Giancarlo, Bud and Billie

In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed actor Giancarlo Esposito for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Giancarlo pops up everywhere now. In addition to major roles in Kaleidoscope, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and The Gentlemen, he currently stars in AMC’s crime-drama series Parish. [Photo above of Giancarlo Esposito in Parish by Eliot Brasseaux/AMC]

Here he is in The Gentlemen...

And here's the trailer for Parish...

What I'm watching.

Last week...

Ripley (2024)—This is a psychological thriller series based on Patricia Highsmith's 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. In short, Ripley is a loser-grifter who manages to weasel his way into a wealthy family after being sent to Italy to bring home the son of a New York shipbuilder. While the book was made into an American movie of the same name in 1999, this eight-episode series is much more remarkable. For one, Robert Elswit is sure to win an Emmy for cinematography. The film is in black and white, and every scene is a work of art. Also, it's a rush how they managed to recreate the look, sound and feel of New York in 1961. (Netflix)

Here's the Ripley trailer...

The Little Things (2021)—A psychological crime film that takes place in the 1990s as two detectives (Denzel Washington and Rami Malek) try to find a serial killer. Though the script has flaws, particularly toward the end, Denzel is good in virtually anything, and Jared Leto, the suspect, received several awards for his haunting performance. (Netflix)

Here's The Little Things trailer...

Previously watched and recommended...

TV series

• The Affair—(2014-2019/Hulu)
• Alaska Daily—(2022/Prime)
• The Americans—(2013-2018)/Prime)
• Anatomy of a Scandal—(2022/Netflix)
• Apples Never Fall—2024/Peacock)
• Band of Brothers—(2001/Netflix) 
• The Bay (2019-current/BritBox)
• Belgravia—(2020/Prime Video)
• Blue Lights—(2023/BritBox)
• Bosch—(2014-2021/Prime)
• Bosch: Legacy—(2022-current/Prime)
• The Crown—(2016-2023/Netflix)
• Cherif—(2013-2019/Prime)
• Dark Winds—(2022/AMC)
• The Diplomat—(2023/Netflix)
• Downton Abbey—(2020-2015/Prime)
• Feud (S1): Bette and Joan—(2017/Hulu)
• Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans—(2024/FX, with streaming on Hulu)
• Fisk—(2021/Netflix)
• The Gentlemen—(2024/Netflix)
• Godless—(2017/Netflix)
• Goliath—(2016-2021/Prime)
• The Gilded Age—(current/Max)
• High Water—(2022/Netflix)
• Homeland—(2011-2020/Showtime)
• Jane Eyre—(2006/Britbox)
• Justified—(2010-2015/Hulu)
• Life & Beth—(Seasons 1& 2, 2022-present/Hulu)
• Lincoln Lawyer—(2022-present/Netflix)
• Loudermilk—(2017-2020/Netflix)
• MI-5, the Series—(2002-2011/BritBox)
• Monsieur Spade—(2024/AMC)
• Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, Parts 1 and 2—(2023/Lifetime)
• 1923—(2022-present/Paramount+)
• 1883—(2021-2022/Prime)
• Outlander—(2014-present/Netflix)
• Pieces of Her—(2022/Netflix)
• Poldark—(2015-2019/Prime)
• Reacher—(2016-present/Netflix)
• Scott & Bailey (2011-2016/Prime)
• Turn: Washington's Spies—(2014-2017/Prime)
• Unbelievable—(2019/Netflix)
• Veronica Mars—(2004 to 2019/Hulu)
• The Watcher—(2022/Netflix)
• The Way Home—(2023-current/Peacock)
• The Woman in the Wall—(2024/Showtime)
• Yellowstone—(2018-present/Paramount Network)

Films

• The Accountant—(2016/Hulu)
• American Gangster—(2007/Max).
• Armageddon Time—(2022/Prime)
• The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—(2018/Netflix)
• The Ballad of Lefty Brown—(2017/Netflix)
• The Dig—(2021/Netflix)
• Eiffel—(2021/Prime)
• Enola Holmes 1 and 2—(2022/Netflix)
• The Equalizer 1, 2 and 3—(2014-2024/Prime)
• Fury—(2014/Netflix)
• God's Country—(2022/Hulu)
• Guy Ritchie's The Covenant—(2023/Prime)
• Jack Reacher (the movie)—(2012/Paramount+) 
• Kill Chain—(2019/Max)
• Knight and Day—(2010/Roku)
• Last Night in Soho—(2021/Prime)
• Last Seen Alive—(2020/Netflix)
• Man on Fire—(2004/Max)
• MI-5—(2015/Max)
• The Mule—(2018/Netflix)
• The Night Agent—(2023/Netflix)
• Nobody—(2021/Prime)
• Ordinary Angels—(2024)
• Purple Hearts—(2022/Netflix)
• The Queen's Gambit—(2020/Netflix)
• Queenpins—(2021/Pluto TV)
• Reptile—(2023/Netflix)
• The Secret: Dare to Dream—(2020/Netflix)
• Self Reliance—(2023/Hulu)
• Seraphim Falls—(2006/Netflix)
• Somewhere in Queens—(2022/Hulu)
• The Spy—(2019/Netflix)
• Spy(les)—(2009/Prime)
• The Stranger—(2022/Netflix)
• Toscana—(2022/Netflix)
• The Two Popes—(2019/Netflix)
• Wonder Wheel—(2017/Prime)

Documentaries

• Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake—(2022/Netflix)
• Carole King: Live in Central Park—(2023/PBS)
• The Comeback—(2005 and 2014/Max)
• Cunk on Earth—(2022/Netflix)
• Facing Nolan—(2022/Netflix)
• Five Came Back—(2017/Netflix)
• The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari—(2022/Netflix)
• 'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris—(2007/go here

Bud Freeman. Last week, Michael Bloom of Michael Bloom Media Relations sent along an email wondering if I knew of Bud Freeman's 1960 album Midnight Session (Dot), with a vocalist named Mary Mulligan, who sings three tracks. I did, but I was never impressed with Mulligan, who sounds like Marilyn Monroe had she lived into her mid-70s. Tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman is quite good, but the real star of the album is pianist Jimmy Jones. My apologies to Michael. I said the woman on the cover was a likely a model. In fact, it is Mulligan. [Photo above of Bud Freeman]

Here's side 1...

And here's side 2...

Pete Jolly—Seasons (Future Days). Long out of print on vinyl, Pete Jolly's Seasons is now available once again on LP. The reissue has been remastered from its original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed at RTI on two special color variants: clear amber and clear light green. Both are available exclusively at LightintheAttic.net. Originally released on A&M Records in 1970, the album produced by Herb Alpert featured Jolly on piano and a range of electric keyboards. The group included Pete Jolly (p,el-p,org,musette,accor,Sano Vox), John Pisano (g), Chuck Berghofer (b), Paul Humphrey (d), Milt Holland and Emil Richards (perc) plus a brass section, dubbed on the first track arranged, by Bill Holman. You'll find the album here and on streaming platforms.

Here's the album at YouTube...

Rasmus Sørensen—Balancing Act (April Records). This new album by the Danish pianist was recorded in New York and features six tracks—three originals and three covers. Rasmus is backed by Alexander Claffy on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums. He moved to New York in 2018 to attend the Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship. Rasmus plays with grace and introspection, and Claffy and Scott feed freely into his approach. You'll find the album here and on streaming platforms. 

Here's the trio's version of Duke Pearson's Is That So?...

Billie Holiday radio. On Sunday (April 7), WKCR-FM in New York will host its annual "Billie Holiday Birthday Broadcast," spinning the vocalist's recordings for 24 hours. Tune in starting at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Saturday night. You can listen from anywhere in the world by going here.

And finally, before Michael Jackson's Off the Wall (1979) shattered pop sales records and paved the way for Thriller (1982), he had this little-known disco track in 1977 with the Jacksons. Go here...