The Johnny Mercer Centennial on TCM

Clint Eastwood’s film adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is probably best remembered for its soundtrack, consisting entirely of classic songs written by Savannah, Georgia’s favorite son, Johnny Mercer. Eastwood, a well known jazz supporter and occasional pianist, now serves as the co-executive producer and presenter of Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s on Me, a new documentary tribute to the singer-songwriter debuting on Turner Classic Movies this Wednesday, as part of the network’s month long celebration of Mercer’s centennial.

Mercer was an Academy Award winning songwriter who co-founded Capitol Records. He was a popular recording artist in his own right, having come up through the ranks of the Paul Whiteman and Benny Goodman big bands. While hip jazz and cabaret artists often record Mercer songbook projects, the Mercer name might not be as familiar to contemporary audiences, despite his storied career. However, Mercer’s lyrics remain instantly recognizable thanks to his classic standards, like “One More for My Baby,” originally written for Fred Astaire but immortalized by Frank Sinatra, “Jeepers Creepers,” which became a breakout hit for Louis Armstrong, and one of the most successful movie songs ever penned, “Moon River,” written with Henry Mancini for Blake Edwards’ Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Dream gives Mercer his due not just as a prolific lyricist, but also as a distinctive vocalist, whose laidback style helped bankroll Capitol Records in its early days. For instance, we hear how his distinctly laidback jazz-oriented delivery elevates a novelty number like “Jamboree Jones” into a real swinging affair in an appearance on the Rosemary Clooney Show.

Mercer collaborated with just about everyone, most notably including Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, and Jerome Kern. With his deep southern roots, Mercer’s work has readily lent itself to jazz interpretation by the likes of tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins (heard briefly in Dream) and pianist Bill Charlap (the son of songwriter Moose Charlap and vocalist Sandy Stewart), who serves as narrator for the program and plays over the ending credits.

Producer-director Bruce Ricker (who previously helmed Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends seen on PBS's American Masters) crafts a classy tribute to Mercer, incorporating extensive vintage Hollywood clips and interviews from admiring musicians and vocalists, like Bennett, Andre Previn, Dame Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth, and Margaret Whiting. Eastwood also serves as host for some original sessions of Mercer songs including notable combos, like Broadway star Audra McDonald accompanied by composer John Williams on piano, as well as Eastwood’s daughter Morgan singing the title tune backed by Larry Goldings on piano with her brother Kyle on bass.

Nicely balancing biography with music, Dream conveys a good sense of both the man and his songs. Debuting this Wednesday (11/4), it is an entertaining and informative portrait of one of the great lyricists and vocalists of the American Songbook tradition. Dream kicks off TCM’s celebration of Mercer throughout the month of November, with regular Wednesday screenings of films featuring Mercer songs (including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Blues in the Night, and The Days of Wine and Rose) as well as a full day of Mercer on November 18th to commemorate his 100th birthday.

(Photo credit: Adam Rose)

70 Years of Blue Note Records: The Blue Note 7

Mosaic: a Celebration of Blue Note Records
By the Blue Note 7

Blue Note Records’ longtime slogan: “The Finest in Jazz Since 1939,” is nothing more than truth in advertising for the loyal fans of the venerable jazz label. On that maiden day in 1939, co-founders Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff recorded boogie-woogie pianists Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons. During its early years Blue Note cut some excellent sessions from traditional artists, like Sidney Bechet, but it was in the 1950’s and 1960’s that the label really came into its own, as the premiere home of Hard-bop, the earthier, more soulful successor to bebop. Specially assembled to mark the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records, the Blue Note 7 specifically honors those classic hard-bop sessions with the release of Mosaic.

As the musical director of the Blue Note 7, pianist Bill Charlap is the leader among leaders. He is also the only member of the BN7 signed to the label. However, tenor-player Ravi Coltrane has important family connections to Blue Note. His legendary father, John Coltrane, only recorded one session of his own for the label, but it was a great one: Blue Train. He also appeared as a sideman on Johnny Griffin’s aptly titled A Blowin’ Session, and Sonny Clark’s Sonny's Crib, as well as some historically significant live recordings documenting his time with Thelonious Monk, which were released posthumously, well after the Blue Note’s 1985 re-launch. With trumpeter Nicholas Payton, altoist Steve Coleman and a rhythm section of guitarist Peter Bernstein, drummer Lewis Nash, and bassist Peter Washington rounding out the seven, the BN7 is quite an accomplished group of either distinguished leaders or absolutely top-flight sidemen, all very well known to those supporting the New York club scene.

The title track, Cedar Walton’s “Mosaic,” originally recorded by Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers while Walton served as musical director, is a Hard-bop flag-waver, totally in the spirit of the original. It is a good vehicle for some blowing from just about all involved, including Charlap himself. Long associated with his interpretations of the Great American Songbook, Charlap’s bop chops are largely under-appreciated, but he has co-led a number of gigs with the fiery Parker-inspired alto-player Phil Woods. Appropriately, Nash takes it out, channeling the hard-swinging Blakey spirit.

While the BN7’s rendition of “Mosaic” has plenty of fire, they are actually more effective on tunes taken at something less than breakneck tempos. “The Search for Peace,” composed and recorded by McCoy Tyner (an alumni of both Blue Note Records and the classic John Coltrane Quartet), is an elegant meditation, giving Payton and Ravi Coltrane ample space to stretch out. Likewise, the intriguing combination of Wilson’s flute and Bernstein’s guitar perfectly fit Bobby Hutcherson’s “Little B’s Poem.” Probably the highlight of Mosaic though, is “Idle Moments,” a slow blues originally composed by pianist and Blue Note A&R man Duke Pearson for the label’s resident guitarist of the 1960’s and 1970’s, Grant Green. Bernstein is the only solo voice in his arrangement, but the rock solid rhythm section and the supportive ensemble punctuations from the horns give it that late-night vibe that made Blue Note sessions so revered by generations of jazz fans.

The BN7 also follows in the Blue Note super-group tradition begun shortly after the label’s 1980’s resurrection. Whereas Out of the Blue was conceived as a group to promote promising young talent, and New Directions showcased relatively young but innovative artists already recording for Blue Note, the BN7 appear to be recruited mostly outside the label fold, expressly for this project. They have some killer moments on Mosaic and should really lock-in as they tour the country. Their road-show is already underway, with performances in Los Angeles and Orange County this week, culminating with a week-long stand at Birdland, starting April 14th.

Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life

Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
Original Soundtrack
Blue Note Records

When PBS finally gave some primetime air to jazz, they did the music right. Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, which aired in most markets in February, profiled the man who served as Duke Ellington’s largely unheralded arranging and composing collaborator. The filmmakers understood the importance of Strayhorn’s music to their story, and gave extended screen time to performances of his tunes by some of top names in jazz today. While giving prominence to the music, they did cut off most performances at some point, so the Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life companion soundtrack is a welcome release, making the entire performances available.

Few musicians are as attuned to songwriters as Bill Charlap, so he is perfectly matched to this project. The disk opens with his jaunty solo version of Strayhorn’s little known “Fantastic Rhythm.” He later returns for another solo—a sensitive interpretation of Strayhorn’s classical composition “Valse.” Charlap also has the pleasure of playing a duet with Hank Jones on “Tonk,” originally a four-handed feature for Ellington and Strayhorn.

The personification of elegant swing, Jones is another natural for this endeavor. His solo feature, “Satin Doll,” is tasteful and sophisticated. Jones has developed a rapport with Joe Lovano, playing with him on a number of occasions and on several sessions in recent years. With stellar rhythm section-mates George Mraz and Paul Motian, Jones and Lovano keep that good thing going on tunes like “Johnny Come Lately” and particularly Strayhorn’s lovely, under-recorded “Lotus Blossom.”

The vocal tracks are a bit more of a mixed bag. Certainly one of the highlights is Elvis Costello’s “My Flame Burns Blue” (originally “Blount Count”). Costello, Mr. Diana Krall, has been doing more jazz oriented work, recording with the Metropole Orchestra and frequently performing for Jazz Foundation benefit concerts. The lyrics he wrote to the melody of “Blood Count,” first recorded with the Metropole and heard here with the stellar backing of Lovano and Charlap, well fit the milieu of Strayhorn’s work.

With six features, Diane Reeves has the highest profile in the film and soundtrack. She has a beautifully strong and clear voice, but on “Lush Life” she does not seem to connect with melancholy at the core of the Strayhorn classic. However, on “Something to Live For” she brings a convincingly hopefully sound to what could be a downbeat lament.

Lush Life has been sitting atop the Jazz Week radio play charts for several weeks, and it is easy to understand why. It features a nice blend of the well known Strayhorn and relatively recent discoveries, while the performances range from solid to beautiful.