Luke, Casey and Gene

Now that JazzWax's 17th birthday celebration is over, I have some catching up to do.

Last week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed actor Luke Wilson for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). Luke currently co-stars in Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1. [Photo at top of Luke Wilson]

The week before, I interviewed Casey Affleck for the same column (go here). He stars in The Instigators.

What I'm watching

Top 10 favorite series, ranked...

1. Babylon Berlin
2. My Brilliant Friend
3. Killing Eve
4. The Crown
5. The Americans
6. Band of Brothers
7. Downton Abbey
8. The Gentlemen
9. Turn: Washington's Spies
10. Unbelievable

Viewing now...

Jane Fonda in Five Acts (2024)—Super documentary on the film actress. (Max)

Here's the trailer...

Babylon Berlin (2017-2024)—I'm halfway into Season 4 of this stunning series that takes place in Germany between the wars and Nazism's rise. If you haven't seen, do. My top-ranked series of the year. (MHz via Prime Video)

Here's the trailer to S4...

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)
• Killing Eve—(2018-2022/Netflix)
• 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)
• My Brilliant Friend—(2018-current)
• 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)
• Under the Banner of Heave—(2022/Hulu)
• 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)
• The Veil—(2024/Hulu-FX)
• Wilder—(2017-current)
• 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)
• Blackout (2022/Netflix) 
• The Bricklayer—(2024/Netflix)
• The Commuter (2018/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)
• Manchester by the Sea—(2016/Prime Video)
• 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)
• Ruthless—(2023/Hulu)
• 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)
• The Beach Boys—(2024/Disney)
• Carole King: Live in Central Park—(2023/PBS)
• The Comeback—(2005 and 2014/Max)
• Cunk on Earth—(2022/Netflix)
• Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing—(2023/Paramount+)
• Facing Nolan—(2022/Netflix)
• Five Came Back—(2017/Netflix)
• Kate Hepburn: Call Me Kate—(2023/Netflix)
• The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari—(2022/Netflix)
• 'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris—(2007/go here

Barbara and Emily. A YouTube clip recently went up of German jazz organist Barbara Dennerlein with guitarist Emily Remler in 1986. Here's the clip...

Ross Tompkins. Last week, following my post on pianist Ross Tompkins, I heard from pianist and composer-arranger Alan Broadbent:

Hi Marc. A little inside info: Ross was known as “the Phantom,” apparently due to his showing up at a sideman gig just before the count-off to the first tune and disappearing after the last. I witnessed it a few times at Donte’s in North Hollywood.

Gene Krupa. Here's Gene Krupa and his all-star big band in 1957 playing Margie, with a killer arrangement by Gerry Mulligan...

Horace Silver. After my post on Horace Silver last week, I heard from Aurin Premack, whose father, Morris, was co-owner of Birdland in New York with Irving and Morris Levy:

Hi Marc. I enjoyed your post on Horace Silver. I first heard him when I was 12 or 13 years old (in 1952 or '53) at Birdland. His music and physical appearance made a lasting impression on me. Even my untutored eyes and ears knew he was a special talent. He hunched over the piano such that his suit jacket hung almost to the floor looking more like an over-worked junior accountant than a jazz musician. My dad told me that he had gotten into a beef with the club's MC, PeeWee Marquette. Apparently, Silver wouldn't throw PeeWee a few bucks for introducing him. As a result, PeeWee introduced him as “Whore-ass Silbert” until Silver relented.

Frank De Felitta. It turns out JazzWax's birthday was also the birthday of the late author, producer and director Frank De Felitta (1921-2016). Raymond, his son and director, wrote a touching post on his dad at his blog here.

Phil Schaap was a radio host on WKCR-FM in New York known best for his daily Bird Flight show that highlighted Charlie Parker's (above) career and music. Phil died in 2021 and is sorely missed. Dan Gould has some news:

Hi Marc. I'm writing to alert you to the Phil Schaap Jazz Collection that was bequeathed to Vanderbilt University School of Music. The site is truly wondrous, and I suspect your readers would be interested. Phil created a scene for swing and bop musicians who had been largely forgotten. Now available for streaming are gig sets from the West End jazz club in New York that Phil taped for broadcast. There are nearly 300 recordings (out of about 800!) currently uploaded. To see what is currently uploaded, go here.

Geoffrey Dean Quartet—Foundations (AMP Music). Pianist Geoffrey Dean is a major talent. His playing is warm and confident, and his quartet features heavy hitters as well: Justin Copeland (tp), Harish Raghaven (b) and Eric Binder (d). Their collective touch is beautiful in so many ways. Jazz that fits your ear like a glove. You'll find the album here and at major streaming platforms.

Here's the quartet playing Peter Bernstein's Jet Stream...

And here's Cyclic Episodes...

Ed Johnson—For Every Living Thing. Guitarist Ed Johnson and his Nova Tempo ensemble play a mix of soft jazz, samba and bossa nova rhythms, and Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66-like vocal harmonies. His new album is breezy and jazzy-joyous, featuring mostly originals and a singular sound. You'll find the album here and on major streaming platforms. For the YouTube tracks, go here.

Here's the title track...

Zan Stewart. I recently came across two terrific albums by this tenor saxophonist: Two-Tone Poetry and Jazz (2012) and The Street Is Making Music (2014). The first is a throwback to the Greenwich Village coffee houses of the late 1950s and early '60s that featured jazz and poetry. Joining Zan on the album are poets Julie Rogers and David Meltzer reading original pieces while Zan blows. The second features Zan with Keith Saunders (p), Adam Gay (b) and Ron Marbuto (d). The quartet covers hip jazz tracks such as Webb City and Charlie Parker's Diverse, plus a few originals by Zan. Cool school for mods. The first album seems to be out of print and the second is here.

Here's Diverse...

And here's Zan's The Street Is Making Music with a calypso edge...

Chuck Israels, the legendary bassist best known for his work in the second Bill Evans Trio, replacing Scott LaFaro after his fatal auto accident, will be at Dizzy's in New York on Sunday (August 11) at 5 and 7:30 p.m. He'll be celebrating his 88th birthday this weekend reading from his memoir, Bass Notes, and leading a sextet featuring Catherine Russell (voc), Charlie Porter (tp), Abdias Armenteros (ts), Steve Ash (p) and Kenny Washington (d). For more information and tickets, go here. [Photo above of Chuck Israels courtesy of Chuck Israels]

Jo Harrop. I hear rumblings that vocalist Jo Harrop will be appearing in the U.S. next year. More to come. For now, if you're in the U.K., her gig dates are on her site here and include the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead, Newcastle, on September 27 and at London's fabled Pizza Express on October 1. And catch Jo's new album, The Path of a Tear. Her finest work to date. [Photo above of Jo Harrop]

Here's If It Wasn't for Bad from Jo's new album...

And finally, here are two guys 15 years ago on the street playing the chorus before the solos of This Could Be the Start of Something Big, from the album The Great Kai & J.J., recorded for Impulse in 1961...