Hollywood On 52nd Street
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes is a song composed by Jerry Brainin, with lyrics by Buddy Bernier. The song was written for the 1948 film noir Night Has a Thousand Eyes and was performed by an unknown band as rhumba in the background of a party.
The film stars Edward G. Robinson and was directed by John Farrow. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Cornell Woolrich, originally published under the pseudonym George Hopley.
Since its introduction, the song has been recorded by a number of artists, among them John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, UAB SuperJazz featuring Ellis Marsalis, Harry Belafonte, Paul Desmond with Jim Hall, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Pharoah Sanders, Irene Kral, Harry Beckett, Petula Clark, Gloria Lynne, and Carmen McRae.
The Story
The film opens in New Orleans, where John Triton (Robinson) is “The Mental Wizard”, a nightclub fortune teller. During a show one evening, Triton suddenly urges an audience member to rush home, cautioning that her son is in danger. As the story unfolds, Triton struggles with his new-found psychic ability, as all of his relentlessly bleak predictions prove accurate. Jerome Cowan plays Whitney Courtland, Triton’s best friend, who becomes wealthy using tips from the now-psychic Triton.
Hollywood On 52nd Street
Never Let Me Go is a song composed and written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, that was performed by Nat King Cole in the 1956 American crime drama film, The Scarlet Hour. The movie was directed and produced by Michael Curtiz. The film stars Carol Ohmart, Tom Tryon, Jody Lawrance and Elaine Stritch. The screenplay was based on the story “The Kiss Off” by Frank Tashlin.
The Story
E. V. Marshall, known to all as “Marsh,” works for wealthy real-estate businessman Ralph Nevins and is having an affair with Ralph’s unhappy wife, Paulie. Not wanting to struggle Paulie refuses Marsh’s plea to get a divorce and live without her husband’s money.
Overhearing thieves planning a jewelry heist of the home of a doctor named Lynbury, Paulie pleads with Marsh to rob the jewels from the thieves as they leave the doctor’s house. Suspicious of his wife, Nevins follows, catches them in the act, and gets shot by Paulie. However, Marsh thinks that the thieves shot Nevins.
The police investigation reveals that Dr. Lynbury masterminded the burglary of his own home to collect insurance money after having replaced his wife’s jewels with worthless fakes. Police eventually place Lynbury under arrest and Paulie as well, with Marsh’s cooperation.
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager is pulling down from the stacks of his library a recently acquired, never-before-released studio album by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers titled Just Coolin’. Recorded on March 8, 1959 in Rudy Van Gelder’s living room studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, the session featured a short-lived line-up of The Jazz Messengers.
The album features two previously unissued compositions including Timmons’ tune Quick Trick. The session for Just Coolin’ finds The Jazz Messengers’ saxophone chair in transition. The interim saw the return of Mobley, who was a charter member of The Jazz Messengers when the band first formed in 1954 and appeared on their debut recording The Jazz Messengers At The Café Bohemia in 1955. Mobley also filled an important role as the band’s resident composer. Now, 61 years later jazz fans all over the world will have the chance to listen for themselves.
Track List Side 1 1. Hipsippy Blues (Hank Mobley) 2. Close Your Eyes (Bernice Petkere) 3. Jimerick (unknown) Side 2 1. Quick Trick (Bobby Timmons) 2. M&M (Hank Mobley) 3. Just Coolin’ (Hank Mobley)
Personnel
Lee Morgan: trumpet, Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons: piano, Jymie Merritt: bass, Art Blakey: drums
More Posts: adventure,club,drums,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel,voyager
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Annie Whitehead was born on July 16, 1955 in Oldham, Lancashire, England and learned the trombone in high school and participated in rock and jazz bands. At 16, she left school and became a member of a female big band led by Ivy Benson, playing with the band for two years before moving to Jersey.
Unhappy with the life of a musician, she quit music for almost six years, only to return in 1979 and start a ska band. Taking an interest in jazz again after moving to London two years later, Whitehead began performing in pubs. During the 1980s she toured with Brotherhood of Breath, a big band led by South African pianist Chris McGregor.
Over the course of her career, Annie has worked with …And the Native Hipsters, Blur, Carla Bley, Charlie Watts Orchestra, Jah Wobble, Jamiroquai, John Stevens, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Smiley Culture, Spice Girls, and Working Week. She was a member of The Zappatistas, a Frank Zappa tribute band led by guitarist John Etheridge.
Trombonist Annie Whitehead, who has recorded five albums, her first, Mix Up in 1984 to The Gathering, her last in 2000, continues to compose and perform.
More Posts: bandleader,composer,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trombone
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager is choosing from the library the 1960 album coming from trombonist Julian Priester titled Spiritsville released on the Riverside subsidiary label Jazzland. It was recorded on July 12, 1960 at the Plaza Sound Studios in New York City and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.
The tracks include Chi-Chi (Charlie Parker) ~ 4:43; Blue Stride ~ 6:15; It Might As Well Be Spring (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) ~ 5:47; Excursion (Walter Benton) ~ 5:42; Spiritsville ~ 7:31; My Romance (Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) ~ 5:50; and Donna’s Waltz ~ 5:32
The personnel brought in for this recording session were: Julian Priester ~ trombone, Walter Benton ~ tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 4-7), Charles Davis ~ baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 4-7), McCoy Tyner ~ piano, Sam Jones – bass, and Art Taylor ~ drums.
Remain diligent my fellow voyagers in staying healthy, continue to practice social distancing, and don’t be so anxious to rush back to the new normal. It has been said that music soothes the savage beast, so listen to great music. I share that music to give you a little insight into the choices this voyager has made over the years of collecting during this sabbatical from jet setting investigations of jazz around the globe.
More Posts: adventure,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel,trombone,voyager