Irene, Alba and Rey

In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed the two Italian actresses who play Elana and Lila as adults in the fourth and final season of My Brilliant Friend (go here). I interviewed Irene Maiorino (Lila) and Alba Rohrwacher (Elena) in Italy via Zoom. The new season is sublime. All seasons are on HBO. [Photo above of Irene Maiorino]

Here's the trailer...

Film and TV Recommendations

Top 11 favorite TV series, ranked...

Babylon Berlin
My Brilliant Friend
Killing Eve
The Crown
The Americans
Band of Brothers
Downton Abbey
The Gentlemen
Turn: Washington's Spies
Unbelievable
Justified
The Blacklist
Voiceless (Bella da morire (2020/MHz)

Viewing now...

Behind Her Eyes (2021)—British noir psychological thriller TV series stars Simona Brown, the terrifying Eve Hewson and Tom Bateman. A single mother starts an affair with her boss as his wife befriends her. Both the husband and wife are hiding a dark secret. Beautifully cast, shot and acted. (Netflix)

Here's the trailer...

Nobody Wants This (2024)—A lovely rom-com miniseries starring Kristen Bell, Adam Brody and Justine Lupe. First, Kristen is marvelous in everything. You fall in love with her instantly. She a pure, natural actress (see her Veronica Mars series). Justine is terrific as her sister. A story of an interfaith relationship as they navigate the interference, family meddling and bumps along the way. (Netflix)

Starts September 26. Here's the trailer...

Emily in Paris Part 2 (2024)—Season 4 was divided into two parts. Part 1 takes place in Paris, but Part 2, which is now up, shifts to Rome. Pure fun and as good as a box of movie-theater Raisinets. (Netflix).

Here's the Part 2 trailer...

Previous recommendations...

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)
Babylon Berlin (2017-2024/MHz via Prime Video)
Band of Brothers—(2001/Netflix)
The Bay (2019-current/BritBox)
The Blacklist (2013-2023/Netflix)
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)
Voiceless (Bella da morire—(2020/MHz)
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)
Jane Fonda in Five Acts—(2024/Max)
Kate Hepburn: Call Me Kate—(2023/Netflix)
The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari—(2022/Netflix)
'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris—(2007/go h

Bill Evans. Dave Thompson sent along a rare partial clip of pianist Bill Evans (above) that Rob Rijneke posted on his Facebook page in the Netherlands. The clip of Bill Evans (p), Ruud Jacobs (b), Wim Overgaauw (g) and Larry Bunker (d) playing on Dutch television in February 1965 was originally posted on Jacobs's YouTube page. Fascinating to hear Evans play Israel in a quartet setting with a guitarist. Go here...

Dan Morgenstern. Following my tribute post on the late Dan Morgenstern (above), Jim Eigo of Jazz Promo Services and Original Vinyl Records sent this along:

Marc, it was always a pleasure to be in the presence of Dan Morgenstern. Over the years I had the good fortune to hang with him at jazz shows and concerts like Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights In Jazz; the Annual N.J. Jazz Bash, where he was a regular for many years; and at some of the many basement jazz clubs in New York. One night we were hanging at one of these subterranean dens when he said one of my favorite Dan Morgenstern lines, referring to them as "Sewers with upholstery."

Sinatra radio. If you haven't caught Chuck Granta's Sinatra Standard Time on KSDS-FM in San Diego, be sure to check it out. The weekly two-hour radio show airs each Sunday at 2 p.m. (PT). By visiting the site, the show streams live to phones, iPads and computers. All shows are also archived, so you can listen to past programs. They even have a real-time and archived Playlist for each show. Chuck, of course, is the author of the book, Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording, To access Chuck's Sinatra radio show, go here.

Your Smith. Two weeks ago, at a restaurant, I heard a song over the din that sounded cool. Out came my phone and I hit the Shazam app, which can immediately identify virtually any song you are hearing on the radio or sound system. Shazam said it was a group called Your Smith, an indie folk band from Minneapolis fronted by Caroline Smith (above) in the late teens.

Here's The Spot and Debbie. With the bass and electric piano riff track, the very clever Caroline Smith tags Stevie Wonder's Do I Do and Shalamar's Take That to the Bank. She also could have added Alicia Bridges' I Love the Nightlife...

And here's Ooh Wee...

CDs you must dig

History of the Vibraphone—Warren Wolf (Cellar Music). Superb vibraphonist Warren Wolf dives into compositions by legends of the instrument. On his new CD, there are songs by Terry Gibbs, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Roy Ayers, Joe Locke and others. In addition to the album's concept and song choices being pure genius, Warren's playing swings and is in the pocket. He's backed by Tim Green (saxophones), Alex Brown (piano, Fender Rhodes), Vincente Archer (bass) and Carroll "CV" Dashiell III (drums). Go here to buy and here to listen.

Here's Wolf and the band playing Hutcherson's Herzog...

And here's Gibbs's Bopstacle Course...

Spanish Harlem Orchestra—Swing Forever (Ovation). If you dig salsa and Latin jazz as much as I do, this new album is stupendous. This tight band has been around for 24 years, they've won three Grammys and Swing Forever marks their ninth studio album. Led by pianist Oscar Hernández, the orchestra is sizable and packs a strong punch and is fiery. All 10 tracks will keep your head and knees moving. Go here or to YouTube here.

Here's Cuando Te Vi...

The Hot Club of San Francisco—Original Gadjo. Their 15th album, Original Gadjo pays tribute to Romani jazz. The five-member group is led by guitarist Paul Mehling, who's accompanied by Evan Price (violin, melodica, guitar), Jordan Samuels (rhythm guitar), Nelsen Hutchison (rhythm guitar) and Dexter Williams (bass). The quintet grabs the feel and energy of the rhythmic string music and will knock you out. To listen to the entire album and buy, go here.

Enrico Granafei—It's Hard to Say Goodbye (CAP). Italian jazz harmonica player Enrico Granafei has a beautiful touch on the instrument. He also plays guitar and sings, and is a terrific songwriter. This album, his fourth, is precious and has a bossa feel. Joining him are different musicians on each track, but the flugelhornist who duets with him throughout is the late Claudio Roditi. Seductive and surfy, the album is a joy from start to finish. To buy, go here. To listen, go here.