Damon, Boney and Alexander

In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed actor-comedian Damon Wayans for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). Damon starred on In Living Color after his brother, Keenen, created the Fox comedy show in 1990. Damon also is best known for his roles in TV’s My Wife and Kids and Lethal Weapon. He now stars in the CBS sitcom Poppa’s House with his son, Damon Wayans, Jr. [both pictured above, courtesy of CBS]...

Here's a sneak-peek trailer...

What I'm Watching Now

My favorite streaming TV series, ranked...

1. Babylon Berlin
2. My Brilliant Friend
3. Killing Eve
4. The Crown
5. The Americans
6. Band of Brothers
7. Landman
8. Feud: Bette and Joan
9. Downton Abbey
10. The Blacklist
11. Goliath
12. The Gentlemen
13. Turn: Washington's Spies
14. Unbelievable
15. Justified
16. Lincoln Lawyer
17. Voiceless (Bella da morire (2020/MHz)

Just viewed and recommend...

Lonely Planet (2024)—Oscar-winner Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth co-star in a steamy romance film about a successful novelist whose post-breakup trip lands her in the arms of a ruggedly handsome younger man. A little Hallmark-y, but Laura runs away with it, sexier than ever. (Netflix)

Here's the trailer...

The Great Lillian Hall (2024)—Oscar,- Tony- and Emmy-award winner Jessica Lange plays an aging Broadway star who finds herself struggling with dementia during rehearsals for a major play. The HBO film co-stars Oscar-winner Kathy Bates. An absolutely riveting performance by Lange that is sure to win her another Emmy. And if you haven't seen her yet in Feud as Joan Crawford, goodness, please do. (Max)   

Here's the trailer...

The Blacklist (2013-2023)—I'm up to Season 4 out of 10 and still hooked on this spy-thriller series. James Spader is fantastic as the man who knows where the bad guys are and, in action-packed scenes, does away with them with an FBI task force. Lots of other subplots going on throughout. An attention-holder. (Netflix)

Here's the Season 4 trailer...

What's coming that's worthy...

Elsbeth S2, Landman S1 and Interior Chinatown S1.

What else to watch...

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)
• Emily in Paris—(2020-present/Netflix)
• 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)
• Nobody Wants This—(2024/Netflix)
• 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)
• Some Girl(s)—(2013/Amazon Prime)
• 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)
• Up in the Air—(2009/Max)
• 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)
• Suzi Q: Suzi Quatro—(2019/Prime)
• The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari—(2022/Netflix)
• 'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris—(2007/go here

Linda Moody, wife of the late James Moody, sent along the following last week. PS: I have fixed my blog post [photo above of Linda and James Moody]:

Hi Marc. How are you? I love JazzWax and learn something every time. I’m looking forward to November when I come East for the TD James Moody Jazz Festival. I was reading JazzWax and just wanted you to know that The Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition is the last day of every MoodyFest. This year it’s on November 24th at 3 p.m. at NJPAC. 

Please know that it has no connection with SUNY Purchase at all, as you wrote in your review of Samara Joy's new album. Samara does have a couple of SUNY Purchase Moody Scholars in her band. I have a scholarship in New Jersey also. Both are $10,000 for the recipient to help with tuition. Thanks, Marc. Just wanted to clear things up.

Moonlight in Vermont. Following my post last week on this quintessential autumn song, a number of readers wrote in wondering why I didn't select the version by guitarist Johnny Smith and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz from 1952 instead as my favorite.

Well, the short answer is that the version by the Dorseys in the mid-1950s is far better. I never found the Smith-Getz recording particularly inspirational. For one, it's taken two ticks too fast. For another, it's too lounge and lacks heart or a full understanding of the song's romantic bliss, expressed by the vocal versions I selected. What's more, Getz's saxophone obligatos behind Smith leave me cold. He phones them in. I'm not sure whether it was a bad day in Getzville, he didn't like the song or he found playing behind Smith too commercial and un-jazzy at the time.

Music preferences, like all art, are subjective, so no knock if you love the Getz-Smith version better. And I always enjoy hearing from readers. For me, the Dorseys version is more interesting in the hands of Neil Hefti. It breathes, as they say in the world of wine. So you decide. Here are both for your listening pleasure:

Here's the Johnny Smith recording, with Stan Getz (ts), Sanford Gold (p), Johnny Smith (g), Eddie Safranski (b) and Don Lamond (d)...

Here's Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, featuring Jimmy Dorsey on alto saxophone...

Bill Evans. Last week I heard from pianist Dave Thompson, who came across a clip of Bill Evans and bassist Eddie Gomez live in Juan-les-Pins in 1975. This was a rare duo outing recorded between the time drummer Marty Morell left the trio and Bill brought on Eliot Zigmund. [Photo above of Bill Evans and Eddie Gomez]

Go here...

Boney James—Slow Burn (42 West/Concord). Boney is a tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist and one of the masters of what Tom Scott lovingly calls "soft soul-jazz." Billboard refers to the music as "contemporary jazz," and Boney has had 20 #1 albums on the magazine's Smooth Jazz chart between 2006 and 2024. I've always loved his music. His horn is soothing but his music retains an edge and energy that escapes most artists in this space. His new album, Slow Burn, proves my point. Every track is a lavish, engaging work that pulls you in with a romantic sound reminiscent of saxophone solos on soul albums of the early 1970s. There are touches here of Deodato, Grover Washington Jr. and Gato Barbieri here as well. Whatever you think of this genre, give Boney's album a listen. He hasn't been given a fair shake by jazz purists or the Grammys. Despite selling more than 3 million albums, scoring four RIAA Certified Gold Records and Billboard naming him one of the Top 3 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Decade in 2009, he still hasn't won a Grammy—even though he has been nominated four times. Hopefully that will change with this new one. It's grown-up music, which is just as vital as all the young stuff bouncing around. Go here to buy, or here to listen.

Here's Herbie Hancock and Bennie Maupin's Butterfly...

Here's Boney James and Jonathan Richmond's The Bounce...

And here he is on All I Want Is You (Boney James, Jairus Mozee, Jared Samuel Erskine, Tripp Caimbridge and Neal Nowak) featuring singer October London...

Alexander Brott—Leon's Lullaby (Fresh Sound). If you love straight-ahead jazz guitar, you'll dig this one by Alexander, who also wrote all of the compositions. The exceptional Swedish-Canadian player is backed on this recording by Stefano Doglioni (bass clarinet), Ari Roland (bass) and Keith Balla (drums). Alexander has a lovely touch, and has assembled a quartet equally as sensitive and with-it. The smooth-sailing bass clarinet swings well with Alexander's guitar. They are a wonderful pair. Ari's bass and bowing in places enrich the lead instruments' sound, along with Keith's tender, eager drumming. And don't miss out on Alexander's earlier album, The Aesthetic Attitude, on which he lays down plenty of cool swinging guitar. A fascinating player with a virtuoso's ear for the big picture and texture. Easily the most creative jazz guitar record I've heard all year. Buy Leon's Lullaby here and listen to full clips there as well. Buy The Aesthetic Attitude here and listen there as well.

Here's the complete Leon's Lullaby abloom. Start the clip, and I guarantee you won't stop listening to the album...

And finally, here's Odyssey in 1977 singing their disco hit Native New Yorker...

Plus, here's David Ruffin singing Walk Away From Love in 1975...