I recently watched JoJo Rabbit, a movie from 2019 that came highly recommended and movie that was not streaming anywhere. Thankfully, my library had it on DVD and I borrowed. I could talk about this movie for days, discussing the many reasons I loved it. But I will simply urge you all to see it and will write this two word review:
It's the weekend...and it's a long weekend. For the holiday weekend, I've decided to make this list a jazz list. They say jazz is the only true American art form and as we take time over the next few days to think about the collision of east and west, it might be nice to celebrate something good that came out of that collision that had so many devastating effects on culture. But out of the melting pot that was created, jazz was born.
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Stuff Smith - Sweet Swingin' Stuff: Over the past several years, Stuff has become one of my favorite jazz artists. A rare jazz artist whose instrument is violin, he plays it in a way unlike anyone else. He transforms this typically formal instrument in a tool to create swing music. Released in 1959, this album features a ton of Stuff vocals that are truly endearing. Of the four Stuff albums I own, this one is the most traditional. It's a wonderful example of swing jazz and is just super cool.
Dizzy Gillespie and Django Reinhardt - Jazz from Paris: The Verve label split album was released in '56 and recorded in the early 50s. By this time Dizzy had already had a blistering career, playing with all the giants and having made a name for himself as trumpeter. He was already popular in Paris and he plays here with string accompaniment. It's mellow fairy tale recording and quite pretty, if not altogether essential. The Django Reinhardt side was an afterthought for me, but ended up being the star. The Gypsy guitarist totally swings on this eerie recording, which was done only months before he died. If Dizzy captures the romance of Paris, Django captures the underworld of Paris.
Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker - Timeless: Though not released until '63, these recordings were made between '52 and '54. There was a lot of improvisation going on in the quartet in those days, with the two legends of cool jazz playing off of each other and essentially inventing the genre. There's something magical in these recordings, like a soundtrack taken from a dreamworld. The version of "My Funny Valentine" on here is pretty mind-blowing.
The Jonah Jones Quartet - Jumpin' With Jonah: Released in '58, this was the height of the swing jazz trumpeter's career. Having worked with Stuff Smith and Cab Calloway, Jonah was well versed and at the top of his game. Often referred to as King Louis II, Jones has that same riverboat style as Louis Armstrong, and spent a lot of his career unable to pull out of that shadow. But let's face it, there are worse shadows to have to live in, and this album proves to me that he deserved his own spotlight.
Charlie Parker - Volume V: I've been coming across these Everest Records Archive of Folk and Jazz records in the cheap bins for years and always snatch them up. I already have Charlie Volume 3 and 4 so was pretty excited to add this one to the mix. Charlie is an icon for a reason. He is a master at the Bop and swing sound. This compilation features some great recordings, and like all albums in this series, I recommend picking them up if you come across them.
I made the choice several weeks ago to dive into a Middle Grade series that had been on my list for some time. I'm quickly learning that it might have been a mistake because I'm totally hooked and will now be spending the foreseeable future living in the pages of the Lost Cities. On second thought, it's no mistake...I'm totally okay with that.
Sophie has safely returned home from her ordeal with the mysterious kidnappers, but that doesn't mean all is well in her new life with the elves. Whoever was behind her abduction is still on the loose, and there are still lots of unanswered questions surrounding the organization that hid her among the humans; The Black Swan. And if that wasn't enough drama for the 13 year old prodigy, she now finds herself saddled with a goblin bodyguard and a newly discovered alicorn who won't stop transmitting her messages. Though these worries trouble Sophie, she soon learns that they pale in comparison to what is to happen next.
The second book in the bestselling series extends nearly 600 pages and is equally as engrossing as the first. It is one of those rare stories that has characters who are as compelling as the ever-expanding and involved story. The questions continue to grow, but thankfully readers are also given enough answers to satisfy their curiosity and leave them eager for more.
I can't wait to see Sophie and her friends encounter next.