Taylor, Billie and Ollie

In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed actor Taylor Kitsch for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). You probably know Taylor best from Friday Night Lights, in which he played football player Tim Riggins. An amazing childhood story with a kicker that took place just before Christmas, a week or so ago. He stars in a spectacular and gripping new Western miniseries, American Primeval, that starts January 9 on Netflix. [Photo above of Taylor Kitsch courtesy of Netflix]

Here's Taylor as the long-haired Tim "Riggy" Riggins in Friday Night Lights...

And here's the trailer for American Primeval...

My favorite streaming 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. Friday Night Lights
9. The Old Man
10. Feud: Bette and Joan
11. Downton Abbey
12. The Blacklist
13. Goliath
14. The Gentlemen
15. Turn: Washington's Spies
16. Unbelievable
17. Justified
18. Voiceless (Bella da morire (2020/MHz)
19. Black Doves
20. Web Therapy

Just viewed and highly recommend...

The Perfect Couple (2024)—A tad Hallmark-y and wooden, the mystery series about a murder the evening before a wealthy family's son is to marry is still fetching, thanks to Donna Lynne Champlin and Eve Hewson, two less familiar faces. An all-star cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber and Meghann Fahy. (Netflix)

The Pledge (2001)—Superb acting by Jack Nicholson in this gripping psychological drama. He would appear in only six more films before retiring in 2010. (Peacock)

The Dropout (2022)—A biographical miniseries about Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford University dropout who goes on to found healthcare startup Theranos. Amanda Seyfried plays nerdy and brazen Holmes flawlessly. In 2022, Holmes was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison. Her net worth went from $4.5 billion to zero (Hulu)

The Queen (2006)—The predecessor of The Crown by 10 years, this examination of Queen Elizabeth II's detached reaction to Princess Diana's death in 1997 still stings and stuns. Sterling performances by Helen Mirren as the Queen and Michael Sheen as Prime Minister Tony Blair. (Paramount+)

Elizabeth 1 (2005)—Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I (1533-1603) is one of the 21st century's finest series performances by any actor or actress. The story unfolds in two lengthy parts. (Max)

Woman in Gold (2015)—Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer (1907) was looted by the Nazis at the home of a Jewish family in Austria during World War II. This film depicts the efforts by a surviving heir to get the family's painting back from Austria. Once again, Helen Mirren delivers a compelling character as she stoically works the legal system with her nephew, a green lawyer and grandson of Arnold Schoenberg. (Max)

Have viewed and will start soon...

• No Good Deed S1 (Now/Netflix)
  
• American Primeval S1 (Jan. 9/Netflix)
• Back in Action (Jan. 17/Netflix)
• Zero Day (Feb. 20/Netflix)
• Long Bright River (March/Peacock)

Recommended series, films and documentaries...

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)
• Black Doves (2024/Netflix)
• 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)
• Friday Night Lights (2006-2011/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)
• Lioness—(2023-current/Paramount+)
• 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)
• The Old Man—(2022/Hulu)
• 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)
• Web Therapy—(2011-2015/Fandango)
• 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)
• The Family Man—(2000/Netflix)
• 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+) 
• Just My Luck (2006/Paramount+)
• Kill Chain—(2019/Max)
• La Palma (2024/Netflix)
• 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)
• Only Girl in the Orchestra—(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

Chick Webb. Last week, following my post on Chick Webb, I heard from Woody Herman drummer Ed Soph [photo above of Chick Webb]:

Hi, Marc. Great post. As is well known, Chick greatly influenced Buddy Rich. I call it the “staccato” style of big band drumming: Webb, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Sonny Payne. A contemporary of Webb’s, Davey Tough, laid the groundwork for the “legato” style: Tiny Kahn, Mel Lewis, John Von Ohlen and Jeff Hamilton. Then there’s the missing link, the Roy Eldridge of drummers—Big Sid Catlett. This brings wishes for a peaceful, fulfilling and healthful New Year! Looking forward to your 2025 posts!

Jimmy Smith and Willie Bobo. Last week, Jim Eigo, of Jazz Promo Servies and Original Vinyl Records, sent along great clips of Jimmy Smith and Willie Bobo iin action.

Here's Jimmy Smith on TV in 1973..

Here's Willie Bobo on TV in 1973...

Sammy Davis Jr. could be silly and oily at times, but no one could hip up a song the way he did. Sammy could spin Mary Had a Little Lamb into pure gold if he had to. Here he is swinging Burt Bacharach and Hal David's This Guy's in Love With You...

Billie Holiday. Here's one of my favorites by Lady Day, You Turned the Tables on Me, recorded in May 1952, with Flip Phillips (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b) and Alvin Stoller (d)...

 
In Memoriam. One of the sad scenes about writing JazzWax for 17 years are the many jazz fans I've corresponded with who have since passed on. This week, I learned that one of Ireland's finest, Ollie Dowling, died unexpectedly on Christmas Eve morning. Not a week went by without hearing from dear Ollie in Dublin. He was always excited about jazz he'd heard or read about at JazzWax. One of the most touching reports from Ollie years ago was telling me about sharing JazzWax with his client, Irish jazz guitar great Louis Stewart. Ollie was his manager. What an honor for me.

Though the weather report from Ollie was often glum, the gray skies never dampened his enthusiasm for people and music. Though I could hear the rain hitting the window panes when Ollie wrote, I also could feel the warmth of the hearth and the poetry of a noble guy. He's with Louis now and I'm sure they're sitting someplace enjoying a pint and a record on the turntable. Miss ya, Ollie.

Here are words from his sister. I feature them here because they are so touching and gloriously Irish in their passion and soulfulness...

Marc, forgive me your time in advance. Chantell here, kid sister of Ollie Dowling, who sadly passed Christmas Eve morning. A gentleman by the name of Andrew Carroll, a friend of Ollie's, who contacted you about my brothers' sad and unexpected death, relayed to me tonight an email you wrote about Ollie.

Consumed by grief this past week, the misfortune (or fortune) falls to me, in my family, to be the one who holds it all together. We had a funeral to arrange, I had a fitting eulogy to try to write and our 83-year-old parents to console. It has been a hell of a time, but I felt compelled to reach out and thank you for your kind words.

We have been truly overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and respect for my brother from so many, far and near. But in the vein of real Irish honesty, I had a proper good salty cry tonight when I realized he was known to you. He really was the real deal. Thank you for knowing him.

Here's my eulogy, if you care to read it:

Christmas had a very different plan for us this year. We would all converge on home, but under awful circumstances. We lost a tribesman Christmas Eve morning, a brother, my big brother, a first-born son and the cool uncle. He had a kind heart and a soul full of music.

Born February 1963 in Altrincham, to Irish parents, rescued out of Bowden at 10 and brought home across the sea to Ireland, he paved the way for the rest of us.

We knew the women he loved down through the years, all beautiful creatures, the most precious being Noelle. Make him take you on that date up there now.

We know we are all having a pint of Smithwicks today.

Residing in Dublin for most of his life, he moved in music circles we knew little of but he knew everything about. Ollie was a private man but a mover and a shaker in the music world: the founder of JazzFM in the mid 1990s, which he ran for nine years. It was an iconic radio station that paved the way for so many.

Some knew him as co founder of Def Row hip hop night club that gave Dublin debuts to so many. There are people who knew him from the Pink Elephant, the Trocadero, the Dublin Funk Collective or his work as promoter of that home grown Jazz great, Louie Stewart.

As a family we have all recounted our fond memories and anecdotes about Oliver in the past few days. It helped us through the shock and grief.

With Ollie's passing we have become the proud custodians of an online radio station—HeadWaxFM, which I will promote to within an inch of its life—and the biggest collection of white label vinyl you have ever seen.

Everyone has their own Ollie story. All have merit, all need to be cherished, stitched and woven together.

And so to quote from the very heart of it: Death is not the end, death is the road to awe.

Safe travels, Ol. Stand at ease.

Chantell

And from Andrew Carroll in Wicklow, Ireland...

Marc, I bring you sad, unexpected news.

Ollie Dowling, the founder of Ireland's pirate station JazzFM, Headwax Radio and friend and manager of Louis Stewart, died on Christmas Eve morning. I understand that the cause is as yet undetermined.

He was a huge JazzWax fan and very much valued your correspondence with him over the years. He was particularly impressed by the way you introduced Louis to a whole new audience.

I know he would join me in thanking you for the continued stream of jazz insights and new discoveries.

Wishing you the very best for 2025.

Free jazz broadcasts. Last week, I heard from Kim Paris of the FM Radio Archive with links to jazz artists featured at JazzWax who gave performances over the radio [photo of the Modern Jazz Quartet]:

Eliane Elias—is featured in a CultureBox TV broadcast from Jazz a Vienne in France in 2014. Go here.

George Cables—is featured in five broadcasts with different bands between 1972 to 2012. Go here.

Bill Evans—has two recordings in the archive, with his trio in 1975 and with Tony Bennett in 1976. Go here.

Paul Desmond—played with Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan on Berliner Jazztage in 1972. Go here.

Modern Jazz Quartet—has three recordings, ranging from 1964 in London to 1991 in Monterey, Cal. Go here.

Grant Green radio. On Sunday, Sid Gribetz will host a five-hour "Jazz Profiles" retrospective of guitarist Grant Green's recordings from 2 to 7 p.m. (ET) on WKCR-FM. Listen from anywhere in the world by going here. 

Max Roach radio. WKCR-FM will feature its 24-hour Max Roach Birthday Broadcast starting on Thursday night, January 9, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) through to the same time the following evening. Listen from anywhere in the world by going here

And finally, I have three roses for you—three sunshine pop hits with with "rose" in the chorus:

Here's The Flying Machine singing Geoff Stephens and Tony Macaulay's Smile a Little Smile For Me (1969)...

Here's Edison Lighthouse performing Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason's Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (1970)...

And here's Lynn Anderson singing Joe South's Rose Garden (1970)...