John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme", released January 1965

It's my experience that people either really love jazz or really dislike jazz.  I suppose I find myself somewhere in the middle . It's not my most favorite form of music but I always appreciate the musicians talents and their art of creating music.  To me, listening to live jazz is an experience different than what you'll get at a rock/blues/country show.  If you've never done that, I encourage anyone to seek it out, there's plenty of high quality jazz clubs in most large cities. But jazz can be a very difficult genre for a casual music listener.   Certain jazz forms are more easily "digested" than others and the jazz featured on this album is of a form that even casual jazz listeners may struggle with comprehending. 

Coltrane was experimenting with forms of jazz that were in their infancy and being built upon by musicians like himself.  This certainly isn't the jazz album you'll want to put on as background music to your evening meal.  The album can be both melodic and jarring.  At times soothing, at other times challenging.  Coltrane was a most capable player.  Incredible speed and rhythm but also taking turns at sheer maniacal wailing on his tenor saxophone.  With smooth melodic chords and progressions being played beside loud arrhythmic drumming (timpani on a jazz record?) and odd piano phrasing accompanying it all and moving the music forward.  It's a lot for the human ear to process.  This is free form jazz at its birth.  I try to imagine what was going on inside Coltrane's, and the other musicians, head as they formed these pieces.  The use of mind altering drugs (particularly heroin) during this period of jazz is well documented; I believe that certainly had something to do with the experimentation and unique sounds they pieced together.   It's evident why artist like Carlos Santana found influence in it's experimental approach.  The talent on the other instruments is enormous with McCoy Tyner (piano) and Elvin Jones (drums) standing out in particular.  Bass player Jimmy Garrison also does some unique, noteworthy soloing towards the end of track 3. 

As someone who has attempted to play several musical instruments (bass clarinet, piano, & guitar), I definitely have a full appreciation and understanding of what it takes to make music.  And to do it well is unique. To understand the way chords and progressions work is a mathematics of sorts. And no musical genre attempts to master the math like jazz musicians.  All generations are trying to progress their musical genre but this era of jazz was it's most exploratory.  Talents like Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker were attempting to take it in new and never before heard places. For the most part it works and you listen with amazement at what incredibly talented musicians these people were.  The art they created was unique and progressive and in that way, it is critical and worthy of being considered one of the top 50 albums of all time.

More information on John Coltrane and the album:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Love_Supreme
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Coltrane

Taxi Driver, released February 1976 

"Are you talking to me? You talking to me?"  This scene from the movie, "Taxi Driver" has become absolutely iconic, with most people not even aware of where it came from within popular culture. This is a pretty dark movie with serious anti-hero overtones and psychotic level behaviors.  This film does feature early work from several actors that have each gone on to very successful Hollywood careers including: Robert DeNiro, Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, and Albert Brooks. This is also one of the first feature films from legendary director Martin Scorsese.

I'd seen this movie in the past but didn't remember all the scenes.  It was much more graphic than what I remembered, both in terms of language, content and visual effects. Of course, DeNiro played his role so perfectly and he really inhabits the multilayered Travis Bickle character.  He uses a technique called method acting and apparently worked as an actual taxi driver in preparation for this movie. Commitment to a role has never been his weakness.  Cybill Shepherd, at age 26, has so much charisma and sex appeal on camera and the chemistry between her and DeNiro feels very real.  A fourteen year old Jodie Foster has the acting chops of someone 3 times her age.  I watched a behind the scenes on this movie where Jodie Foster said her mother was called to bring her in to audition for a role (an underage prostitute) and upon walking in they were certain she was perfect for the role.  I can't imagine having a child as a working actor and signing off on letting her play a street walker.  According to the movie's Wikipedia entry, the producers made her see a psychologist regularly to ensure that they weren't doing any long term damage to her young, impressionable brain.  Now THAT'S commitment to getting and keeping an acting role!

I also enjoyed the soundtrack and score of this movie.   It was done by Bernard Hermann, who also scored movies such as Citizen Kane (#1 movie of all time according to AFI), Vertigo, Psycho, North By Northwest (Hitchcock), and many others. There is also a sequence in the middle where a pop song is played.  It's a song by Jackson Browne called "Late for the Sky".  Music has always been a big piece of all Scorsese movies, almost like a character of sorts.  He also directed what most regard as the finest live action music movie called "The Last Waltz" about The Band's last concert.  He also directed the Bob Dylan documentary, "No Direction Home" and Michael Jackson's video for the song "Bad". Clearly, music is important to Scorsese and this film definitely sets a mood using the music. 

I believe this movie is definitely one worth seeing at least once. It's great to see DeNiro and Scorsese becoming one of the greatest actors/directors of their generation and arguably of all time. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_Driver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQkpes3dgzg "Are you talking to me??"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqYiHkx7ils "Late for the Sky", Jackson Browne

Next week, #46

Bob Marley, "Legend"

A Clockwork Orange

 Public Enemy, "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back", released June 88

This album was released in 1988; I was just 10 years old.  This album was definitely not allowed in our house (no explicit lyric labels allowed), so I've never heard most of the tracks.  Aside from the few radio friendly hits this album produced, the album was mostly a mystery to me.  I was looking forward to reviewing this album because I enjoy old school hip hop WAY more than the rap albums being released today.   Sadly, I can't say I enjoyed it much and only listened from start to finish just one time.  Instead, I listened selectively to the tracks I preferred.  I definitely like the way Chuck D (raps) his vocals and his delivery is iconic in the history of hip hop music.  The downside is having to hear Flavor Fav be Flavor Fav, which to me comes across as somewhat cartoonish.  I'm sure when this album was released it didn't come across that way and it's only over time that his off album persona has affected the way I perceive and receive his music.  I do recall from my youth the impact their personal style had on popular culture.  Seeing the Malcolm X "X" hat and the round colored medallion of the African continent was commonplace, even among white youth. Their impact on hip hop culture and style is certain and unquestioned. This album established them as a political music group to be heard and reckoned with as social awareness increased in that period.

To me, the message and lyrical content of the album, which was somewhat unique in it's aggressive approach, sometimes gets lost in the production.  The sheer quantity of sound sampling on most of the tracks is mind numbing and today would be way more expensive (impossible) to produce given the changes in modern music licensing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Takes_a_Nation_of_Millions_to_Hold_Us_Back#Track_listing). The repetitive looping of certain sounds (screeching, high pitched horn) I found to be grating on my 38-year old ears. I had to hit the fast forward button to get past several tracks. This became such a signature sound for them and I imagine when it was released the hip hop audience loved it's tone and production (beats, loops, rap, etc.).   But for me, I don't enjoy it. 

All music is of its time and stands as a testament to that generation and what was being felt in the country at that particular time. The best of it stands up to the test of time and can be listened to forever.  To this end, Public Enemy spoke to and for their audience and that's why this album is rightfully considered the 48th best of all time.  

I do find it somewhat surprising that there is only one hip hop album among the Top 50 list that Rolling Stone compiled (only one even in the Top 100).  But given that the magazine is more rock based, I'm sure the individuals responsible for compiling it have a certain bias towards that sound versus hip hop.  In my mind, perhaps because of when I was born and subsequently discovered rap music, the Dr. Dre album "The Chronic" or Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut album "Doggystyle" are my go to albums for old school hip hop and should definitely be included in the Top 50/100 albums of all time. 

 

Jaws, released June 1975

Duh-nuh...duh-nuh...duh-nuh... JAWS!!  This movie is so iconic and great for more than just the movie.  Obviously the soundtrack (musical score) is recognized all over the world.  But this was only director Steven Spielberg's second theatrical film and helped launch a now legendary Hollywood career.  The film is based upon a book written by Peter Benchley and the screenplay was a team effort that included Spielberg, actors and many unaccredited writers that he used to put a sensible story together, similar to the book but also different in certain aspects.  I was surprised the film had an initial budget of just $3.5 million and only 55 shooting days. The film has become notorious for production problems with the mechanical shark and costs did overrun the initial budget.  But the problems actually helped create more fear by not seeing the shark more often in the film.  And when you do see it, it's clearly fake so maybe it worked for the best that the mechanics didn't work well during production.  I do wonder why this film hasn't been remade; with modern CGI technology, it could look amazing.  

The initial offer to play Chief Brody was to Robert Duvall with Charlton Heston interested as well. Ultimately, the role went to Roy Scheider, who does a terrific job as a seaside sheriff fearful of water.  His acting is very natural, particularly the scenes with his movie wife (Lorraine Gary). The scenes with the child actor playing his youngest son at the dinner table following a rough day watching shark attacks at the beach were also noteworthy to me. The camaraderie between he and actor Richard Dreyfuss felt very real, like they'd known each other for a long time.  Also, the line "We're going to need a bigger boat" was improvised by the actor and has become one of the most memorable lines in the movie but also a commonly used expression to relay feelings of being overwhelmed by a situation. 

The roles of Quint and Hooper were not yet cast as close as nine days prior to initial shooting.  Interestingly, those roles were offered/considered to actors such as Lee Marvin, Sterling Hayden, Jon Voight and Jeff Bridges.  After much discussion and script modification to fit the characters to the actors playing them, Robert Shaw (Quint) and Richard Dreyfuss (Hooper) were hired.  The acting in this movie by Robert Shaw is legendary, particularly the scene where he's describing the true story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the subsequent shark attacks that killed all but 316 naval soldiers. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9S41Kplsbs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_(CA-35)

The score was handled by composer John Williams and has become his most iconic, with the possible exception of the Star Wars films. This was one of John William's first movies and, similar to Spielberg, it launched his now legendary career.  Not much more I can say about how great the score is and how it clearly enhances the scenes and creates suspense.  Masterful!

Upon release, the film became the highest grossing picture and to date has grossed $470 million.  Over time the movie has succeeded in overseas markets like Brazil and United Kindgom as well. 

I've seen this film numerous times and I always enjoy it.  Despite not being the most realistic from a production standpoint, it still manages to create fear and suspense.  It's got a Hitchcock quality to it that I really love.  And the fact that it gave Spielberg a chance to make more films is great as well.  If you haven't seen it, do.  Just don't do it on vacation near the ocean!

For more information on the film:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaws_(film)
http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=55193

"Hoosier Jaws"(a silly video I made years ago with my dog Hoosier as I messed with my GoPro and iMovie):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prUzO6dJCFw

Next week #47

John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme"

Taxi Driver

 

Allman Brothers, "At Fillmore East", released July 71

To become legendary, you usually have to do something that no one has done before.  In the case of the Allman Brothers, this is exactly what guitarist Duane Allman set out to do.  When assembling the band, he wanted to feature two lead guitar players and two full drum kits, something that was very uncommon at the time and even today is quite rare. The result was a sound unlike any heard before and as a result the Allman Brothers have surely become a legendary band. 

This is definitely not an album for the uncommitted music listener.  With track times of 23:03 (Whipping Post), 19:15 (You Don't Love Me), 13:04 (In Memory of Elizabeth Reed), and 8:44 (Stormy Monday), this album requires a disciplined ear and open mind to make it through the long songs and extended jams. But if you want to hear one of the absolutely definitive live albums ever recorded, this is one you must discover. 

What struck me is how clear and high quality the recording is despite being a non-soundboard recording.  This means it was recorded with only ambient recording mics setup in the room so brilliantly by legendary producer Tom Dowd.  Most of the songs sound like they were recorded in a studio setting, not a 2600 seat venue in New York City.  The other thing that intrigued me was how respectful and relatively quiet the audience was.  Perhaps it's just the way it was recorded but the crowd is heard only sparsely on any of the tracks. I wish I could have attended this concert where the audience understands it's place in the show.  Many of the concerts I've attended have been spoiled by unnecessary singing by rowdy crowds seemingly more interested in socializing (aka "getting drunk") than fully appreciating the bands performance.  So to hear a performance where the crowd was actually listening was something of note.  Then again, this was in a time before our ADHD minds took over so maybe the young brain could focus better.  :) 

The lead guitar playing on this album is simply amazing.  As someone that thoroughly appreciates guitar mastery, I enjoyed the extended solos.  The only time it felt excessive was on track 4 (You Don't Love Me).  At one point, the band completely drops out to let Duane Allman do what I can only describe as "noodle" at a local Guitar Center.  Granted, this is a VERY talented guitar player beyond what you'll see at a local GC, but it seemed unnecessarily self fulfilling on this track only.  Perhaps the crowd is so quiet because they're all in the restroom or getting fresh beers. And maybe the band is too...

Beyond that one track, the music and soloing is so incredible.  Music fans know the talents of legendary player Duane Allman but few understand how great Dickey Betts truly is; he even wrote several of their well known songs. Their styles and talents are comparable but also unique in their own way.  And the tone they get is remarkably similar given that they played similar equipment (Gibson Les Paul guitars primarily).  Either way, it's an album that guitar freaks have studied and listened to on repeat as they try to replicate the tone and phrasing in all their incredible solos. 

The rest of the musicianship on the recording is formidable.  Drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johanson work together to create what sounds like one REALLY badass drummer creating incredible rhythm and pace.  Gregg Allman is such an underrated piano/B3 player but gets time to shine on several tracks.  And the bass playing by Berry Oakley is so phenomenal it makes his untimely death in 1972 (following Duane's in 1971) that much more depressing knowing the musical talents that he left this world possessing.  Also of note is the great harmonica solos by non-band member Thom Doucette.  You don't hear that instrument on many of their studio recordings but it most certainly fit right in with this show at the Fillmore East.

This is a great album by a great band at the peak of their playing abilities.  The Deluxe version is also great and includes several tracks recorded at the shows but not included on the original release.  The Allman Brothers have been a favorite of mine since I began discovering blues and blues influenced artists.  I highly recommend this album and any others by them you can discover.
 
Recommended listening:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwyXQn9g40I (Blue Sky, one of my favorite ABB songs)

Related links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Fillmore_East 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Allman_Brothers_Band

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, released December 1937

This is a movie I find interesting not because of the content (sorry, not into princess stories) but because of its historical significance. This is the first full-length cell-animated feature in motion picture history release for Walt Disney Productions.  Walt Disney estimated it would cost $250,000 to produce but in the end cost $1,488,422.74, an astronomical number for 1937.  It took over three years to develop and create.  Disney had to remortgage his house to pay for the film and people around Hollywood, including some of his family, often referred to the film as "Disney's Folly."  

For me, as I watched the film, I was most enthralled that it was entirely drawn and painted by human hand.  Of course it's not as clean or stunningly beautiful as the modern animated films that Pixar (a Disney company) makes.  But this is a film built by hand and that's an even more incredible accomplishment.  And it was an overwhelming success and set up the Disney company as a major player in Hollywood production. The profits from the movie allowed Disney to build a $4.5 million studio in Burbank, CA, the same place is located today.  Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the highest grossing films of all time, earning the equivalent of $927,590,000 !  The success allowed Disney Studios to begin work on Pinocchio and Fantasia and begin production on features such as Dumbo, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. And the rest, as they say, is HISTORY! 

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack. The original songs ("Hi-ho-hi-ho It's off to work we go") were kind of hokey and silly but I reminded myself it was made mostly for kids.  I appreciate that the composers ( Frank Churchill, Larry Morey, Paul J. Smith and Leigh Harline) had to write/score the originals plus all the scene transition music. There's very few scenes (none?) that don't feature some sort of music.  The movie received an Oscar nomination for Best Film Score.  The orchestral music definitely adds to the character development and their movements.  Snow White became the first American film to have a soundtrack album, released in conjunction with the feature film.  Because Disney didn't own a music publishing company, they didn't even own the rights to the songs for this movie, and still don't even to this day. 

Overall, I did enjoy the movie.  It really is a work of art considering the amount of artists and animators it took to produce.  The perseverance that Disney showed to complete the film is proof of how he was able to build Disney into the American institute that it is today.

Related links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films_in_Canada_and_the_United_States#Adjusted_for_ticket-price_inflation  

Next week #48

Public Enemy, "It Takes a Nation of Millions"

"Jaws"

Little Richard, "Here's Little Richard", released March 1957

What a great way to kick off this "50 Weeks, 50 Greats" project!  Little Richard is considered one of the true fathers of rock & roll music so it's fitting that he would be the first artist/album I review. His youthful, passionate and energetic approach to music appealed to young audiences looking for something different than the jazz and big band swing of their parents.  I can only imagine how shocking, particularly for parents, it must have been to hear this album upon its full release in March 1957. The beat, sheer volume and at times screaming vocals must have stunned older generations but clearly younger listeners absolutely loved it. Furthermore, I can only imagine how wild a live show inside a juke joint on the chitlin circuit must have been.  And did you know that Jimi Hendrix was once in his backup band?!! Where's my damn time machine??!!

I was already familiar with the big hits this album produced (Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Rip It Up, Jenny Jenny) but I really enjoyed hearing some of the lesser known tracks (Can't Believe You Wanna Leave, Slippin' and Slidin'). The album is full of incredible musicianship with the saxophone (baritone and tenor) featured heavily.  As a child, Little Richard was a talented sax player himself so I'm sure he insisted on letting the instrument stand out.  The legendary drummer Earl Palmer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Palmer) is the primary drummer on the album and he keeps incredible rhythm and driving a fast, consistent beat as Little Richard wails.  Upon listening to the album several times, I also began to realize how great of a piano player he was, something I had forgotten.  In the style of boogie woogie but with the kind of flair that only he could bring. Certainly, most of the songs follow a similar formula.  But when they found a recipe that worked so well and produced hits, of course they were going to try to repeat it.

Overall, I really enjoyed the album and it definitely earns its place among the 50 greatest albums of all time.

To learn more about Little Richard and this album, check out his Wikipedia entries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here's_Little_Richard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Richard

If you'd like to hear the album, you can listen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obDKpca4C3Q

"Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid", released October 1969

This was a film I had never seen before.  Over the years, I've definitely enjoyed the work done by Paul Newman and Robert Redford but never had a chance to watch this particular movie.  As I tackle these movies, it will be interesting to see how differently movies look, sound, and are directed/presented over the decades. 

I think one reason older films are generally considered "better" is that they couldn't rely on CGI (computer generated imagery) to create a scene.  Production crews had to actually build a set.  Stunt actors had to actually fall off buildings and drive cars recklessly.  Explosions were actually real, and it's reflected in the sound, look and reactions of the actors.  The lack of technology forced the filmmakers, writers and actors to be "better" to make the scenes and movies more believable.  Or maybe it's just because older people usually put these "greatest" lists together and are more nostalgic for what "was" versus what currently "is".  😁  

The music in this film was done by Burt Bacharach, including the original song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" performed by B.J. Thomas.   I enjoyed the extended scenes carried only by the music.  That was definitely unique compared to other movies I've seen.

The cinematography is definitely beautiful even if the camera quality isn't exactly on par with what we see in 2017. It was filmed in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Mexico (in place of Bolivia) and has look of a traditional Western movie.  The acting and writing are very good and deserving of the awards they received.  The movie has some funny lines too, mostly delivered by Paul Newmans character Butch Cassidy.

The film won four Academy Awards:

• Best Cinematography; Best Original Score for a Motion Picture; 
• Best Music, Song (Burt Bacharach and Hal David for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head")
• Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Material Not Previously Published or Produced
• It was also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Sound (William Edmondson and David Dockendorf). 

Overall, I enjoyed the movie (running time 110 minutes) and would recommend others see it.  

To learn more about this movie, click here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Cassidy_and_the_Sundance_Kid

Next week #49

The Allman Brothers Band, "At Fillmore East"

"Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs"

50 Weeks, 50 Greats....

This is a blog born of boredom, curiosity and love of music and film.  I've considered doing this in years past but in 2017, I'm finally going to tackle it. 

The concept of the undertaking is fairly simple. Listen to 50 of the most important albums of all time as ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine and watch the Top 50 American films according to the American Film Institute (click links in header for more information).  Each week I'll listen to one album and watch one film and blog my thoughts on each of them.  My aim is to post the updates weekly on Sunday.

If you agree or disagree or just want to start a conversation, feel free to comment on the posts.

First up this week....

#50, Little Richard, "Here's Little Richard"                      

#50 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid