In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed trumpeter Chris Botti by Zoom for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Halfway into the interview, Chris and I started talking cars, and he mentioned he had two Porsches and a McLaren that he drove on a track. Intrigued, I asked if the motorway was nearby. He didn't miss a beat. Chris got up from his kitchen counter and took me onto his patio via his laptop, turned the computer and showed me the track, which ran right behind his house.
My eyes widened. I knew immediately that Chris was going to be a great column. Just as there are private golf communities with houses on 18-hole courses, it turns out the Thermal Club in Thermal, Calif., sells villas that are adjacent to a track where owners' cars can hit speeds illegal on public roads without fear of a ticket.
Once my eyes resumed their normal size, I asked whether it was noisy living so close to a track, where engines roar by. Chris said he loved the sound and that it was a bonus. Chris agreed to a shoot, and we sent photographer Roger Kisby to Thermal with cameras and a drone.
The online version of my column was a blast. Once you land there, Chris behind the wheel of his McLaren takes off and the drone behind the car rises to show the track and the entire Coachella Valley. What a spectacular view.
Great holiday gift. The paperback edition of Anatomy of 55 More Songs will be published by Grove Press on December 5. To sweeten the sale, I've added three more song columns, bringing the total number to 58. The additions are War's Why Can't We Be Friends?, Lindsey Buckingham on Go Your Own Way and Dexys Midnight Runners on Come On Eileen. Buy copies now—for yourself or family and friends. They'll be so appreciative.
What I Watched. Below are the movies and series I watched this past week followed by my master list of recommended viewing [photo above of Justin Timberlake and Kate Winslet in Wonder Wheel, courtesy of Amazon Studios]:
Wonder Wheel (2017)—Kate Winslet delivers a masterful performance in this Woody-less Woody Allen film about a housewife losing her mind during a midlife crisis while living and working at New York's Coney Island. Brilliant performances by Jim Belushi as her husband and Justin Timberlake as the lifeguard. The casting is superb and the cinematography will blow your mind. Woody Allen films are hit or miss for me. This is one of his masterpieces. (Prime)
The Mule (2018)—I love Clint Eastwood in his long series of post-2008 "old man" roles, from Gran Torino to Cry Macho. In The Mule, Eastwood plays a slightly addled senior cast aside by society and finds self-worth by unknowingly driving drugs long distance for lots of cash. There's a resigned vulnerability and intensity about his performance at this stage in life. Great cast. (Netflix)
Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake (2022)—Documentary series on the 8.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, 2015 and its aftermath. A fascinating look back at the events leading up to and after the disaster that killed nearly 9,000 people, injured nearly 22,000 and left 3.5 million homeless. (Netflix)
The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022). Gripping documentary that tracks the harrowing, minute-by-minute experience of those who took a day trip to a live volcano in New Zealand, what happened when it erupted while they were there, and how those who survived escaped and others weren't so lucky. (Netflix)
The Stranger (2022)—An Australian psychological thriller film (Netflix).
Dark Winds (2022)—Thriller series follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest. (AMC)
1883 (2021-2022)—TV series and first of several Yellowstone prequels created and written by Taylor Sheridan that show how the Duttons came to own the land that became the Yellowstone Ranch. An unbelievably great performance by Sam Elliott. (Paramount +)
Backlist...
- Somewhere in Queens—(2022/Hulu)
- Spy(les) (2009/Prime)
- God's Country (2022/Hulu)
- MI-5 (2015/Max)
- Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023/Prime)
- Kill Chain (2019/Max)
- Five Came Back (2017/Netflix)
- Reptile (2023/Netflix)
- Fisk (2021/Netflix)
- Man on Fire (2004/Max)
- Nobody (2021/Prime)
- Eiffel (2021/Prime)
- Justified (2010-2015/Hulu)
- The Diplomat (2023/Netflix)
- The Equalizer 1, 2 and 3 (2014-2018/Prime)
- Armageddon Time (2022/Prime)
- Outlander—(2014-present/Netflix)
- Poldark—(2015-2019/Prime)
- Turn: Washington's Spies—(2014-2017/Prime)
- The Americans—(2013-2018)/Prime)
- Enola Holmes 1 and 2—(2022/Netflix)
- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—(2018/Netflix)
- Goliath—(2016-2021/Prime)
- Lincoln Lawyer—(2022-present/Netflix)
- Downton Abbey—(2020-2015/Prime)
- The Spy (2019/Netflix)
- Pieces of Her (2022/Netflix)
- Unbelievable (2019/Netflix)
- Yellowstone (2018-present/Paramount Network)
- The Accountant (2016/Hulu)
- The Crown (2016-2023/Netflix)
- The Queen's Gambit (2020/Netflix)
- Last Night in Soho (2021/Prime)
- Purple Hearts (2022/Netflix)
Movie opener mystery. Last week, I asked director Raymond De Felitta why after every film displays the studio behind the production (Universal, Paramount, etc.) it proceeds to spend a good three or four minutes trotting out the names of other weirdly named companies. What is that all about, and what are those companies responsible for?
Here's Raymond's answer:
The story of all those companies/logos/producers kind of breaks down along the lines of what each producer/production company brought to the table. The so-called ‘lead’ producer is the one responsible for being there with the project since inception. That producer has his or her own company credit as well as producing credits. Since it takes a movie star (or two) to get a film financed, those stars will generally want their own company listed as well as taking an executive producer credit. Many films are co-financed rather than the money coming from one pot. For example, a foreign-sales company will pre-sell foreign rights and float that cash to pay for the making of the film. Naturally, they get their company credit. Finally there are often people who put in equity (less and less, I’m sorry to say) and they will want a front credit and yet another executive producer credit.
Pharoah Sanders. Last week, Chris Cowles sent along a terrific YouTube clip of tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders & Starship Orchestra live at the Montreal Jazz Festival in June 1978 [photo above of Pharoah Sanders]. Go here...
Daryl Hall. Following my post on Live at Daryl Hall's House last week, Allan sent along the following:
Hi Marc. I love your stuff and read you every day and look forward to it. I love the "Live at Daryl Hall's House" clip you may have missed with Cee Lo Green and Daryl singing "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)." The band is hot, Cee Lo is on fire and Daryl is definitely in the groove. Go here...
Thanks Allan. I'll raise ya a Papa Was a Rolling Stone with Train. Go here...
Queen and Quartet. In 2005, Queen Elizabeth met rock-guitar royalty—Brian May of Queen, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Not only were the boys on their best behavior (meek, almost), the Queen didn't seem to know who any of them were. Which appeared to bring them all down to size a bit. Go here...
Magos Herrera, the wonderful Mexican singer (above), is now based in New York and has a new album out—Aire. She will be appearing at Brooklyn's National Sawdust on November 17. The passionate songs and Magos's warm, penetrating voice on Aire can be heard at Spotify or at Amazon here. For more information about her upcoming Brooklyn performance, go here. And here's Magos recording the title track from her new album...
Silvan Joray—Updraft (Ubuntu Music). Based in Basel, Switzerland, guitarist Silvan Joray is out with a spectacular new trio album. Backed by Nadav Erlich on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums, Joray plays with enormous inventiveness and a keen sense of stylish abstraction. There's s a dollop of John Scofield, a few pinches of Jim Hall and a dusting of Pat Metheny in his approach, but he takes the music in his own direction and swings easily. I love the mood projected by Silvan's ringing chords and how Nadav and Jeff fill the gaps with thoughtful, persistent lines and rustling figures. Seven of the album's 11 tracks are Silvan originals. The rest are Morning Breeze and Evening Breeze, which were improvised, Andrew Hill's Subterfuge and Cole Porter's At Long Last Love. If you dig John, Pat and Jim, as I do, then Silvan's album will be pure joy. You'll find the album at Spotify and here.
Here's the title track...
FM Radio Archive. Last week Kim Paris sent along the following links to free live broadcasts:
Brian Auger & The Oblivion Express—are featured in a 1975 concert at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom, recorded by now-defunct KRE-FM (which was used in the film American Graffiti). Go here.
The Brecker Brothers—have three broadcast recordings on FMRA, two in New York in 1978 and 1981, and one from Jazz Festival Velden in Austria in 1980. Go here.
Weather Report—has two concerts on FMRA from 1975 & 1976. Also, NPR's Jazz Night in America featured some Weather Report tracks in their special about Wayne Shorter, after he passed away. Go here.
Grover Washington Jr.—is featured in three broadcast recordings on FMRA, two with the CTI All Stars in 1972 and 1974, and one at Philadelphia's Merriam Theater in 1981, before a home-town crowd. Go here.
And finally, here's Jackie McLean playing Blues Inn, from Jackie's Bag (1961), with Jackie McLean (as), Blue Mitchell (tp), Tina Brooks (ts), Kenny Drew (p), Paul Chambers (b) and Art Taylor (d)...
