Results for "TV / Film"

Johnny Costa

November 10, 2015

The recent Rifftides review of pianist Sullivan Fortner’s new album mentions Johnny Costa as an influence. The influence came early. Like millions of other American children, Fortner grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. He was captivated by the music Costa played with his trio on the television show. Costa was Rogers’ musical director from the birth ...

Robert Trujillo Releases "JACO" The Exclusive DVD/Blu-Ray Available On Record Store Day Black Friday

November 1, 2015

BLACK FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27TH, 2015 WILL SEE THE RELEASE OF THE EXCLUSIVE DVD/BLU-RAY JACO BY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ROBERT TRUJILLO THE EXTRAORDINARY NEW FILM CHRONICLES THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF LEGENDARY BASSIST/COMPOSER JACO PASTORIUS Robert Trujillo, in association with Passion Pictures, has announced the official multi-platform release ...

Sinatra on TV in '65

October 30, 2015

As years go, 1965 marked a significant cultural turning point. With teen audiences screaming at concerts for the Beatles and the Supremes, pop-rock and soul began to lock up a sizable slice of the record market. At the exact same time, the future was becoming a national obsession, helped along largely by the space race and ...

Bill Evans: Documentary '82

October 23, 2015

Miles on Monday: Don Cheadle defends Miles Ahead, film gets release date, and more

October 19, 2015

This week in Miles Davis news, there's plenty of additional scoop related to last week's premiere screening of Miles Ahead, Don Cheadle's new film about Davis, but first, a few items not about the movie: Last week also marked the 43rd anniversary of the release of Davis' album On The Corner, and S. Victor Aaron of ...

Ethan Hawke As “Chet Baker”

October 14, 2015

This seems to be the season for a new round of films based, more or less, on the lives of jazz trumpet players. See the October 11 Rifftides post about Don Cheadle as Miles Davis. The latest entry in the category is Born To Be Blue, which was screened yesterday and today in special presentations at ...

Miles on Monday: First reviews of Miles Ahead

October 12, 2015

With the debut this past weekend of Don Cheadle's film Miles Ahead at the New York Film Festival, this week's Miles Davis news is full of items about the long-awaited movie. On the eve of the Festival, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott thought Miles Ahead could be an Oscar contender, writing, “Anyone who wants ...

"Vinyl" - A New Series About The 70's Record Industry Is Coming To HBO [VIDEO]

October 7, 2015

BBC Doc: Easy Listening

October 2, 2015

Easy-listening music is difficult to quantify today. As I wrote in a Wall Street Journal essay not long ago (go here), the genre began as mood music in 1945, when an attempt was made by record companies to ease the stress of post-World War II America with instrumental music designed to change moods. In the 1950s, ...

Weekend Extra: A Film About Chuck Israels

September 13, 2015

Following his five years as the bassist in the Bill Evans Trio, Chuck Israels worked with a variety of leaders, among them J.J. Johnson, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock and Hampton Hawes. His repertory orchestra, The National Jazz Ensemble, and his writing for the Metropole Orchestra disclosed his range and depth as an arranger. He moved to ...