Track From The New Gil Scott-Heron CD, "I'm New Here"

Click on title.

Oh, how I love my new record playa

The Leopard was not particularly excited about growing one year older on my recent birthday, until I received a wonderful gift from my lovely companion-- a brand spanking new turntable. I haven't owned one of these babies since the 80's. It's one of those newfangled joints that also hook up to your computer so you can transfer that good, warm sound straight into an mp3, complete with scratches and skips if you want (and you can download software if you don't).

The first week I got the thing, I went nuts and bought a shitload of old records from ebay and local vinyl record stores. It was fun. They were mostly some of my favorite jazz lps and the odd Joni Mitchell record.

There's something truly marvelous about seeing that big black disc twirl around. One of the true joys is hearing it end and start clicking once the needle hits the label. It means side one is over, time to turn the record over.
Man, that takes me back.

The Leopard List : 2009 Movies

The Leopard hasn't posted a movie list in a while because I haven't had much chance to go to the movies. And specifically, I'm not particularly interested in a critical list of new films. Just one that spotlights recent movies that I reccommend you go see. Unfortunately, there's been precious few lately.
Having said that, here are couple of recent releases that I enjoyed and I think are definitely worth a look.

1. Inglourious Basterds
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
There has been a general mixed reaction to this film, but I am of the opinion it's one of Tarantino's best. Sure, it's loaded with homages to many past films, grade A through grade B. Sure, it's outrageously violent, and yes, it's relentlessly historically inaccurate and sort of pointless, but so what? It's greatly entertaining and full of terrific performances. Newcomer Christoph Waltz is simply brilliant as a charming but sadistic nazi; Brad Pitt is hilarious as hell bent soldier bent on relieving the SS of their scalps; and Melanie Laurent is wonderful as an escaped jew who exacts revenge.

2. I Love You Man
Directed by John Hamburg
A light and vulgar little comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jason Siegel which also somehow manages to be surprisingly insightful. Rudd plays a guy so devoted to the women in his life he neglects to have any kind of relationship with a someone of his own sex. Awkward and charming, Rudd is in his element.

3. Coraline
Directed by Henry Selick
Selick, a wizard of the stop motion technique and the man behind Tim Burton's wonderful "Nightmare Before Christmas" from a few years back, creates a truly magical and special film about a little girl who finds a secret door in her old house and travels to an alternative dimension. The visuals, which are breathtaking, are enhanced by the 3D treatment.

4. Tyson
Directed by James Toback
Toback's no-holds-barred documentary about troubled boxer Mike Tyson is nothing less than revelatory. In his own words, Tyson lays out his violent, tumultuous life. The champion boxer's story is just as contradictory as this compelling film.

5. Star Trek
Directed by JJ Abrams
A wondrous, exciting, and forward-thinking reimagining of the beloved TV show, the new Star Trek movie is a giant leap forward for the franchise. All the actors are beautifully cast, especially the lightly lisping Zachary Quinto who, in his brilliant portrayal of Mr. Spock, steals the film.

Some of my Favorite Artists (4): Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus

There are musicians who shine brightly on recordings and then there are artists who must be experienced live. Sonny Rollins is one those artists.
In the Leopard's early days of collecting jazz records, Sonny Rollins' work was conspicuously absent. At first, I didn't appreciate the throatiness of his sound and the boldness of his approach. It's hard to imagine now that I simply didn't understand why he had won so many jazz polls and why he was on top of so many people's lists. I found his playing overpowering, drowning out the other musicians. It didn't surprise me that he had been among the first to experiment with pianoless trios, leaving out for me an essential component.

But a friend one day casually handed me a copy his CD Saxophone Colossus, and I finally began to understand the fuss. On it, he plays to his considerable strengths, from the self penned, now- standard tune "St. Thomas" to his version of "Mack The Knife" and the beautiful, tender balladry of "You Don't Know What Love Is". I could hear on this record the melodic, inventive style that made his name.

Then, in the Summer of 2006, I saw him play at The Community Theater in Morristown, NJ. It was a revelation. Even at the tender age of 76, Rollins completely dominated the concert, improvising brilliantly throughout the entire evening. Though to Rollins it was probably just another date on the tour, every number seemed classic to me. He played with such virtuosity and creativity I was shaking my head in astonishment and awe.
By then, I had already fallen in love with many of his recordings, particularly Way Out West and Sonny Rollins At The Village Vanguard, but seeing him live was another thing. I now understood his greatness, And how lucky we are to have him still among us, making great music.
(Click on title to hear St. Thomas)

Roy Haynes

The Leopard just saw the great drummer Roy Haynes at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in New York last night. He's now my new life model. 
The 84-year-old master musician played a blistering 2 hour set without bothering to take a breath! His decades-younger band couldn't possibly keep up with him and were breaking out in a black sweat. Haynes pushed the talented young saxophonist Jaleel Shaw until the boy nearly collapsed from exhaustion. In case you didn’t know, Haynes is one bad cat. One of the most recorded drummers in the history of jazz, his resume speaks for itself: he’s played in important bands with Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk, Eric Dolphy, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and countless others. The name of his new band is Fountain Of Youth. How apt.

(Click on title for his dynamite tune, "Diverse" from his 2000 CD Bird Of A Feather.)



Some of My Favorite Artists (3): John Coltrane

When it comes to music, The Leopard isn’t usually one to indulge in lists.
There is simply too much diversity to bother limiting myself to particular artists, as brilliant as they can be. How do you compare say, Eric Dolphy with Brian Wilson or Youssou N’Dour with Leonard Bernstein?

But some great musicians have meant more to me personally. One of them is the great saxophonist and composer John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) Coltrane's music touched me emotionally from the very first time I heard it and effects me just as much all these years later. But it's more than that. It's endlessly intellectually satisfying as well. And that is how I see his sound--a perfect union of both.
Like many jazz enthusiasts, the starting point was Miles' Davis' seminal recording Kind Of Blue, where the great saxophonists' solo on "All Blues" had such warmth and ingenuity that I sought out his solo work, hungering for more.
Next stop was the unprecendented My Favorite Things, a glorious reimagining of a catchy little ditty that in Coltrane's hands became a tour de force of modal style adorned with Middle Eastern influences. By then, I was buying every Coltrane record I could get my hands on, eventually catching up to the later Impulse! recordings, where the saxophonist was embroiled in an inner musical battle, screeching atonally to reach some unfathomable peak.

And I love it all. Coltrane's influence on jazz and music in general is incalcuable, and has been written about ad nauseum by scholars much more informed than I. But what truly matters to me is the legacy.

There may be music created over the centuries as great as John Coltrane's, but none greater.

(Click on title to hear the tune "Crescent")

Casey

No, The Leopard isn't the sort to go on and on about their beloved pet. In fact, I find it rather annoying when people do. Still, in the interest of full disclosure, I do love my cat, Casey.

I picked up Casey years ago after seeing her on one of those segments on a local TV newscast where they feature unwanted pets at the ASPCA. When I saw this tiny kitten, looking so incredibly cute n' cuddly, I called the TV station and was directed to a shelter. There I saw her for the first time in the flesh (or fur). She was frantically trying to stick her little fuzzy head through the bars of her cage. I liked her radical spirit.

Cut to 11 years later. The unhappy relationship I was in at the time I adopted Casey was long over, but Casey was still my responsibility. By now things had changed radically: I no longer had a lifestyle that could include a feisty, curmudgeonly older cat.

Despite postings on Craigslist, Facebook and other assorted social networks, my earnest attempts to find her a home brought no success.
Running out of options, I made a last attempt to ask close relatives to take her in. But still, no one seemed to have any extra space for my longtime companion.

And so, with a heavy heart, I decided to take her to a local shelter. Although I expected the worst, the dedicated staff actually went out of their way to assure me that a healthy cat like Casey would most likely find a home. This made me feel a little less guilty.

According to the paperwork, I was"surrendering" my cat to the facility.

I felt more like I was giving up a close friend.