Newman: We Lost a Great One

Saturday morning I went to HuffingtonPost.com to read the recap of the first Obama-McCain debate from the night before. On the home page, I was greeted with the unwelcome news that fellow Clevelander, Paul Newman, had lost his battle with cancer, succumbing at age 83.

Newman came up in the age of Brando, Dean, McQueen and Clift, actually replacing Dean following his death in 'Somebody Up There Likes Me'. Like those great performers, Newman was a student of the 'Method' school of acting, taught by The Actors Studio in New York. Unlike those actors, Newman largely avoided scandal, diminished skills and peculiar behavior. Not a fan of Hollywood, Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward moved to Connecticut shortly after Newman's career solidified and never considered Los Angeles home.

Newman had an unbelievable run of great roles in the fifties, sixties and seventies. Just a few include Hud, Harper, Cool Hand Luke, Billy the Kid, Judge Roy Bean, Rocky Graziano, 'Fast' Eddie Felson and of course, Butch Cassidy. Always a fine actor, the eighties found Newman piercing a deeper layer of performance. A naturalism so real, he just blended into a role and seemed more relaxed than ever. Starting with 'Absence of Malice', continuing through 'The Verdict', 'The Color of Money' and culminating with 'Nobody's Fool' (the role Newman said was the closest to his true self that he'd ever portrayed), Paul Newman became a consumate actor; one that I think we tended to take for granted because he was so consistently excellent.

Shortly after I joined Sony, I had the opportunity to oversee an interview with Paul Newman for the upcoming 'Absence of Malice' DVD. Taking place in New York at a subdued, elegant hotel on the upper West Side, we were due to share a camera crew with A&E's Biography show. Upon arrival, the cameraman told us, "be careful, he's cranky today".

We walked in, and there he was, sitting in a chair, reading a paper, ignoring the crew as they redressed the set for us. We were introduced, he said hello and put his head back in his newspaper. Feeling brave, I said: "Mr. Newman, may I ask you a quick question?" Without looking up, he said "sure". I said, "where was your father's sporting goods store located in Shaker Heights?"

Newman looked up at me, clearly surprised. "What do you know about my dad's shop?" I told him I was from Cleveland and had always heard about it, but never knew where it was. He put the paper down and told me about the shop and what it was like growing up in Cleveland. He asked what part of town I was from and then spent the next ten minutes telling me stories about Cleveland proper vs. Shaker Heights. When he spoke, the glint in his eye and the smile on his face melted at least twenty years away.

The interview ultimately went well. Newman generally didn't like talking about his craft, but he was a good sport and told some great stories. Following the interview, I asked him for any tips to get Robert Redford to do interviews for his DVDs. Newman said it would be rough, because Redford really didn't like to see how he used to look in his glory days.

The next day we did interviews with Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro for 'Taxi Driver'. That was substantial, but Paul Newman, ah...that was the gold standard.

Ten Newman flicks you must see:

1. Hud
2. The Hustler
3. Harper
4. Hombre
5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
6. The Sting
7. SlapShot
8. Absence of Malice
9. Fort Apache The Bronx
10. Nobody's Fool

Quantum of Anticipation

This year has been a pretty good one for movies, from surprising blockbusters like 'Iron Man', an even better than expected Batman sequel; quirky, cool indie flicks like 'In Bruges' and the return of the western via Ed Harris's engaging 'Apaloosa'. Then there are small, satisfying flicks like 'Vicki Christina Barcelona', 'Man on Wire' and 'The Duchess', that take the stench out of stinkers like 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' and anticipated clunkers like Frank Miller's take on 'The Spirit'. But with that said, the movie event of the year for me is on November 14th, with the release of the 22nd James Bond adventure, 'Quantum of Solace'.

I've been a hardcore Bond fan since I was a kid, watching 'Goldfinger' on ABC's Sunday Night Movie. That was one of the few times my parents would let me stay up late to watch television (the other was anytime the Temptations were on tv). As a child, I couldn't tell the difference between the spry, inspired Sean Connery of 'Dr. No' and 'From Russia With Love' and the bored, chunky Connery in bloated (but enjoyable) epics like 'Thunderball' and 'You Only Live Twice'. All I knew was that Connery just definited manly cool and the gadgets were not to be believed.

In later years, I've come to appreciate George Lazenby's sole attempt at Bond in one of the series' best films, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', but I've never been able to reconcile Roger Moore as James Bond. Too stiff, too fragile, boring. Didn't believe him fighting or romancing and his films were parodies for the series that I took so seriously. Even when he tried to play it relatively straight ('For Your Eyes Only'), I still couldn't buy it. In fairness, He was saddled with the worst wardrobe of all of the men who have essayed Ian Fleming's classic character.

Moving onto Timothy Dalton, he proved to be an unpopular choice; a fine actor who lacked charisma. I was just happy to see someone replace Roger Moore, and take the series serious again. Unfortunately Dalton tended to play Bond so serious that he bordered on neurotic. That resulted in an inability to handle the lighter part of the character and the 'cool' which is so essential to 007 was lost.

Following Dalton came the man who many felt should have been Bond for many years, Pierce Brosnan. Originally set to replace Roger Moore following 'A View to a Kill', NBC exercised their option to renew Brosnan's 'Remington Steele', preventing the popular Irishman from fulfilling a career dream. Ultimately it worked out for the best. Had he got the role at the initial offering, Brosnan was still somewhat boyish, and following the light humor of 'Remington Steele', there's a good chance that the Bond series would have stayed in the paperweight vein of Moore's previous films. Fortunately, by the time Pierce signed for 'Goldeneye', he'd matured into a sophisticated, serious man with credible acting chops.

Throughout his run as Bond, Pierce Brosnan brought the expected effortless sophistication, charm and panache', but added unexpected gravitas during the more dramatic passages and an earnest conviction in his action sequences. By the time he got to his third film, 'The World Is Not Enough', Brosnan was clearly comfortable as Bond, he had the right look, attitude and confidence. While the film had its flaws, his performance was the best of his quartet of appearances.

By the time of 'Die Another Day', it was clear the filmmakers were fuzzy on what to do next with Bond. Unfortunately, the result was the worst of the Brosnan Bonds and one of the worst of the series. Aside from the exciting fencing sequence, the film has nothing going for it. Many people cite Halle Berry as the film's saving grace, but while she looked amazing, her performance was nearly as bad as Denise Richards' in the previous film. Add an invisible car, a jowly, bored Brosnan and the most heinous special effect (Bond 'water skiing against a green screen) in the entire collection of Bonds, and the future of the franchise was bleak.

When Eon surprisingly announced that Pierce Brosnan wouldn't return for a fifth film, a variety of names were bandied about: Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Clive Owen and Colin Ferrell, to name a few. Each name that entered the rumor mill filled me with dread. Then I heard that Daniel Craig was considered and then snagged the role. I was shocked but very pleased. Ever since seeing him in 'Layer Cake', I felt that he was a star waiting to happen. I followed his career and saw most of the art house films that he appeared in, proving repeatedly that he had an incredible range.

Some Bond purists rebelled ("He's too short!" "He's f____g blond!"), but the public at large gave 'Casino Royale' a shot, resulting in the best reviewed and highest grossing James Bond film ever.

Eon, the company that produces the films has been staid and safe for so long that it was hard to imagine that they would go back to basics and reboot Bond, eschewing gadgets, Moneypenny and M, for a look at the circumstances that created the 007 that we know and love today. In addition to Daniel Craig's rugged, relentless but sensitive Bond, Eon recruited the director of 'Goldeneye' to kickstart the series again with a dramatic, action packed adventure with an acutely telling love story right in the middle.

From the title song and retro credits to the debut of Craig in Bond's uniform of classic black tie, for me, 'Casino Royale' was everything I ever wanted a James Bond film to be. Craig isn't to everyone's taste as 007, but as far as I'm concerned, he nailed it better by far than anyone except the originator, Sean Connery. It's been said that each generation gets the Bond that mirrors his era. If that's true, Craig is definitely the man for these tough, unnerving times. Capable but cockier than he ought to be, able to get the job done, but sometimes to proud to ask for help, Daniel Craig's James Bond reflects our lives and times right back to us.

From what I understand, 'Quantum of Solace' picks up right where 'Casino Royale' ends, becoming the first real sequel in the canon. It also clocks in at 106 minutes, becoming the shortest Bond movie ever. The director, Marc Forster says that it's 'a more compact, emotional intense, journey than 'Casino Royale'. From the trailer, it looks action packed and has plenty of Daniel Craig's now patented intensity. Everything I've seen about the film looks like it's going to better than 'Casino Royale' and after seeing how much better 'The Dark Knight' was than the excellent 'Batman Begins', I can't wait. However, it must be said that the theme song 'Another Way to Die' by Alicia Keys and Jack White is among the absolute worst James Bond theme songs EVER!!

I've been to one James Bond premiere, the dismal 'Die Another Day', where I was sitting in the midst of a gang of Eon executives, so I couldn't even groan out loud. Determined not to let that be my only Bond premiere, I'm working hard at getting tickets to the London premiere of 'Quantum of Solace' on October 29th. If I get there, I'll take pictures and post them on the blog. That will be the highlight of my year, only eclipsed by a personal experience that began on July 7th and continues to this day. Neesh, that's what I call real talk.

The Dark Knight: A Late Review

Perfect.

Blue-Eyed Soul: A Consideration

While riding Amtrak down to San Diego on the way to this year's ComicCon, I was listening to random tunes on my iPod. Up came a live version of Boz Scaggs’ wicked “Miss Sun”, originally on his ‘Hits’ album from 1980, but this particular version was from a live greatest hits collection released a few years ago.

Relaxing on the train, with a nice pair of headphones, I was struck by how timeless the groove, melody and Scaggs’ inimitable foghorn baritone voice continues to resonate. That got me on a train (no pun intended) of thought about my continuing fascination with pop oriented artists from the seventies and eighties who combined their love and appreciation of R&B music with their own unique Top 40 sensibilities.

It should be noted that while there are countless stories about how white artists have ripped off black music, in most cases (to be clear, most, not all) when I research pop artists who show a heavy R&B influence, those artists are quick to acknowledge the skill, ability and inspiration that the original artists provide. For example, it was quite nice to see The Spinners open for Hall & Oates at the Hollywood Bowl for two sold out shows last summer. All Philly boys, it was pleasing to see H&O give props to the source. Granted, everyone doesn’t do it, but more do than you’d probably think. Music is the great equalizer.

Back in the day, music wasn’t nearly as segregated on Black radio as it is today. In the seventies and eighties, it wasn’t uncommon to hear The Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, George Michael, Boz Scaggs and occasionally even David Bowie on R&B radio stations. The music delivered by those artists was connected by a specific alchemy that blended pop strains with R&B sensibilities, appealing to an urban audience as well as a larger pop concern.

In today’s market, when you hear a white artist on R&B (or hip-hop) radio, it’s generally an artist who is specifically striving for an R&B sound, pop be damned. Robin Thicke, Jon B. and until recently Justin Timberlake all come to mind. Amy Winehouse and Duffy are among the new breed of artists that seem to be working from a more traditionally based R&B foundation that is sprinkled with a pop awareness not generally found in today’s young multi-format artists.

Anyway, considering all of this inspired me to come up with yet another list, one that I reserve the right to change on further consideration. I’ve always appreciated the slinky, cool grooves that these guys were able to put down. Recognizing that one of my favorite singers, Daryl Hall, resents the term ‘Blue Eyed Soul’, calling it reverse racism, in the interest of clear identification, I present my first pass at my favorite Blue Eyed Soul Grooves, circa mid seventies to the present. Please feel free to forward any additional suggestions to this list.

1. Miss Sun: Boz Scaggs
2. Walk On By: Michael McDonald
3. No Hope In Here: Lewis Taylor
4. FM: Steely Dan
5. Heart to Heart: Kenny Loggins
6. I Can’t Go For That: H&O
7. Green Light: Jamie Lidell
8. Waiting for Your Love: Toto
9. I’ll Be Alright Without You: Journey
10. School Boy Crush: AWB

Hancock: Flawed but Fascinating

The summer of 2008 hasn't been bad as far as superhero/adventure flicks are concerned. 'Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' came up short, but 'Iron Man' was outstanding and 'The Incredible Hulk' was a lot more fun than it deserved to be. And the summer's still got 'The Dark Knight' waiting in the wings. Also in this bumper crop is an interesting original film about an alcoholic, surly superhero. 'Hancock', starring Fourth of July mainstay Will Smith is a flim that doesn't really work, but it's got some elements that make it a somewhat subversive, challenging film.

Originally written several years ago as 'Tonight, He Comes', the script was very well regarded around Hollywood, but went unproduced for years. Director Michael Mann was attached to direct for several years, but it still lay in limbo until Mann protege' Peter Berg (The Rundown, Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom) signed on, with Mann serving as executive producer.

Berg has a habit of focusing on characters who are flawed creatures that have difficulty fitting into the mainstream. A former actor, Berg is known for edgy, jittery upclose camera work, that emphasizes the trials and tribulations that his cast is going through.

Will Smith has shown over the last few years that he can do almost anything and do it well. From his Oscar nominated performance in 'Ali' and 'Pursuit of Happyness' to the comedic charm of 'Hitch', Smith has become America's most popular actor while continuing to stretch at almost every opportunity. Given that, he's a perfect choice to play the sullen, sour 'Hancock'.

An amnesiac superhero with little self control and almost no regard for others, Hancock is a mess: he drinks, he smells, he destroys as much property as he protects. In the midst of saving the life of a PR agent (Justin Bateman), Hancock is confronted with the realization that he's lonely and somewhat ashamed of his behavior. The PR agent convinces him to turn over a new leaf and clean up his act.

Hancock turns himself in to the police and is incarcerated until the level of crime is such that the police need his help. The new Hancock, cleanshaven, polite and wearing a superhero costume, saves the day and is immediately embraced by the public. During this experiment, Hancock develops a foster family, consisting of the PR agent, his son and his beautiful wife, who immediately has both a conflict and attraction to the reformed superhero. To go much further would spoil the film's big surprise, but suffice it to say all isn't as it seems.

Theatrically released with a runtime of 92 minutes, 'Hancock' was originally over two hours long. The screenplay juggled humor with a decidely dark side that proved problematic for a film that was due to be Sony's big summer film. The final film has bits and pieces of the dark side, and Will Smith totally commits to playing 'Hancock' as a bastard, although one who has not totally lost touch with his humanity. The realization that Hancock is a lonely creature, seemingly the only one of his kind on Earth, is beautifully captured in Smith's performance and Berg's direction.

Charlize Theron plays the wife with a secret and perfectly compliments Jason Bateman's low key but humorous performance.
'Hancock' is the type of film that shouldn't have been a summer franchise flick. If left to its own devices, 'Hancock' would have been a quirky, possibly disturbing take on the popular superhero genre'. As such, it's a captivating failure that bears repeated viewing. One hopes that Sony will allow Peter Berg an opportunity to create his director's cut for the inevitable DVD.

Year of the Gentlemen

As a big fan of popular music, it's always a kick to watch an artist grow before your eyes. Today's R&B has been struggling for the past few years, generally seen as a poor cousin of (the not totally robust) hip-hop, relegated to thick robotic drumbeats, guest rappers, indistinguishable melodies and forgettable lyrics.

Of course there are those artists who break through, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott and John Legend are among those who have strived to breathe new life into the tried and true traditions of the best of R&B. One of the more interesting newcomers is Ne-yo, a young twenty-something writer/singer/producer who's made hits for a galaxy of artists and embarked on a solo career a couple of years ago. Blessed with a clear tenor, a great sense of melody and hooks for days, Ne-yo has shown the potential to be a memorable artist if he could get out of aping Michael Jackson like a religious experience. All of that changed with the 2008 BET Awards.

I hadn't been to an awards show in several years, generally finding them tedious with more concentration on spectacle than music and performance. I went to the BET Awards this year largely because Al Green was being presented with a lifetime achievement award and was due to be serenaded by Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton and the unannounced return of Maxwell. Alas, Jill struggled, Anthony did 'Tired of Being Alone' proud and Maxwell missed an opportunity, with a lackluster interpretation of 'Simply Beautiful'. Al Green hopped onstage and performed loud, off-key versions of 'Let's Stay Together' and 'Love and Happiness'. It wasn't one of his best nights, but he had so much energy and enthusiasm, the crowd embraced him with a lot of love and appreciation.

Earlier in the evening, Ne-yo was introduced by host DL Hughley and he performed 'Closer', the new single from his upcoming album, 'Year of the Gentleman'. Smartly attired in a hat, three piece suit and gloves, Ne-yo was in great voice, the song was melodic with a clean, uptempo dance beat and a hard to forget hook.

Throughout the performance, Ne-yo upped his dance game, leaving (for the most part) MJ behind, and carving out a more sophisticated but still funky dance style that he confidently executed all over the stage. When the tune was over, Ne-yo got one of the evening's few standing ovations and staked a claim as most improved performer of the year.

The album is due August 5th, and focuses on more of a pop sound that marries the beat and rhythm of today's R&B , with a rare understanding of song construction. For my money, 'Year of the Gentleman' is the album that I'm expecting to send Ne-yo to the front ranks of today's popular artists. Even if he comes up a bit short, he's making big strides in the right direction.

Best Concerts Ever!!: The First Five

Recently my Mac guy and friend, Max Miller, was at the house fine tuning my new MacAir and my lemon like iMac. We usually enjoy kicking around cultural conversations, movies, music and comics. Max is opinionated, well read and very smart, which guarantees a lively and enjoyable chat. On this particular day, he asked me a question that provided the topic for this post:
"What artist alive or dead, would you want to see in concert and what era?". It didn't take me long to answer: Sam Cooke, circa 1964.

A couple of years ago, I read an outstanding biography on Cooke, called 'Dream Boogie', by Peter Guralnik. It's probably the best music bio I've ever read. Guralnik was so skilled that I felt like I was at the recording sessions or on the road with Cooke, Bobby Womack and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson. Sam Cooke has been a touchstone for both R&B and rock music for decades (ask Al Green or Rod Stewart) for a variety of reasons. One of the first artists to segue from the church to the secular world, Cooke was also a a gifted songwriter and one of the first artists to own his masters and create a label that was more than a vanity project.

I picked 1964 because that was the height of his popularity and he'd recently recorded the classic 'A Change Is Gonna Come'. Reportedly there is only one filmed performance of the song by Cooke, on the Tonight Show, but the footage looks to be lost.

Following the answer to that thought provoking question, I started thinking about my favorite concerts, and came up with a top 20 list. Here are the first five. Except where noted, don't hold me to the order.

The Jacksons Victory Tour, Cincinnati Ohio, 1981
I must admit, I saw this show reluctantly. The last time I'd seen the Jacksons, they'd gone Vegas, with nine year old Janet doing a creepy Mae West impersonation. Even though I enjoyed Michael's solo success with 'Off the Wall', as well as the Jacksons 'Triumph' album, I had no hopes of a good, let alone great concert. Boy, was I wrong.

Stacey Lattisaw opened the show, sung her hit 'Let Me Be Your Angel', and was outta there. Then it was time for the Jacksons. A screen rolled down and showed a video of 'Can You Feel It', that led to a real life Randy Jackson onstage in a suit of armor with a flaming torch screaming 'Can You Feel It'. The next thing I knew, metal risers were lifting the stage, and when the smoke cleared, the Jackson were standing stock still, letting the audience scream until they broke into 'Things I Do For You'.
For the next two hours, I witnessed one of the two greatest concerts I've ever seen.

In one fell swoop, the Jacksons Victory tour outdid former leaders of the R&B pack, Earth Wind and Fire in every area: song selection, pacing, special effects, all mind-blowing. But the biggest special effect was Michael Jackson. All of the signature moves and gear (white socks, one glitter glove), was brand new. It was all being debuted on this tour. Michael was in great shape and excellent voice, a whirling dervish across the stage for nearly two hours.

It was live performance at its best, and I'll always be grateful for the opportunity to witness it in person.

Prince Dirty Mind Tour, Royal Oak Michigan, 1980
Saw Prince open for Rick James at the Toledo Sports Arena in 1979. He was touring behind his second album 'Prince', and the hit was 'I Wanna Be Your Lover'. Prince and his band came out and smoked for 30 minutes, leaving the scorched stage for Rick James, who couldn't get the crowd back. That weekend I saw Prince totally dismiss Dick Clark on American Bandstand, and lip-sync 'Lover' on The Midnight Special, the night before. Running around in bikini briefs and leg-warmers, Prince was serving notice that he was a new kind of fool, either immensely talented, or incredibly insane. With the release of 'Dirty Mind', it was clear that he was the former, with a sprinkle of the latter.

In March of 1980, me and three college buddies drove up to a suburb of Michigan and watched one of the early performances of the 'Dirty Mind' tour. No opening act, Prince and band played for two hours. No props, no effects, just straight ahead music. Prince constructed a tight, specific set, but one that left room for improvisation and audience participation. He rarely spoke to the audience, but when he did, he was greeted with a happy roar, and he tried to hold back a pleased smile, but was unable to.

In addition to the purity of his falsetto, Prince also served notice that he was a wicked guitarist, fast and tasteful at the same time. Over the years, I've found a few unreleased DVDs from that tour, and each time I watch it, I enjoy it as much as the first time. It was spectacular to see a new artist who was clear about the type of show and image that he wanted to convey and to see him execute his plan perfectly. I flip-flop often between this and the Jacksons Triumph show, in terms of which was the best ever. I've never had a clear answer for myself, and doubt that I ever will. It's a good problem to have.

Jill Scott Who Is Jill Scott Tour, Los Angeles, California 2001
I find it to be a rare occurrence these days to see a debut artist perform live with a compelling, well thought out show, that is still organic and alive. Shows today are so tightly choreographed, based on songs that have no emotional content, like R. Kelly's 'You Remind Me of My Jeep'. It's even more rare to see an artist who has those skills but is still open and enthusiastic enough to be genuinely touched and inspired by an audience's reaction to his/her performance.

Jill Scott embodied both of these traits in her Los Angeles debut at the House of Blues on Sunset. Her first album had been out about a month and she was winning praise for the maturity and inventiveness of her lyrics, as well as her wide ranging voice and commitment to the groove.

Jill performed her entire debut album, 'Who is Jill Scott?', with style and sophistication, but the moment that stays etched in my mind is her reaction in the midst of the first song 'A Long Walk', when the entire audience started singing the chorus in one big, joyous voice. Her face and the entire countenance of the band lit up with a look of surprise and appreciation. She kicked off her shoes, the band punched up the tempo and the whole house was elevated. The show stayed in that rarefied air all night.

D'Angelo Voodoo Tour, Los Angeles California,2000
I saw D'Angelo's debut show at the House of Blues in support of his first album. While musically accomplished, it was a boring show. D'Angelo spent the majority of the show glued to the seat of his keyboard and kept a steady, loopy groove that while catchy, never really caught fire.

With the long awaited release of his second album, 'Voodoo', he returned to the House of Blues for a warm up show. This was no replay of the earlier performance. Dressed in long leather trench coat, D'Angelo never got behind the keyboard. Following the opening song 'Devil's Pie', he tore off the trench to reveal a ripped, musclebound physique and a newfound grace and fluidity as he danced across the stage for the next three hours.

Unlike the somewhat sombre, low-key performances of a few years past, D'Angelo was full of energy, smiling all night and engaging the crowd. Ringmaster for the band was The Roots ?uestlove, who was also the heartbeat of the band, keep the rhythm tight via a big set of drums. Also in the crackerjack band about a year before his solo career took off, was Anthony Hamilton, dressed like an Indian, complete with war paint and feathers.

D'Angelo performed every song on the 'Voodoo' album, most of 'Brown Sugar' and he threw in a few covers for good measure. He reveled in the skill of his band, leaving plenty of room for vamping and jamming. By the time the show was over, everyone was tired an for good reason. Never before have I seen an artist completely reinvent himself as a performer with such smashing success.

BeBe & CeCe Winans, Los Angeles, 1990 or 91
Back in the early nineties, there was a monthly industry gathering called 'R&B Live' that took place once a month at a few different clubs in Los Angeles. The brainchild of entrepreneurs Ramon Hervey and Bill Hammond, R&B Live featured a band comprised of top notch studio musicians, who would back up an unbelievable roster of artists. Al Jarreau, Earth Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder are just a few who rocked the small house of no more than 300 people.

I had been aware of the music of Bebe and CeCe Winans for a few years by this time, and had gotten to know BeBe by a common interest in movies and fashion. I enjoyed their music, but never gave it much thought beyond it being a pleasant diversion. BeBe and I were due to meet for lunch at Roscoe's the day after they did a couple of songs at R&B Live, and I was wondering what I'd tell him after I seeing what I expected to be a competent but uninspiring show.

I don't remember what they opened with, but when they went into 'Lost Without You'- on record, a nice but relatively sacchrine ballad dedicated to the Lord, I saw one of the greatest single performances I'd ever been privileged to witness.

BeBe took the four minute tune and turned it into a 15 minute dramatic odyssey of the soul. Following the second verse, CeCe literally soared as she sung 'don't ever go away' over and over. With a soft but insistent backback and a soothing but urgent chorus of 'hallelujah', by their sisters Angie and Debbie, BeBe proceeded to orchestrate a multi-part scenario that sung of the depth of God's love as he 'holds you in the midnight hour' and 'rocks you through the stormy weather'. Part preacher, part witness, part ringmaster, BeBe Winans unveiled a command of the stage that most performer can only dream of. When the song finally concluded, there was testifying, tears and release.

The next day, I met BeBe for lunch and insisted on buying. He asked why. I told him I felt like such an idiot for having no idea just how potent a performer he was. He chuckled and said, 'I do what I can'.

A quick footnote: CeCe is no slouch, a beautiful, powerful voice with control and taste, she's also one of the nicest people I've ever met. Also, BeBe's older brother Marvin (former lead singer of The Winans) is a brilliant singer and mesmerizing performer. But the kick is, their dad, Pops Winan, is stronger than all of them. He can go from the smooth falsetto of Sam Cooke to the rough tenor of Otis Redding and make you cry at the same time.

A Virgin No More!

My first published writing in a comic book hits the stands today. Issue 3 of Ed Brubaker's popular crime series 'Criminal' is released and features an article that I wrote on the Sydney Pollack film 'The Yakuza', starring Robert Mitchum and Ken Takakura.

If you're interested, the article itself is available on this blog, about four or five posts back.

'Criminal' is a labor of love for Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips, focusing on the seamier side of the underworld, rich with character development and moody artwork. In addition to the main story, each issue has a feature in the back of the magazine that focuses on a particular crime film or genre'. I've been introduced to several films that I was unaware of because of these profiles.

A few months back, I had dinner with Ed as we were discussing a project (that will be revealed soon) and the conversation turned to movies. To my surprise, he'd never heard of 'The Yakuza'. As I started telling him about it, he asked me if I'd like to write an article on it, and here we are.

Years ago, I used to write for a British film mag called 'Impact', that focused on action films. That was fun and ever since, I've been interested in critical writing, but from more of a fan's perspective, than a scholarly one. 'The Yakuza' piece is the first article that I've written in a long time and I don't think it will be the last. And to have it included by the writer of my favorite comics for the last several years is especially satisfying.

Thanks for the hook up, Ed!

Hall & Oates live at the Troubadour, 5/23/08

After sitting through the drudge that was 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Golden Skull', I felt let down by one of my favorite 80s icons. Fortunately, the very next night, the 80s were proud and potent at the Troubadour, where I saw the triumphant return of Daryl Hall and John Oates, playing the venerable club for the first time in over 30 years.

I've been a Hall & Oates fan since the first time I heard 'Sara Smile' at a high school party. I've been seeing them live in concert since 1977. I've seen them in concert more than any other artist, by far. H&O were the first band that I'd ever seen who rearranged their songs for a live presentation, giving me a fuller experience of their music.

Now, over 30 years later, Hall is 62 years old and still a full-headed blond, while Oates, 63 and still fit, anchors the show. What made the show extra special were two things: an opportunity to hear rarely or never before performances of songs from their earliest albums, in addition to all of the hits; and hearing Daryl Hall's voice in spectacular shape. I saw them at the Hollywood Bowl last summer and Hall sounded better than I had heard in twenty years. He was even better at the Troubadour. He hit high notes he hadn't hit confidently in a long time and his interpretative skills gave classic hits new life.

H&O have always had an outstanding band, and this time was no exception. Former bassist T-Bone Wolk handles lead guitar now and keeps the band on its toes. They played almost everything you'd want to hear, from She's Gone to I Can't Go For That. Playing for over two hours with two encores, there were still dozens of familiar songs that they never got to.

The crowd was a mix of middle-aged fans (like myself) and a lot of kids in their early twenties, who seemed to know the words to all of the songs. Daryl Hall looked like he was having the absolute time of his life onstage and the audience clearly shared his enthusiasm. Walking back to my car, the bad taste of 'Indy' was replaced with the sweet realization that sometimes you can go home again. Hall & Oates were as good in 2008 as they were in 1978, and I took great comfort in that.

Kinda Can't Go Home Again

I pretty much ran the gauntlet of movie fan emotions when it came to the new Indiana Jones flick, 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. When it was announced, I wasn't interested, largely because George Lucas hasn't had a good story idea in decades and Harrison Ford has been a constipated curmudgeon onscreen for the last fifteen years.

Then I saw a photo for the film and Ford looked right, and I started having a bit more interest mixed with anticipation. Then I saw the poster, a great illustration by Drew Stuzman, and I started getting excited. Saw the trailer and it felt right. I thought to myself, 'well, I enjoyed Rocky Balboa and had a great time with Live Free or Die Hard, so I applied the same logic to 'Indy'. Unfortunately, Indy was a huge disappointment. I left the film feeling insulted and disrespected by the filmmakers.

The story is too convoluted to delve into, but the biggest crime is that it was an expensive example of lazy filmmaking. Nothing about it was inspired, the special effects looked about 25 years old and it just laid flat. There's a great deal of exposition, which I'd imagine will have kids squirming in their seats looking for more action.

Ford was fine, nothing was wrong with Shia LaBoute, and it was nice to see Karen Allen back on the scene. But to see them just go through the motions was painful. It feels like time has just passed Indy by, but it really didn't have to. New blood a' la 'Live Free or Die Hard', could have approached the franchise with fresh eyes and new energy, resulting in a film for a new generation.

Sad to say, while it was incredibly flawed, I had a much better time watching Speed Racer. The movie was a mess, but it was inspired and never boring, the exact opposite of 'Crystal Skull'. Here's hoping Lucas, Ford and Spielberg will see the sour taste they've left in moviegoers mouths and leave bad enough alone.

Bronson's best

For a brief period in the seventies, Charles Bronson was the biggest movie star in the world. A working actor for over two decades, Bronson was featured as a thug or henchmen in a number of films ('Crime Wave', 'House of Wax') in the 50s and 60s. His luck started to change in the early sixties, when he was cast in a trio of all star action flicks that gave him a larger profile than he had previously enjoyed. The films, 'The Magnificent Seven', 'The Great Escape' and 'The Dirty Dozen', are commonly regarded among the best of the epic action films.

Bronson, born Charles Buchinsky, in a coal mining town in Pennsylvania, brought a grounded, earthy, no-nonsense persona to the screen that took American cinema awhile to warm up to. Internationally, he developed a massive fan base, with films like 'Violent City', 'Cold Sweat' and 'Rider on the Rain'. Most famous for the original vigilante film, 'Death Wish', Bronson scored several overlooked films during the seventies that bear mentioning. 'The Mechanic', a story about a James Bondian hitman grooming his protege', Jan Michael Vincent, 'Chato's Land', a western starring Bronson as a nearly mute Indian out for revenge, and 'The Valachi Papers', a fact based mafia wise guy story. But the best of the bunch is screenwriter Walter Hill's directorial debut, 'Hard Times', known outside the US as 'The Streetfighter'.

Set in depression-era New Orleans, Bronson plays a mysterious drifter named Chaney, who winds up in a series of streetfights for cash. James Coburn plays his fast talking manager, Speed, Strother Martin is Poe, the alcohol medical man and Bronson's real life wife Jill Ireland plays the hooker who has a thing for Chaney. The story is simple, but effective. Bronson plays Chaney like a man with a past that's never too far from his future. The fights, and there are a lot of them, are brutal but never gratuitous. At 54 years of age, Bronson convincingly handles all of the action with dispassionate grace.

The cinematography captures the dreary depressed feel of the Crescent City in a way that has additional resonance post Katrina.

There have been many 'streetfighter' movies since 'Hard Times', but nothing hits like the original. Add it to your Netflix list, along with 'The Mechanic' , 'Violent City' and 'Once Upon A Time In America', and you'll have the best of Bronson.

I'm Not Mad at Chuck

When Charlton Heston died last week, there were a number of obits that all focused on three things: his epic films, his physique and his political leanings. One of the best pieces that I read said that there no epics like 'Ben-Hur' or 'The Ten Commandments' anymore because there is no working actor who has the outsized personality of Charlton Heston. He was one of the few actors who seemed more at home in period films than contemporary ones. The late 60s and early 70s signaled the end of the the monumental extravaganzas that Heston carried on his broad shoulders. Among his last successful starring roles were the original 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Omega Man', based on the novel 'I Am Legend', recently revived successfully last year by Will Smith.

As time went on, Heston's politics took over. In his later years, he was the president of National Rifle Association and was a controversial lightning rod for conservative points of view.

I could really care less about all of that. While not the greatest of actors, within his range, Heston performed admirably and it's difficult to think of another actor who could stand in his shoes (or sandals) in his signature roles. There was a period of time when the movies were really big, not CGI big. In the middle of all that bigness, was Charlton Heston. Rest in Peace, Chuck.

Suggested viewing: Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, Touch of Evil, Will Penny, Major Dundee

The Yakuza: Japanese Film Noir

When you think of martial arts films of the 70s, Bruce Lee and the Shaw Brothers’ Kung Fu classics probably spring to mind. Arguably Lee almost single handedly defined the best of the genre and set a standard that has yet to be matched. The majority of films focusing on martial arts were low budget affairs utilizing simplistic stories and sets, but with garish action and bloody combat, these flicks captured the imagination of moviegoers everywhere.

In the midst of all the chop socky cinema, another type of martial arts fueled film released in 1975, was unfortunately overlooked during its initial run, but deserves a closer look. 'The Yakuza', released by Warner Bros., directed by Sydney Pollack and starring the legendary Robert Mitchum and iconic Japanese superstar Ken Takakura, is an international, cultural cinematic marriage that works splendidly.

‘The Yakuza’ started life controversially as a spec script by Paul Schrader. It was the center of what was then the highest priced bidding war in Hollywood history, ultimately sold for $325,000. Martin Scorsese was originally ontap to direct, but Schrader didn’t want him. Partnering with his brother Leonard, and the project ultimately went to Pollack. Schrader and his brother had a bitter falling out over the final writing credit and never spoke again.

In the 60s, Samurai cinema in Japan, roughly the equivalent of America's westerns, was on the wane. Toei Studios, one of the premier studios in Japan, turned to the Yakuza for inspiration. 'Yakuza' roughly translated means 'gangster' or 'gambler'. A more literal translation is 'good for nothing'. The first yakuza film was 'Bakuto' in 1962, but the genre' really caught fire with the release of 'Abashiri Prison' in 1965, launching the career of charismatic actor Takakura, generally regarded as the Clint Eastwood of Japan.

Takakura presented a brooding, almost mournful presence who was quick to settle his disagreements with the sharp edge of a long sword. Physically impressive and graceful, Takakura would often apologize in advance for the carnage he was about to create. 'Abashiri Prison' was a smash in Japan, spawning 17 sequels. The formula was always the same: a yakuza, recently released from prison arrives in a small town determined to walk the straight and narrow. Ultimately he’s reluctantly drawn into a situation where honor and loyalty are threatened, with the only solution a battle where the yakuza faces down dozens of his enemies in the villain’s lair. Often during the long walk to the final battle, Takakura sings on the soundtrack about his lonely life, while pausing under a street light to fire up a cigarette or to meet a lone friend to help do the dirty deeds.

Honor, duty and humanity are key elements of yakuza films. Commonly known as giri , the debt that can never be paid, honor and duty reign above all, while humanity, especially where Takakura is concerned, is what keeps the films from being empty blood baths. You can tell by the way he walks that Takakura is carrying the weight of everyone he’s ever sliced and diced.

Robert Mitchum personifies all that’s good about film noir. A burly, heavy lidded outsider,
Mitchum starred in the penultimate noir flick, ‘Out of the Past’, which featured the famous line that served as the titles of an excellent bio on him ‘Baby, I Don’t Care’.

One look at Mitchum and you’d think he’s just a slow-witted thug, but in fact he was an accomplished poet, singer and an actor of uncommon depth. From the forties through the early seventies, Mitchum gave memorable performances in countless films in a variety of genres’, starring in films like ‘Night of the Hunter’, ‘El Dorado’, ‘Cape Fear’ which captured his aura of danger and explosive violence perfectly. By the 1970s, Mitchum’s success and hard living had provided his features with a world weary, lived in look that served him well in ‘The Yakuza’.

Mitchum stars as retired detective Harry Kilmer, who’s asked by an old friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith), to rescue his daughter who’s been kidnapped in Japan by the Yakuza. Kilmer has history in Japan, that Tanners believes can help find his child.

Kilmer reluctantly agrees and goes to Japan to rekindle a relationship with the love of his life, Eiko (Kishi Keiko), who he met as a marine during the post-war occupation. In order to get to the bottom of what’s going on, Kilmer calls on Eiko’s brother, former yakuza Tanaka Ken (Takakura). The two men have a complicated relationship, as Ken a former soldier, was furious that his sister was in love with and living with his former military enemy. At the same time, he was grateful to Kilmer for saving the life of Eiko and her young daughter. Kilmer asked Eiko to marry him, but she refused, careful not to do anything else to further estrange her from her brother. With no reason to stay in Japan, Kilmer gifted Eiko with a coffeehouse and returned to America.

For a yakuza, honor and obligation come before almost anything else. As such, when Kilmer asks Ken for information about how to find and retrieve Tanner’s daughter, Ken has no choice but to agree, as is required by giri. The two men reunite in a tense reunion, but Ken’s honor compels him to assist Kilmer in his search. Together they find Tanner’s daughter and her boyfriend. During the attempt to free them, Ken is revealed to have betrayed his former associates, causing a contract to be placed on his head and Kilmer’s. Ken resolves to handle this turn of events on his own, but Kilmer insists on helping him, but Ken refuses.

Eiko connects Kilmer with Ken’s older brother, Goro, who is a senior advisor to the Yakuza , for help with saving Ken’s life. Goro meets with Kilmer, but can’t actively participate in a solution, due to his role with the yakuza. He suggests that the death of the head of that particular family by either Ken or Kilmer would relieve the contract on their lives.

As Kilmer attempts to work through this new information, he’s hit with more unsettling news, his friend Tanner is in cahoots with the yakuza and is the one who put the hit on him and Ken. During an assassination attempt, Eiko’s daughter is killed by a stray bullet. Ken’s pain is clear even through his stoicism, while Kilmer is simply crushed.

Ken and Kilmer go back to Goro for help. Goro suggests killing both the head of the yakuza and Tanner, eliminating the contract and restoring Ken’s reputation. Before
leaving, Goro shares a secret with Kilmer about Eiko and Ken that leaves him guilt ridden and shaken. It turns out that Eiko and Ken were married, not brother and sister and Eiko’s murdered daughter was also Ken’s. Kilmer is shattered, feeling that it’s his fault that Eiko and Ken’s lives have been ruined because of him.

Now the concept of giri exists for both men. In the first phase of the showdown, Kilmer finds and kills his old friend, Tanner, then reunites with Ken for a suicidal invasion in the yakuza’s lair. In a long and bloody battle, the two men, fight their way through what seems like dozens of gangsters until the final confrontation between Ken and the yakuza boss, settled in the traditional yakuza manner.

Following the onslaught, Kilmer offers a formal apology to Ken for the pain and heartache he brought to both Ken and Eiko. As a sign of the sincerity of his apology, Kilmer performs yubitsume, the yakuza tradition of severing one’s little finger as an act of contrition. He also asks Ken to forgive Eiko the sins of the past. The two men were reunited as enemies and part as the closest of friends.

In the midst of the action and violence, there is an overwhelming since of regret and loss that intrudes on almost every scene of the film. Kilmer’s reunion with Eiko is almost unbearably bittersweet. You can see the love that still lives in both of them, but you can almost taste their mutual realization that they can’t go back to what they had years ago. The death of Eiko’s daughter represents more than the loss of innocence, it violently forces both Kilmer and Ken to accept the reality that all of their lives are irretrievably broken.

Sydney Pollack filmed ‘The Yakuza’ after ‘The Way We Were’ and before ‘Three Days of the Condor’. Looking at his broad resume’, one wouldn’t expect to find a film like ‘The Yakuza’, and Pollack never did another film that is so closely tied to a specific genre’. In a way, it’s one of his most non-traditional films and one of his best.


The Yakuza is an exotic film that seamlessly blends the traditions of two genres’ of movies into a compelling look at the way honor, duty and humanity influences the lives and actions of two men who have a lot more in common than either would have ever thought.

3 Bullets, 10 gunmen, you do the math

The photo above is of Michael Jai White from the upcoming short film '3 Bullets', based on an idea that Mike's had percolating for a couple of years. He showed me the animatic short film that he and writer/director Ben Ramsey shot in the annex on Mike's property. Using about 12 action figures, the original 3 Bullets was action packed crazy, complete with explosions, bad dialogue and much ass kicking.

Fast forward a couple of years later and I'm working in a new digital division at Sony, charged with coming up with short form content to be shown online and on mobile phones. I had an idea for a short anthology series called 'Action Theater', that would focus on 5-10 minute action films. The model for the series would be BMW's short series 'The Hire', starring Clive Owen, directed by a number of the world's leading directors, ranging from Ang Lee to Tony Scott to Guy Ritchie. However, our budgets would be a bit smaller and rowdier.

The online space is truly the new frontier. No one knows what will work yet, which makes it difficult to monetize. But it's been my experience that this is the time when it's most exciting. It certainly was the weekend we shot 3 Bullets.

One of the many things that made 3 Bullets special for me was that I had an opportunity to work with 2 very good friends on a project for the first time. Mike White co-directed with actor/director/writer/choreographer Ron Yuan. I've known Ron for about 15 years and Mike for nearly that long. Ron introduced me to Mike when we were going to a comic book convention the day after Mike's starring role as Mike Tyson aired on HBO. I didn't see the film and had Ron not told me, I would have had no idea that Mike was an actor. He just seemed like a regular guy, as he does to this day. As an aside, I was honored to serve as Best Man in his wedding.

I found out quickly that in addition to being a fine actor, Mike is a scary martial artist. Black belts in several disciplines, fast and really strong, Mike is as legitimate an action hero as you'll find working today. Until recently, he's never really had the best showcase to demonstrate what he can do. But it looks like that's all going to change this year. Keep an eye out for 'Blood and Bone', a hard edged street fighter flick with some of the best executed martial arts action on film in years. But the one that I think is going to make people take a hard look at Mike is a film that he conceived and wrote, called 'Black Dynamite'. I don't want to give too much away, but it's one of the most original and entertaining films that you'll see this year. Currently in the editing room, keep an eye out for it.

Ron has been a consistently working actor for years and over the last few years has branched out into directing and action choreography with great success. He's always working on something and once he finishes the movie of the week he's shooting, the voting PSA he's directing and editing 3 Bullets, he'll be going to work on the first of several shorts that he's writing and directing for Action Theater. Best of all, Ron is one of the best friends anyone could ask for. Heart as big as his talent is wide.

3 Bullets is in post production now and when it's finished and available for viewing, I'll be sure to pass the word.

SuperFly: Get Your Hustle On

I was in New York recently, riding around town with my good friend, Vincent Davis, from the Boogie-Down Bronx. Vincent is a successful businessman, having launched the career of Keith Sweat, Silk among others, and founder of his own entertainment company, Vintertainment (yes, he's modest).

Vincent is currently producing his first film as a filmmaker, a penetrating look at all facets of the popular music industry.

As you can imagine, coming from the Bronx, Vince has a lot opinions and predictions that he's only to happy to share, whether you want to hear it or not. In our case, it always makes for lively conversation, whether I'm goading him about his hatred of Vince Carter, or he's berating me for my affection for the revisionist western, 'Tombstone'.

As we rode through Manhattan in his Cadillac pick-up truck, he popped in Curtis Mayfield's classic soundtrack to 'SuperFly', starring Ron O'Neal and directed by the late Gordon Parks Jr. Vince proceeded to tell me that the soundtrack was better than Isaac Hayes' Oscar winning score to 'Shaft' and that musically it was competitive with Rodgers and Hart. I agreed that it was better than most soundtracks that have been released, and competitive with other giants of the field. However, 'Shaft' has always held a soft spot in my musical heart, along with John Barry's score to 'Goldfinger'.

But listening to the music made me think about how fond I always have been of 'SuperFly' the movie. The story of a New York dope pusher looking to get out of the life and start over is a story that's been told before, but never from the point of view of a young, Black, intelligent protagonist. The gritty streets of Harlem, the tricked out car and unbelievable wardrobe, straight out of an Eleganza ad (If you don't know what Eleganza is, you don't know what you missed in the pages of Ebony in the 70s). Mayfield's score was perfect, his lyrics told the inner life of Youngblood Priest, the hustler in question.

Shot for $250,000, Superfly was funded by Warner Bros. but looks and feels like an indie film. Big, bold and fly, 'Superfly' had no precedent but many imitators. None ever really got it.

Topping it all of was the incendiary performance of Cleveland born Ron O'Neal. As Priest, he was handsome, cool, edgy, tough and introspective. It was also the first time that a light skinned Black actor had a chance to be a bad ass onscreen. As a high yellow brother myself, it really had an impact on me.

Ron O'Neal and his family lived around the corner from my parent's corner store in the inner city of Cleveland. I used to see Ron running by on his way to the Karamu theater where he was a mainstay for years. Shakespearean trained, O'Neal brought a level of depth and pathos to his role that few other actors would have been able to manage. His mother was a registered nurse and used to come in the store a few times a week. He had a sister, Kathy who taught school at Kent State. She was so beautiful I could barely look at her. She looked like a statuesque Egyptian queen.

Years later, I went to a Blaxploitation film festival at the Nuart Theater in Santa Monica. As I was heading towards the theater, Ron was coming out. I stopped him and told him who I was and he couldn't believe it, since I was about 12 years old, the last time he saw me. Kind and gracious, we had a nice chat and I was really happy to run into him.

Finally in 2004, Warner Bros. released 'Superfly' on DVD. Ron O'Neal passed away two days later.

To their credit, Warner Bros. did a nice job on the DVD. There are several featurettes, a vintage piece on Ron O'Neal, an audio commentary by a USC media professor and an audio interview with Curtis Mayfield.

There was a horrific sequel directed by Ron O'Neal, co-written by Alex Haley of 'Roots' fame, called 'Superfly TNT' ('taint nothin' to it). It picks up the story of Priest in Africa attempting to help a revolutionary overthrow an evil government. The less said about it the better.

Fortunately, bad sequels don't eliminate classic originals. If you haven't seen it, but you want an example of the real excitement and energy of the rawest flicks of the 70s, 'Superfly' has got you covered.

For my money, there are only five Blaxploitation movies that really stand the test of time and stand up next to films of other genres: Shaft, Coffy, Black Caesar, The Mack and of course, Superfly.

Okay Vince, do your worst.

Jill Scott live: Hot, Honest and Holding It Down

Jill Scott and Raheem deVaughn live at Gibson Amphitheater, Los Angeles February 14th.

Another of my favorite things: a great live concert. Something about the connection between an artist and an audience when it's real and not manufactured has always struck me as its own undefinable magic.

The first concert I ever went to scared me to death, because I had no idea what would to expect. I was 9 years old and I went with my mother and her best friend to the Public Auditorium in Cleveland to see The Dramatics, the Stylistics, Joe Simon and the Staple Singers, who had just reached number one on the charts with 'I'll Take You There'. It was a life changing event. The electricity and excitement, the communal feeling with 10,000 other music lovers was an incredible high. I've been a committed live music fan ever since.

Quick list of 10 best shows I've ever seen:
1. Prince: Dirty Mind tour 1980 Royal Oak Theater Detroit Michigan
2. The Jacksons: Triumph tour 1981 Cincinnati Coliseum
3. David Bowie: Station to Station tour 1976 Cleveland Public Auditorium
4. Bob Marley & The Wailers: Rastaman Vibration tour 1976 Cleveland Music Hall
5. Chic: Risque tour 1980 Cleveland Front Row Theater
6. Jill Scott: Who Is Jill Scott tour 2001 House of Blues Los Angeles
7. Kid Creole and the Coconuts: Lifeboat Party tour 1983 Masonic Temple Detroit
8. Luther Vandross: The Night I Fell In Love tour 1985 Detroir Masonic Temple
9. Daryl Hall & John Oates: Bigger Than Both of Us tour 1977 Toledo Sports Arena
10. Seal: Kiss From a Rose tour: 1991 Wiltern Theater Los Angeles

Just missing the cut is D'Angelo's Voodoo rehearsal show at the House of Blues, running 3 hours, Stevie Wonder's Homecoming show in Detroit, 1982. Stevie was 2 hours late, but played for 4 hours straight. Sting's first solo tour, Bowie's Serious Moonlight tour, James Taylor's One Man Band show and on and on and on.

Last night I went to see Jill Scott for the fifth time. I saw her as mentioned earlier at the House of Blues, in her first official LA concert. She hit the stage a fully formed performer: great personality, song selection was tight, a lively band and a natural effervescence that was infectious. When she opened with 'A Long Walk' and the crowd knew every word, you could see on her face and the faces of her band that they were all surprised and elated. At the chorus, the energy of the song, the artist and crowd just elevated to a high level that was maintained until the show was over.

I saw her a few months later in Miami and her vibe was off a bit. The show was great, but she didn't seem happy, and with Jill Scott live, I think happy is the difference between a solid craftsman-like show and an inspired performance. Her live album that was recorded around that same time also feels less than stellar.

Saw her next in LA back at the House of Blues where she previewed her second studio album before it was released. A bold move for an r&b act, but she pulled it off, only reaching into her catalog for a couple of familiar tunes.

Caught her with Common at Radio City Music Hall in New York, when 'Golden' was her current single. The show was strong and she was in good spirits, buoyed by a crowd who was receptive to anything she wanted to do.

Last night's show was opened by a young male r&b vocalist, Raheem deVaughn, recently nominated for a Grammy for his latest single 'Woman'. A talented performed, deVaughn is a guy with so much energy he doesn't know what to do with it all. He had a guy onstage signing for the hearing impaired, he had a guy painting eclectic art, another guy distractingly filming him onstage with a cel phone and Raheem showered the audience with cue cards when he wasn't busy running back and forth across the stage. He wasn't bad at all, just hectic.

While watching deVaughn, I remember thinking, 'there's no one stepping into Luther Vandross' shoes when it comes to live performing'. From the very beginning, Luther had a knack of understanding what an audience wanted, even if the audience didn't know they wanted it. His shows were elegant, polished, funky and fun. Everything about a Luther Vandross show was buttoned up, but it rarely felt stiff or artificial. I did a quick mental tour of today's r&b and no one's even close to doing it like LV did.

Then came Jill. When her show opened and she arrived like royalty in a purple gown, that big ole' smile and that spectacular voice, it was all good. I've never seen her look better, she definitely had her sexy on.

Since the first time I saw her, Jill's been married and divorced, she's released two studio albums which haven't burned up the charts but have been consistent and a clear sign of an artist who's constantly striving to expand her horizons. Her fan base has remained loyal as evidenced by the nearly sold out venue populated by thousands of women who embrace her female empowerment ideas as their own.

As I watched Jill lead her crackerjack band through new arrangements of her classic tunes and tight versions of the new songs, I realized,in her own way, Jill Scott is carrying Luther's torch, whether she knows it or not. The professionalism, the intimacy with the audience, the emotional investment of each song, Jill's putting it down in a way that Luther would approve of.

Throughout the show she made reference to the challenging road she's travelled over the last few years, but she also made it clear that she's had some good times too. Watching her talk with the audience felt like listening to your cousin Pookie talking around the kitchen table, natural and homey.

Then we get to the voice. Jill Scott has one of the most impressive instruments in all of popular music, with an unmatched ability to emotionally become whatever 'character' is needed in a song.

The only flaw that I can point out was the decision to crank the audio up during 'Golden'. The music was so loud that it distorted everything, bringing an unnecessary element of irritation to an otherwise outstanding performance.

If my list went to a top 20 shows of all time, this one would probably be on it.

In Bruges: A GOOD Colin Ferrell flick?

After many years of going to the movies, I still look forward to the new openings every Friday. Back in the day, I was hardcore action flicks: Bruce Lee, Charles Bronson, Arnold, Stallone, etc. As time goes on, I've been more and more attracted to art house and foreign films. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely looking forward to Indiana Jones, Iron Man, the new Batman and of course, 007, but the films in between the big boys are the ones that tend to stick with me.

'In Bruges', the new film starring Colin Ferrell, Ralph Fiennes and Brendan Gleeson is a small film set in Bruges, Belgium and it packs its own, quirky, weird but effective punch.

Ferrell and Gleeson are two small time hitmen who are sent to Bruges to cool off after a hit in London goes wrong. Ferrell is a rookie killer who hates Bruges, with a guilty conscience, while Gleeson is the veteran who's tired and is fond of the quaintness of Bruges. Late in the film, Fiennes appears as the boss who has issues to resolve with both men, leading to an unpredictable but satisfying climax.

Colin Ferrell burst on the scene several years ago in Joel Schumacher's underrated and little seen, 'Tigerland'. He immediately showed signs of being an interesting personality with considerable acting skills to match. Farrell quickly became Hollywood's latest bad boy,landing in the tabloids with regularity. He made many more movies, one more forgettable than the last until he bottomed out with Oliver Stone's 'Alexander the Great'. Farrell also became a father and did a brief stint in rehab, coming out if it all a bit more adult and more selective about his work.

Seen last month in Woody Allen's thriller 'Cassandra's Dream', Farrell was convincing as man deep in trouble that he wasn't smart enough to get himself out of. Now with his performance in 'Bruges', Farrell shows a variety of shades as the off kilter killer. At once funny, outrageous and pathetic, Farrell creates a character that you should be repulsed by, but you find yourself hoping he can pull it all off.

Gleeson, one of the best character actors working today, doesn't strike one false note. Content with being Farrell's straight man, he brings enormous pathos to his slump shouldered character.

The other surprise of the film is Fiennes, who jumps at the opportunity to play someone totally opposite of the type of roles that he's known for. Rude, vulgar but embued with his own peculiar sense of honor, Fiennes character is cut from the same cloth as Ben Kingsley's scary killer in the memorable 'Sexy Beast'.

There's also a love story and a subplot with a midget that ultimately pulls the story all together. 'In Bruges' is a perfect example of the ideal way to see a small, indie type flick: not much hype, no big expectations, that results in just a nice night out at the movies.

It's CRIMINAL not to give this a read

For years, comic books have been regarded as for kids, or overgrown kids. Most people would think muscle-bound do-gooders running around in their underwear or funny talking animals. But things have changed quite a bit.

No longer just for kids, there are comics for almost any taste or preference. Interested in westerns, try 'Jonah Hex' or 'The Lone Ranger'. Interested in sci-fi, try 'Y: The Last Man', about a young twentysomething who discovers he's the last man alive in a world run by women. Now, if your taste runs towards film noir, crime and femme fatales, look no further than Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips's 'Criminal'.

Published under Marvel Comics Icon line, 'Criminal' is an irregularly produced comic book that focuses on the world of crime from an almost blue collar level. Each story arc runs 4-6 issues, complete with a letters page and very well written crime articles written by a variety of well regarded afficianados. Topics have been a look at Robert Altman's 'The Long Goodbye', a feature on 'Blaxploitation' movies and the ultimate film noir 'Out of the Past' among others.

Ed Brubaker is one of the most popular writers in comics these days. Last year, 'Criminal' won the Eisner Award (comics version of the Oscar) for Best New Series. He also writes 'X-Men', 'The Immortal Iron Fist', the noir influenced 'Daredevil' and 'Captain America', where his controversial 'Death of Captain America' was the biggest selling book of the year. Even more impressively, until this month, there's been no Captain America featured in his own magazine and it's still an amazing read.

Sean Phillips, based in the UK is Brubaker's artist of choice, having enjoyed success with the series 'Sleeper' a few years ago. Phillips has a unique style that's scratchy and gritty, but is also a textbook on storytelling. Equally comfortable with oil paint as ink, Phillips is clearly an equal in this partnership.

All of the characters in 'Criminal' exist in the same universe and occasionally cross each other's path, usually in the speakeasy bar, The Undertow, itself a character.

The first story arc, 'Coward' is a about a small time criminal who always knows how to get away before the law shows up. In this tale, he's part of a heist that goes awry and his long winning streak of evading John Law may be about to end.

The second arc, 'Lawless', centers around Tracey Lawless, a military man who breaks out of jail to find out who murdered his less than honorable brother. Along the way he meets a woman, joins a gang and the fireworks begin.

Either of these arcs would make a great film. Brubaker is known for inventive stories, richly flawed characters, realistic dialogue and a real feel for the street. Coming this month are three standalone issues that focus on a different lead character. All of the stories have some connection to each other, but it's not necessary to read all three in order to understand what's going on. The art above is from the second story in the trilogy.

If you're up for a novel length crime read, give one of the trades a try. If you're more inclined to test the waters before you jump all the way in, try the new issue in February. Turn on a soft light and use Charlie Haden's 'Now Is the Hour' as a soundtrack while you read. Doesn't get much better than that..

Shelby Lynne: Soul for Real

One of the easiest ways to get my attention musically is to sing it like you mean it. Now one might say that all artists mean what they sing. That's possible, but there are a few things to consider:

1. Often they aren't singing about anything.
2. Some may think they mean it, but don't really understand what they're saying.
3. Some are just plain faking it.
4. A number of today's artists haven't really had enough life experiences to inform their singing, so they approximate emotions, rather than feel what they're singing.

Then there are those artists whose life burns through every lyric of every song they sing, whether they wrote the song or not. To me, if you've lived life, have a bit of insight and talent, then mean it when you sing it, you've got soul. There are a lot of available arguments over 'ownership' of soul, but I've seen and heard enough to know that race doesn't provide any group ownership of that volatile yet critical ingredient.

I was first turned onto Amy Winehouse 3-4 years ago, when she released a rough debut called 'Frank'. Production so ragged that some songs sounded like demos, it was obvious from the smart, individualistic lyrics and that voice, that Amy Winehouse had a lot on her mind, even if she wasn't sure how to get it out. Now with the success of her second album, 'Back to Black', Winehouse is literally falling apart before our eyes, caught up in a drug induced freefall that I hope she'll survive. If she does, it will undoubtedly result in a searing, painful listening experience that won't be soon forgotten.

A better, healthier (but still pretty wild) example of a life lived that results in memorable music can be found with country/pop music's Shelby Lynne, on her new album 'Just A Little Lovin', a tribute to Dusty Springfield.

I saw Lynne tonight doing a free concert at Amoeba Records. She played most of the songs from the album to a packed store. Small in stature, Blond and sexy in a kind of scary way, Shelby Lynne sung even the happiest songs (I Only Want to Be With You) like she was just left at the altar. It was an interesting experience watching her perform live, because she seemed to fighting herself the entire time. She'd smile over dark lyrics and frown over happy ones. It seemed like she had to remind herself to smile, because her face seemed to settle into a suspicious, almost despondent look more often than not.

Backed by a nice 4 piece band, Lynne soared on songs like 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', 'How Can I Be Sure' and 'Breakfast in Bed'. She discouraged photos, claiming 'I ain't got my face on'. She was an utterly captivating performer, seemingly still working out what the songs meant to her while she sung them.

Shelby Lynne has been around a long time, born in Virginia, raised in Alabama, so she comes by her deep drawl naturally. Tragedy at a young age informed both her singing and world view. When she was a teenager, Lynne watched her father shoot her mother dead and then kill himself. So the shell that she wears is understandably second nature by now. It made her tough, determined and able to raise hell when the mood strikes her. She knocked around the country scene for years before winning the Best New Artist Grammy for the album 'I Am Shelby Lynne'. She's since segued over to more of a country pop sound with varying degrees of commercial success, but always musically interesting.

'Just A Little Lovin' is a collection of 9 Springfield songs and one written by Lynne that fits the album like a glove. Interestingly, Springfield tended to sing with a sultry, sexy baritone that was warm and very inviting. Lynne, by contrast, infuses the same songs with longing, hurt and disappointment. With spare musical accompaniment, Lynne elegantly and soulfully sets a table, but doesn't expect anyone to show up.

I think Rob Hoerburger of the New York Times sums up Shelby Lynne best: 'Even when she ends up in the bedroom, she takes a rougher road'.

U2 3D: Go Now!

"Irish people are essentially Latin people who don't know how to dance"- Bono

The quote above was part of the Irish superstar's explanation for choosing South America as the locale to shoot U2's first 3D concert.

Over the years I've always had an appreciation for U2, more as a monster band with singles that I enjoy. In the last few years I've become really impressed with the commitment lead singer Bono has made as international activist, which has caused me to check his band out a bit closer. I've never seen them in concert, but I understand it's almost like going to church, if you believe.

I don't know about church, but after seeing U2 3D at the Imax, I definitely believe. Filmed in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro during their Vertigo tour, U2 3D is the best example of 3D that I've ever seen, by far. The movie was virtually like having the best seat in the house at a concert, but being able to roam around without stepping in anyone's beer.

The film is 85 minutes, featuring 14 hymns, um, songs on an incredible stage in front of what looks like 200,000 screaming South Americans. There seems to be dozens of cameras all over the place, but the one that really pops is placed ground level in the middle of the audience.

One of the things that has made U2 one of the world's biggest bands with a devoted following that's second to none, is that they connect with their audience via the music and their actions. The perfect illustration of that connection is the placement of the stage in relation to the audience. Attached to a traditional stage are a couple of ramps that flow out into the middle of the crowd. The band spent half of the show immersed in the middle of that sea of humanity.

The musicianship is top notch, Bono's in good voice and full of the drama that one would come to expect, while guitarist The Edge, anchors the show in cool. Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullins jr. on drums keep the rhythm section on point.

Now if you're not a fan of U2, I don't know if this movie will bring you around, but it's worth your time to give it a shot, if for no other reason than to check out the 3D effect. The only criticism I have isn't the movie or the band's fault. That falls on the theater, the dreaded multiplex at Universal City.

It wasn't loud enough!

RAMBO... Really?

I can't imagine that there will be many times when you'll see 'subtle' near Sylvester Stallone's name. He's always been an outsized personality, who did things in a big, often heavy handed way. To be fair, occassionally he leads with a very big heart. If you consider 2006's "Rocky Balboa", Stallone did the almost unimaginable: He made you care once again about the Italian Stallion, in a small character driven drama that contained so much heart and compassion, that it really didn't matter if Rocky fought in the movie or not. The scene when Rocky just breaks down in front of Paulie (Bert Young) over the death of his wife, is probably the best acting I've ever seen Stallone do.

When I found out that 'Rambo' was a reality, I thought that all of the good will that Stallone had just generated would go right out the window. However, I went to see it this evening at the Arclight and sat in a full house with the most vocal Arclight audience I've ever been privy to.

The story concentrates on the 60 year civil war that's been going on in Burma and the missionaries who are captured and tortured trying to help native villagers. The reluctant Rambo leads a team of mercenaries on a mission of recovery, revenge and wholesale slaughter.

This is one of the goriest films I've seen in awhile. Thanks to the magic of CGI, Stallone was able to indulge every violent idea that he could think of in 'Rambo'. I wouldn't begin to try to guess the number of mutilated, machine-gunned, machete'd, blown up, wild boar eaten, arrow through the head, throat ripped out bodies populate this film. When people are shot they literally disintegrate.

Stallone does a service by bringing the ongoing horrors of Burma to the minds of moviegoers. I guess for some film fans, just seeing Rambo back in action is cause for celebration. It's a tough but watchable picture that ultimately doesn't have the depth that Stallone was looking for, but as writer/director/producer, for better or worse, he'll always be able to say 'I did it my way'.

Handicapping the Oscars

Nominations were announced today for the 80th annual Academy Awards. Here's a list of the nominees for the major categories. Names in bold are my picks, along with possible upsets. We're a month away and things can change, so check back before placing your bets.

Best Motion Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men In spite of the controversial ending, the Coen Brothers have perfectly adapted Cormac McCarthy's best selling novel into an American classic. In spite of the strong field, the Coen's time has come. John Ford would be proud.
There Will Be Blood

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
George Clooney (Michael Clayton) While I'm sure this is Daniel Day Lewis' year, I have to give dark horse honors to George Clooney. Hollywood loves him, 'Michael Clayton' is one of the best reviewed films of the year, and Clooney delivered an Oscar caliber performance.
Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood) While he only makes movies every eclipse, Daniel Day Lewis continues to captivate us with the power and nuance of his performances. In 'There Will Be Blood' he deftly illustrates the totality with which power can corrupt, leaving a barren husk of a man that you can't take your eyes away from.
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd: The Demon of Fleet Street)
Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah)
Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)
Julie Christie (Away From Her) Christie, an Oscar winner over 40 years ago (Darling) has swept almost every award since the season started. No reason to stop now.
Marion Cotillard (La Mome) Cotillard has won her share of awards this year portraying French superstar Edith Piaf. However, the film's lack of box office and foreign subject matter will result in her watching Julie Christie take the stage.
Laura Linney (The Savages)
Ellen Page (Juno)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) If any category has a flat out lock, it's this one. Bardem has one everything and created the most terrifying villain since Hannibal Lecter.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)
Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There) Blanchett will probably cancel herself out with two nods in two categories, but this is the one she should have won for
Ruby Dee (American Gangster)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) See my comments for supporting actor, but drop the second sentence.
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

Best Achievement in Directing
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men) A flawess execution of a cinematic vision
Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
Jason Reitman (Juno)
Julian Schnabel (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)

Best Writing, Screenplay written directly for the Screen
Diablo Cody (Juno) Currently everybody's favorite, the former stripper turned screenwriter should take home the gold
Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl)
Tony Gilroy (Michael Cooper)
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco (Ratatouille)
Tamara Jenkins (The Savages)

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Christopher Hampton (Atonement) This is the kind of adaptation that Hollywood tends to respond to, but No Country could well pull an upset here
Sarah Polley (Away From Her)
Ronald Harwood (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)

There are many other categories, cinematography, editing, make up, costume design etc. I'll get to those and others in a future post.