A SONG IS BORN

Professor Hobart Frisbee (Danny Kaye) starts his lesson rather squarely but with the help of his talented friends Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, The Golden Gate Quartet, Tommy Dorsey, Mel Powell, Louis Bellson, Charlie Barnett and more, he builds a song from the ground up. Great swinging tune from all the greats in this clip from the 1948 musical, A Song is Born. Thanks to jazzman Tom DeGraff for the tip.

BILL FRISELL

I saw an amazing show last night: guitar wizard Bill Frisell, playing with violinist Eyvind Kang and drummer Rudy Royston. Frisell masterfully led the trio through an incredible range of music, touching upon folk, jazz, country, avant garde, classical, soul, surf, bluegrass, blues, and some unnamed music from an undiscovered planet accessible only to Frisell. The trio turned on a dime from be-bop and experimental composition to Americana such as "Shenandoah," all expertly played, switching gears effortlessly. One highlight among many was a heartbreaking version of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" that turned into Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" and had the house cheering.


It's easy to see why Bill Frisell was named Best Guitarist for the fourth year in a row (and seventh in 10 years) in the latest Downbeat Critics Poll, and a three time Downbeat Readers Poll winner for Best Guitarist. He has collaborated with a wide range of artists, filmmakers and legendary musicians, a list that includes filmmaker Gus Van Sant, cartoonists Gary Larsen and Jim Woodring, and musicians ranging from Brian Eno to Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello to Norah Jones.

Bill Frisell has a brand new record out called "History, Mystery," a two disc record, one of which was composed for a multimedia collaboration - Mysterio Sympatico - with artist Jim Woodring, whose work has graced Frisell's albums. Also includes compositions by Thelonius Monk, Lee Konitz, and Sam Cooke, including the aforementioned "A Change is Gonna Come."

Do yourself a favor. Listen to Bill Frisell.

KID CHARLEMAGNE

A strange band, without an obvious niche, named after a sex toy in a William Burroughs novel -- who would think they'd make it big? At first glance jazzy, with decidedly weird lyrics, backed by a crack team of studio musicians, that's Steely Dan. Here they tell the tale of a certain infamous outlaw chemist of the 1960s, loosely based on reality (as were many things back then), one Augustus Owsley Stanley, III, otherwise known simply as Owsley.


For a 2007 interview with Owsley, click here.

FROM THE ANIMATION ARCHIVE

Here is the St. James Infirmary section of Betty Boop's "Snow White" from 1933. Yes, that's Cab Calloway singing! What wonderful animation! Produced by Max Fleischer, directed by Dave Fleischer.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66

All hail the Great American Highway! The Nat King Cole Trio plays "Route 66" in this wonderful clip. I used to sing this one standing on the shoulders of interstates and country roads -- making up the words in the middle -- while I tried to flag a ride.

Did you ever hit the road, Jack? Did you ever hitch-hike? I don't mean short stints -- did you ever thumb a cross country trip? I wouldn't do it now, but I had some great trips back in the day. I thumbed from Seattle to Mexico, up and down the West Coast a few times, around upstate New York when the leaves were changing, even did a run from Portland to Phoenix one hot July, which I don't recommend. I had great rides, and some bad ones. I slept under a bridge in Salt Lake City, got robbed, even got thrown in jail. In the hot Arizona desert, I was a tiny sunburned speck in a landscape out of a western movie, standing for hours in the booming sun, finally getting rescued by Navajos in a tricked-out Camaro on their way to an all-Indian rodeo in Tuba City.


Thumbing was a thrill, a journey, a way to see the country from the ground up. Maybe it was a little dangerous. Still, I wouldn't trade those adventures for anything in the world.

Did you ever get your kicks on Route 66?

To see my drawing of the trio, click here.

GEORGE SHEARING

Ken Kesey once said George Shearing, the blind jazz piano player, was God. Regarding that statement, I'll remain agnostic -- I mean, he might be God. It's impossible to prove or disprove. Either way, he's definitely a great piano player. Here he performs "Swedish Pastry" with his quintet. Check it out.

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK

Playing "Seasons" at Montreux, 1972.

THE NAT KING COLE TRIO

In this pen and ink drawing, I tried to capture The Nat King Cole Trio. The trio consisted of Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on bass. They played around the Los Angeles area from the late 1930s. (During the war, Prince was replaced by Johnny Miller). At first, Cole didn't sing, just played the piano and led the band. Then someone at an L.A. nightclub requested he sing "Sweet Lorraine." Cole resisted at first, then relented when the patron complained to the club manager. The rest, as they say, is history.

Nat King Cole (born Nathanial Adams Coles, 1919, Montgomery, Alabama) was a phenomenally talented jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist. In 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC-TV, breaking down the color barrier on television. Sponsors shied away from the show, and it was canceled a year later. "Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark," Cole quipped. In spite of the loss, Cole continued to be a popular entertainer with a long string of hits, beloved by music fans until he died in 1965.

In this clip from 1946, the Nat King Cole Trio can been seen performing "It's Better To Be By Yourself."

ALL THAT JAZZ

David Stone Martin (American artist, 1913-92) illustrated many jazz classics. He created virtually hundreds of album covers in the 1940's and 1950's. His style owes something to the great Ben Shahn, with whom he worked as an assistant.

Charlie "Bird" Parker (American musician, 1920-55) was a jazz genius, and possibly the greatest sax player of all time. Here he's seen playing with another great sax man, Coleman Hawkins (1904-69), also known as "Bean". Watch their expressions as Bird and Bean play a ballad. Then the whole band kicks in with some bebop. In the second clip, they are joined by other luminaries. This is jazz history.

DJANGO SWINGS!

This rare clip of the Belgian gypsy guitar player Django Reinhardt was recorded in 1938. He was a musician and artist of the first rank, and influenced countless others with his astounding talent. Here he's playing with his famous band, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, which included his longtime musical partner, violinist Stephane Grapelli, and his brother Joseph.
It's amazing he could play at all. Injured in a caravan fire at the age of eighteen, his right leg was paralyzed and his left hand badly burnt. Doctors prepared to amputate his leg, but he refused to grant them permission, and after a year of difficult rehabilitation he was walking with use of a cane. He taught himself a new way to play with his damaged fingers. He sure did!
Find his records. Listen to "Nuages", "Belleville", "Djangology", and "Sweet Georgia Brown", and you'll be hooked for life.

The drawing is from my sketchbook.