Seu Jorge Rocks The Hollywood Bowl

(Seu Jorge, Joey Altruda, Pretinho Da Serrinha)

Seu Jorge came to L.A. last month to perform three nights at the Hollywood Bowl along with The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Bebel Gilberto. I was delighted to be a part of his rhythm section, thumping the Fender bass alongside Eric Bobo (drums), Mike Boito (piano), and Pretinho Da Serrinha (percussion, cavaquino).



The gigs were spectacular to say the least, including samba dancers, capoeiristas and a huge fireworks display that lit up the Bowl like New Year’s Eve at midnight.



The following week we met up at Jack Johnson’s Brushfire recording studio on Larchmont, experimenting with different ideas and musical textures, flavored with the keyboard stylings of my longtime compadre Money Mark.
Seu Jorge’s approach is a very free thinking one, and there were moments where he really struck me as a Brazilian counterpart to Serge Gainsbourg; a true musical painter.
I can’t wait to hear the outcome of these tracks and look forward to more musical collaboration with this great inspirational talent.

Vintage Space Toys #9

"1930's USA Daisy CO's Rare Buck Rogers No. U-235 Atomic Pistol with Original Box- Arguably the best looking Art Deco style ray gun ever produced. The Atomic Pistol, or U-235, was made around 1935. Produced in a copper and a blued finish, the gun was manufactured by Daisy. This gun was sold in stores as well as merchandised as a Cream of Wheat premium in 1935 and a Popsicle premium in 1939. Length 10 inches. Copper is by far the rarer finish."

via Ozzie's Robots Toys & Collectibles

Happy Birthday Jacques Tati 10-09-1908

French comedic icon Jacques Tati was born on October 9, 1907.

1959 Volkswagen Deluxe Microbus

Hollywood Detective #1

via coverbrowser.com

Happy Birthday Johnny Ramone 10-08-1941

Guitarist Johnny Ramone was born on October 8, 1948.

Hurrell Does Veronica Lake

Veronica Lake by George Hurrell

Charlie Parker & Strings By David Stone Martin

A classic illustration by David Stone Martin for one of the original Charlie Parker With Strings L.P.s (1950)

Irving Penn R.I.P.

By Verena Dobnik for AP
NEW YORK – Irving Penn, whose photographs revealed a taste for stark simplicity whether he was shooting celebrity portraits, fashion, still life or remote places of the world, died Wednesday at his Manhattan home. He was 92.
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Happy Birthday Al Martino 10-07-1927

Italian singer and actor Al Martino was born on October 7, 1927.

Pulp Art #15

Marlon Brando & The Goldwyn Girls- 1955

This was used as an 8x10 glossy to promote the film Guys & Dolls (1955) starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Vivien Leigh, and Jean Simmons. I have framed copy hanging in the men's room at my studio.

Smokey Hormel Has Secret Family

My path with Smokey Hormel has been one of many musical twists & turns, since we first worked together in 1985; in that time to present I have watched him add more and more to his pan-musical pallet~moving forward into his participation with Johnny Cash, Beck, Sean Lennon, Tom Waits, Smokey & Miho (just to name a handful), and now this current solo release. 

 Smokey's Secret Family embraces African music from an era before it was influenced by North American soul, pre-James Brown so to speak. The music speaks on a more Afro-Cuban-African level, with rhythmic emphasis on Son Montuno and Rhumba. I particularly dig the opening track which incorporates tuba and clarinet into the band, creating an impression of New Orleans and Santa Sangre. Kudos Smokey!

Happy Birthday Britt Eckland 10-06-1942

Actress and Bond Girl, Britt Eckland was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 6, 1942.

Bachelor Pad # 9 Is Out!

Yes it is true, the ninth issue of Bachelor Pad Magazine hit the streets recently, featuring Kim Falcon gracing the cover; also featuring Carolina St. Jane, Ruby Joule, Violet Valentine, and a whole array of humor, stories, interviews, highballs, & hijinx.

Criss Cross~ Classic Film Noir Starring Burt Lancaster & Yvonne DeCarlo

Criss Cross is undoubtedly one of the great classics of film noir, incorporating all the elements that comprise the genre-lighting,flashbacks, a heist, double crossing femme fatal etc. It is an early role for Burt Lancaster and Yvonne DeCarlo (who is best known to baby boomers for her role as Lili Munster). It is an even earlier role for Tony Curtis, who was cast as an extra (and can be seen briefly, dancing with DeCarlo in above clip). The music in this segment is provided by Cuban Flautist Esy Morales, performing Jungle Fantasy (in a rare on screen appearance). The song itself was a minor hit in the late forties and part of my record collection since I was nine years old. It can be heard on my Vinyl Meltdown Podcast Episode #16 "Jazz Impressions Of Film Noir".

Happy Birthday Delroy Wilson 10-05-1948

Jamaican singing legend Delroy Wilson was born on October 5, 1948.

Babs Gonzales~I Paid My Dues

"I Paid My Dues", the long out-of print memoir of jazz singer Babs Gonzales, chronicles the hijinx of Manhattan during the BeBop era, full of colorful and Real characters, musicians, bookies, pimps, hookers, and The Man. It took me several years(pre Ebay) to find a copy, and it was well worth the wait.

1958 Ford X-2000 Concept Car

View More Pics Of 1959 Ford X-2000 At ZerCustoms.Com

Happy Birthday Damon Runyon 10-04-1884

One of my literary heros, Damon Runyon was born on October 4, 1884.