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Contents 8
AUGUST 2015
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
icon The intersection of art, entertainment, culture, opinion and mad genius
DENIS LEARY | 22
Filling the hunger since 1992
In his new FX series, Leary plays a down-and-out, late-in-life rocker who was very nearly a smash in 1990. That’s the very same year that Leary’s star ascended with his rapier-fast smoker’s cackle and caustic comedy—Leary in a black leather jacket with a popped collar, chain-smoking, and rat-a-tat-tatting his disgust for anything but cigarettes is as iconic to the 90s as Nirvana.
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FEATURES
THE BUTCHER’S QUARTERS | 24
www.icondv.com President/Publisher Trina McKenna trina@icondv.com Assistant Raina Filipiak to the Publisher filipiakr@comcast.net
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Frankford Avenue’s Kensington Quarters slices, dices and demonstrates.
FROM NEWPORT TO MONTEREY | 30 Miles Davis, Erroll Garner and that jazzy festival feeling.
COLUMNS Cathedral by Elizabeth Osborne.
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5 | CITY BEAT 5 | VALLEY BEAT 40 | JIM DELPINO
ART 6 | New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Annual Riverside Festival of the Arts 7 | A Word or Two 8 | Elizabeth Osborne: Veils of Color 10 | Courtly Treasures Louis Paternostre (1824-1879), Mounted Carabinier. Oil on canvas. 38 x 54 inches Thomas W. Evans Collection, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Art Collection
12
FILM 12 | CINEMATTERS
Best of Enemies 14 | KERESMAN ON FILM
Jimmy’s Hall 16 | BAD MOVIE
Pixels 18 | FILM ROUNDUP
Five Star Horse Money Irrational Man The Look of Silence William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal.
30
20 | REEL NEWS
EDITORIAL
MUSIC 32 | KERESMAN ON DISC Barry Harris Sam Most Jimmy Heath Albert “Tootie” Heath Goldberg Bhi Bhiman Jim O’Rourke Good Field
DESIGN
34 | NICK’S PICKS Melody Gardot Nick Finzer Jamison Ross Gracie Terzian
FINE ARTS Edward Higgins Burton Wasserman
35 | JAZZ LIBRARY Etta Jones 36 | SINGER / SONGWRITER Pete Townshend Sam Outlaw Tiffany Huggins Grant Bryan Hayes Neil Young
DINING 37 | Zoubi 38 | Sampan
ETCETERA 42 | L. A. TIMES CROSSWORD 43 | AGENDA
Two Days, One Night Woman in Gold Match Danny Collins
THEATER 28 | VALLEY THEATER
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CITY BEAT Thom Nickels / thomnickels1@aol.com VALLEY BEAT Geoff Gehman / geoffgehman@verizon.net
MUSIC Nick Bewsey / nickbewsey@gmail.com Mark Keresman / shemp@hotmail.com Bob Perkins / bjazz5@aol.com Tom Wilk / tomwilk@rocketmail.com FOOD Robert Gordon / rgordon33@verizon.net
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS A. D. Amorosi / divaland@aol.com Robert Beck / robert@robertbeck.net Jack Byer / jackbyer@verizon.net Peter Croatto / petecroatto@yahoo.com James P. Delpino / JDelpino@aol.com Sally Friedman / pinegander@aol.com Geoff Gehman / geoffgehman@verizon.net George O.Miller / gomiller@travelsdujour.com R. Kurt Osenlund / rkurtosenlund@gmail.com Keith Uhlich / KeithUhlich@gmail.com
ICON is published twelve times per year. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. ICON welcomes letters to the editor, editorial ideas and submissions, but assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. ICON is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. Subscriptions are available for $40 (shipping & handling).
26 | THE LIST
28 | CITY THEATER
Designer Lauren Fiori Assistant Designer Kaitlyn Reed-Baker
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ENTERTAINMENT
Miles Davis.
Executive Editor Trina McKenna
Copyright 2015 Prime Time Publishing Co., Inc.
ON THE COVER: Denis Leary. Page 22.
City Beat
THOM NICKELS
ThomNickels1@aol.com
A visit by the Queen of England or an after-death visitation by John Lennon would not rival the September visit of Pope Francis. SEPTA’s railway, bus and trolley routes will be altered, and Mayor Nutter has warned Philadelphians to “be prepared to walk long distances.” This might be a good time to get out of town. The prospect of 1.5 million visitors crammed behind a partial fence in Center City and the Parkway has nightmare potential. Francis is not a pope of “fences” or radical public transportation cutbacks that would mostly affect the poor. He’s a “let’s rein the people in” pope, not a “shut’em out” ruler. Proof of this is his willingness to criticize the capitalist system of western democracies and point a not-so-subtle finger at the Koch Brothers, Goldman Sachs and all the powerful financial brokers and institutions that only want to fatten the pockets of the very rich. So: Tear down this wall, Mr. Nutter. When we went to the premier of Magic Mike XXL at the Prince Theater we noticed a lineup of ushers and glum-looking men in suits. The suits were arranged across the floor like a chorus line of border guards. We’ve never seen a lineup of suited security at The Ritz, and we’ve certainly never had a pre-movie pat down and a “head to toe” sweep with a counter-terrorism radar brush. Were they checking for weapons, bombs or tubes of nitroglycerin? The suits went about their job with the unfeeling precision of TSA agents. Additional security lined many of the aisles inside the auditorium. During the movie (about a tribe of overbuilt beefy male strippers who talk like Rocky Balboa), a suit aimed a flashlight over a certain segment of the audience. Was something amiss? Did they find that nitro, or was he checking on potential violators filming the Warner Brothers production with an iPhone? Do audiences of mainly well-behaved young women really need this kind of security? What has happened to the venerable Prince? Has it turned into a frog? Or has it, unbeknownst to us, merged with Philadelphia International Airport?
\ The Plastic Club is a salon in the heart of Philadelphia. Founded in 1897 as an allwomen’s arts club (men were admitted in 1991), early club members included Violet Oakley, Cecilia Beaux and Elizabeth Shippen Green. “Plastic” refers not to that famous line in The Graduate, but to unfinished or in-progress art, though all the pieces on the wall at The Models as Artists show in July seemed complete to us. The marathon event transformed a dull Sunday into a four-hour art and fantasy fest complete with belly, fan and hula hoop-dancing plus a poetry reading that touched on the meaning of Father’s Day. In this age of minimalist art, events where less is considered more (“Care for a pretzel stick with your thimble of chardonnay?”), the Plastic Club stands shoulders above its (often) less than generous competitors. Some of the winners in Models were: First Prize, Jenn Warpole; Second, Veronica Meekins; Third, Maria Singer, and Honorable Mentions Rachel Glidden, Nellie Carnes and Anna Romaniuk. On Sunday, August 23, PC will host its Annual Summer Dinner. Check out their website at plasticclub.org. We never understood the attraction of Philly Jesus even when he was everyone’s favorite darling. When Philly Jesus said he used to love gays but now he’s not so sure, we weren’t surprised. Current or ex-heroin addicts are often opportunists and go whichever way the wind blows. When Mayor Nutter posed with Philly Jesus for the local paparazzi we saw this as a further dumbing down of Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame to single digits. It irked us that so many media types gave Philly Jesus publicity, either by snapping his picture or by including him in interviews. Philly Jesus is proof, as if we needed any, that commercial media will give publicity to any fly-by-night oddity deemed hot by inept culture vultures.
Valley Beat
GEOFF GEHMAN
geoffgehman@verizon.net.
The Valley’s newest attraction is a four-story, half-mile, $15 million promenade/park along the late Bethlehem Steel’s five six-story blast furnaces, once the main artery of a plant that was a primary part of a city’s heart. Designed by the architects of the SteelStacks campus, the walkway winds by a railway where iron ore, limestone and coke were hauled for pulverizing and melting into pig iron. A healthy number of well-placed placards describe the complex’s complexities. Visitors can learn about history (the furnaces operated 24/365 from 1907 to 1995), process (one ton of pig iron was made with seven and a half tons of raw materials and pressurized air), legacy (Bethlehem steel frames everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Chrysler Building), dangers (explosions, strike-fighting cops) and brotherhoods (11 members of the Check family served 441 years at the Steel). Named after the railway’s designers, the Hoover Mason Trestle makes the furnaces seem grander. It’s easier to see why the maze of cylinders, tubes, chutes, scaffolds and spiraling ladders has long been a shrine for painters, photographers and filmmakers. Made of concrete and steel bars, the trail zigzags invitingly around gardens of native plants: coneflowers, grasses, birches. The urban wilderness is reminiscent of Manhattan’s High Line; it also reminds me of the butterfly bushes that boomed when the abandoned plant became a Wild East ghost town. The walkway offers exceptional views of an exceptional ecosystem. To the east is the massive No. 2 Machine Shop, where battleship guns were produced for five wars. To the west is the Iron Foundry, a stone, arch-windowed shell where Touchstone Theatre updated the Prometheus myth by chaining an actor to a 24-ton ladle. On South Mountain is St. Michael’s Cemetery, where foreign-born steelworkers were buried overlooking the row homes that gave them shelter and the plant that gave them a living. Below the walkway is a parking lot that became a walk-in TV theater for watching the U.S. women’s soccer team win the World Cup. Nearly 8,500 spectators, including three teens with the names of players painted on their backs, celebrated the home team’s five goals with supersonic roars that felt like being wrapped in a giant waving American flag. It seemed entirely appropriate that 100 years ago the Bethlehem Steel Football [Soccer] Club won the first of five National Challenge Cups, a truly Olympian feat. Opposite the blast furnaces, in the Musikfest Café, guitarist Robby Krieger led a quartet in songs created by the Doors, the band he helped create. The concert was robustly authentic and revisionary. Krieger goosed “Moonlight Drive” with a sliding, wailing, theremin-like solo; ramped up “The Changeling” with sizzling Stax-style soul, and performed a flamenco-esque instrumental cut from the studio recording of “Spanish Caravan.” At the back, by the mixing board, a senior citizen danced blissfully to the Doors’ unusual stab at progressive rock. Waylon Krieger, Robby’s son, sang Jim Morrison’s words and parts with wild-child gusto but without Morrison’s apocalyptic glee. He eventually found the right balance, mixing sand grains with pearls during a full-tilt boogie “Love Her Madly” and a bluesy, boozy “Maggie M’Gill” that could have been a soundtrack for a Ray Bradbury carnival. The evening ended with a “Light My Fire” ignited by a double-timing, washboarding jam. Krieger torched the epic bridge with sparking riffs from “Eleanor Rigby” and “My Favorite Things.” When he and bassist Phil Chen hunched over, head to head, they imitated small sumo wrestlers. It was at that point that Krieger confirmed himself as the group’s shaman, Morrison’s medium.
We went to 920 Clinton Street where writer Agnes Repplier wrote many of her books and had teas for famous visitors, but we were disappointed to see that there was no historic marker near the property. Lesser known lights in the world of jazz and sports get historic markers, but not “the Jane Austen of the essay” who was once esteemed by Edith Wharton, Dorothy Parker and Willa Cather. Historic markers are approved by a state committee but they are paid for by the person or institution sponsoring their placement. Are Repplier’s fans not interested, or is this another case of Philly refusing to honor one of its own? ■
The Michener Museum in Doylestown is exhibiting the sublimely musical photographs of Herman Leonard (1923-2010), who in the ’40s and ’50s revolutionized the look of jazz while his characters were revolutionizing its sound. The Allentown native mixed special elements—strobe lights, astute angles, mercury vapors—to illustrate bebop as cool and crisp, engaging and elusive, deeply focused and magnetically atmospheric. Leonard began photographing renowned musicians at Ohio University, home of the Kennedy Museum of Art, lender of the 15 prints displayed at the Michener. An apprenticeship with fabled portraitist Yousuf Karsh taught him to picture truth beautifully. Shooting publicity stills at Manhattan jazz pulpits like the Royal Roost helped give him rare access to rare creators. The Doylestown show hints at Leonard’s sterling reputation as a social sociologist. Drummer Buddy Rich appears as a hemi-powered hep cat, Billie Holiday as an enchanting chanteuse, trumpeter Chet Baker as a tortured genius, thumb raised to brow like a gun barrel. No wonder bassist Ray Brown, portrayed here in suavely sculptural shadows, crowned Leonard “the Charlie Parker of photographers.” ■
Thom Nickels is the author of Philadelphia Architecture, Tropic of Libra, Out in History and Spore, and the recipient of the 2005 Philadelphia AIA Lewis Mumford Architecture Journalism Award.
Geoff Gehman is the author of the memoir The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons (SUNY Press).
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Exhibitions
Read Lockhart, The Wedding (detail), 2014, 80 X 68, oil on canvas.
feast famine Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building Broad Street, Philadelphia 215-972-7600 pafa.org Through October 11
Jewelry by Regina Ewer.
New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival New Hope-Solebury High School Bridge Street, New Hope, PA September 26 & 27 newhopeartsandcraftsfestival.com Saturday, 10-6; Sunday, 10-5 Free admission, ample parking and New Hope’s business district is just a few minutes’ walk away. The festival will have a food court and music for everyone’s enjoyment. This is a juried event and our artists will be recognized with ribbons and cash prizes. Rain or Shine.
Read Lockhart, Mary McCann, and Tiffany Tate graduated from PAFA’s Master of Fine Arts program in 2014. They were recipients of the 2015 Faculty Exhibition Award, which includes an invitation to return to PAFA one year after graduation for a museum exhibition of their recent work. feast famine is a collection of encounters. It examines accumulation and the pivotal relationship between a solitary experience and the collective, symbiotic whole. Fragments prompt desire and an endless hunt for balance, offering an immersive mirage. Cycles in nature, the oscillation between abundance and deprivation, and intuitive behavior prompt us to consider: At what point do two perimeters begin to encircle one another? D. Read Lockhart received his MFA from PAFA in 2014. Read studied drawing and painting through a series of apprenticeships in Florence, Italy and New York. He currently lives in Philadelphia and says his work “celebrates the rich tradition of narrative painting, reawakening iconic and nuanced devices from from the past, however, with a departure. Within each scene, a collaboration between the figures is implied, though they fail to truly interact and relate.” Mary McCann received her BFA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an MFA from PAFA in 2014. McCann states that “the moment of metamorphosis is paramount to my work, provoking a process of building and transformation. The work is framed with humor, lightness to a dark situation inviting the viewer to examine their own approach to cycles of highs and lows. There is a compulsion for balance from one terminus to another.” Tiffany Tate received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Printmaking in 2010 and a Bachelor’s of Art in Art History in 2012. In 2014, she completed her Master of Fine Arts at PAFA. Tate says she works with subjects that “present confrontations through their relationship to the viewer via scale and spatial orientation. Through this confrontation, I hope to reveal a mental space where physical landscapes become equated to internal ones and the desire to touch, look, discover, and relate reconfirms the symbiotic nature and desire for intimacy between the viewer and the work and consequently, the viewer and their worldly surroundings, both animate and inanimate.”
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Annual Riverside Festival of the Arts Downtown Easton, PA September 19 & 20, 10 – 5 Mark your calendars now for the 19th Annual Riverside Festival of the Arts in Downtown Easton, PA. The festival will feature over 70 juried fine art and craft exhibitors; live music all weekend by 12 groups; literature and poetry readings; children’s art activities; a plein air painting contest with $1,000 in awards; food and beverage vendors. Enjoy a day (or two) along the scenic riverbanks. See and patronize artists and crafts persons from throughout the region and beyond. Enjoy music and the spoken word. Bring the kids to exercise their creative side or do that yourself in the plein air contest. Free admission. There is still time for individuals and businesses to sponsor the event. Artists may apply to exhibit and will be considered until August 31. For more information visit www.EastonRiversideFest.org.
A Thousand Words
STORY AND PAINTING BY ROBERT BECK
A Word or Two IN THE MID-90S I was given an exhibition at Morpeth Gallery in Pennington (now located in Hopewell). A reporter from a Trenton newspaper met me the week before the opening to interview me for an article, and we talked about individual paintings and the body of work as a whole. She asked me if I’d always been an artist. I told her that I did a lot of art in school but after graduation I spent most of my time fooling around with fast cars, playing hockey, and chasing skirts. It was a flippant thing to say, but being interviewed by a real newspaper had gone to my head. I reined it back in saying that after school I went to work and most of my free time was taken up doing things with friends. I didn’t get serious about art until I was 40. The reporter wrote a very nice article about my show. Amidst the how, what and why of my work was a line saying that before I became a painter I was a hockey player. I had mixed feelings when I read that. I understood that the reporter was looking for some human interest, some personal background, and I appreciated the wonderful article. The truth was more that I did a lot of typical young person things—just like everyone does—before growing up and becoming a full-time artist. The hockey mention seemed immaterial. I wanted to devote my time at the gallery talking to guests about my paintings, not how I thought the Flyers were going to do next season. On the other hand, it could have been much worse. Since then I’ve tried to keep things on message, but people always ask me what I used to do before becoming an
Robert Beck’s work can be seen at www.robertbeck.net.
artist. (I worked in management in the packaging industry for 20 years—irrelevant and forgettable). There is hopefulness in someone making a big change later in life and finding his place, and people like that part of the story. A few years later I had my first museum show. They let you know well ahead of time when it will actually happen and I floated on that cloud of validation for a long while, right up to opening night. Everything had been handled without me; I didn’t have to do much but show up clean and dressed. I arrived an hour early, slipped under the rope with a nod from the guard, and went into the gallery. Being alone with the work in that setting was something I imagined, but didn’t fully comprehend until standing in that room, in that air, alone with time and space to think about where I was. I walked over to read the wall text that introduced the visitors to the work and the artist. There in all its institutional veracity was that sneaky piece of extraneous history, except this time it said I had been a professional hockey player. I didn’t know how it got to that but there was nothing I could do about it. I went to the show a number of times, not just to see my name on the wall and enjoy the moment, but also to look at the
paintings. I hadn’t seen many of the pieces in a while—they were borrowed from people who had purchased them years before. One day I stopped at the museum and found a large group of school children in the gallery. They sat in a semicircle on the floor while the teacher pointed to paintings and asked them questions such as, “What do you see when you look at this?” and “What do you suppose the artist was thinking?” The docent noticed me and whispered to the teacher that the artist was in the room. Everyone was delighted and the teacher had the class ask me in unison if I would talk to them about my work. Of course I would. You never know when you might do or say something that will stick with a child for the rest of his or her life. I walked around the room describing how I painted some of the images, why I painted others, trying to keep it engaging and brief. I talked to them as an adult, and they listened the whole time. When I was done I asked the children if they had any questions, hoping for at least one. A boy in the second row waved his arm in the air. I was pleased. I pointed to him. He stood up and asked, “What team did you play for?” ■
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Art
BURTON WASSERMAN
VEILS OF COLOR PAINTINGS ARE NOT PEOPLE. In spite of this obvious fact of life, in a curious almost human way, the compositions of Elizabeth Osborne are remarkably friendly, welcoming you when you get to see them on exhibition in a gallery or museum. The colors and shapes reach out and invite you to interact with them as they come alive in the language of vision. Their textures and patterns urge you to feel the overall atmosphere they project within the frame of reference that surrounds each of them. They want you to discover the way every artwork becomes a unified totality of expressive form, filled with its own distinctive poetry and sheer essence of independent being. Fortunately, for those who wish to see Osborne’s work, a group of striking examples, collectively titled Veils of Color, is currently on view in a superb offering at the Michener Art Museum of Doylestown, PA. The exhibition was curated by Dr. Kristen Jensen, the Museum’s Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest Chief Curator. The show will remain in place, open to the public, until November 15, 2015. Osborne was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Lansdowne. After completing her high school studies, she attended art school at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Shortly thereafter, following time spent in France, she was appointed to teach at PAFA. Recently, after a distinguished 50 year career in that capacity, she retired and now devotes full-time attention to her studio where she is actively engaged in ongoing painting projects. If the Academy had a Hall of Fame, as a resourcefully inspiring master of form and a profoundly subtle stylist, Osborne would surely be one of its most highly regarded, long time members. She is also associated with the Locks Gallery in Philadelphia and other notable venues where she regularly presents retrospective offerings and solo presentations of new work. As a consequence, she is abundantly represented in numerous private and significant public art museum collections. Without question, the combined impact of her accomplishments as a brilliant colorist and her influence on many past students, vividly explains why she is one of the most admired and respected contemporary artists to be found today within the vicinity of the greater Delaware Valley. During decades devoted to exploring a variety of painting media, the content of her creative vision has moved from outdoor subjects to human figuration, studio interiors, completely pure non-representation and exceptionally adroit examples of semi-abstraction. One suspects, if and when she ever turns to collage, miracles of creative invention, now still undreamed of, will suddenly appear in a sweep of dazzling surprises. In the show now on display in the Michener Museum, “Black Doorway” is an oil dating from 1966 in which a figure is seen standing just beyond a dark entryway. The image dares spectators to question whether or not the scene is a view of some strange underground space inside a dim corridor, deep within some mysterious locale.
> Elizabeth Osborne (b. 1936), Festival, 2012, oil on canvas, 60 1/4 x 48 1/4 in. Courtesy of Locks Gallery.
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Dr. Wasserman is a professor emeritus of Art at Rowan U. and a serious artist of long standing.
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Courtly Treasures
France, Boulle Secretary Desk, 19th century. Ebonized oak, tortoise shell, and brass. 59 ½ x 33 x 23 inches. Thomas W. Evans Collection, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Art Collection
EDWARD HIGGINS
JOHN WILBARGER EVANS, DENTIST, real estate speculator, art collector, ambassador without portfolio, diplomat, and philanthropist, was in many ways a self-made man who advanced his profession, endowed a dental school, and in many ways celebrated more in France than in his hometown of West Philadelphia. Evans made his name in France during the Second Empire. His success and prosperity allowed him not only the company of kings and queens, but also allowed him to collect Chinese urns, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts of many countries and decorations of honor from many European heads of state. According to an oft-told story, Evans was disappointed in his nephew’s ways of flaunting his uncle’s wealth and status—to the point of cutting him out of the will. Fortune and collections, instead, were given to the University of Pennsylvania. Part of that collection forms the current exhibition, Courtly Treasures: The Collection of Thomas W. Evans, Surgeon Dentist to Napoleon III, which runs at the Arthur Ross Gallery through November 8. The other monument is the dental school itself. The collection is remarkably consistent with the star of the show: Henri Louis Dupray, whose paintings of military men capture perfectly the vanity of the times when soldiers and hotel doormen dressed alike. Born in 1841, Dupray is one of the top artists of the 19th and early 20th century who specialized in what has been called “academic art.” The derogatory inference is intended. Yet he made many stirring paintings of military men that may seem at home in a men’s club, but are nevertheless pleasant to look at. The collection also contains marvels of the decorative arts which are less valued and in Germany known collectively as kleinkunst, small art or cabaret. The Chinese urns, Mexican presentation swords and the parrot wine jugs are sparkling in the Disney sense, but taken together they give a vivid demonstration of the exotic in late 19th century France. There is a charming bust, “The Greek Slave,” by the well-known American sculpture Hiram Powers, and a small statue of George Washington as a child holding a hatchet just after the cherry tree fell. The exhibition is hung salon style as it was back in the day, and the gallery is providing a series of public programs and a catalog to support the show. Napoleon III so trusted Evans that he sent him back to the United States during the Civil War to check on the progress of the Confederacy. Evans studied the war’s medical conditions and returned to recommend that the French should stay out of things and not support the Confederacy. He also brought back to Napoleon the concept of the field ambulance. Evans was also a loyal friend. When Napoleon III was defeated at the battle of Sedan in 1870, Evans realized it was the end of the Second Empire. The battle was a part of the Franco-Prussian war which would continue for another five years with a new government in place in France. As the Empire began to fall apart, Evans—using his own carriage and bravado—picked up Empress Eugenie and escorted her to safety away from the mobs attempting to gain control. He managed that by giving Eugenie his wife’s hat and hiding her with two other passengers. At the guard points he stood up and, blocking the interior view, bluffed his way through. Although he had many clients in the nobility, and any number of honors, he made a huge fortune in real estate speculation. Seems he was an insider to Baron Haussmann’s plans to rebuild Paris, and was able to buy low and sell high. The carriage itself was also left to the University of Pennsylvania. After being refurbished in Pennsylvania Dutch country by the Amish, it now stands just outside the main dental school entrance. As the Second Empire faded and the Third Republic took hold, Evans became a cultural icon. He managed to build a huge mansion, founded an American newspaper that competed with the Herald Tribune, and had an affair with Mery Laurent, a former model for Manet. Evans and his wife both died in 1897 and are buried, side by side, in Woodland Cemetery in West Philadelphia. Eugenie and Louis ended their days in Chislehurst, England. ■
Edward Higgins is a member of The Association Internationale Des Critiques d’Art.
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BEST OF ENEMIES, THE invigorating new documentary on William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal’s televised (and ultimately contentious) debates during 1968’s presidential race, is unsettling in the best way possible. Directors Robert Gordon (Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story) and Morgan Neville’s (20 Feet From Stardom) crisp and quick work pokes your intellect, a refreshing change from the hot-take culture these debates birthed. You think about where society is and where it’s been and where it’s going, but never because you’re told to do that. ABC News was a distant third in 1968, so hosting a series of debates with two intellectual superstars during the Republican and Democratic National Conventions provided much needed differentiation at a low cost. The participants! For the GOP: William F. Buckley, Jr., founder of The National Review and one-time New York City mayoral candidate. And for the Democrats: Gore Vidal, the unforgivingly sexual rabble-rouser and author of numerous works, including the infamous, gender-bending novel Myra Breckinridge. The story of their debates lacks great anecdotes—thinkers such as Frank Rich and the late Christopher Hitchens take precedence over intimates—but the filmmakers favor showing the plate tectonics that created the modern political news landscape. What was revolutionary is now quaint: two men, one
PETE CROATTO
Best of Enemies sounding like a New England boarding school headmaster; the other the mad genius in a Bond movie—swapping twisty sentences in a rickety studio resembling a high school TV station. How did this ever work? Well, it was new. You had two thinkers, who genuinely hated each other, sparring. And the political climate in 1968, Gordon and Neville note, was fragmented. Viewers would tune in to root for their side. Back then, Americans had three static options to get their news and opinions: print, TV, and radio. You didn’t have the open road freedom to scour and select. (The remote control was, at best, a novelty at that point.) People would actually sit and listen to one person representing their viewpoint. Now, with the rise of social media— especially Facebook and Twitter—we’re all pundits. Since nobody sticks on one topic for too long, the scorching 140-character summary rules the dialogue, making someone like Donald Trump dangerous. Feel free to replace Trump with his liberal equivalent. This is an equal opportunity space. Though not like online. There, the networks don’t determine the news. We decide what is fit for print. As Will Leitch eloquently wrote last year for Deadspin, thanks to the Internet, “We now only have to interact with people who agree with us; if I use Twitter as my primary news source, as so many people do, I can carefully curate my feed to ex-
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clude anyone who disagrees with me about anything.” That’s how you get cable news networks that noisily cater to one political ideology and thrive. The patience for hearing complex ideas erodes a little more as social media advances. And the quicker we move on to the next subject, the hazier the origin behind it becomes. The Buckley, Jr./Vidal debates changed how television handled news and politics. In 30 years, will anyone know the role each man played? What about ten years? Vidal’s impact in history fades as gays and lesbians secure basic human rights. Buckley’s erudite, thoughtful approach isn’t part of the conservatives’ game plan, as far as I can tell. The movement he helped legitimize is a beast he would not recognize today. The somber power of Best of Enemies is seeing how promising Buckley and Vidal’s arrangement looked: two heated minds battling in the civilized forum of network news. What could go wrong? Forty-seven years later, the damage is still being tallied. If all we care about is making our own point—and we have a group of allies readily available—no reason exists to hear the counterpoint. [R] ■ An ICON contributor since 2006, Pete Croatto has written for The New York Times, Grantland, Broadway.com, the A.V. Club, and other publications. Follow him on Twitter, @PeteCroatto.
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Keresman on Film
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ALL THIS THE DEPRESSIONERA Irish Footloose. Leftleaning Irish activist Jimmy Grafton (Barry Ward) was in “exile” in the USA, seeing as his socialist-inspired community center/dance hall in a small Irish countryside town angered the local arch-conservative powers-that-be, who wanted to railroad him into prison. After ten years, Jimmy returns home, presumably to spend time with his mother in her twilight years. The local youth have little to look forward to in this small town and inspire Jimmy to reopen the hall that started all the trouble in the first place. By gosh, not only do the people dance to traditional Irish music, but to decadent, exotic rhythm-inspired jazz music as well. It could infect the whole countryside if not nipped in the bud. While this might sound a bit absurd to we post-modern thinkers, the Catholic Church was a major power in Ireland then…and these new ideas were just plain scary to them. Plus, Jimmy had connections to the communists of Ireland. So, while he had townsfolk and more progressiveminded types in the Emerald Isle on his side, the Church and the moneyed conservatives (in this case, landowners) saw Jimmy and his hall as a definite threat and took action (both legal and not) against them. British director Ken Loach is a decidedly left-leaning
MARK KERESMAN
Jimmy’s Hall filmmaker—among his other works are The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Hidden Agenda, The Navigators, and Bread and Roses. Jimmy’s Hall is based on a true story. It’s well-directed in almost sepia tones, balancing the beauty of the Irish countryside with the dreariness of smalltown life. Loach’s style is very direct, almost documentarylike. No shaky-cam here. At all. Ireland during the Depression—like many countries in the world—was not a happy place. Some people saw it as an opportunity to change things, while the status quo desperately hung on, fearing communism and anarchy. Fascism was seen by some as a solution. Was Jimmy a socialist or communist? This film portrays him as a humanist, one who’s seen injustice in the world as well as a life beyond Ireland and is very aware that new ideas can be considered deadly by the powers that be. He tried to appeal via reason to the local Reverend (Jim Norton), a fire and brimstone sort, who listens to people only, as Jimmy put it, “while they’re on their knees.” Jimmy’s Hall depicts the eternal struggle between the Old and New, Rich and Poor, and how nearly everything is political. The Irish Republican Army was somewhat sympathetic to Jimmy’s cause but afraid of alienating the Church, so they gave no help even though Jimmy and his friends fought in the war for independence alongside them.
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What makes this film so engaging is Ward’s portrayal of Jimmy. While socialist and humanist ideals inspire him, he never comes across as a born leader, a tragic martyr, or a stirring heroic figure. He’s a humble guy who’s trying to do the right thing for his fellow townsfolk. Norton’s Reverend is interesting because, though he’s Jimmy’s opposition, he’s not portrayed as a fascist tool but a guy trying to do his version of the right thing, albeit with lots of Catholic dogma. He’s to a certain degree sympathetic and genuinely respects his nemesis. There’s not a lot of violence—a lesson in how to tell a story without blood spillage or overt sexuality. There’s a priceless scene in which Jimmy and his former love (now married) are dancing alone, each resisting the urge to seduce the other while relishing their attraction for/to each other. There’s some dandy traditional Irish music and dance and some hot jazz—the music is crucial to the story, not so incidentally. If you want to unsentimentally be Irish for a couple of hours—as well as get a still-relevant history lesson— Jimmy’s Hall is a good way to go about it. ■
Mark Keresman also writes for SF Weekly, East Bay Express, Pittsburgh City Paper, Paste, Jazz Review, downBeat, and the Manhattan Resident.
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Bad Movie
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AS ANYONE MAY HAVE guessed by now, Adam Sandler is not a comedy genius, though lots of people like his shtick: The nerd-ish, likable schmuck/underdog that you want to see prevail, Jerry Lewis without the “spaz” factor. There’s precious little point is going down the list of the chunks of cinematic flotsam Sandler has foisted upon us, unless you, Dear Reader, have been living in a cave for the past ten or so years. Three kids in the 1980s are video game nerds and then they grow up to be: Brenner (Sandler), a techie/installer of home entertainment systems; Cooper (Kevin James), who became President of the USA (wrap your mind around THAT), and Ludlow (Josh Gad), conspiracy freak who lives in his grandmother’s (Lainie Kazan, who is in this for less than five minutes) basement. Back-when, a videotape or something was shot into space with a “time capsule” containing footage of video game playoffs, among other things, presumably. Aliens find it, interpret what they see as a declaration of WAR, and so attack the Earth in the form of video game, uh, creatures from the 1980s. That’s right, the Earth is under attack by Donkey Kong and Pac-Man—and if this at all sounds familiar, it should: An episode of Futurama had the same premise. But, that was funny, whereas Pixels is mostly not. What went wrong? Aside from Adam Sandler and Kevin James (who’d likely not have a career had Chris
MARK KERESMAN
Pixels Farley lived—KJ is Hollywood’s resident schlubby/pathetic fat guy), that is? Everything. While the special effects are kind of fun (if you recall ‘80s video games, that is), they are the cake and not the icing. If you subtracted the CGI from this movie it’d be 14 minutes long. Sandler phones in his performance. Most of the jokes aren’t that funny if you are over the age of 16. The film tries to inject some gravitas via the whole alien invasion thing—Brenner and his nerd-crew have to work with the military to win it, in the personage of General Nukem J. Incredulous (Brian Cox, the first actor to portray Hannibal Lecter), Colonel Violet Shesoprettyyetvulnerable (Michelle Monaghan), and Corporal Punishment (Sean Bean). The latter three actors are there to be the straight men (in the comedy sense, naturally) to the nerds’ wretchedly zany antics, but they never register as characters, just (very tired) stereotypes. Do the nerds finally impress them and win their grudging respect? Does Ludlow’s crestfallen sexual ambiguousness get played for laughs? (In one part of the movie he drools over a female cartoon, a little later he’s slapping a male soldier’s ass.) Does Brenner win the heart of the pretty yet vulnerable Colonel Violet? Do Brenner/Sandler and Violet/Monaghan have any chemistry whatsoever? (The scene where their characters meet is truly cringe-worthy in that “No one with half-a-brain would talk like this” manner.) Do you believe for one sec-
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ond that roly-poly Kevin James could be POTUS? Are there lots of dead spots where the film tries to be “serious” to inject some drama into the proceedings? What do you think? There are a few actors herein to give this turkey a touch of class: Cox, Bean, Monaghan, Kazan (who was brilliant in My Favorite Year), Peter Dinklange plays a bullying and felonious uber-gamer, Serena Williams plays herself, Jane Krakowski (30 Rock; a very funny comic actress who’s in this for three minutes, if that), Dan Aykroyd (didn’t he used to be somebody?), and Max Headroom. (Hey, that Max Headroom TV show was good and ahead of its time.) Oh, and Ashley Benson shows up as eye candy (surprise). The thing is this could have been a good movie, even with Adam Sandler therein. If the violence had been played R-rated as opposed to PG-rated; if the characters were written as people (real characters, that’s to say) and not standard-issue stick figures/clichés, if the jokes weren’t aimed for a junior high school audience, if Sandler and James gave actual performances instead of being good ol’ smug Adam and fat dweeb Kevin…aw, that’s just crazy talk. Pixels is just your typical Sandler-laughing-allthe-way-to-the-bank crap-fest. ■
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Film Roundup
KEITH UHLICH
A scene from Pedro Costa's Horse Money. Photo: Cinema Guild.
★=SKIP IT; ★★=MEDIOCRE; ★★★=GOOD; ★★★★=EXCELLENT; ★★★★★=CLASSIC
Five Star (Dir. Keith Miller). Starring: James ‘Primo’ Grant, John Diaz. Brooklynbased director Keith Miller’s 2012 indie Welcome to Pine Hill was a highlight of that year—a contemplative and meditative character study about a reformed drug dealer coming to terms with his past after being diagnosed with cancer. Miller’s followup, Five Star, expands its scope to two subjects: a lifelong gang member named Primo (James ‘Primo’ Grant) and the young protégé (John Diaz) he takes under his wing—perhaps to indoctrinate him into gang life, perhaps not. As in Pine Hill, the film draws on details from the performers’ actual lives, placing them in a pensive, semi-documentary context that provocatively blurs the lines between fact and fiction. Miller isn’t a dominating force, but a generous one. At every turn the project feels collaborative, as if all involved are giving of themselves in the most profound and human of ways. [N/R] ★★★★
Pedro Costa’s masterpiece—a pinnacle of the Portuguese director’s art. As in prior works like Colossal Youth (2006) and In Vanda’s Room (2000), the setting is the slum of Fontainhas, or more correctly a hospital/asylum on the ghetto’s outskirts. It’s here that Costa’s Colossal Youth collaborator, the mono-monikered Ventura, has been imprisoned. He spends his days and nights wandering through the alternately stony and metallic spaces, visiting with ghosts and reflecting on politics, poverty and past transgressions—a modern Daedalus trekking through his own personal labyrinth. Is this reality, fantasy or a mixture of both? Costa and cinematographer Leonardo Simões’s astonishingly composed frames (all in the square aspect ratio of 1.33:1) envelop us in their shadowy textures until we’re as unsure as Ventura as to which way is up. Being lost has rarely been as rewarding as this. [N/R]
falls midway between his best and worst efforts. It’s a pleasantly bitter pill of a story in which a philosophy professor, Abe (Joaquin Phoenix, rocking the dad-bod paunch), who’s down on human existence decides to murder a local judge for a minor misdeed. Suddenly Abe’s outlook is sunnier, his libido is stirred, and he falls head over heels for the student (Emma Stone) who’s been eyeing him since his first day on campus. Things unravel, of course, in jauntier fashion than expected thanks to an oft-repeated jazz piece by the Ramsey Lewis Trio that lends a sprightly step to each of the story’s darkest turns. And how great to see Parker Posey bringing her unpredictable sense of timing to the role of Abe’s melancholy second lover. Like a lot of late Allen, this is ultimately thinner than a stale wafer, but it’s very compelling in the moment. [R] ★★1/2
★★★★★
Horse Money (Dir: Pedro Costa). Starring: Ventura, Vitalina Varela. You’ve never seen images quite like the ones captured in
Irrational Man (Dir. Woody Allen). Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey. The Wood-man’s annual offering
The Look of Silence (Dir: Joshua Oppenheimer). Documentary. Documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer follows up his acclaimed The Act of Killing with another devastating feature about the Indonesian
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genocide—a government-sanctioned communist purge between 1965-1966 that left a million people dead and their oppressors in power. Killing explored the moral vacuum that resulted from that terrible event by giving the anti-communist death squad leaders room to boast and recreate their atrocities onscreen. Silence looks at the plight of the victimized minority class, via the experiences of an optometrist named Adi, whose brother was brutally murdered in the purge and whose family still lives in the same neighborhood as the killers. Oppenheimer follows Adi as he confronts these mainly unrepentant men, a few of them uncomfortably close to home (as in related by blood). No one wants to take the blame, but instead wish to bury the past with justifications and false histories. If there is any justice to be had, it’s in Adi’s brave stoking of the embers of truth— something bracing to watch in the face of so much inequity. [PG-13] ★★★★ Keith Uhlich is a critic and writer based in New York. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle.
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Reel News
GEORGE OXFORD MILLER / REVIEWS OF RECENTLY RELEASED DVDS
Gustav Klimt (1907), Woman in Gold. Credit: © Heritage Image Partnership Ltd / Alamy
★=SKIP IT; ★★=MEDIOCRE; ★★★=GOOD; ★★★★=EXCELLENT; ★★★★★=CLASSIC
Two Days, One Night (2015) ★★★★★ Cast: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione Genre: Drama Rated PG-13 Running time 95 minutes. In French with English subtitles. Intense human dramas don’t need complex storylines—a woman who wants to keep her job will do. Sandra (Cotillard), a working mother at a small solar panel factory, has been on medical leave so long the company decides it doesn’t need her position. She returns and learns the company gave the employees the option of receiving a 1,000 euro bonus if they vote to let her go. Sandra has one weekend to convince her coworkers to vote in her favor. She makes the rounds one by one, each time with a heart-toheart that exposes every human emotion, every character flaw and every perfection. In the classic bargain with the devil of self-interest, what price will her colleagues put on friendship, compassion, fairness? Is she, or the higher ethical principle, really worth the personal sacrifice she asks each to make?
Woman in Gold (2015) ★★★★ Cast: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds Genre: Drama Rated PG-13 Running time 110 minutes. After fleeing Nazi Austria as a emotionally scarred child, Maria Altmann (Mirren) swore absolutely never to return. But sixty years later, she discovered her aunt Adele Bloch-Bauer was the subject and owner of Gustav Klimt’s famous painting The Lady in Gold. The Nazis raided her family’s home and confiscated the masterpiece, which eventually became an Austrian treasure exhibited in the national museum and valued at $135 million. In this true story, Maria hires a young, inexperienced attorney, Randol Schoenberg (Reynolds), to see if old wrongs can be righted. Though told countless times with endless variations, the David vs. Goliath story still inspires. With the undaunted spirit of Maria, epitomized by Mirren, and the obsessive dedication of the attorney, the claim clears the hurdle of the U. S. Supreme Court and finally reaches a Austrian board of arbitrators for the final decision.
Match (2015) ★★★★ Cast: Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino, Matthew Lillard Genre: Drama, comedy Written and directed by Stephen Belber. Rated R Running time 92 minutes. Playwright Steven Belber retooled his Tony-winning Broadway play for the screen with three new powerhouse actors. Patrick Stewart stars as Tobi Powell, a flamboyant and vain Juilliard dance professor who has devoted his life to dance. He agrees to sit for an interview with Lisa (Gugino) and her husband, Mike (Lillard), supposedly for her dissertation on the history of dance in the 1960s. When the questions turn to Tobi’s bisexual free love in the swinging period, ulterior motives begin flashing like lightning from the somber clouds that started gathering with the first question. Personal revelations lead to plot twists which reverse the expected destinies of the characters, and emotional, charismatic acting propels the story to an unsuspected ending.
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Danny Collins (2015) ★★★★ Cast: Al Pacino, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Plummer, Annette Bening Genre: Comedy Rated R Running time 106 minutes. Almost-forgotten 70s rock star Danny Collins (Pacino) bounces from one nostalgia rock show to another, as effervescent and full of himself as ever, but singing his old hits by rote. At some point early in his career, he lost control and sacrificed his musical passions to the material rewards and egotistical glory of fame. Now in the twilight of his career, his manager (Plummer) gives him an undelivered letter from John Lennon extolling him to remain true to himself and his music. Suddenly Danny’s accomplishments seem trivial compared to his botched family life and suppressed dreams. Time for a reboot. He dives into songwriting and starts flirting with a woman (Bening) actually his own age. Yet good intentions can’t magically erase the hurt from the daughter (Garner) he abandoned. Like the character he plays, Pacino reinvents his screen presence with a bigger than life performance. ■
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Interview
A. D. AMOROSI
IT WAS ALREADY A steamy Manhattan evening late in a particularly humid June when the hot rain and hail—yes, hail—fell in the East Village. Neither Denis Leary, fellow comedian/actor Robert Kelly (Louis C.K.’s brother on Louie) nor comedy newcomer Elizabeth Gillies (a Nickelodeon star from Victorious, currently starring in Vacation with Ed Helms) could stop the night’s thunder from inside Webster Hall. They were too busy talking up a storm of their own making: their newly debuting FX series Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. Conceived by Leary to satirize every 70s-through-90s hard rock cliché—to say nothing of the currency of social media focus, politically correct behavior, sobriety and pretentious indie-pop stars like Morrissey—the mind behind FX’s Rescue Me plays Johnny Rock, a down-and-out, late-in-life rocker whose ensemble, the Heathens, were very nearly a smash in 1990. That’s the very same year that Leary’s star ascended with his rapier-fast smoker’s cackle and caustic comedy; a rattling tone whose speed and crust were perfect for the MTV generation. Leary in a black leather jacket with a popped collar, chain-smoking, and rat-a-tat-tatting his disgust for anything but cigarettes is as iconic to the 90s as Nirvana. By all rights, J. Rock could have been a similar sensation to Leary except that his band (actors such as Kelly, John Corbett and John Ales who had to learn to play drums, guitar and bass for Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll) broke up the same day their debut album was released. The reason? Rock’s inability to outrun his own self-indulgent sex and drug habits, things that still plague his career 25 years later as he tries to make a living in music. Things change, maybe, when Rock makes the acquaintance of a daughter he never knew he had (Gigi, played by the outrageously powerful singer Gillies) who hopes to become more famous than her father ever was—only with the help of dad’s songwriting and the reunited Heathens’ backing. This is where the laughs begin. “No, I cannot be a rock star if ever I truly wanted to,” says Leary before the Webster Hall screening and fireside chat. “I’ve known this most of my life because, starting out, many of my technical advisors on the show—who did music with me on the soundtrack—are guys I grew up with at Emerson College and turned out to be professional rock musicians.” Leary gives the “...for instance” of Adam Roth who wound up in the Jim Carroll Band and the Del Fuegos at their height of their post-punk fame. “We were in the Emerson College Comedy Workshop and did original shows with original “As a writer, too, I wanted to make about a father and music, like when I was 18 or 19. These guys were aldaughter. I wanted it to be about a guy who was old enough to be a real failure. In ready in bands. I just dabbled, but I did think that I the music world, when was the last time that you heard about someone becoming a could do this. I said as much and they were like famous rock star starting at age 50?” ‘No you can’t. You’d have to quit school to be in a rock band because it’s a full time job.’ The farthest I wound up going is me singing the lead on ‘The Asshole Song’—that and the stuff I wrote for the new show. Being a rock star is way harder than you think.” As Johnny Rock, however, even when the character is at his worst behavior, Leary makes rock ‘n’ roll look easy with his mullet-ish mop of thick hair (“I get mistaken for Jane Lynch a lot”) big screeching vocals (“Screaming I can do—and well”) and cocksure attitude. That vibe he got from hanging with The Cars (whom he knew in Boston), Greg Dulli (of Afghan Whigs) and Dave Grohl (Nirvana), the latter two who both make appearances in the pilot episode of Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll as objects of Rock’s envy. “On the show, I blame them as guys who stole from me to make their own career,” says Leary, who points out, too, that while co-hosting MTV’s Remote Control he met and befriended the likes of Mick Jagger, David Bowie (“I would kill to get him on the show. That’s my ideal. Johnny wouldn’t know what to do with himself ”) and more. “Everything is me blaming everybody else for the fame Johnny Rock didn’t achieve when, in reality, it’s all on him. Besides, Johnny would blow any of these guys to achieve even a smidgen of their fame.”
DENIS LEARY’S ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO
Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll
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Foodie Feature
The Butcher’s Quarters Frankford Avenue’s Kensington Quarters slices, dices and demonstrates
Left: Grilled Beef Heart on left. Right: Pork Shoulder with Potato Torta and Winter Greens Photo ©Reese Amorosi 2015
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A. D. AMOROSI
AT THE START OF 2015 Michael Pasquarello and Bryan Mayer made an industrialized warehouse space into a warm neighborhood restaurant with a hand-crafted butcher and meat locker at its front and an educational sensibility in its soul. That sounds like a difficult proposition, this Kensington Quarters (1310 Frankford Ave), a butcher-boite with window of hanging pigs and cows as part of its sustainable vision. If you’re squeamish, walk fast. With Chef Damon Menapace and head butcher Heather Thomason (running demonstration workshops about cutting meats), the notions of sustainability, both in the shop and sourcing for its menu are as clear as its meals are earthen and magnificent. Remember, just because KQ have farm-raised cows in their meat locker doesn’t mean they have steak on the menu. Management says there are only a certain number of animals raised and slaughtered (including goat, lamb, cows, pigs, etc.) and only so many parts to each animal butchered and sold in the case or served on the menu at the restaurant. Diners who find an attractive cut of meat in the butcher case are encouraged to talk with butchers so they may take it home and prepare it like a pro. Let them do it. There are veggie options and an adventurous pescetarian fare of fish and pasta at KQ, but, as an utter carnivore, I stuck mostly to meat. On the charcuterie side, KQ’s Shaved Lamb Leg with its thinly peeled strips of slightly smoked and salty cured lamb with a bed of paper-thin radishes and served with a pasty slash of charred garlic is gorgeous and generously portioned. It’s easy to imagine yourself sitting at KQ’s front bar on a rainy night, with the shaved lamb, some grainy artisan bread and a beer. Grilled Beef Heart with parsnip puree and orange marmalade: a challenging dish. The grill part of the plate is small, as just the outer rim of each thick slice is ever-so-slightly seared. This leaves the handsome red center with a slight liver-ish taste that work elegantly when atop the gooey puree and mixed with the bittersweet marmalade. Taglaittelle pasta with veal sausage and Royal Trumpet mushrooms: a most sumptuously buttery dish. Tagialtelle is a broad flat fettuccinelike ribbon, and reminded me of homemade egg noodles and butter that my mom served. With its tender chunks of musky mushrooms and clusters of fresh slightly grilled veal meat, this was nothing like what I got at home. Sorry mom. The Pork Shoulder with potato torta and winter greens: cooking a thick wide pork shoulder is no easy feat. It can be a rough cut, often used for chewy shredded pork. This generous shoulder portion was rack-grilled to perfection, au jus, succulent and tender. The grilled greens only added bite. Desserts include Goat’s Milk Panna Cotta with Fennel Streusel and Cinnamon; Olive Oil Cake with Coriander, Lemon and Almond; Brown Butter Cake with Honey; Apples and Stout Ice Cream. Loved the beer ice cream—a cool, soft slab of stout-and-cream that with broken bits of cake and slips of apple was just slightly sweet. Same with the olive oil cake and its display of toasted coriander seeds in lemon sauce and the custardy panna cotta with just a hint of cinnamon, though rich, fell into this same just-sweet-enough category. Exquisite. ■ Kensington Quarters, 1310 Frankford Ave., Phila. 267-314-5086. kensingtonquarters.com
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The List : AUGUST 3 Steely Dan with Elvis Costello and the Imposters (Susquehanna Center)
A. D. AMOROSI
A curated look at the month’s arts, entertainment, food and pop cultural events
8 Philip Selway from Radiohead (WCL) If he’s not Thom Yorke or Johnny Greenwood…. Get the picture?
ern-scented music this year extends itself to Latin rock with Santana, Dead expatriates Bob Weir with Billy & The Kids (Bill Kreutzmann’s band with Aron Magner, Reed Mathis and Tom Hamilton), Willie Nelson & Family, one time Allman Brothers such as Warren Haynes and Jaimoe and much much more.
9 Antibalas (Ardmore Music Hall) If Femi Kuti switched out some of his African high life sound for BraziLatin vibes, it would sound like Antibalas.
13 Billy Joel (Citizens Bank Park) Go and tell the piano man congratulations for getting married and having a new baby soon.
10 Jerry Seinfeld (Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza, Bethlehem)
14 Darius Rucker (Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza) Capitol Nashville recording artist was
7 Desaparecidos (Union Trust) Mellow Conor Oberst’s pretend punk band rages on.
The egghead show of the summer. I’ll be there. 4 Steve Earle (WCL) Rustic Americana’s boldest poet and theatrical singer takes the stage. 5 Thurston Moore Band (Union Transfer) Get over it. Sonic Youth will never reunite again. All we can hope for is that its four players such as guitarist Moore play their own covers. 6 Nicki Minaj with Meek Mill (Susquehanna Center) Philly’s Mill might not be the headliner on
this joint, but he’s the one with an album at the top of the chart. Still, his girlfriend Minaj is the better stage performer and far more fun to look at than Meek. 6 Duran Duran (Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza) Since their platinum-selling, self-titled debut recording in 1982, Duran Duran has sold more than 100 million records around the globe. 6, 7 Mad Decent Fest (Festival Pier) Two days of Philly expatriate DJ/producer Diplo, his dancehall-reggae-electro-rockhop ensemble Major Lazer and whomever else he likes at the moment.
blue eyed soul and space rock. 20 The Grand Slambovians (Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, Bethlehem) The Grand Slambovians have been called “the hillbilly Pink Floyd,” with elements of Incredible String Band, Neil Young, The Band, Dylan and maybe even some Frank Zappa as well. 21, 22 Santana (Borgata) You can’t miss Carlos Santana’s jazz-rockLatin band in reunion mode after 20+ years apart.
Since 1981, comedian, actor, American icon.
named New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards in 2009.
11, 12 Phish (Mann) Every jam band fan loves Trey Anastasio
15 Zac Brown Band with the Avett Brothers (Citizens Bank Park) Firstly, the Avetts are a not-so-gentle aggressively bluegrass soul band that’s always a joy to listen to. Zac Brown happens to be rougher hewn country-rock stuff whose big anthemic songs will sound great coming out of a football stadium.
and everything Phish does. Playing the Jerry Garcia role in the Dead’s farewell shows in Chicago simply made him even more heroic. 13 Silencio do Twin Peaks (North Star) Silencio already operate primarily as a sinister musical tribute to the works of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti. Doing the Twin Peaks soundtrack just makes them craftier. 13-16 The Peach Festival (The Pavilion at Montage Mountain – Scranton, PA) Gregg Allman’s 4-day showcase of South-
15 Rocky Horror Picture Show 40th Anniversary (TLA) Amazing that glitter rocking Frank N. Furter and crew still draw people in, whether it’s to dance the “Time Warp” or throw toast. 16 Alice in Chains (Sands Steel Stage at PNC Plaza, Bethlehem) Chart-topping alt rock band formed in the mid-1980s in Seattle, helped transition fans of heavy metal into the Seattle alternative “grunge” scene. 16 The Damned screening (UA) British punk’s first band to land a record deal are worth a documentary, why not? 16 Todd Rundgren (WCL) Hello, it’s Upper Darby’s favorite son of
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24 Justin Heyward (WCL) The Moody Blues’ singer with the best hair goes solo. 27 Van Halen with Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Susquehanna) It doesn’t matter if Eddie Van Halen likes David Lee Roth and vice versa. The guitarist shreds and the singer is still the hammiest entertainer around. 29 J Geils (Tropicana, Atlantic City) Rock n’ roll n’ soul’s best boogie-down Boston band will always be a must-see if mouthpiece Peter Wolf is onboard. 29 Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen “Ragga” Marley, Morgan Heritage, Tarrus Riley (Mann) The sons of Bob Marley are many. These two however happen to also be innovative, audacious music makes beyond dad’s reggae king stamp. 30 Lenny Kravitz (Mann) I have so many issues with Lenny Kravitz that a single page, let alone a sentence, won’t suffice. I will concede however that the guy has made guitar chops and is an entertaining presence. Hell, it’s the last day of August and everybody else in down the shore. Don’t let me crab up your party. Enjoy. ■
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Valley Theater
GEOFF GEHMAN
THE BEST SUPERLATIVE I can give Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre’s version of Hello, Dolly! is one I’ve never given in 30-plus years of reviewing plays. The production was so soulful, so spectacular, so sinfully scintillating, it made me not only want to attend more musicals, it made me want to make musicals. Everything hummed and roared in this splendid staging of the (mis)adventures of Dolly Levi, the Unsinkable Molly Brown of matchmaking. Avoiding the usual schmaltzy histrionics, Mia Scarpa made Dolly winkingly wise and likably formidable, the true-blue center of a romantic solar system in chaos. She joked without hamming, belted without bruising, worried without kvetching. Scarpa’s co-stars supported her ably and amply. Jarrod Yuskauskas invested a nervous-breakdown zaniness in Horace Vandergelder, the feed store-owning half-a-millionaire who doubles as Dolly’s client and target. Ryan Skerchak made Cornelius, Horace’s greenhorn employee and unlikely rival, a fever-pitched, rubbery, Ray Bolger kind of song-and-dance man. As Barnaby, Cornelius’ sidekick, Nick Picknally was an agile Jimmy Cagney-style hoofer and hide-and-seeker. Erica Morreale played Minnie, Barnaby’s girlfriend, with delightful Kristen Chenoweth daffiness. Eileen Veghte played Mrs. Molloy, Cornelius’ squeeze, Mia Scarpa (Dolly Levi) as a charmingly willowy, bubbly refugee from a silent-film comedy Director Charles Richter, the festival’s founding artistic chief, seamlessly blended Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, Yiddish vaudeville and Broadway extravaganza. Choreographer Karen Dearborn turned galloping waiters into magical acrobats. Costume designer Dustin Cross raised the temperature of the “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” scene a good 20 degrees with a dazzling display of lemon, lime and raspberry outfits. Lighting designer John McKernon helped make Dolly’s grand restaurant entrance gleefully bulb blowing. Scenic designer Campbell Baird winningly referenced Gilded Age mansions and Victorian doll houses, Viennese pastries and Italian smorgasbord. He also contributed a lovely program essay about his mentor/colleague, Oliver Smith, who created the scenery for the original Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! That show introduced Baird to the Great White Way and convinced him it was his destiny to make sets “speedy, smooth, and surprising.” Christopher Patrick Mullen is the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s resident lightning bug/bolt in a bottle. His actions are always surprising and often shocking, whether he’s playing Touchstone or Charley’s aunt. I’ll never forget how his Hamlet accentuated the emptiness of “Words, words, words!” by reading a book lying on his back, arms tucked under legs, ass to audience. Mullen made major merry during Around the World in 80 Days, the festival’s tour-deforce take on a tour-de-force adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel. His 16 characters included a twitching Chinaman, a crackpot captain and a loonier judge. At times he seemed to be beaming from Planet Robin Williams.
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City Theater
A. D. AMOROSI
THE NICE THING ABOUT August and the Philadelphia theater world schedule is that curator-programmers can further test waters (and audiences) usually not-so-imaginable as everyone in town who hasn’t been to the Jersey shore all summer is gone. If you’re in downtown Philly seeing any sort of theater, YOU REALLY WANT IT. Not Blood Paint Before Fringe Arts’ big building along the Philadelphia waterfront opens its doors for its annual autumn festival of avant-garde theater, Not Blood Paint—a performance art ensemble whose heavy use of loud music, interactive audience techniques, set pieces and plants(!?)—makes it more like a metal band if fronted by Ann Magnusson. Just perfect for its FringeArts Late Night series. Friday, August 14. La Peg at FringeArts, 140 N Columbus Blvd. (fringearts.com) The One Minute Play Festival The now-national theater phenom, asking playwrights famed and new, to create sixty seconds worth, started in New York City with producing artistic director Dominic D’Andrea, and has become America’s largest, longest running short form theater company. While the nationally renowned likes of Neil LaBute, Tina Howe, Sam Hunter and Craig Lucas have taken stabs at 60-second theater in NYC in the past, Philly’s finest playwrights (Seth Bauer, Lindsay Harris-Friel, Michael Hollinger, Ed Shockley) Not Blood Paint ensemble. and directors (Nick Anselmo, Amber Emory, Christina Franklin, Craig Getting) put their shorts on the stages of Plays & Players this August. Blink and you miss it. August 2 through August 4, the main stage at Plays and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Place. (playsandplayers.org) The Vulcan Lyric Festival Walnut Street’s Vulcan Lyric Company has been dedicated to musical theater of all stripes for the last five years, mostly concentrating on new opera. The company hasn’t received the respect it deserves (quite frankly) yet this summer seems to rise to the occasion and command esteem with a dramatic program of new opera. There’s Maren of Vardo (Jeff Myers and Royce Vavrek’s take on the child witch trials of 17th century Norway), La hija de Rappaccini (an opera in two acts composed by Daniel Catán with a libretto by Juan Tovar based on the play by Octavio Paz and the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne), and Glory Denied, a Vietnam War-themed epic. On the less-than-operatic tip, Vulcan present Heathers, a darkly arch musical based on the darkly comic Wynona Ryder-Christian Slater film you loved in the 90s. Saturday August 1 through August 16, Prince Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street. (vulcanlyric.org) Broadway Philadelphia/Broadway Dreams Foundation Summer Intensive Performance I’m not big on kids, but this NYC-to-Philly student program asks teens to take part in an intense week’s worth of personal training from Broadway actors and dancers. After all the sweat of working on vocal technique, song selection, acting and movement (with some business classes), the students audition for casting directors and agents then perform on stage with their Broadway counterparts. Not bad. Saturday, August 8, Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center, 300 S Broad Street (kimmelcenter.org) ■
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Music
A. D. AMOROSI
FROM NEWPORT TO MONTEREY Miles Davis, Erroll Garner and that jazzy festival feeling
Miles Davis Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 Columbia/Legacy Erroll Garner The Complete Concert by the Sea Columbia/Legacy
Miles Davis. Photo: Michael Comte.
RESPECTIVELY AND LOVINGLY PACKAGED in 4-CD and 3-CD boxes, Miles Davis’ collection from his times at the Newport Jazz Festival and Erroll Garner’s grazing in the grass at the Monterey Jazz Festival are each and equally sumptuous in their readings of jazz’s complexities, even at its most serene. They also happen to be released just in time, as the 58th Monterey Jazz Festival starts in mid-September and 2015’s Newport Jazz Festival—its 61st iteration—begins August 1. Both fests will feature dedicated programs to both the trumpeter and the pianist. Garner, the Pittsburg-born cocktail king of the piano, was one of jazz’s most entertaining players with his constant grunting, his lengthy breathtaking runs without
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looking at his keyboard and his ability to tackle different—occasionally off-the-beat rhythms—with each hand. For this, Garner was rewarded with a huge mainstream audience rare in jazz, which never dulled or diluted his innovative music. By the time Garner and his trio (drummer Denzil DaCosta, bassist Eddie Calhoun) got to Monterey in 1955, they were armed for bear. This expanded (by 14 previously unreleased songs such as “The Nearness Of You” and “Sweet And Lovely”) volume of one of the best-selling jazz albums of all times shows just how ready Garner & Co were, with a robust, tension-filled sense of dynamic propulsion not often witnessed in his studio recordings. Masterful stuff. The Davis package—continuing his bootleg series with nearly five hours of previously unreleased music spread across five dates in Newport, plus several other “Newport” events in Germany, Switzerland and Manhattan—shows the arc of cool jazz, chamber-based sedatives, psychedelic free-form jams and the funky fusion of his latter day work. The grooviest efforts here are the box’s first post-Bop sound round in 1955—a softly melodic and rhythmically challenging set defined by Davis & Co.’s transformative take on Thelonious Monk’s already-daring “Straight, No Chaser.” Davis’ ensemble, the legendary Kind Of Blue Sextet, featured legends-inthe-making such as Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, and showed off Davis’ predilection for gathering colossal talents to his music, men whose muse was as strong as his own and whose talents were vibrantly equal to his own prodigious skills. That’s a man unafraid of—even welcoming— jazz’s tightrope-walking level of competition. That 50s showcase is only overwhelmed by the raw (yet stunningly clear) recording of Davis’ 1966 and 1967 performances with the Great Quintet—Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams—and more Monk-filled mischief with its tonic meditative version of “‘Round Midnight.” When it comes to Bitches Brew-era Miles, this Newport package allows for a gorgeous grueling groovy flex-out on the likes of that epic freak out’s title tune, the Afro-Latin tinged “Mtume” and the ardent and aptly-named “Funky Tonk.” Though the Garner box benefits from re-evaluation and previously unreleased tracks, the Davis collection documenting two decades of the innovative trumpeter and composer’s wildest live visions delves even deeper into the vaults with never-released versions of Miles’ vibe-y “Turnarounphrase,” “Ife” and several iterations of “Tune In 5.” Brave stuff the David and the Garner boxes, combined perhaps the seven best jazz discs you’ll buy all year. ■
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Keresman on Disc
MARK KERESMAN ★=SKIP IT; ★★=MEDIOCRE; ★★★=GOOD; ★★★★=EXCELLENT; ★★★★★=CLASSIC
Barry Harris ★★★★ Plays Tadd Dameron Sam Most From The Attic of My Mind ★★★★★ Jimmy Heath Picture of Heath ★★★★★ Albert “Tootie” Heath Kwanza (The First) ★★★1/2 Xanadu/Elemental Music Xanadu was a jazz label founded in the mid-1970s by music producer Don Schlitten devoted primarily to bebop. Long out of print, it is An Event that its catalog is becoming available again. Plays Tadd Dameron is a tribute to that jazz composer/arranger by legendary pianist/educator Barry Harris—Harris is a player firmly in the tradition of bop pioneer Bud Powell, meaning he’s got fantastic technical ability and an tremendous sense of swing. While not super-wellknown outside of jazz circles, Dameron wrote some dandy tunes, including “Soultrane” and “Our Delight.” If you are a bebop devotee this set is a must. (8 tracks, 44 min.) Philadelphian Jimmy Heath has played saxophone (first alto, then tenor and soprano) with darn near everybody, including pre-electric Miles Davis and Milt Jackson. (His brother Percy played with Jackson in the Modern Jazz Quartet, btw.) Born in 1926, Heath is still at it (hear his excellent big band platter Togetherness from last year)—he writes welcoming, engaging tunes and plays warm, hearty saxes (with a little tartness). This is first-rate straight-ahead jazz with a quartet of Harris, bassist Sam Jones and the fantastic-regardless-of-context drummer Billy Higgins. (6 tracks, 42 min.) Now, the set by Heath’s other brother Albert (aka “Tootie”) is a different matter entirely, as piano ace Kenny Barron plays an electric keyboard as well as acoustic, Percy plays bass, Curtins Fuller on trombone, and Ted Dunbar on electric guitar. Recorded in 1973, Kwanza reflects the influences of fusion (leaning more toward jazz-funk than jazz-rock), free jazz, and Pan-African consciousness. “A Notion” is a soothing, serene, slightly free-ish tapestry featuring Jimmy Heath’s lyrical flute, and “Dr. Jeh” is a bit of electric bebop featuring Barron’s percolating and shimmering electric 88’s—imagine a cross between Art Blakey’s Messengers and Sweetnighter-era Weather Report. As a bonus, shemp@hotmail.com
Albert “Tootie” Heath.
there’s a nice unaccompanied Barron bit from 1981. (7 tracks, 45 min.) As fine as the above are, From the Attic of My Mind is the shiniest gem here. Sam Most (1930-2013) was one of THE FIRST notable jazz flutists (he also played sax, and was among the first to “sing through” the flute, like Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson), beginning his career as a leader in 1953. Herbie Mann and Rahsaan Roland Kirk cited him as an influence, and Most played in the bands and on the recordings of Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Buddy Rich. As there’s not exactly an overabundance of his albums…well, do the math. He’s backed by Kenny Barron (brilliant here, more so than on Kwanza), drummer Walter Bolden, percussionist Warren Smith, and the awe-inspiringly nimble bass of George Mraz. So you think flute is sweet and gentle? Most is the most-est, playing with an almost aggressive, gutsy, punchy tone. Aces high, hepcats. (8 tracks, 48 min.) elementalmusic.com Goldberg ★★★ Misty Flats Light in the Attic Bhi Bhiman ★★★★ Rhythm & Reason BooCoo Music/Thirty Tigers In the 1974 Midwest, singer/ guitarist/songwriter Barry Thomas Goldberg (no relation to the keyboardist) found himself full of songs needing to come out. Having no record label affiliation did not stop him nor his friend (and eventual underground ground cult figure) Michael Yonkers, so the two put out this album locally. While this release on CD is unlikely to establish it as a Lost Classic, it is rather good. It’s too bad Misty Flats did not receive distribution and airplay as it
would’ve dovetailed nicely with the weariness zeitgeist of the day—John Lennon, David Crosby/Graham Nash, and pre-superstardom John Denver. While vividly melancholy, Flats never comes off as precious or self-pitying—Goldberg’s guitar is basic but never raw, his soft singing (Nash-like at times) expressive and unusually comforting. Fans of acoustic sadness will find much to treasure here. (11 songs, 37 min.) lightintheattic.net The son of Sri Lankan immigrants, Bhi Bhiman is also a singer/songwriter/guitarist but closer to the tradition(s) of Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springsteen. Like them, some of Bhiman’s songs have a topical edge, but he also sings of matters of the heart. Like Springsteen, Bhiman has strong ties to the classic pop/rock/R&B continuum—among the influences are those of Curtis Mayfield (“Bread & Butter”) and The Byrds (“The Color Pink”). Bhiman has a vigorous, dis-
Bhi Bhiman.
tinctively poignant voice (echoes of Mayfield, Bruce, pre-funk Bill Withers, and Bob Marley) and infectious songs. If you dig introspective songs with soul, this is it. (10 tracks, 37 min.) thirtytigers.com Jim O’Rourke ★★★★1/2 Simple Songs Drag City This Jim O’Rourke fellow is a bit of a conundrum—he’s done some very avantgarde stuff (both composed and freely improvised, on his own and in collaboration with others) and he’s done an album or two (or three) of very pretty, witty, accomplished songs. Simple Songs, as the title hints, is songs but hardly simple—while influences of Brian Wilson, Jim Webb, and Burt Bacharach linger from his previous efforts, the ambience of this platter suggests progressive pop, as epitomized by
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Jim O’Rourke.
the earliest albums by Peter Gabriel (whose voice JOR slightly resembles), Wind and Wuthering-era Genesis, 10cc, Be-Bop Deluxe, Alan Parsons Project, and Electric Light Orchestra. Baroque-like passages, roaring orchestral bits, thundering piano, choruses of massed guitars, and ruminative singing—it’s all here. “Half Life Crisis” sounds like it could be a lost/should’ve-been hit by Supertramp, and le grande ballade (with a hint of country twang). “Hotel Blue” is the love child of Gabriel and Willie Nelson. Lots of creative ideas conjoined with succinct, subtly catchy and pretty melodies and slightlyquirky-but-heartfelt singing—that’s the ticket. 1975 never sounded quite this good. (8 tracks, 39 min.) dragcity.com Good Field ★★★1/2 Future Me Piscina Good Field is a Texas band but you forget any stereotypes you might have about Lone Star State music. There’s no blues, country twang, or bluster at all, but it does have a bit of a wide-open-spaces atmosphere to it. In fact, Future Me, with its noir-like twang guitar, moody-dark introspective songs, and haunted, Randy Newman-ish vocals would make perfect rainy day listening. This lot is a quartet whose solid but spare instrumentation and gloomy (but not oppressively so) undertones slightly evokes the UK’s postpunk combos The Teardrop Explodes and the bands on Creation Records. In this world of text and Skype, “Telecommunication” is a sublime summation of post-mod melancholy, and “Wait” will remind some of when U2 were just another band from Ireland (their debut disc Boy). The slight downside of Future Me is it’s a bit same-y consumed in one sitting, but when that rainy day feelin’ hits, this’ll be nice aural comfort food. (10 tracks, 42 min.) goodfieldband.com ■
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Nick’’s Picks
NICK BEWSEY
★=SKIP IT; ★★=MEDIOCRE; ★★★=GOOD; ★★★★=EXCELLENT; ★★★★★=CLASSIC
Melody Gardot ★★★★1/2 Currency Of Man Verve Lightning strikes twice for Melody Gardot on Currency Of Man, as perfect a jazz-tinged pop record for adults as can be. Larry Klein, the Grammy-winning producer behind records by Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock and Madeleine Peyroux, returns as producer; he was the deft guid-
Melody Gardot.
ing hand behind her sophomore album from 2006, the best-selling classic, My One And Only Thrill. On her previous efforts, Gardot blended genres with remarkable ease and conviction. Trending on that experience, Currency takes the singer to a new level with superior songwriting and a full-throated voice that’s drenched in the blues and post-modern soul, characterized by the midnight bass and drums on “She Don’t Know.” Deep down she’s still the hopeful chanteuse, yet Klein and she are about ripping the bandage off, crafting a confident, visionary album of roots-driven tunes (“Bad News”), sumptuous orchestral ballads (“If Ever I Recall Your Face”) and sharp social protests (“Preacherman”) that once and for all crowns Gardot as an essential American vocalist. In her press notes, Gardot speaks deliberately about the formative process of creating Currency, from the song choices Nick Bewsey has been writing about jazz for ICON since 2004 and is a member of The Jazz Journalists Assoc. He also paticipates in DownBeat’s Annual International Critics Poll. www.countingbeats.com Email: nickbewsey@gmail.com
through to the production process. She chooses electric guitar over the piano, and details a specific analog sound she finetuned with Klein and her engineers. The subtle hiss and ripe tonal quality along with quirky reverb could lose Gardot some friends, but it’s a smart decision and births an artistically satisfying achievement for the singer/songwriter. Available in an expanded edition “Artist’s Cut” with five additional songs, conceptually devised as a flow-through listen and not reviewed here. (10 tracks; 47 minutes) Nick Finzer ★★★★ The Chase Origin Among the better recordings I’ve heard in the last twelve months, there seems to be no shortage of millennial musicians such as Ben Williams or Aaron Diehl, formally schooled and baptized on the bandstand, producing superb albums that betray their “under 30” status. Trombonist Nick Finzer is another good example. The Chase is a sturdy and beautifully arranged program of melodic originals by Finzer who hits all the right notes on his sophomore recording. Juilliard-trained and mentored by the great Wycliffe Gordon, Finzer’s writing is as warmly com-
the sophisticated swinger, “All Hype,” a jolt of traditional hipness and modern cool. (11 tracks; 61 minutes) Jamison Ross ★★★★1/2 Jamison Concord Jazz Jamison is the debut of a significant talent. Winner of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition, the singularly entertaining Jamison Ross is a drummer of enormous presence and an irrepressible bandleader, judging from his album release show I attended at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in June. He also sings. Interest-
and bop when he sings and plays on Eddie Harris and Les McCann’s “Set Us Free” and again on the lush romantic ballad, “My One And Only Love.” The album is propelled on Ross’ talent and that of his band (notably pianist Chris Pattinshall and bassist Corcoran Holt), and he saves the best for last—the closer “Bye, Bye Blues” is a rousing, church revival-like number that soars on Ross’ star-making charisma and natural enthusiasm. It’s sure to be his signature tune. (12 tracks; 43 minutes) Gracie Terzian ★★★1/2 Saints and Poets independent release With an abundance of charm, jazzpop vocalist Gracie Terzian introduces herself as a reliably authentic chanteuse on her calling card EP, Saints and Poets. She’s a beguiling singer and modern song stylist with an astute sense of swing. Her six original songs (music co-written with pianist Wells Hanley) are lovingly record-
Jamison Ross.
Nick Finzer.
pelling as it is masterfully swinging, without a false step or throwaway tune in the bunch. His first-rate band of up-and-comers, anchored by pianist Glenn Zeleski, bassist Dave Baron and drummer Jimmy MacBride, are particularly adept at underscoring the small band harmonics on upbeat songs like the breezy “Acceptance” and the finger-snapping “Just Passed The Horizon.” The in-demand saxophonist and reed man Lucas Pino shares the frontline with Finzer who, along with guitarist Alex Wintz, give this sonically impressive date of a loose, open-collar feel. Among the many high points, the group’s blended grooves and interlocking rhythms give
ingly, his vocal talent was nowhere to be heard at the Monk competition; he won solely on his beats and rhythmic ingenuity, but when it came time to enter the studio, his triumph of percussion over voice was reconciled and here they bloom. He credits his family, specifically his mother who urged him to move beyond playing in his church choir as a younger man to expand his singing to a wide audience. The brisk Jamison plays like an open book on Ross’ contagious personality, which makes for an instant connection. This exuberant release opens with technicolor fireworks on a vivid Muddy Waters cover, “Deep Down in Florida,” that pops and shimmies on evocative soul and blues rhythms. Like singer Gregory Porter, Ross has a big, deep voice that’s operatic in its storytelling style, yet peaks and dips fluidly with an emotionally tangible vibe. He’s a savvy instrumentalist (Cedar Walton’s “Martha’s Prize” is an indelible swing tune that Ross tailors to his strengths), yet he clearly relishes soul-jazz
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Gracie Terzian.
ed (and sonically terrific) and lean on bossa nova rhythms with a degree of sophistication reminiscent of Melody Gardot or Stacy Kent. All of the songs are keepers, but the winning title track is the standout. “Sleepwalker” and “Wait Silently” are delightfully effervescent, too, with attractive, bubbly guitar solos. Certain and self-assured, it’s not surprising Terzian is a YouTube sensation. Though she performs frequently in New York, she deserves a higher profile, so here’s looking forward to what she does next. Available on iTunes. (6 tracks; 26 minutes) ■
Jazz Library
BOB PERKINS
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ITNESSING CERTAIN EVENTS AND meeting certain people earlier in life, can sometimes become meaningful as time goes by—especially when the witness goes on to become a writer, historian, or otherwise chronicler of life’s personalities and events. But who’s to know early on what they will eventually become? How much information on how many people and subjects should be stored away for possible future use? I entered into communications many years ago and, fortunately, my rewind button has been of great assistance in helping me make a living. In this column, I decided to write about singer Etta Jones. My recall took me back to the mid-1950s, when I first saw and heard her perform at a little club in Philly. She had not become “the” Etta Jones yet, and I certainly had no idea that six decades later, she would not be alive and I’d be writing a column about her. I liked what I’d heard from Ms. Jones that night at the little club in Philly. I don’t remember hearing much about and from her, until her 1960 hit, “Don’t Go To Strangers.” When the single became an LP, it went gold. I didn’t hear much about Etta between that first time, and “Strangers,” because she hadn’t been doing much recording. She was working to make ends meet, as an elevator operator, seamstress, and stuffing LPs into jackets for a major record company. With “Don’t Go To Strangers,” Etta Jones became a known entity in the entertainment world. But that recognition came after a long apprenticeship, which began with her entering an amateur contest in 1943 at the age 15. Even
Bob Perkins is a writer and host of an all-jazz radio program that airs on WRTI-FM 90.1, Mon-Thurs. 6 to 9pm & Sun., 9am–1pm.
though she did not take first prize, she caught the ear of bandleader Buddy Johnson and sang with his band for a year. She later recorded a few sides with the famed pianist and jazz authority Leonard Feather, then went on to sing in the bands of J.C. Heard and Earl “Fatha” Hines. The stint with Hines lasted three years. But Etta’s successful single and follow-up LP did not bring her the future success expected. She made a number of other albums for Prestige and other labels, but nothing major happened, even though she had great looks, a fine voice, and knew how to put over a song as well as any of her female vocal contemporaries. A change for the better came when she met saxophonist and bandleader Houston Person, who had a keen understanding of the recording industry, and not only was producing his own recording sessions for the Muse label, but those of other artists, too. He and Etta decided to join forces, travel together and work as a team, and they did so successfully for better than 30 years. This took Etta out of the race for wider recognition she hadn’t been able to capture. Person was an excellent tenor saxophonist and bandleader, knew the music business, and was always working. He and Etta traveled together domestically and abroad, and were always in high demand. Each worked independently on occasion, but most of the time they appeared together, which gave rise to the belief among jazz writers and fans that they were married. In 1977, I finally got to meet the lady I’d seen and heard when I introduced Etta and Houston at another club in Philly, at which I was the emcee. I continued to follow Etta’s career over the years, and whenever possible would attend her and Houston’s appearances. In 2001, I learned she was seriously ill and may not have long to live. I was present at one of her last concerts in Atlantic City in July of that year. She had to be helped onstage and sang while seated. But standing or seated, it was still Etta Jones. I saw her after the show, and knew it would probably be the last time—and it was. Etta passed away a couple of months later, just shy of her 73rd birthday. Etta Jones, a very fine singer of song who for whatever reasons didn’t get all the accolades her talent earned. I guess some folks just didn’t recognize her talent. She received three Grammy nominations and in 2008, her album Don’t Go To Strangers was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Much like Heinz, the maker of condiments who boasts having 57 varieties, Etta had at least that many ways of interpreting a song. She once said, “I never sing a song the same way again. I can’t even sing along to my own records.” So even after six decades, every now and then the image and the memory of when and where I first saw and heard Etta Jones, pops into my noggin. ■
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Singer / Songwriter Pete Townshend ★★★★ Truancy: The Very Best of Pete Townshend UMe While The Who celebrates its 50th anniversary with an international tour in 2015, lead guitarist and principal songwriter Pete Townshend has launched a
reissue campaign of his solo work. Truancy, a compilation of his work outside The Who, serves as a solid introduction for casual fans, and also includes two new songs for diehard followers. Working on his own gave Townshend the opportunity to stretch out artistically, from the laid-back folk of “Sheraton Gibson” to the catchy pop of “Let My Love Open the Door,” a Top 10 single from 1980. “A Heart to Hang Onto” a 1977 duet with Ronnie Lane from their Rough Mix album, is one of Townshend’s finest romantic ballads. “You Came Back,” an underrated gem from the 1983 album Scoop, is a charming song about reincarnation. Townshend the rocker also is on display here. The ferocious “English Boy” and the musically adventurous “Rough Boys” would not have sounded out of place on a Who album. Of the newer songs, “Guantanamo” is a bluesy lament for the Cuban prison, while “How Can I Help You” shows Townshend’s gift for a memorable melody. As a single CD, Truancy has its limits. Fine songs such as “A Little is Enough” and “A Friend is a Friend” failed to make the final cut. There is also no sampling of Townshend’s live solo work, such as his flamenco-inspired, acoustic version of “Drowned” from The Secret Policeman’s Ball album. Still, it’s good to hear Townshend taking a renewed interest in his solo catalog with the promise of more releases to come. 17 songs, 75 minutes
tomwilk@rocketmail.com
Sam Outlaw ★★★1/2 Angeleno Six Shooter Records With Angeleno, Sam Outlaw carries on the tradition of country music in California, incorporating elements of both the Bakersfield sound and the Los Angeles singer/songwriter scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The romantically plaintive “Who Do You Think You Are?” opens the album with pleasing mix of strings and mariachi horns that reflect the Golden State’s musical diversity and complement Outlaw’s pensive vocals. The pedal steel guitar of Jeremy Long and fiddle of Gabe Witcher
enhance the romantic yearning of “Keep it Interesting.” Vocally, Outlaw recalls Merle Haggard on “I’m Not Jealous” and evokes the spirit of Dwight Yoakam on the Tex-Mex flavored title track. Outlaw lightens the mood on “Jesus Take the Wheel (and Drive Me to the Bar),” and calls to mind the vocal stylings of Gram Parsons. Co-producer Ry Cooder, who contributes guitar, banjo and bajo sexto on the album, provides a sympathetic backing for Outlaw’s original songs while allowing the artist’s personality to come through. From the intimate “Old Fashioned” to the breezy pop of “Hole Down in My Heart,” which marries an upbeat melody to sobering lyrics, Outlaw is poised to break out as a country star. 12 songs, 42 minutes Tiffany Huggins Grant ★★★ Jonquil Child MGW Records Tiffany Huggins Grant has battled alcoholism and depression and these strug-
TOM WILK ★=SKIP IT; ★★=MEDIOCRE; ★★★=GOOD; ★★★★=EXCELLENT; ★★★★★=CLASSIC
gles have informed her songs on Jonquil Child, the Nashville-based artist’s second solo album and the first to receive national distribution. The country-tinged “Some Days a Dollar” is a contemplation of the ups and down life has to offer, while the countryrock offering “You’re Not Alone” serves as a recognition that others can help us to weather life’s storms. Grant, who had a hand in writing ten of the album’s songs, is a confident singer who is able to work in multiple genres. “Ain’t Nobody Leaves This Place” reveals her bluesy side, while “One Too Many” mines the honky-tonk tradition of drinking songs. “One too many is not enough to chase you from my mind,” she ruefully sings. The native Georgian draws on her Southern roots for inspiration. The amorous “Trouble on My Mind” features a Steve Cropper-styled guitar, reminiscent of his time with Stax Records, while “If You Only Knew,” has overtones of the ballads of Irma Thomas and Percy Sledge. 12 songs, 42 minutes Bryan Hayes ★★★ Farther Down The Line Self-released On Farther Down The Line, Bryan Hayes isn’t reluctant to pay tribute to his influences but it still able, for the most part, to put an individual stamp on his music, a blend of country and rock. “Let’s Ride” echoes Bruce Springsteen’s classic car songs, utilizing the open road as a symbol of freedom and tempo-
rary release from the burdens of everyday life. Hayes name-checks Guy Clark and John Prine, two of his songwriting inspirations, in the lyrics. “Small Town Amazing Grace” is an idyllic presentation of life away from the big city that recalls John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” with Hayes adding a spiritual element to his song. With “Our Love is like a Tractor Tire,” he
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describes the joys and trials of surviving relationships with plenty of automotive metaphors. “Our love is like a tractor tire going round and round through the mud and mire,” Hayes sings. “Tangle Me Up in You” draws its inspiration from Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue” and is an unabashed declaration of love. An Army veteran who served in Iraq, Hayes uses that time in the service for “The Other Side,’ a song about the loss of a friend and the afterlife, and the gospel-influenced “Southern River.” Hayes gets strong support throughout from the Retrievers, his backing band, and marks himself as a songwriter not afraid to speak his mind. 12 songs, 44 minutes Neil Young ★★★ The Monsanto Years Reprise Records “It’s a new day for the planet. It’s a bad day to do nothing,” Neil Young declares on “A New Day for Love,” the opening track of The Monsanto Years. It’s a call to action on a concept album that finds him targeting the agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto, genetically modified food and corporate greed. Young’s interest in the topic goes back to the mid-1980s when he was an early organizer and continuing supporter of Farm Aid. In retrospect, “Who’s Gonna Stand Up and Save the Earth?” which Young released last year, serves as a preview of the songs of his new album. Backed by Promise of the Real, which includes Lukas and Micah Nelson, sons of Willie Nelson, Young goes for an amplified, guitar-driven sound that recalls his work with Crazy Horse. “Big Box,” with its denunciation of corporate sprawl at the expense of small-town business, and the title truck stretch out for more than seven and eight minutes, respectively, and could have used a little tightening. Young injects a little levity into “A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop,” his jab at Starbucks, with a jaunty melody and background whistling. “People Want to Hear about Love” examines the subject matter of songs and what people want to hear versus what they need to know. “Wolf Moon” is the album’s sole acoustic track and would have fit it on his landmark album Harvest. In the end, Young is following the courage of his convictions and the path of artists like Woody Guthrie and singing about what he feels needs to be changed. 9 songs, 51 minutes ■
Dining
ROBERT GORDON
r.gordon33@verizon.net
ZOUBI I COULDN’T HELP FEELING a pang of nostalgia when I visited Zoubi. Zoubi’s fare is now contemporary American. Chef François Morvan and his classic French menu at Zoubi are now a bona fide chapter in New Hope culinary history. Zoubi was the final tender of the flame for classic-French cuisine in New Hope—the final link in the borough’s Gallic gastronomy that stretches back to1961. That’s the year French actress Odette Myrtil opened the now-departed, still-iconic Odette’s. Odette’s was all the rage throughout the Cold War. French dishes like foie gras and Crêpes Suzettes wowed an America that was mesmerized and mired in culinary misadventures. TV dinners, frozen cutlets, canning, and mass-produced mediocrity ruled. “Exotic” fare at new French emporiums like Lutèce in the Big Apple was lionized by the rich and famous on late-night talk shows. Crêpes Suzettes, foie gras, and onion tarte—what will they think of next? French cuisine had the same cachet to the TV-dinner generation as Marco Polo’s tales of Kublai Khan’s did on 14th century Europeans. When Odette’s opened, introducing common folk to such chichi ambrosia, she paved a veritable Silk Road to New Hope. Later, Chef Gérard Caronello opened la Bonne Auberge and commenced a 37-year run. Situated on an eyrie overlooking New Hope, la Bonne Auberge wooed regulars from Manhattan, Short Hills, and other tony Big Apple banlieux—despite the eatery’s outsized prices. With the proliferation of regional fine dining establishments la Bonne Auberge’s stream dwindled to a trickle just about the time Zoubi was opening. The newbie plucked talented, classically trained François Morvan from la Bonne Auberge’s kitchen. When Gérard closed shop in 2009, the torch of French cuisine, in effect, was passed to Zoubi. I’m delighted to characterize Zoubi’s departure from French cuisine as a very happy beginning. Under new Chef Justin McClain, Zoubi has not only reimagined itself, but done so with style, grace, and elegance. McClain’s menu draws from a host of different traditions. His eclectic style reflects a knack for coaxing the best of fresh, local ingredients. Sure, French influences abide. What chef in a restaurant named Zoubi would completely ignore UNESCO’s only World Heritage cuisine? Pickled dishes perk up the summer slate. Melt-in-the-mouth pork belly finds its ideal mate in pickled watermelon rind that nicely cuts the richness of the pork. (As testament, even my companion, who always declared a dislike for pork belly, loved this version and nearly “shared” my entire plate.) Pickled jalapeño rouses a succulent Beef Burger layered with provolone. House-made, light-as-air bowtie pasta complements scrumptious duck confit—one of the best I’ve ever eaten—wetted with hefty veal demiglace. Handmade Double Ravioli is presented in four tender elongated pillows stuffed with zucchini and spritzed with tomato broth laced with fresh Mozzarella and garlic. Black truffles cap earthy, delicious Roasted Portabella Soup with fennel and anise. I dug into fork-tender Hanger Steak prepared precisely to order. The steak perches atop a wilted spinach bed amidst an exquisite beurre sauce pool and would do the finest Parisian bistro proud. The outdoor bar is a lovely New Hope attraction as well. It’s not just a pretty face. Besides a slate of clever, meticulously tweaked cocktails, Zoubi offers house-made infusions like pear-peppercorn sage bourbon that spruce up whatever your traditional libation is. Tradition is great, but sometimes it benefits from some sprucing up. Though much has changed, much abides. Zoubi’s alfresco remains, as I’ve always touted, the region’s finest. No other setting so graciously captures the essence of alfresco dining in the courtyards of the Old World. I never let a summer pass without making as many trips to Zoubi as summer allows. ■ Zoubi, 5-7 W. Mechanic Street , New Hope, PA 215-862-5851 zoubirestaurant.com W W W . F A C E B O O K . C O M / I C O N D V ■ W W W . I C O N D V . C O M ■ A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 ■ I C O N ■ 37
Dining
ROBERT GORDON
r.gordon33@verizon.net
SAMPAN THE ONLINE MENU POPS up with these banners: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Happy Hour, and Menu. The third one causes consternation to some diners, both conceptually and experientially. This Happy Hour is one of the city’s finest, rollicking with revelers who are at times a bit boisterous. The exuberance throws some dining purists off their game. The complaint is not without some legitimacy. Still, if that’s the price to pay for some fine Asian and Asian-fusion food amidst attractive, vivacious décor, I’ll pay it. The fare, whether from the vegetarian, gluten, or regular menu is tasty. There are some outliers both above and below the mean. But even the outliers are not toss-aways. They’re simply not as exciting as the majority of the dishes. The vegetarian dishes, almost universally, are excellent. The tofu in vibrant Tofu Tacos is worked so artfully that, in both taste and texture, it eclipses the shrimp it suggests. The light, crispy shells that wrap the tofu and the sauce that clads it pair wonderfully. Pickled mushrooms, panko and citrus bring out the best in Mushroom Dumplings speckled with microgreens. I will note the only vegetarian disappointment: Vegetable Spring Rolls. The saddle of yula on a dumpling crammed with finely diced carrot and mushrooms contributes little, but the disappointment is with the accompanying tamarind-soy sauce. Schulman’s sauces generally reel with intensity and ebullience, but this one, uncharacteristically, does not. In contrast, Hamachi Cevichi—chunks of fluke awash in a spry soy-truffle elixir that’s served on three white porcelain spoons—is a destination dish. The juicy cocktail of assertive flavors practically crackle with bright flavors. The dish underscores the kind of magic this kitchen is capable of creating. Sampan’s Pad Thai recalls its glory days when, seemingly, Pad Thai was an ubiquitous, de rigeur menu item. Pickled carrots, tamarind sauce, sweet flat noodles, panfried peanuts, and egg (that adds texture more than taste), sing in a pleasing homespun chorus. My enthusiasm waned a bit with XO Scallops—a promising dish that, despite the XO sauce, turns out to be surprisingly bland. Ditto for Wagyu Beef. I anticipated Crispy Soft Shell Crab, Somen Noodles, Ponzu & Asparagus punchy accents to the succulent tender beef, but overall, the dish lacked mojo. The accompanying apricot sauce is dulcet and doesn’t overpower the meat, but it needed some underlying fire, a yin to the yang of the apricot. Those gigs don’t dampen my overall appreciation and admiration for the imaginative fare Sampan offers, like sriracha-fired Cheese Steak Potsticker with provolone and shallot or sensational Crispy Sweetbreads with Banana Jam—a dish that ranks as a personal all-time favorite. To those who think Sampan’s splashy interior as too “Nineties”—I disagree. I find the backlit blue walls and chic interior not only classy and modern, but energizing. I’m happy for the pleasant retro trip that recalls the days when Japanese and Asian culinary tastes and techniques made such a big splash. It’s all a matter of calibration. When the din is dialed down, Sampan ranks with some of Philly’s finest. ■ Sampan, 124 S 13th St, Philadelphia 215-732-3501 sampanphilly.com
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HOTEL Modern Cuisine h Classic Comfort
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12 / IRIS AND GREY GARDENS
Corner of Swan & Main Lambertville, NJ 609-397-3552
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23 / DENIS LEARY
It’s funny to hear Leary say “in reality” while talking about a character; yet—in reality, the comedian-actor does have a way with drawing, then portraying people who seem as if you know them. In part, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll works because Leary touches on every aspect of rock guys he’s known that were infamous (“I remember Steven Tyler accidentally knocking on my door late one night, looking JUST LIKE STEVEN TYLER!”) and not-so-famous like his bud, guitarist Adam Roth. “Adam was in this punk rock group The Marshalls, this band of siblings I grew up who broke up and got back together every night because one was always drunk and the drummer got all the pussy. They were classic.” Another of Leary’s talents for deeply etched characterizations come from the relationships he’s made with producers and directors he’s dealt with. Like that of the FX Network through whom Leary wrote and built up Rescue Me and his Tommy Gavin third generation New York City Fire Department firefighter role. It was toward that series’ finale that Leary began sketching Johnny Rock and the familial relationships in Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. “There’s the Heathens who are the most dysfunctional family. As a writer, too, I wanted to make Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll about a father and daughter. I wanted it to be about a guy who was old enough to be a real failure. In the music world, when was the last time that you heard about someone becoming a famous rock star starting at age 50? It’s make it by 25 or don’t. I also wanted a little more age on Johnny before I played him. As Rescue Me was ending, I knew I was going to go away from television for a while. As luck would have it, during that show’s last season, my writing partner told FX’s John Landgraf that I had an idea for a rock n’ roll comedy. Why the fuck did he tell them! Then again, Landgraf said he wanted the first crack at it, and I agreed, but I told him that takes like two years.” Leary brings up something that Martin Scorsese once told him about working on film projects, big and small: if they’re paying you big money to be the 200-pound gorilla, you’d better be the 200-pound gorilla. What Leary is referring to is the creative notes given to a showrunner/actor/writer from a network. When it came to Landgraf, Leary says that the FX honcho gives good note. “He’s a fan of the story. He’s there to help support the vision and build the story. That’s why Louis CK went to FX when he had his bad experience with HBO. Louis told FX to just give him the money—a small amount at that—and let him do it his way, without any notes. Landgraf gambled on that approach and everyone won. He respects the artist.” Talk turns to Scorsese again, first to ask Leary if he ever kicks himself about turning down the role that went to Mark Wahlberg in The Departed as Leary was Scorsese’s first choice. “No, never. I found that any part that I had to turn down for a reason, usually scheduling, winds up making sense in the long run. It’s also interesting to see what the other actor, Mark Wahlberg, did, which was amazing. I would have loved to have done that movie, but it would have killed me and it would have killed him and everyone else would have killed me as I was in NYC doing Rescue Me and Scorsese, oddly enough, was in Boston filming Departed. He wanted me to work weekends up in Boston while I was shooting Rescue Me in NYC. Everyone would have hated me.“ Remind Leary that Scorsese, too, has a rock n’ roll dramedy that he’s shooting for HBO, and Leary says he’s read the script, loves it, and wishes “that I could be in two rock series at one time, especially since Marty’s is about the underbelly of the recording industry in the late 70s.” As for Leary’s own rock series, he mentions bringing in his old pal Kelly as he starred in several of his projects including The Job at ABC. Leary wrote Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll’s drummer character for Kelly, a guy with a big heart and a big sound who can be a funny asshole (“someone who liked cake,” says Kelly, “lots of yellow cake”). When it came to the guitarist, he loved the idea of Corbett because he’s talented and good looking. “He’s a handsome guy. It bugs me. He’s my age but looks 20 years younger. I wanted someone that Johnny would naturally feel threatened by. Look at Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. They’re two dynamic guys who’ve had their friction over the years. I’ve heard women say how handsome they thought Joe is. But Steven is the singer. How many times do you think they looked over to see if the other guy is stealing his thunder? That’s what the whole show is about.” ■
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28 / VALLEY THEATER
Richard B. Watson was impressively creased and constipated as the time-obsessed, humor-impaired Phileas Fogg, who circles the globe to win a wager while unwittingly dodging a detective who thinks he robbed a bank. Eric Hissom was expertly exasperated as the easily outfoxed Detective Fix; Brad DePlanche was wickedly wacky as Fogg’s easily misguided, French-slaughtering servant, and Anita Vasan was pleasantly earthy and lofty as a rescued Indian damsel who melts Fogg’s iceberg heart with love and common sense. Russell Treyz directed a terrific circus of sound effects, musical-chair dances, audience interactions and actor goads (Mullen’s colleagues chided one of his quick costume changes). He skillfully marshalled the three Ms: Marx Brothers, Monty Python and Mel Brooks. The fourth M in this column is The Full Monty, which received a stirring, touching production at the Pennsylvania Playhouse. Seth and Chip Rohrbach led an energetic, engagingly flinty ensemble of unemployed steelworkers who regain some of their mojo by becoming strippers. As Horse, the sole African-American stripper, Daniel Melo stole the show with a dance that mixed geriatric James Brown with funky-chicken Redd Foxx. Lucille DeMasi Kincaid stole the show several times as a wise-cracking rehearsal pianist tough enough for a combat platoon. Director/choreographer Bill Mutimer skillfully coordinated chesty solos, confessional duets and a flamboyant finale. His version of “Michael Jordan’s Ball” was a bopping, sliding, slam-dunking basketball ballet. ■
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8 / ELIZABETH OSBORNE
There are also works articulating fanciful spectra-like forms consisting of horizontal sequences of upright shapes of assorted hue, cast upon obscure laboratory walls, left unseen by scientists who wish they could otherwise put their optic nerves to work. On the other hand, they might also be reminders of the huge op-styled painting called “Franklin’s Footpath,” once applied to the ground in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art by the late painter from Washington, D.C., Gene Davis. Recently, I had occasion to hear some self-appointed art experts say they found fault with what they construed to be the “pitifully childish simplicity” of Osborne’s work. Frankly, I couldn’t disagree with this premise more than I already do. While her art may, in some respects, appear to be child-like, it is never childishly simplistic. As an adult, seeking a mature and sophisticated idiom of expression, Osborne has had to struggle vigorously to break free of the severe and stultifying conservative practice imposed on her as a student at the Academy. In fact, asserting one’s personal freedom of expression instead of merely perpetuating hackneyed habits of imitative facility is a far more difficult challenge than the uninformed may realize! Furthermore, it is something the child-artist is totally unaware of simply because he or she is, in fact, young and entirely inexperienced with the ways of the grown-up art scene. The adult artist who tries to recapture the truly original, child-like vision of the young person, must relentlessly drive him or herself to give voice to a deep personally intuitive need for generating a genuinely individual, artistic integrity. By contrast, children, as a result of natural endowment, are aesthetically impulsive. After all, all children can and do make child-art. For a variety of reasons, adults are no longer equipped to do so. Furthermore, the mature artist is caught between the need and desire to both exercise aesthetic impulse and the will to exert artistic control. Because of all these reasons, the child-like vision of an Osborne actually reflects the disciplined hand of a gifted adult. Her ability to also energize processes of mature judgment allows her to give existence to thoughtful artistic economy.While it is easy to say this with words, trust me when I maintain it is frequently very difficult to attain this virtue in one’s work with actual painting media. By way of example, consider the decorative restraint one finds in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. It is a beautiful example of artistic abbreviation. Osborne’s current installation at the Michener in Doylestown is surely among the best solo shows to appear anywhere this year. When you see her paintings, they vibrate with a unique vitality of their own, with registers of color that enhance your sense of being genuinely alert and entirely alive. ■ Veils of Color: Juxtapositions and Recent Work by Elizabeth Osborne is generously supported by Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest, Bonnie O'Boyle, Bayard Storey, PhD, FREEMAN’S, Harriet and Charles Ermentrout, Dr. Janice T. Gordon, Luther W. Brady, Norman and Caryl Rosenthal, and an anonymous friend of the Museum.
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About Life
JAMES P. DELPINO, MSS,MLSP,LCSW,BCD
Making Love 24/7 THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED great sex know that it doesn’t start in the bedroom nor does it end in the bedroom. Great sex resides in the hearts and minds of two deeply bonded partners. Sex, though, is a subset of making love, and by itself it restricts all grander possibilities that making love issues forth. Great sex depends on three things—how each person feels; what each person thinks/believes; and blood flow. The cultivation of deep thoughts and positive emotions become the basis for making love all the time. The question of blood flow is the mechanical and technical side of things. Making love is the path to creating deeply positive thoughts and feelings for two partners. The littlest and most humble moments and experiences can become a treasure trove of shared delight. With those moments come the feelings, thoughts and beliefs that lead to the kind of great connection that naturally flows into great sex. Clearly, creating this kind of lifestyle involves communication. Verbal communication that is direct, loving and non-adversarial generally achieves the best results for any two people. Being non-defensive in speaking and listening is the royal road to intimacy. Being emotionally intimate leads to more and better physical intimacy. Knowing what and how to communicate in the bedroom is an art that is mutually developed by each couple.
Words spoken in moments of tenderness and intense passion can further drive the conditions for deepening the experience of sex and making love. Finding the right ways to express words for each partner is developed by communication outside of the bedroom as well as experimenting with communication in the bedroom. Words and expressions are easier when the communication is loving, probative and non-judgmental. Communication experts suggest that 80 to 90 percent of communication is nonverbal. Perhaps even more important than our words are things like facial expressions, tone of voice and body positioning. In those moments when words are not spoken, the frequency of eye contact, for example, can augment or diminish the level of connection and intimacy. How often a couple hug and snuggle non-sexually is a huge piece of how they think and feel about their connection. Just by looking into each others eyes for more than thirty seconds triggers the release of the bonding hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin. These hormones are a powerful emotional stimulus that generate feelings of love, empathy and caring for each other. Making love involves the couple being aware of the words and behaviors that promote their connection so that the urge to express the overflow of emotion manifests in physical ways. Making love is an act of seduction—enjoying a sunset together, sharing a piece of Bel-
gian chocolate, laughing, holding, exploring and traveling the world, are things that promote the presence of bonding hormones and the likelihood of great sex that continues to get better over time. Blood flow is the mechanical ingredient of great sex. When couples are able to create the experience of making love more and more often they are stimulating blood flow to the brain, the largest of the sexual organs. How partners think about each other has a lot to do with how they feel about each other, just as how each person thinks about sex has a lot to do with their experience of sex. Keeping the brain stimulated helps to promote more closeness and emotional intimacy. An intimate knowledge about the other person’s body is usually gained by communication and experience. Good, effective communication about what feels good to the heart, mind and body of each partner goes a long way toward creating greater experiences of making love and having sex. This knowledge enables each partner to understand how, where and when to stimulate the other to enhance blood flow to the vital sexual organs—and this completes the interplay of the emotional and physical aspects of making love. ■
Jim Delpino is a psychotherapist in private practice for over 33 years. jdelpino@aol.com Phone: (215) 364-0139.
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The Los Angeles Times SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS By Melanie Miller Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
“ACROSS 1 Utmost reach 5 AT&T Pebble Beach National, e.g. 10 Ship that sailed to Colchis 14 It can be baled 19 Buyerʼs aid 20 Icon on many romance novel covers 21 Mess (up) 22 Pitch with force 23 Clothesline, for one 24 Pendant impervious to little hands? 27 Doctor with a losing plan 29 Prominent periods 30 Fades 31 Lamentation of Christ work 32 Navy captainʼs insignia 35 Trial versions 36 __ scan 37 Demonstrates anti-boxing sentiment? 41 __-faced 44 Laborious effort 46 Pitman user 47 Bit of deception 48 “Lady Jane Grey” playwright 50 Pretentious 52 Onetime 53 Enterprise helmsman, to Kirk 55 South American slitherer 57 iPod holders? 60 Descendant 61 Aching 63 Currency of Liechtenstein 64 Book cover? 67 Sarah Palinʼs birthplace 69 It may be full of ash 74 Swiss cultural city 76 Scoundrels 78 Dealerʼs offer 79 Pinocchio plug-in? 84 Didactic stories 87 Gracious 88 Wish undone 89 SeaWorld orca 91 Some are full-bodied 92 Weekend Prep brand 93 Florida Aquarium city 95 Error remnant 97 Thing to rally over 98 Cross between a hound and a zebra? 101 Crab leg count
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Agenda CALL FOR ENTRIES Philadelphia Sketch Club: 2015 Absolutely Abstract Open Juried Exhibition. Entry Deadline: Aug. 9, midnight Exhibition Dates: Aug 28-Sept 19 Eligible: Any two-dimensional abstract, non-representational works in any media. Works must be framed and wired for hanging. No clip frames. Max. size: 44”x44” including frame. Entry fee: Active PSC members: $1 first piece, $10 add’l works. Non-Members: $20 first piece, $10 additional works. Online entry assistance: 8/9, 1-5 at PSC. Bring works to PSC and we can photograph and enter it. Delivery of accepted works: 8/21 & 8/22, 1-5. Notification of acceptance: emails sent or check sketchclub.org 8/11 after 5 PM. Pickup: 9/14 and 17, 1-5. Entry: sketchclub.org/psc-official-online-submission-site. Reception: 8/30, 2-4. Award presented at 3:00 PM. 19th Riverside Festival of the ArtsSat. & Sun., Sept. 19 & 20, 10-5 in downtown Easton, PA, along the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. $2,000+ in prizes for Juried Art Show/Plein Air Contest. Applications at eastonriversidefest.org until August 31.
ART EXHIBITS THRU 8/8 Characterization. Artwork by Edward Evans, international abstract illusionist painter. E-Moderne Gallerie, 116 Arch St., Phila. 267-9272123. e-moderngallerie.com THRU 8/15 PHOTOgraphy 2015 Exhibition. Main Gallery. Philadelphia Sketch Club, 235 S. Camac St, Phila. 215545-9298 sketchclub.org THRU 8/18 Perception Illusion: An Eastern Journey. Works by Edward Evans. E-Modern Gallerie, 116 Arch St., Philadelphia. 267-928-2123 e-modernegallerie.com THRU 8/23 William Baziotes, Surrealist Watercolors. Allentown Art Museum of the Lehigh Valley, 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, PA. 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org THRU 9/6 The Puzzling World of John Sloan. Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 302.571.9590. delart.org
THRU 9/7 New Hope Arts Photo Contest in association with PNC Arts Alive Outdoor Sculpture Project. sculptureproject.org and facebook.com/ newhopesculptureproject for info and updates on new sculpture installations and select photos from the Photo Contest. THRU 9/27 Dream Streets: Art in Wilmington 1970–1990. Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 302.571.9590 delart.org THRU 10/11 Woven Welcome. A communitybased art project that utilizes the woven rug as a statement of the interconnectedness of individuals. Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. 5th St., Allentown. 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org THRU 10/11 Above Zero: Photographs from the Polar Regions. Photographer Sam Krisch reveals how journeys to Antarctica and elsewhere have impacted his photographic practice. Krisch is known for his digital images and iPhone artwork. Allentown Art Museum of the Lehigh Valley, 31 N. Fifth St, Allentown. AllentownArtMuseum.org THRU 11/15 Veils of Color: Juxtapositions and Recent Work by Elizabeth Osborne. James A. Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown. 215-340-9800. michenermuseum.org. 8/7 Jeweler Virginia DeNale. Virginia will demonstrate some of her jewelry setting techniques and refreshments will be provided, 7-8 PM. Red Tulip Gallery, 19C W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA. 267454-0496. RedTulipCrafts.com 8/13 REVISIT - 1st Annual Group Show & Sale. All art 20% off. Reception, 6–8. E-Moderne Gallerie, 116 Arch St., Phila. 267-927-2123. e-moderngallerie.com 9/12-10/11 Shifting Paradigms/Tribute to the New Arts Program. Works by James Clark, Joseph Egan, Paul Harryn, Barbara Kilpatrick, Michael Kessler, James Carroll. Kutztown University Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery. Reception 3-5, 9/12. 610683-5803. kutztown.edu/artgallery
ART FESTIVALS/AUCTIONS
CONCERTS
8/23 Summer Folk Art and Neighborhood Festival. Celebrate community and our collective history at our free festival showcasing the exhibition A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America. This day-long festival will include yoga, music, video, and food in Arts Park (across from Museum) as well as folk art, craft demonstrations, more music, and hands-on upcycle activities for all ages inside the Museum. 11-4. Allentown Art Museum, 31 North 5th St., Allentown. 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org
8/16 Valley Vivaldi, presented by Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra. Chamber music by Vivaldi, J. S. Bach, and Zelenka featuring the complete "Four Seasons" with violinist Paul Chou. 7:30 p.m. Wesley Church, 2540 Center St. (Route 512), Bethlehem, PA. Tickets- $15$35 in advance/at door. 610 4347811. PASinfonia.org
9/19, 20 19th Riverside Festival of the Arts, 10-5 along the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. The festival features fine artists, crafts people, musicians and authors. Downtown Easton, PA. Eastonriversidefest.com. 9/26 & 9/27 22nd Annual Outdoor Arts & Crafts Festival in beautiful New Hope, PA. Over 175 juried fine artists/craftsmen exhibit work in all mediums. Music and food. New Hope-Solebury High School, W. Bridge Street. Free shuttle to and from festival and Main St. Free admission. Sat., 10-6; Sun.,10-5. Newhopeartsandcraftsfestival.com 10/4 Art Auction for the Karl Stirner Arts Trail featuring the work of Larry Fink, Peter Grippe, James Harmon, Ed Kerns, Stacy Levy, Loren Madsen, Martha Posner, Gerald Stern, Jim Toia and other notable artists. Cocktail reception 3:00 PM, Auction 4:00 PM. Lafayette College, Easton, PA. Karlstirnerartstrail.org
DANCE 9/16 Mark Morris Dance Group. Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton St., Easton, PA. 610-330-5009. Williamscenter.lafayette.edu.
DINNER & MUSIC Thursday nights, Community Stage with John Beacher, 8-midnight. Karla’s, 5 W. Mechanic St., New Hope. 215-862-2612. Karlasnewhope.comnewhope.com Thurs.-Sat., Dinner and a Show at SteelStacks, Bethlehem. 5-10:00, table service and valet parking. artsquest.org
8/21 Panoply Books & T Penn Present: Slime Freak Music Night @ 6pm. Featuring: Russian Tsarlag, Dan Talbot, Human Adult Band (rain or shine). Panoply Books, 48 N. Union St, Lambertville, NJ. 609397-1145. 9/11 Barry Harris Trio with special guests Jon Irabagon & Marquis Hill. Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton St., Easton, PA. 610-330-5009. Williamscenter.lafayette.edu. 9/12 Sheila E., Season Opener. Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. 610-758-5425. ZoellnerArtsCenter.org 9/18 Cimarrón. Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton St., Easton, PA. 610-3305009. Williamscenter.lafayette.edu. 9/27 PRISM Quartet. Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton St., Easton. 610-330-5009. Williamscenter.lafayette.edu.
MUSIKFEST CAFÉ 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA 610-332-1300. Artsquest.org 8/3 8/6 8/7 8/8 8/9 8/10 8/11 8/12 8/13 8/14 8/15 8/16 8/21 8/26 8/30 9/3 9/11
Happy Together Tour 2015 Duran Duran The Flaming Lips Culture Club O.A.R Jerry Seinfeld Reba ZZ Top 3 Doors Down with Collective Soul Darius Rucker Snoop Dogg Alice in Chains Nick Di Paolo Justin Hayward The FIXX Delta Rae Ana Popovic
10/3 SVET, Electric Hip Hop Violinist. 7:30 PM, State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, PA. 610252-3132 or 1-800-999-STATE. Statetheatre.org
KESWICK THEATRE 291 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA (215) 572-7650 keswicktheatre.com 8/8 8/14
8/15 8/18 8/27
Graham Nash - 8:00pm Jefferson Starship + Jazz is Dead and Quicksilver “Happy Trails” Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Grateful Dead and “the San Francisco Sound” 8:00pm The Psychedelic Furs & The Church - 8:00pm Miranda Sings - 7:00pm Jake Shimabukuro 8:00pm
LECTURES 8/20 Ana Hamilton: Contemporary Art in Cuba: A Cultural Exchange. Artist Ana Hamilton participated recently in the first cultural exchange with Cuba coordinated by the National Association of Women Artists. Join Ana for an illustrated overview of what is happening in contemporary art in Cuba. Free. 6 p.m., Allentown Art Museum, 31 North Fifth Street, Allentown. 610-432-4333. AllentownArtMuseum.org
FESTIVALS / EVENTS 8/8, 9 The 2015 New Hope Automobile Show. One of the oldest vintage car shows in the country. 9-4. New Hope-Solebury High School, New Hope. NewHopeAutoShow.com 8/29 4th Annual Upper Bucks Brewfest featuring over 60 craft beers, local wineries, restaurants, craft vendors and music. Quakertown Train Station, 15 Front St., Quakertown, PA. Quakertownalive.com 9/6 Celebrate Riverfest in Frenchtown, NJ. Festivities run from noon until night. Family fun includes nature and environmental exhibits, art activities, paperboat races on the river, face painting, music, belly dancing and lots of BBQ. Riverfest will end with a terrific fireworks display over the river. Join us. Frenchtownnj.org
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