Down in the Depths by Bill Black

Unearthed decades after original recording,this beautiful vocal Jazz album shows ex-Gene Krupa big band singer going for intimate after-hours music,backed by what sounds only small combo and very much in Nat king Cole Trio style. Unobtrusive musicians in the background give enough space to easy going and mournful sounding singer who was a first-rate balladeer and not unlike much better known Chet Baker (but where Baker occasionally sounded comatose,Bill Black had a spark and some life in him).

The recorded sound is of course mono but sounds surprisingly clear (considering time of recording) and the whole is one pure listening pleasure,something to curl up with on a cold and rainy night outside - what else,when you have gentle singer backed by guitar and bass - songs are ballads with sensitive lyrics,pure daydreaming.

No matter what were circumstances of Black's life and the tragedy of having this music never actually released and introduced to audience at the time (and we are talking about something like Sinatra's best ballad albums!) the time somehow turned the tide and now we have it, shining like some long forgotten jewel from another time, guitar and bass Jazz vocal diamond that actually don't sound dated at all.

I always love Jazz vocal music but often found big bands overwhelming the singers,so it is pleasure to find album like this,where simple background gives spotlight to voice and lyrics instead of orchestra.My very favorite Peggy Lee album is another unreleased one - "Travelin' light" where her radio-only recordings present her with similar small combo and her voice lingers around guitar,bass and drums,simple but much more effective than all the big bands crashing through the ceiling.

Tribute to Darko Kraljić (1977)

Darko Kraljić was very influential and successful composer of pop music in post WW2 period - we are talking about person inspired with Glenn Miller and american Jazz music but reality was communism around him and "comrades" who didn't approve of western influences. Even with this problems Kraljić managed to built brilliant career as a composer of sophisticated,urban music with romantic lyrics and often his own,unmistakable light,swinging sound. His music truly defined a time of rebuilding of country completely ravaged by war and there is a certain optimism shining even in mournful ballads,not to mention infectious rhythms that simply invited on a dance floors.

This LP compilation (released in late 1970s) serves as a tribute to this gifted composer at the time when music business changed completely and composers were pushed in the background. Decades earlier composers were the ones collecting awards and success,but with time the phenomenon of singers-songwriters eventually pushed "composers only" in the background and our very own Cole Porter or Gershwin or Irving Berlin got little attention - he was never completely forgotten (how could he be,after all this is guy who wrote tons of evergreens) but rock groups would be everywhere,while someone like him was considered old-fashioned.

Music collected here is definitely not "The Best of" because for this Darko Kraljić deserves at least double LP album (today it would be a CD box set with well researched liner notes). It is collection of songs from radio-archives,often new modern talents replacing original versions of evergreens (for example,included here is not original "Ko nekad u osam" but newly recorded version with vocal by Boba Stefanović who is fine singer - perhaps much better than original vocal - but still,this is not the same song anymore when taken away from original orchestration and interpretation).

Only "Mala tema iz Srema" recorded by sensational Jazz vocal quartet "Vokalni Kvartet Predraga Ivanovića" sounds like original recording,the rest are all newly recorded versions by current pop singers. They are fine and mostly cope well with composers light swing orchestrations,but I would rather hear original vocals - and it would make more sense to collect composers best known work as audience remembers it.

"Uspomene" : Various Artists (1976)

Very interesting and completely obscure LP album released mid-1970s with excellent backing band and all-stars group of singers.

What looks like some strange hodgepodge of singers and material is actually "Korni grupa" playing behind material already selected for the whole album by "Grupa San" but their singer passed away so material is recorded by various singers as a kind of tribute to this band. Some excellent musicians are collected here (Josip Boček,Vladimir Furduj.Kornelije Kovač) and atmosphere is surprisingly laid-back,sophisticated mid-1970s rock with a certain Stevie Wonder-vibe,even instrumental is first rate,really not a single nod towards commercialism or trends, this is album that stands proud at his ground,kind of prog-rock with a style,substance and class.

In my opinion,music collected here is so good that vocals were not really necessary but OK, we got surprise star visits from almost everybody who ever hang out with "Korni grupa" and worked with them - usual suspects (Bisera Veletanlić, Zdravko Čolić, Zlatko Pejaković) and of course here is Dado Topić who was group's main and best known vocalist before he went solo.

It is very good album if you have chance to stumble upon it - I was attracted to it because of all singers included but immediately noticed musicians playing in the background and said to myself "wait a minute,there is something else going on" - what looked like just another compilation at first glance,turned into interesting surprise,mellow rock played brilliantly and various vocalists actually give this album great charm and diversity. It's almost shocking to hear some of these talents in their youthful power and singing music with passion and conviction,before they capitulated and went mainstream,selling themselves for money. Many of them left this kind of music behind and started pursuing silly pop jingles instead (yes,we are looking at you Zlatko Pejaković) so it is a great surprise to hear young talents doing what they really loved.

Rainy day album with some first-rate musicians and cherry-picked vocalists.

Have I mentioned Aleksandar Sanja Ilić? He composed every song here and he should be proud at this work,I saw his name lot of times before but this is the first time where his work is shining outside of usual pop stuff and its actually very good. I'm sure he would be very surprised and flattered to know that his work still lives and is listened today.

Two very different books

Two more books I read almost simultaneously,although they have nothing to do with each other but occasionally I enjoy simply switching between different literature,so these two were living next to each other,stuck somewhere near to my pillow.

"The Tipping point" by Malcolm Gladwell was calling my name for a long time,that little book simply looked intriguing. Contrary to what people think ("You can't judge book by its cover") t is the cover that first gets my attention - or not - this is something publishing companies are working on and I am sure they know what they are doing and why are doing it in particular way,however I am a life-long reader and there is a very special little bell inside that tells me "hm,this looks interesting" and it usually proves right. This fascinating book is about the point when a certain phenomenon "tips over" into epidemic,be it fashion,behavior,disease or say,crime. Gladwell did some very good research and comes with interesting points about human behavior - why we do the things we do - effortlessly jumping from one subject to the other,from history to present time,from children's TV show "Sesame street" to wave of suicides in South Pacific and back. One of the interesting points he makes is that every epidemic usually needs someone with strong personality (he calls them "connectors,mavens and salesmen") to lead the way and connect the right people. Another thing he mentions is how much people like to follow and repeat something that fascinated them - something that "sticks" (as opposite to everything else that "don't stick" no matter how much is invested in advertisements).

Interesting case is actually this book in itself - it really "sticks" because whoever reads it,talks about it to his friends and we are recommending it to each other without even noticing. I found myself quoting something from the book yesterday and explaining it to my friends,than saying to myself "you see,you got the bug already!"

The very first time I stumbled upon James Herbert,I read his novel "Nobody true" and was thrilled enough to give him chance several more times although nothing ever matched that first excitement - in fact,I noticed a certain sameness in his work so approached "48" with caution,ready to give up upon first negative character who happens to be big fat woman menacing the world. To my biggest surprise,this one turned out to be gripping read - in fact,action is happening so fast that I didn't have time to think about boredom,repeating or cliches - I was pulled on into never ending run through tunnels full of water,bombs falling on decrepit buildings,streets full of dead bodies and so on,really post apocalyptic world.

Sure,it is obvious re-thinking of "Omega Man" and "28 days later" but it's fine by me,I like apocalyptic worlds and one survivor fighting bad guys. This time Herbert sets his story in post WW2 Europe where germans have infected the whole world with some deadly virus and only handful survivors is left to fight pro-Nazi army who is searching for fresh blood (literary). The main hero is american pilot (Hoke) and if he is not exactly nice character, the story around him is interesting enough to keep you reading long into the night.

Interesting device: at the end of each chapter,Herbert introduces new twist in the story so it keeps you hooked and reader is pulled into next chapter.

Goodbye Waka Waka Africa

Right now I am literary counting days until my ship sails away to Europe,it has been long 6 months of sailing in Africa.

It was my second year here - the first excitement was soon replaced with boredom,after all I don't really have chance to see anything interesting here,my ports are two cannibal islands and Durban (short morning there) so not much fun or thrill,basically it ends up with Durban as only place worth going out and even there the time is limited so its all about catching the cab,run and come back as soon as you can.

Last two times I actually decided not to run anymore and spent relaxed mornings in local restaurant,sitting there and chatting and watching people around me & ship far away,that was the best decision. When passengers ask me "How do you like South Africa?" I explain them that my perspective is very limited,of course I prefer Europe anytime because sailing there brings me to different country every day,sometimes I even wake up thinking "where I am?"

I love sailing through Europe more than anywhere else - since I been around,it looks like a particular atmosphere in Europe suits me the best. I don't care for heat wave in Caribbean or super long distances between city areas in US,sun in Australia was too dangerous for me and as for Canada/Alaska it was depressing after a while - really,in Europe I feel most at home,walking everywhere,having coffee here and there,nice shops,books and music,beautiful architecture... no wonder I can't wait to leave South Africa.

Cape town is pretty,really beautiful place but for the last 6 months I was stuck in Durban,that was my reality,so now it's time for a change of scenery and I can't wait.

Ljiljana Petrović 1961. LP debut

In the early 1960s Ljiljana Petrović was suddenly a bright new pop star so I wonder why her success did not continue in later decades,because she was certainly talented enough to continue what started with a bang - from a practically unknown young singer who only performed on a radio to overnight sensation who was selected to represent the whole nation on Eurovision song festival, Petrović definitely had a lot going on for her.

It was slovenian band leader and arranger Jože Privšek who masterminded her early work and stood behind young singer,surrounded her with first class musicians,excellent backing vocals (classy "Optimisti") and brilliantly showcased two different sides of Petrović's singing: she could easily be young,happy and bouncy (like young Mina at this time) but give her a serious ballad like "Angelitos negros" and she could handle that one without missing a beat. The whole 8 song,mini LP was built around original ballad "Neke davne zvezde" that was selected to represent Yugoslavia on Eurovision, in fact that sophisticated and refined moody ballad stands here in sharp contrast with some other dubious choices like "Bongo Cha Cha Cha" and "Mango Cha Cha Cha", not to mention "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" - it's all super professionally done,orchestrated and sung by perfection but somehow my impression is that young singer could have been better served with different approach,for example if producers stayed with only one (instead of two completely opposite) idea,having her singing either peppy jingles or serious ballads,not both on the same record.

Still,very representative of early 1960s discography in Ex-Yu,serious musicianship and excellent orchestration carefully tailored around sweet and young singer.

Majda Sepe 1961.debut LP

In many ways,the career of slovenian pop singer Majda Sepe reflects the career of her croatian contemporary Gabi Novak - both ladies idolized Doris Day (mostly from film screen,as foreign records were very rare and hard to find),both recorded mini LP record (8 songs) with chirpy covers as their debut (even same record company, RTB from Belgrade),both married colleagues from same business and they both grew up to be far more superior singers than these cute little debut records would ever suggest.

Novak had a good luck that her later career relied on first-rate songs by Arsen Dedić,while Sepe had classy jazz band leader Mojmir Sepe behind her.

This cute,little 8 song record presents very young Majda Sepe (backed by her husband) on selection of international current hits,each of them chirpy,happy and bouncy as this was fashion at the time. Knowing this talented lady from her later work in chanson,it comes as a surprise to hear her pretty young voice bubbling on Petula Clark covers,backed by vocal quartet and bouncing around like a rubber ball. B side brings several interesting jazz covers (Cole Porter, Julie London and Doris Day) where her husband's jazz band paints completely another picture and gives her a chance to stretch vocally, this music actually sounds much better than cheerful (and dated) A side.

Just like Gabi Novak, Majda Sepe will eventually leave pop covers and jazz music behind her,turning to 1960s pop festivals instead and eventually settle in chanson field where poetic lyrics and refined music will suit her voice much better. So this is a little curiosity just to show how she sound at the very dawn of her music career,but it's not really representative of her work as singer.

"Those in Peril" by Wilbur Smith (2011)

Latest novel by Wilbur Smith came as a big surprise for several reasons,one of them being what a gripping read this turned out to be - something not expected from a writer in his late 70s. It is pure adventure escapism,with main character being all-knowing superhero (Hector Cross) with a military past,backed by his group of faithful warriors and fighting sea piracy in modern day Somalia. Unfortunately sea piracy is actually very current phenomenon and it is happening far more than people are aware,my own ship has been attacked on coast of Africa - luckily nothing serious happened,as opposite to story in this adventure novel where main characters fight pirates,dogs,ships,religious prejudice and what not.

Smith toys with several weapons here - not only he sets the story in modern day Africa but his baddies are dangerous Arabs (gone are the days when bad guys were russian,asian or aliens) who are all fired up with religious rules set in stone,good guys are all white and just to make it clear how good they are,they secretly witness public punishment in some arab village where people are killed and mutilated for some silly offense. So it is a clear message,us against them. This is not a place to question white and black,what makes a person an enemy and points of view of different nationalities,however occasionally I was aware of ham-fisted approach to paint good and bad characters. At the end,the story turned out to be good,old-fashioned gripping adventure novel that I gulped faster than expected and if you are looking for entertainment,escapism and adventure (and switch off the part of the brain that questions too much) here is my recommendation. Very good vacation read.

Minor criticism: the story is interesting and very readable even without graphic sex scenes. I understand this might appeal to teenagers but it wasn't really adding anything to story (in fact,it was just slowing it down) and it surprised me,as I didn't expect it from Wilbur Smith. Whoever suggested to him this should guarantee success,it wasn't such a good idea,I hope next time this aspect will be toned down. It is simply not necessary.

Secret Britain by Justin Pollard

How to resist another silly-facts-book (some would call this ideal lavatory literature)?

I absolutely love this kind of easy reading and in fact you can see me completely absorbed in this book,fascinated and giggling deep in the night. It could be that I love these silly curiosity books because of my past as a journalist so it comes naturally that I like to save these informations in my brain or perhaps as Virgo I like to know about other people's embarrassments,who knows... however,it turns out to be better than I expected,collection of very interesting stories from Britain's past,odds and ends that nobody talks about but are absolutely fascinating. Forgotten newspaper scandals,crime stories with bizarre twists and so on,I dare you to put this book down once you start reading it!

For example,did you know that there is a Nazi memorial in London? What happened with a woman who was inspiration for figure on every Rolls Royce? How criminals believed in "Hand of Glory"? My favorite bit of useless information is the story about true identity of famous royal biographer Helen Cathart who wrote sweet-natured biographies of royal family and always declined public appearances, explaining through her agent that she wants to promote royal family and not herself. Well,wouldn't you know,this gentle old lady actually never even existed and it was her agent Mr.Harold Albert who wrote all those books!

Thrilling,entertaining and very informative - cutest little jewel of the book!

Twins: Mae Marsh and Emily Watson

I noticed this long time ago,but after watching "Birth of Nation" and "Intolerance" again,it really become obvious that two actresses who never ever met and even lived in completely different times look like twin sisters.

Mae Marsh who played in both Griffith's silent extravaganza masterpieces looks like some ancient silent movie relative of british actress Emily Watson whom I first noticed in "Breaking the Waves" (heavy drama by misogynist director Lars Von Trier). Come to think of it,both D.W.Griffith and Von Trier tortured their actresses on the film screen so there you go,ladies not only look similar but had similar destiny to be remembered as movie victims of their sadistic directors.

Perhaps these photographs don't really do justice to my "twins" claim so I suggest check their movies for yourself and you will see how similar in appearance these ladies are.

Bobby Harron

One of the most interesting actors who appeared in both "Birth of the Nation" and "Intolerance" (and we are talking about all-star cast for these movies) was Bobby Harron who comes across as a sensitive young man with a golden heart,no matter historical scenery or costumes,his natural goodness somehow glows from these silent black & white scenes and I actually become curious to find out what become of him,assuming he either become a victim of talkies or grew into respectable elderly gentleman who told stories of his silent movie days to grandchildren.

Imagine my shock and surprise when I found out that Harron killed himself at the age of 27. and no matter what were the circumstances (some say it was accident,others that Harron couldn't get over the fact that D.W.Griffith replaced him with another actor) the fact is that this talented young man whose face really shine from the silent screen never lived to achieve more success,never saw talking movies and never got married in his young life (so,no grandchildren). The whole story about his death is still a mystery - being catholic he was not really a person to commit suicide so it might be an accident - however,I was deeply saddened to hear about this and decided to mention him here on my blog,gone but not forgotten.

The special quality that Harron had as an actor lifts him above other silent movie competition and that is why D.W.Griffith liked to use him in his movies - where other silent movie actors often grimaced and mugged,Harron was natural and very convincing in his acting. You never see him over-acting or making silly faces,even when he was supposed to play "bad boy" (as in the beginning of "Intolerance" before he meets his future wife) somehow we feel his true gentleness and sweet nature,we know he is just acting criminal and not really being one (later on,he decides to leave criminal life behind him and it feels naturally because he is not really baddie). The whole finale of "Intolerance" is focused on frantic attempt to save Harron from the death row while he agonizes in prison and audience clearly feels for him,he was truly a perfect choice to play this.

Rest in peace,Bobby Harron,wherever you are.

St.Bartholomew Day's Massacre by Debat-Ponsan

One of the tricks D.W.Griffith liked to use is to re-act famous historical paintings or illustrations.

I actually like this myself very much,finding a common recognizable point of reference (no doubt lost on many who don't know originals that inspired Griffith) although it must be pointed that this leads to certain manipulation of the audience because soon they start to take this seriously as historical fact,but that's another story.

This is the 19. century painting of something that happened few hundred years ago in Paris. So its hardly contemporary,still it became world famous and for lot of people represents how they imagined morning after St.Bartholomew massacre looked like. Catherine de Medici stands at the gates of Louvre,looking like goddess of death over corpses of brutally killed huguenots and its a grim picture,fascinating in its subject,for me as horrible as WW2 photos of concentration camps.

Of course,we will never know how real Medici reacted on this and what exactly were the details behind the story,by all accounts she decided to kill her enemies before they kill her - if you look closer,she was a widow left with five children and facing two powerful families who were intriguing to get the crown.

D.W.Griffith faithfully reproduces this painting in "Intolerance" - because movie was so badly re-edit and cut later,we actually see this scene for a few seconds only but I recognized it immediately. Of course this was silent film so Josephine Crowell mugs like japanese kabuki actress,using exaggerated gestures and winking left and right,to convince contemporary audience how evil her character was. If somebody re-makes "Intolerance" today I am sure there would be a thousand different ways to portrait Catherine de Medici,some modern-day actress would probably made her look completely different,perhaps fascinated by all this death and (considering how religious she was) even feeling guilty,who knows?

Intolerance (1916)

While I'm still on a D.W.Griffith roll,decided to continue with his next movie "Intolerance" supposedly made as reaction to criticism of his previous work.

Because "Birth of the Nation" was such a huge success,no expenses were spared in financing what must be the biggest movie extravaganza of all times - if you think mass scenes in 1915. masterpiece were huge,think again - this time Griffith topped himself with enormous sets towering over Hollywood and mass scenes were breath-taking in scope and dimensions - where today movie makers simply use computer animation and tricks to create illusion of thousands,Griffith literally used thousands of actors to re-act ancient Babylon (and that was just one part of the story).

The vision is fine,but unfortunately Griffith bite more than he could chew this time - you might even call it megalomanic - instead of focusing on one story,he goes simultaneously into four different periods in history to hammer home his idea that human nature basically never changes. What could easily have been four movies he presents as four chapters - its like "Birth of the Nation" times four - it ended up being such a long saga that audience at the times were not prepared to watch it and although it wasn't disaster,it could never re-pay finances invested in its realization,therefore Griffith was forced to abandon such a large projects and focus on relatively smaller-scale stories without battlefields,horses,elephants and trains running. Who knows how he felt about it,but we can guess he never gave up in his desire to prove brilliance of this movie to the world and later played with it forever,shortened it,re-edited everything,cut into pieces and glued again,in the process some parts were forever lost and what we can see today is similar to ancient sculpture broken into pieces and somehow put together by archeologists who can only guess about its real appearance.

Four stories follow characters in modern time,ancient Babylon,Jerusalem and 16. century Paris - all four have spectacular mass scenes,thousands of actors and sets that were inspired by famous paintings (for example,the morning after St.Bartholomew massacre Queen Catherine de Medici stands at the gates of Louvre among slaughtered corpses of huguenots,this scene actually faithfully re-acts historical painting). Unfortunately,because of film re-editing,cuts and later patchwork, stories set in Jerusalem and Paris are all but lost (we get only several tantalizing glimpses into what they looked like) and what was left are stories set in Babylon and modern times,still exciting enough as they were but clearly these are pieces of broken mirror that nobody was able to put together again.

Personally I found the movie way overlong and had to stop at certain point and watch the rest another time (contemporary audience in 1916. must have been overwhelmed with all this) but after few days when I decided to see the rest,I actually enjoyed it very much and had to re-think my opinion. Even in this brutally edited version it still has huge appeal,excellent actors,brilliant historical costumes and lots of visual details to enjoy - I don't see how these four stories could have been more shortened (if he tried to make it into 2-hours movie it would be simply incomprehensible) so my conclusion is - five stars all the way,no matter how shortened or tampered with. I found myself thinking about the movie days after I watched it,so it truly left strong impression on me.

Is it better than "Birth of the Nation"? Well,it's oranges and apples - "Birth" was first and covered just one story,here we have four. "Intolerance" ended up being broken into hundred pieces while "Birth" survives relatively intact. But if you ask me,"Intolerance" is unforgettable while "Birth" comes as racist embarrassment today,something we have to admit but don't want to really remember. So,five stars for "Intolerance".