British secret service catch a man implicated in a bombing. While the film isn't perfect (the script wobbles in places), all of the faces are new and the locations are in Paris and London. (Prime)
God's Country (2022)—Thandiwe Newton stars as a black college professor in remote, white Montana. A former New Orleans police officer, she turns to her training as locals intimidate and then threaten her. The film has an unusual stillness and amazing cinematography by Andrew Wheeler. (Hulu)
MI-5 (2015)—A British spy film that stars Peter Firth, an MI-5 agent who investigates the bridge-jumping disappearance of an older spymaster who is blamed for letting a terrorist escape in London. Non-stop action and actors who are likely new to you. The film is also known as Spooks: The Greater Good. (Max)
Guy Ritchie's the Covenant (2023)—A U.S. Army sergeant develops a close relationship with his interpreter in Afghanistan, a friendship that becomes critical to the rest of the film's plotlines. Stunning drone cinematography by Ed Wild. (Prime)
Kill Chain (2019)—A low-budget neo-noir directed by Ken Sanzel, the film stars Nicolas Cage as the manager of a shabby hotel and a former assassin who encounters a hit team in his lobby and sets in motion a series of events to deal with the threat. (Max)
Backlist...
Five Came Back (2017)—This documentary miniseries looks at five Hollywood directors who joined the service during World War II to film different aspects of the conflict. None of them came back the same as when they left. (Netflix)
Reptile (2023)—A crime thriller film about a detective who must track down a murderer in Maine. (Netflix)
Fisk (2021)—Hysterical Australian TV series starring Kitty Flanagan, who also created and co-wrote the fast-paced comedy that bears some similarity to The Office and Call My Agent. (Netflix)
Man on Fire (2004)—High-stakes revenge film starring Denzel Washington. (Max)
Nobody (2021)—Family man who returns to his former life after working as an assassin becomes the target of a crime boss. Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) in a superb dramatic role. (Prime)
Eiffel (2021)—A French biodrama on Gustave Eiffel as he builds his Eiffel Tower in Paris and the romance he resumes from years earlier. The tower details are accurate but the romance was fictionalized to spice up the story, a brilliant move. As you'll see, it all works. (Prime)
Justified (2010-2015)—This seven-season series traces the work of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant). High-energy drama and top-notch writing. (Hulu)
The Diplomat (2023)—A political thriller series starring Keri Russell, who is worth watching in anything and everything. (Netflix)
The Equalizer 1, 2 and 3 (2014-2018)—Revenge film series starring Denzel Washington and directed by Antoine Fuqua. (Prime)
Armageddon Time (2022)—Unusual film about an odd kid and how he makes his way through adolescence. Stars Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Banks Repeta. (Prime)
Outlander—TV series that mixes history and time travel. (Netflix)
Poldark—TV series that looks at the post-American Revolution life of a British soldier after he returns home to England after the British lose the war and a continent. (Prime)
Washington's Spies—TV series about those who spied for America during the Revolutionary War. (Prime)
The Americans—Acclaimed series on Soviet spies living in the U.S. as Americans and the lengths to which they go to compromise and turn neighbors and key officials. (Prime)
Enola Holmes 1 and 2—Two drama-comedies that look at the life of Sherlock Holmes's fictional sister. Brilliantly shot. (Netflix)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—Highly unusual Western that features six vignettes set on the American frontier. Directed by the Coen brothers. (Netflix)
Goliath—Fascinating series about a West Coast attorney who bends the rules. Stars Billy Bob Thornton. (Prime)
Gabor Szabo. Following my post on guitarist Gabor Szabo, I heard from pianist Roger Kellaway:
Hi Marc. Gabor and I were with Lena Horne around 1962 or '63 in Burlingame, Ca., at a theater in the round. Albert Stinson was on bass and Chico Hamilton was on drums. Ray Ellis arranged and conducted the orchestra. The fun part was that the orchestra was stationary, but the stage moved slowly in circles allowing the entire audience to see the quartet. So, keeping time between the stage quartet and the orchestra was ever-changing. How bizarre! Always hoping you stay safe and healthy.
Pepper Adams. Following my Backgrounder post this week on Pepper Adams Quintet (1957), I heard from drummer Bruce Klauber [photo above of Pepper Adams]:
Hi Marc. I've always loved that album by Pepper. Two Pepper stories:
The first: When I was barely 18, in 1972, I managed to get a job for my jazz trio in the Center City district of Philadelphia. There was virtually no jazz in Center City at that time, so the three of us were it. We started attracting jazz fans who had nowhere else to go, and some pretty nifty sitters-in, including two Philadelphia Orchestra players who had good jazz chops.
One night, the two orchestra players brought in two guests who happened to be in town: Pepper Adams and Jerry Dodgion. Both played with our trio most of the night. On a break, Pepper took me aside in a private back room. He said I had technique to spare and very good time, but that it was due time I got my head out of the swing era and started listening to cats like Paul Motian, Tony Williams, etc.
Not only did I do that, but I also went back to studying. Some years later, we played opposite the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis small group, which included Pepper. He listened to us carefully and later told me how pleased he was with my progress. You can't imagine how that felt.
The second: One of the dear friends and fans of our trio was David Kay--now long passed. He was the son of singer Carol Stevens, subject of a fine JazzWax interview in 2014. Carol, back then, was romantically involved with Norman Mailer, who decided to throw himself a 50th birthday party at New York's Four Seasons restaurant. He actually charged admission to get in!
David, through his mother, got me and our trio's pianist an invite. Lo and behold, when we arrived, we came upon a band comprised of, among others, David Amram, Charles Mingus and Pepper. He remembered the "two Philadelphia whippersnappers"—me and Andy Kahn, a childhood friend. On a break, he asked Mingus to "take care of us."
One of the features of Mailer's party was that the guests could help themselves to the Four Seasons' great food, but guests had to go into the kitchen to get it. On the band's break, Mingus walked us into the kitchen, saying he was going to treat us to "the best apple pie in the world." He found the pies, and there we were, eating apple pie and drinking cold milk with Mingus.
Chuck Israels, in June, was awarded the Brandeis Alumni Association's Alumni Achievement Award, its highest honor. The award recognizes "those who have made a significant impact in their field and in society while embodying Brandeisian values." Photo above, from left, is Frederick Alt, the Director of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital; Chuck Israels; Cheryl Pegus, a cardiologist and managing director of Morgan Health Ventures; and Curtis Tearte, chairman and co-founder of the Tearte Family Foundation and a retired IBM executive.
Chuck's memoir, Bass Notes (Backbeat Books), which includes his time in the Bill Evans Trio after bassist Scott LaFaro's death in 1961, will be published on December 15.
Ronnie Cuber memorial. If you were unable to attend the New York memorial for the late baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber on October 16 at St. Peters, the church has posted a video of the entire 1 1/2-hour event, including music performances. Kudos to Roberta Arnold, who organized and hosted the tribute to Ronnie. My two-part interview with Ronnie on Maynard Ferguson starts here. Watch the memorial here...
Jennifer Wharton's Bonegasm—Grit & Grace (Sunnyside). The last time I posted about Jennifer was in 2021, when I interviewed her (here). Her new album features four trombonists—Jennifer on bass trombone and vocals, and John Fedchock, Nate Mayland and Alan Ferber on trombones. They are backed by Michael Eckroth (p), Evan Gregor (b), Don Peretz (d) and Samuel Torres (perc). Three of the songs are originals by Jennifer and the rest are little-known songs by a range of composers. It's easy to hear how much these players love their instruments, especially when playing in harmony. You'll find the album on streaming platforms and here.
Here's Menina Sozinha...
FM Radio Archive. Last week I heard from Kim Paris of the FM Radio Archive, which features access to free, live concerts broadcast over the air waves. Here are the broadcasts Kim flagged for JazzWax readers based on my recent posts:
Bill Evans—has two broadcast recordings on FM Radio Archive; the first is from Switzerland in 1975, and the second is with Tony Bennett in 1976. Go here.
Gerry Mulligan—has two recordings: a 1987 performance with Marian McPartland on NPR's Piano Jazz, and an NPR Jazz Profiles episode from 2008, hosted by Nancy Wilson. Go here.
John Scofield—appears on two. The first is with Miles Davis and Chick Corea at Jazz Summit Austria in 1984, and the second is with Phil Lesh & Friends at Vinyl in Atlanta in 2006. Go here.
Dave Grusin—is featured with his NY-LA Dream Band at the Budokan in Tokyo in 1982. Go here.
Stan Getz—performs with his quintet at the 1980 Chicago Jazz Festival and at Cafe Montmartre in Copehagen in 1987. Go here.
Art Tatum—is featured in a recently posted 2007 NPR Jazz Profiles episode, hosted by Nancy Wilson. Go here.
Gabor Szabo—performed at the Hilton Budapest in January 1978, on an MTV-Hungary broadcast. Go here.
Clifford Brown radio. New York's WKCR-FM will present its annual "Clifford Brown Birthday Broadcast" on Monday (October 30), playing the music of the legendary trumpeter for 24 hours, starting Sunday at 11:59 p.m. (ET) to midnight on Monday. Listen from anywhere in the world by going here.
And finally, here's a 45-minute Sinatra collection from Beegie Adair, one of the best contemporary lounge pianists who died in 2022 [photo above of Beegie Adair at home in Nashville, Tenn., in 1977, by Bill Welch/The Tennessean]...
And here's Beegie in action playing Autumn Leaves...