Carrie, Croz and Quincy

In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed Emmy-winning actress Carrie Preston for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). If you were a fan of The Good Wife and The Good Fight, she played Elsbeth Tascioni, an unassuming Columbo-like defense attorney. If Columbo with Peter Falk escapes you, her character is sort of confused and unassuming, and constantly misjudged for her simple way of looking at things. And yet, with that personality, she won cases. [Photo above of Carrie Preston, courtesy of CBS]

On Season 2 of her drama-comedy spinoff, Elsbeth (CBS), she's still the same character only now she helps the NYPD solve crimes. In addition to being a fine actress, the writing on the show is top notch. In the U.S., check your local listings. Or watch it for free here.

Here's the Season 2 trailer...

Also in the WSJ this week, I wrote about a new double album featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's performance at New York's Fillmore East in September 1969, just weeks after Woodstock. A fascinating recording of the previously unreleased concert, 10 months before the band imploded due to runaway egos, sudden wealth and bad chemistry. Go here.

Here's the album's high point, Neil Young's Down By the River...

Then Quincy Jones died and I delivered an Appreciation of Q the next day in the Arts in Review section. A busy week. [Photo above of Quincy Jones courtesy of Ebay] Go here.

Larry Pluth sent along this gem of Q conducting Soul Bossa Nova on Late Night With David Letterman in 2002. I can spot Jerry Dodgion and Phil Woods in the reed section and Clark Terry in his signature white cap on flugelhorn and scat. Bill Kirchner added a few more: Frank Wess in the reed section; trombonist Benny Powell (wearing a cap) and Douglas Purviance on bass trombone on the right end of section; and lead trumpet Bob Millikan. Claiborne Ray notes that the drummer is Grady Tate and that Bill Easley is in the reed section (to the right of Jerry Dodgion). And Francois Zalacain of Sunnyside Records wrote in to say that Café da Silva is playing cuica. Go here...

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. Voiceless (Bella da morire (2020/MHz)

Just viewed and highly recommended...

The Diplomat. Keri Russell (The Americans) is back in Season 2 of the series that showcases the drama, strategic moves and politesse of being the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It starts slow but the drama picks up and you get in the groove fast enough.

Here's the trailer...

The Blacklist (2013-2023)—I'm up to Season 6 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)

Watched in advance and recommended, plus start dates...

• Landman S1 (Nov. 17/Paramount+)
• Interior Chinatown S1 (Nov. 19/Hulu)
• A Man on the Inside S1 (Nov. 21/Netflix)
• No Good Deed S1 (Dec. 12/Netflix)
  
• American Primeval S1 (Jan. 9/Netflix)

Worth watching...

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)
• The Great Lillian Hall—(2024/Max)
• Fury—(2014/Netflix)
• God's Country—(2022/Hulu
• Guy Ritchie's The Covenant—(2023/Prime)
• I Used to Be Funny (2023/Netflix)
• 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)
• Lonely Planet—(2024)/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(ies)—(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

Here's Chet Baker playing Arborway in Japan in 1987...

Perry Como Show. Here's Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd...

Here's Luiz Bonfá with Perry Como...

Rita Payés. Last week, Carl Woideck sent along a lovely clip of Rita Payés, whom I last posted about in 2023. Go here...

Don Fagerquist. When I mentioned in my Friday Background post that Don Fagerquist was my favorite West Coast trumpeter, readers wrote in asking for samples. Here ya go, and love that tip-toe style [photo above of Don Fagerquist]...

Here's Aren't You Glad You're You...

Here's Heinie Beau & His Hollywood All-Stars featuring Fagerquist on You're Looking at Me. Los Angeles still feels like this when you're driving around toward sundown. Makes you feel like a rumpled Hollywood gumshoe looking for a couple of mugs who played rough with a friend...

Here's Fagerquist on Henry Mancini's Chime Time from Mr. Lucky...

Here's Fagerquist with the Les Brown All-Stars on Love Is Just Around the Corner...

And here's Fagerquist with Russ Garcia on The Boy Next Door...

Multitracking. Last week, following my post on Zoot Sims Plays 4 Altos, I posted on why Sidney Bechet's 1941 recordings aren't examples of multitracking. Lorenz Rychner wrote in with a few suggested technical tweaks. Here are my remarks below updated; they've also been added to last week's post:

While Bechet did indeed make two sides of a 78 playing clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, piano, bass, and drums, this wasn't multitracking, which began in 1955 and by definition requires a tape recorder. But it was certainly “overdubbing”—adding a performance to previously recorded performances.

About multitracking: A track is a magnetized strip that runs the length of a piece of tape. Early three-track machines (in the 1950s) could record three such strips, side-by-side, on one tape. For example: Track #1 might have a combination of bass and drums, track #2 might have a combination of guitar and piano, and the vocals might go onto track #3.

Or, if needed, tracks 1 and 2 could be combined on the still empty track 3, freeing up tracks 1 and 2 for more recorded material. These tracks did not have to be recorded at the same time. For example, the vocalist could come into the studio, put on headphones and sing along to the instrumental tracks, recording his or her vocal on the last empty track. Then the three tracks would be combined or “mixed down” onto a final mono track on a separate tape for the vinyl release (or broadcast tape).

In the 1960s, stereo (two tracks, left and right) succeeded mono, and advances in technology allowed for many more tracks. The recorder pictured above recorded 16 tracks on a 1-inch tape. That hugely increased the possibilities for separate performances and overdubs.

Bechet, with the help of some adventurous RCA engineers, recorded each instrument on a separate lacquer disc. Then all of those recordings were played at once and their sounds combined on a master disc. That the engineers managed to keep the playback of the discs in sync is a technical marvel.

Here's Bechet playing multiple instruments on the overdubs for The Sheik of Araby in 1941...

And finally, here's Adam West on TV's Hollywood Palace as Batman singing Orange Colored Sky at the height of Batmanmania in 1966...