Klarinet Archive - Posting 001195.txt from 2003/03

From: "Ken Powell" <kennzie@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Benny Goodman Story (movies about jazz musicians)
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 18:23:57 -0500

"Lady Sings the Blues" featuring Billy D. Williams and Diana Ross
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Semple" <wsemple@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] Benny Goodman Story (movies about jazz musicians)

> I remember seeing an excellent movie about Billie Holladay.
>
> William T. Semple
> Office: 202-364-2466
> Home: 540-364-4823
> Cell: 540-903-6645
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill Hausmann" <bhausmann1@-----.net>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 5:09 PM
> Subject: Re: [kl] Benny Goodman Story (movies about jazz musicians)
>
>
> > At 03:38 PM 3/28/2003 -0600, Ed Lacy wrote:
> > >We have mentioned several really sappy movies about jazz musicians. It
> > >might be fun to try to decide which one is the best (or the least bad)
> > >of the group. Let's see, there is:
> > >
> > >The Benny Goodman Story
> > >The Glenn Miller Story
> > >The Eddie Duchin Story (the sappiest of all, I think)
> > >Young Man with a Horn (starring Kirk Douglas as a Bix Beiderbecke
clone)
> > >The Five Pennies
> > >
> > >And there were two movies starring the Glenn Miller orchestra, although
> > >they were not specifically about Miller or his band:
> > >
> > >Orchestra Wives
> > >Sun Valley Serenade
> > >
> > >We mustn't forget the original sound movie, the Jazz Singer, starring
Al
> > >Jolson, which actually has nothing to do with jazz. This one wasn't
> > >very good when it first appeared, but it has been re-made at least two
> > >more times (in the 1950's, starring Danny Thomas, and in the 1980's,
> > >starring Neil Diamond), and each time it has been remade it has been
> > >worse than the previous time.
> > >Also, The King of Jazz, one of the earliest movies in both sound and
> > >color, about, and starring, Paul Whiteman, which also has little if
> > >anything to do with jazz.
> > >
> > >And, then in later times there is:
> > >
> > >High Society, with Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby
> > >Bird (about Charlie Parker)
> > >'Round Midnight (about a fictitious player, but apparently based on
> > >events in the life of Dexter Gordon, and the lead is played by him.)
> > >(There is also one from the 60's starring Paul Newman and Natalie Wood,
> > >but I can't think of the title right now. This is a pretty good one.)
> > >
> > >Finally, I'll make my nomination for what I think is the most
> > >entertaining movie about jazz musicians, although the basic premise has
> > >more holes in it than Swiss cheese:
> > >
> > >The Gang's All Here, starring Benny Goodman, Mel Powell, Louis
> > >Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey and more (working from memory of a long time
> > >ago).
> > >
> > >Any other suggestions or additions to the list?
> >
> > It is my understanding that, of the ones mentioned above, Orchestra
Wives
> > actually comes closest to portraying the life of a musician at the time.
> >
> > There is a bio-pic about Gene Krupa, too, which stared Sal Mineo. A web
> of
> > fiction woven around a few facts, like the other ones mentioned.
> >
> >
> > Bill Hausmann
> >
> > If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!
> >
> >
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> >
> >
>
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