Last week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson and star of the film Breathe for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Jennifer talked about growing up in her grandmother's lap in church and not singing secular music until she was a contestant on TV's American Idol. [Photo above of Jennifer Hudson courtesy of Variance Films]
Here's JHUD on her daytime Jennifer Hudson Show singing gospel...
What I'm watching.
Last week...
Let the Canary Sing (2003)—Superb documentary on Cyndi Lauper coming June 4 (Paramount+)
Call Me Kate (2023)—Very good documentary on actress Katherine Hepburn. Covers a lot of ground on the surface but fails in places to dive deep when needed. Still worthwhile. Fabulous footage, interviews and clips. (Netflix)
Killing Eve (2018-2022)—Dark, comedic British spy thriller starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. I don't know how I missed this during the pandemic, but I did. Spectacular series. (Netflix)
The Commuter (2018)—Liam Neeson is a retired cop who gets fired from his insurance job and winds up in the middle of a commuter-train thriller on his way home to the suburbs of New York. Brilliantly written, skillfully directed and non-stop suspense. (Netflix)
Blackout (2022)—A solid boy-trash action film. Undercover DEA agent wakes up with amnesia in a Mexican hospital. Actor Josh Duhamel must regain his memory before the drug cartel that wants him dead can finish him off. (Netflix)
The Veil (2024)—Waiting on episode 5. Spectacular spy thriller miniseries starring Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, The Handmaid's Tale) about a deadly game of truth, lies and a looming terrorist threat. (Hulu/FX)
The Beach Boys (2024)—A perfect way to kick off summer. The documentary starts May 24. Well worth watching. (Disney+)
Three viewed in advance: The Instigators, a thriller-comedy film starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck due out in August; Mother, Couch, a drama fantasy starring Ewan McGregor, Ellen Burstyn, Lara Flynn Boyle, F. Murray Abraham and Lake Bell, due in July; and Murder Company, set during World War II, starring William Mosely, Kelsey Grammer and Joe Anderson, coming in July.
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)
- Ripley—(2024/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)
- Who Is Erin Carter—(2023/Netflix)
- The Woman in the Wall—(2024/Showtime)
- WPC 56—(2013-2015/Britbox)
- 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 Bricklayer—(2024/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)
- The Little Things—(2021/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
Paul Horn. Last week, following my post on Paul Horn, I heard from Bill Evans Trio drummer Joe LaBarbera...
Hi Marc. This one really took me back! We saw the "Story of a Jazz Musician" documentary when it originally aired in the early 1960s and could not believe we were seeing jazz on TV growing up in western New York state. Thanks for the memory. I got to work with Paul in the late 1990s when he lived in Arizona. I remember telling him how much he influenced all of us LaBarbera brothers and also that I was using his arrangement of "Count Your Change," copied out of Down Beat, with my ensemble at CalArts. Paul was flattered and asked for a copy, since he no longer had the chart. Great musician and a warm human being.
David Sanborn (1945-2024), an alto saxophonist whose high-strung sound and edgy delivery turned the instrument into the reed equivalent of a rock guitar, died on May 12. He was 78. Three of my favorite tracks that included David's horn...
Here's David on Stevie Wonder's Tuesday Heartbreak...
Here's David on Suffragette City from David Bowie's David Live...
And here's David on Steely Dan's Time Out of Mind...
RIP Christian Escoudé (1947-2024). Jean-Luc Gautier informed me that Christian Escoudé (above), the French Romani guitarist, died on May 13. He was 76. Christian played with Eddy Louiss, Martial Solal, Michel Graillier, John McLaughlin, Jimmy Gourley, Hank Jones and so many others. Here are four clips:
Here's Christian with Bireli Lagrene...
Here's Christian playing Moulin Rouge...
Here's Christian in the company of others...
And here's a group led by Christian...
Vi Redd. Peter Vacher wrote last week to remind me that Vi Redd (1928-2022), the marvelous alto saxophonist and singer, is virtually unknown today by many jazz fans. And he's right. Here she is on Bird Call, my favorite Vi Redd album...
Dreamsville. There are dozens and dozens of instrumental versions of this Henry Mancini love theme for TV's Peter Gunn. But the version John Herr reminded me of last week beats nearly all of them. Here's the Don Menza Quartet playing a nice, fat 12-minute-plus rendition [photo above of Don Menza]...
Ray Obiedo—Twist (Rhythmus). Billed as Herbie Hancock's guitarist, Ray Obiedo has just released a juicy, jazzy album. The recording is loaded with Latin and jazz touches and the mood of Hancock's Thrust in places. Best of all, Ray's guitar sounds wonderful with all of the percussion percolating behind him. There's a terrific 1970s instrumental vibe here that's so perfect for night driving. He's joined by enormous talent: Peter Horvath and David K. Matthews on keyboards; Marc van Wageningen on electric bass; Dan Feiszli on acoustic bass; Phil Hawkins, David Garibaldi and Peter Michael Escovedo on drums; Escovedo, Michael Spiro and Joe Bendich on percussion; Karl Perazzo on timbales; Jeff Narell on steel pans; Norbert Stachel on flute and saxophone; Joel Behrman on trumpet; Mike Olmos on flugelhorn; Behrman and Jeff Cressman on trombone; and Bob Mintzer on saxophone, with Michelle Hawkins, Lilian Kane, Chloe Jean, Leah Tysse, Sandy Cressman and Sheila E. on vocals. You'll find this album here.
Here's Alquezar...
And here's Ray's cover of War's All Day Music...
Marta Karassawa—Tempo Bom com Marta Karassawa Quintet (Tratore). Brazilian pianist Marta Karassawa is exceptional. Her new album is airy and lushly organic, with samba rhythms and soaring jazz. Her quintet includes her husband, bassist Frank Herzberg, who elegantly insisted by email that I give a listen. I did and fell in love with the album immediately. Marta and Frank are joined by Teco Cardoso on flute and tenor saxophone, Sidmar Vieira on trumpet and flugelhorn and Zé Eduardo Nazário on drums, with special guests Jacques Schwarz-Bart (ts), Chico Macedo (b-sax), Cindy Borgani and Stephanie Borgani (voc). It arrived just in time for an upcoming week of sun and warm temperatures in New York. How perfect! You'll find this album by going here. It's also at most major streaming platforms.
Here's Pra Lu...
Here's the quintet recording Tempo Bom...
John Coltrane radio. WKCR-FM's Sid Gribetz—winner of this year's Jazz Journalists Association's Marian McPartland-Willis Conover Award for Career Excellence in Broadcasting—will host a five-hour radio show on Sunday focusing on John Coltrane's Prestige recordings on Jazz Profiles, from 2 to 7 p.m. (ET).
