Nora, Sammy and Hawk

This past week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed novelist Nora Roberts for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Nora has a new book out, Inheritance, and she has authored more than 230 novels. [Photo above of Nora Roberts, courtesy of Nora Roberts]

Nora's big break came during a blizzard, when being stuck in house with two kids led to her try her hand at a romance novel. The rest is literary history.

Here's Nora on Lifetime...

Perfect gift. I added three new songs to the paperback edition of Anatomy of 55 More Songs (Grove Press), due out December 5. The book is also slightly smaller in size and feels great in the hand. Your friends and family deserve it. Go here.

And a special thanks to the wonderful, platinum-voiced Steve Kraske, host of Up to Date on NPR's KCUR in Kansas City, and his team. Steve graciously had me on last week for a half hour to talk about the stories behind several of the hit songs in my new paperback book. Steve has been hosting for many years and is a silky and exceptional host and radio journalist. The city loves him, and it's no wonder why. I just have to find an excuse to get back out there so we can hit Arthur Bryant's. Want to give a listen? Go here.

What I watched recently...

1923 (2022-present)—This week, my focus was on 1923, the second prequel series to Yellowstone. Loving it, and great to watch after the previous prequel, 1888 (2021-2022). (Paramount+)

Reacher (Season 2)—I just finished screening the upcoming Season 2 of Reacher (eight episodes/starts December 15). Without getting into details, which I'm not permitted to do, I'll just say I loved it. Plenty of action by a special investigating team led by superhero-everyman, actor Alan Ritchson. Season 1 is available to watch now. (Prime Video)

Queenpins (2021)—I absolutely love Kristen Bell, who co-stars with Kirby Howell-Baptiste in this zany comedy film about two women who figure out a way to profit from fake supermarket coupons. (Pluto TV)

Band of Brothers (2001)—I recently rewatched this miniseries and was blow away by the superb writing, acting and direction. The only misfire was casting a post-Friends David Schwimmer as a tyrannical captain. Fortunately he disappears early on reappears briefly toward the end.

The Gilded Age (2022-present)—Daily life, courtship and robber-baron wealth on Manhattan's Fifth Ave. in 1882. Beautifully shot, marvelously acted and a peephole into an era when society events, status and outspending your neighbors was a blood sport. Now in Season 2. (HBO)

List of favorites...

Series

The Crown (2016-present/Netflix)
1883 (2021-2022/Prime)
Dark Winds (2022/AMC)
Fisk (2021/Netflix)
Justified (2010-2015/Hulu)
The Diplomat (2023/Netflix)
Outlander—(2014-present/Netflix)
Poldark—(2015-2019/Prime)
Turn: Washington's Spies—(2014-2017/Prime)
The Americans—(2013-2018)/Prime)
Goliath—(2016-2021/Prime)
Lincoln Lawyer—(2022-present/Netflix)
Downton Abbey—(2020-2015/Prime)
Pieces of Her (2022/Netflix)
Unbelievable (2019/Netflix)
Yellowstone (2018-present/Paramount Network)

Films

Wonder Wheel (2017/Prime)
The Mule (2018/Netflix)
The Stranger (2022/Netflix)
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)
Reptile (2023/Netflix)
Man on Fire (2004/Max)
Nobody (2021/Prime)
Eiffel (2021/Prime)
The Equalizer 1, 2 and 3 (2014-2018/Prime)
Armageddon Time (2022/Prime)
Enola Holmes 1 and 2—(2022/Netflix)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—(2018/Netflix)
The Spy (2019/Netflix)
The Accountant (2016/Hulu)
The Queen's Gambit (2020/Netflix)
Last Night in Soho (2021/Prime)
Purple Hearts (2022/Netflix)

Documentaries

Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake (2022/Netflix)
The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022/Netflix)
Five Came Back (2017/Netflix)

Sammy Davis Jr. Following my post last week on Sammy, I heard from Dave James [publicity still above of Sammy Davis Jr.]:

Marc, Sammy was a man of many talents. Singing, dancing, acting and then there’s this here (skip over Clint Eastwood's creaky intro)...

Billie Holiday. Last week, following my Billie Holiday post, bassist Chuck Israels sent the above photo of Billie Holiday from the late 1930s along with a note:

Marc, the photo of Billie was photographed by Lotte Jacobi, someone I knew from my childhood until her death. A marvelous woman and photographer. I have portraits she took of me, one of singer Paul Robeson holding my brother, Josh, and a few others. Lotte is someone well worth knowing about. Go here and here.

Chuck's new memoir, Bass Notes: Jazz in American Culture: A Personal View (Backbeat), which includes insights into his time with Bill Evans after bassist Scott LaFaro's death in 1961, will be published on December 15. You can pre-order now here.

Lee Kontiz. Following my post on a newly reissued Lee Konitz album from the 1970s (Tenorlee), I heard from Bill Kirchner...

Hi Marc. In September 1971, I began two years of private lessons with Lee Konitz—which was a life-changing experience for me. For my first lesson, I arrived at his apartment on 107th Street and Central Park West with my tenor saxophone in hand. He asked me to play something. Then he picked up his tenor—he had both tenor and alto on stands—and played something. (Your description of his tenor sound as “bone-dry” is apt.) I’ve always liked Lee’s tenor playing. He recorded on tenor on "Tenorlee" and on several tracks of "The Lee Konitz Duets" albums, and his playing is like no one else’s. I wish he had played it more.

Modern Jazz Quartet. Following my post on the MJQ, I heard from Peter Boe:

Marc, one of my very favorite songs by the MJQ appears on "Space," one of two LPs recorded by the Beatles' Apple label. The tune is "Dilemma," an absolute blues marvel in which the interplay between John Lewis and Milt Jackson is astonishing. I go back to this tune all the time. It's moving and fascinating and important. Go here...

Buddy Rich, while on tour in Britain in 1987, was a guest on Michael Parkinson's BBC TV show. The band played Ed Shaughnessy's Shawnee. Positively electrifying. [Publicity still above of Buddy Rich] Go here...

Peter and Orson. For a time, when director Peter Bogdanovich was between houses, he roomed at the home of director Orson Welles. Last week, I found the above photo at the Facebook page of Roberta Elaine Pace. It catpures Bogdanovich and Welles food shopping at a Los Angeles supermarket in 1970. I suspect this was taken just before or after Bogdanovich directed The Last Picture Show. Welles hadn't directed in a couple of years (The Immortal Story, 1968) and wouldn't do so again until 1972 (F for Fake, 1973). Hard to tell if they were truly surprised by the seemingly candid shot or they pretended to be as a friend clicked the shutter. It's clearly a pro camera given the image, so perhaps it was a paparazzi who swung into action upon spotting them at checkout.

One more Papa. Last week, Jim Eigo sent along a performance clip of guitarist Dave Stryker and his group performing Papa Was a Rolling Stone, which can be heard on his 2019 album Eight Track III. Featured were Dave Stryker (g), Stefon Harris (vib), Jared Gold (org), McClenty Hunter (d) and Mayra Casales (perc). Go here...

Hank Jones. David Chilver in the U.K. sent along an email and a clip...

Hi Marc, I know you must receive zillions of videos to view, which is why I try not to burden you too much with stuff. But the following clip I came across yesterday is a lovely reminder of the great Hank Jones. Unaffected by the distractions around him, he leads a rehearsal of his trio playing "Lady Luck," a composition by his brother, Thad Jones, based on the chord changes to "Taking a Chance on Love." Go here...

Any idea who's pictured above? I found the image at the Facebook page of Tom Brown. Hint: You knew them when you were little. From left, that's Jerry Mathers (The Beaver in Leave It to Beaver), Keith Thibodeaux (Little Ricky from I Love Lucy and The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour), Jon Provost (Lassie's Timmy) and Butch Patrick (Eddie on The Munsters). All four attended a fundraiser in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago.

Bianca Rossini—Apaixonada [Passionate]. Easily Bianca Rossini's finest album to date, Apaixonada is a joy on the ears. Born in Brazil and based in Beverly Hills, Calif., Bianca wrote the words and music to 10 songs and sings them backed by top-notch musicians. Her voice is breezy, alive and sounds as if recorded while dancing, with phrasing that is heartfelt and free of vibrato. All of her songs are smartly composed, and she has no trouble surging up to hit high notes. Once you put this album on, you'll have a tough time taking it off until the end. You'll also feel much better than you did before you put it on. You'll find the album on all streaming platforms and here.

Here's Meu Coração Faz Tum Tum...

And here's Luiza...

The Dutch Hobby Orchestra—Our Time (Dutch Jazz Archives). The Dutch Hobby Orchestra was a band that never was. Despite gathering the best Dutch jazz band musicians and sight readers of the late 1960s, the DHO never recorded an album. Instead, they were a rehearsal band of sorts that recorded songs here and there at Dutch studios between 1967 and 1968. Sadly, these songs were never pulled together for a single LP release. The reasons are too complex to get into here. What you do need to know is that the Dutch Jazz Archive has just released an album that unites all of these tracks and the result is spectacular. Big band jazz in the Netherlands was scant into the 1960s. The Dutch Hobby Orchestra was formed by those who wanted to create a top-notch band on par with those that existed in the U.S. and the U.K. If you dig big bands, this album is a killer and fires on all cylinders. Do yourself a favor and just buy it. You'll find the album at Dusty Groove here and at the Dutch Jazz Archive site here.

Here's In Some Way...

In Some Way

Here's Perka...

Perka

And here's a video clip...

Coleman Hawkins radio. WKCR-FM in New York will present its annual "Coleman Hawkins Birthday Broadcast" on Tuesday (November 21), playing records by the visionary tenor saxophonist for 24 hours [photo above of Coleman Hawkins by James J. Kriegsmann]. To listen from anywhere in the world, go here.