Bill Lee, the accomplished jazz musician who collaborated with the likes of Cat Stevens, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan and also scored many of his son Spike Lee’s films, has died according to multiple reports. He was 94.
Bill Lee composed the memorable original music for many of Spike Lee’s early, seminal films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990). The elder Lee had small roles in each of those films, except for Do the Right Thing. He also scored his son’s early short, Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.
The director posted a series of photos on Instagram remembering his father, the first accompanied by the phrase, “Deeds Not Words.”
The deeds of Lee’s father made an impact on his son.
“Everything I know about jazz I got from my father,” Spike Lee told the New York...
Bill Lee composed the memorable original music for many of Spike Lee’s early, seminal films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990). The elder Lee had small roles in each of those films, except for Do the Right Thing. He also scored his son’s early short, Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.
The director posted a series of photos on Instagram remembering his father, the first accompanied by the phrase, “Deeds Not Words.”
The deeds of Lee’s father made an impact on his son.
“Everything I know about jazz I got from my father,” Spike Lee told the New York...
- 5/24/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Country music star Jody Miller, who appeared on TV shows such as Hee Haw and Pop! Goes the Country, has died. She was 80. According to Deadline, Miller passed away on Thursday, October 6, of Parkinson’s complications in Blanchard, Oklahoma. The singer’s longtime rep Jennifer McMullen confirmed the death in a statement, saying, “Jody Miller’s talent cannot be overstated. She had this innate, God-given ability to interpret and communicate with the most beautiful tones and inflection. She made it look and sound so easy that it sometimes takes a moment to realize the greatness of what you are hearing.” Born on November 29, 1941, in Phoenix, Arizona, Miller began her career in the early 1960s as a folk/pop singer, working in the Los Angeles area and appearing on Tom Paxton’s television series. She was signed to Capitol Records in 1962, where she went on to record several pop hits, including...
- 10/7/2022
- TV Insider
Patrick Sky, a member of the Sixties Greenwich Village folk scene that launched Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, and many others, died on May 26th in Asheville, North Carolina. Sky had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, but according to his wife, folklorist and musician Cathy Larson Sky, Sky succumbed to prostate cancer and bone cancer. He was 80.
“Pat is one of the best story-tellers I know,” his friend and neighbor Van Ronk wrote in the liner notes to Sky’s 1965 self-titled debut album. “This is probably why he’s such a great singer.
“Pat is one of the best story-tellers I know,” his friend and neighbor Van Ronk wrote in the liner notes to Sky’s 1965 self-titled debut album. “This is probably why he’s such a great singer.
- 5/30/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
About a week after he watched footage of George Floyd’s death, seasoned Chicago bluesman Dave Specter did something he’d never done before — he wrote a topical song. “It was such a strange time,” he recalls. “Things were in a very dark place. The music business was shut down, and it was hard to get inspired. But I was struck by that video and I was reading about George Floyd, and I started writing about it. It was all-new territory for me.”
Within weeks, Specter had finished a blues...
Within weeks, Specter had finished a blues...
- 4/9/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
On the surface, AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s “Blinded by the Light,” and Tom Jones’ “Valerie” have nothing in common. They were recorded in different decades, targeted at different demographics, and they don’t sound even remotely alike. But they all feature the drumming of Chris Slade, a journeyman Welsh musician who has also played with Olivia Newton-John, Tom Paxton, Uriah Heep, David Gilmour, the Firm, Gary Moore, and Asia.
He’s best known for joining AC/DC in 1989, just in time to play on their comeback LP,...
He’s best known for joining AC/DC in 1989, just in time to play on their comeback LP,...
- 8/12/2020
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Eric Weissberg, who arranged, played banjo on and won a Grammy for “Dueling Banjos,” from the 1972 movie Deliverance, died Sunday of Alzheimer’s disease complications. He was 80.
His son, Will Weissberg, confirmed the news to our sister publication Rolling Stone.
More from DeadlineNotable Hollywood & Entertainment Industry Deaths In 2020: Photo GalleryLifetime Casts Trio In Pilot 'The Lottery', Duo In 'Deliverance Creek'Pilots 'Eye Candy' & 'Deliverance Creek' Cast Regulars
Born on August 16, 1939, in New York City, Weissberg was a bluegrass musician from an early age, having seen Pete Seeger play at his school in Greenwich Village, and went on to attend the Juilliard School of Music in the 1950s. He also played guitar, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel, and string bass.
He also became a frequent collaborator of Tom Paxton and Judy Collins and worked as a session man for such acts as Bob Dylan, Talking Heads,...
His son, Will Weissberg, confirmed the news to our sister publication Rolling Stone.
More from DeadlineNotable Hollywood & Entertainment Industry Deaths In 2020: Photo GalleryLifetime Casts Trio In Pilot 'The Lottery', Duo In 'Deliverance Creek'Pilots 'Eye Candy' & 'Deliverance Creek' Cast Regulars
Born on August 16, 1939, in New York City, Weissberg was a bluegrass musician from an early age, having seen Pete Seeger play at his school in Greenwich Village, and went on to attend the Juilliard School of Music in the 1950s. He also played guitar, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel, and string bass.
He also became a frequent collaborator of Tom Paxton and Judy Collins and worked as a session man for such acts as Bob Dylan, Talking Heads,...
- 3/24/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
In 2017, indomitable honky-tonker J.P Harris teamed up with rising female country stars like Nikki Lane and Kelsey Waldon for an Ep of collaborations titled Why Don’t We Duet in the Road. Harris revisits the concept again for a second volume — Why Don’t We Duet in the Road (Again) — due September 13th.
This time, the Alabama native joins Erin Rae, Miss Tess, Malin Pettersen, and Elizabeth Cook to put their spin on songs by Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfoot, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Kay Starr, and Del Reeves and Billie Jo Spears.
This time, the Alabama native joins Erin Rae, Miss Tess, Malin Pettersen, and Elizabeth Cook to put their spin on songs by Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfoot, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Kay Starr, and Del Reeves and Billie Jo Spears.
- 9/2/2019
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
By Hank Reineke
When the revered folksinger and author Woody Guthrie passed away on October 3, 1967 – following a long, tragic battle with Huntington’s disease – his friends and colleagues were moved to celebrate his life and legacy with a tribute concert. The manager of Guthrie’s business affairs, Harold Leventhal, commissioned the blacklisted novelist and screenwriter Millard Lampell to re-work an old script he had earlier fashioned from Guthrie’s bountiful catalog of songs and prose. Lampell was well suited to the task, not merely an outsider looking in. In 1941 Lampell would co-found the Almanac Singers, the agit-prop folk music ensemble that featured Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and several others.
That original program, Woody Guthrie’s California to the New York Island, first broadcast on CBS-tv’s Camera 2 program in December 1965, would serve as the template for the proposed memorial Tribute to Woody Guthrie. The tribute concert would be staged...
When the revered folksinger and author Woody Guthrie passed away on October 3, 1967 – following a long, tragic battle with Huntington’s disease – his friends and colleagues were moved to celebrate his life and legacy with a tribute concert. The manager of Guthrie’s business affairs, Harold Leventhal, commissioned the blacklisted novelist and screenwriter Millard Lampell to re-work an old script he had earlier fashioned from Guthrie’s bountiful catalog of songs and prose. Lampell was well suited to the task, not merely an outsider looking in. In 1941 Lampell would co-found the Almanac Singers, the agit-prop folk music ensemble that featured Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and several others.
That original program, Woody Guthrie’s California to the New York Island, first broadcast on CBS-tv’s Camera 2 program in December 1965, would serve as the template for the proposed memorial Tribute to Woody Guthrie. The tribute concert would be staged...
- 6/17/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Townes Van Zandt sings about a quest for freedom on the folky “All I Need,” a previously unreleased song from an upcoming posthumous collection, Sky Blue. The archival set is due out March 7th – what would have been the singer-songwriter’s 75th birthday – via Tvz Records and Fat Possum Records.
“Tried everything to set me free,” Van Zandt softly sings on the track over aggressive acoustic strums. “But my chains keep playing tricks on me/And all I need is a place to lay ’em down.”
“All I Need” is...
“Tried everything to set me free,” Van Zandt softly sings on the track over aggressive acoustic strums. “But my chains keep playing tricks on me/And all I need is a place to lay ’em down.”
“All I Need” is...
- 1/14/2019
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
The Waldheim Waltz Menemsha Films Reviewed by: Harvey Karten Director: Ruth Beckermann Screenwriter: Ruth Beckermann Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 9/24/18 Opens: October 19, 2018 Pete Seeger once sang a Tom Paxton song, a section going like this: What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine, What did you learn in […]
The post The Waldheim Waltz Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Waldheim Waltz Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/15/2018
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
“I’m not the first rock & roll octogenarian, am I?” jokes David Freiberg, hours before he and Jefferson Starship are set to take the stage in Carson City, Nevada.
Frieberg, who turns 80 today, is right; he’s not the only pop act still performing regularly in his eightieth year. From Frankie Valli and British blues stalwart John Mayall (both 84) to R&B veteran Sam Moore (82) to folkies like Peter Yarrow and Tom Paxton (both 80), Freiberg is joining a small, prestigious club. But he’s unique in other ways. He’s...
Frieberg, who turns 80 today, is right; he’s not the only pop act still performing regularly in his eightieth year. From Frankie Valli and British blues stalwart John Mayall (both 84) to R&B veteran Sam Moore (82) to folkies like Peter Yarrow and Tom Paxton (both 80), Freiberg is joining a small, prestigious club. But he’s unique in other ways. He’s...
- 8/24/2018
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Unreleased cover songs by Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello, Donovan and Tim Robbins highlight the massive compilation celebrating the 21st anniversary of protest music label Appleseed Recordings.
In addition to Springsteen’s take on “We Shall Overcome,” Appleseed’s 21st Anniversary: Roots and Branches exclusively features the rocker’s rendition of the Pete Seeger folk classic “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song).” Morello contributes his version of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” while Donovan covers Joan Baez’s “Wild Mountain Thyme.”
John Wesley Harding, John Stewart,...
In addition to Springsteen’s take on “We Shall Overcome,” Appleseed’s 21st Anniversary: Roots and Branches exclusively features the rocker’s rendition of the Pete Seeger folk classic “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song).” Morello contributes his version of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” while Donovan covers Joan Baez’s “Wild Mountain Thyme.”
John Wesley Harding, John Stewart,...
- 8/20/2018
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Take another look @ a restricted 'red-band' trailer, plus all the other clips of footage and featurettes released to date from the new movie "Inside Llewyn Davis", directed by Joel and Ethan Coen ("True Grit").
The new drama adapts "...the music, politics and spirit of a revolutionary period in American culture", based on the novel "The Mayor of MacDougal Street" by author Dave Van Ronk.
Cast includes Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Garret Hedlund and F. Murray Abraham :
"...'Dave Van Ronk', one of the founding figures of the 1960's folk revival, was far more than that. A pioneer of modern acoustic blues, a songwriter, arranger and singer, he became one of the most influential guitarists of that era.
"'This is a first-hand account by a major player including encounters with Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs and Joni Mitchell, as well as older luminaries including Reverend Gary Davis,...
The new drama adapts "...the music, politics and spirit of a revolutionary period in American culture", based on the novel "The Mayor of MacDougal Street" by author Dave Van Ronk.
Cast includes Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Garret Hedlund and F. Murray Abraham :
"...'Dave Van Ronk', one of the founding figures of the 1960's folk revival, was far more than that. A pioneer of modern acoustic blues, a songwriter, arranger and singer, he became one of the most influential guitarists of that era.
"'This is a first-hand account by a major player including encounters with Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs and Joni Mitchell, as well as older luminaries including Reverend Gary Davis,...
- 1/5/2014
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
(Nonesuch)
For their picaresque adventure in the folk scene of early 1960s Greenwich Village, the Coen brothers once more call upon the midas touch of producer T-Bone Burnett. His soundtrack delivers a faithful sample of Bleecker Street's earnest, antique folkery, ably sung by actor Oscar Isaac, Justin Timberlake, Marcus Mumford and others, yet the flame that illuminated the bluegrass of the Coens' O Brother is fitful. Tom Paxton's Last Thing on My Mind is too well worn, the likes of The Roving Gambler too dull. Contemporary numbers from Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk show what's missing – a speck of grit.
Rating: 4/5
Folk musicJustin TimberlakeBob DylanCoen brothersMumford & SonsNeil Spencer
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
For their picaresque adventure in the folk scene of early 1960s Greenwich Village, the Coen brothers once more call upon the midas touch of producer T-Bone Burnett. His soundtrack delivers a faithful sample of Bleecker Street's earnest, antique folkery, ably sung by actor Oscar Isaac, Justin Timberlake, Marcus Mumford and others, yet the flame that illuminated the bluegrass of the Coens' O Brother is fitful. Tom Paxton's Last Thing on My Mind is too well worn, the likes of The Roving Gambler too dull. Contemporary numbers from Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk show what's missing – a speck of grit.
Rating: 4/5
Folk musicJustin TimberlakeBob DylanCoen brothersMumford & SonsNeil Spencer
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
- 11/3/2013
- by Neil Spencer
- The Guardian - Film News
As per Joel Coen, “Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac), is a made up character, with Real music from the time period.” Step into the smoky “Gaslight Cafe” in 1961 where Llewyn is up on stage with a spotlight on him singing, “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me.”
“The Gaslight Cafe” was an American coffee house located in the basement of 116 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village. The Gaslight (alternatively known as “The Village Gaslight”) opened in 1958 and was a well known venue for folk music and other musical acts, until it closed in 1971.
When Llewyn finishes his set, he is told that there is a man wearing a dark suit in the back alley who wishes to meet him. As he approaches him, he gets beat up. Poor Llewyn, he’s down on his luck, and, in my opinion, born a little too early. Perhaps if he had been playing his songs in the late ’60′s, he would probably have been better received, but because it is 1961, most of the other acts, like “Jim and Jean,” still have a Very clean cut look, personality and sound.
Broke, couch-surfing, locked out of the apartment with his friend’s cat, trying to get singing gigs, a manager who doesn’t help him, an ex-girlfriend who wants nothing to do with him, Llewyn is looking for a break.
Funniest scene: Adam Driver’s singing role as Al Cody in “Please Mr. Kennedy.”
Musical Performances
1. Hang Me, Oh Hang Me – Oscar Isaac
(Traditional; Arranged by Oscar Isaac & T Bone Burnett) 3:26
2. Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song) – Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford (Traditional; Arranged by Marcus Mumford, Oscar Isaac, T Bone Burnett) 3:01
3. The Last Thing on My Mind – Stark Sands with Punch Brothers (Tom Paxton) 3:35
4. Five Hundred Miles – Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan, Stark Sands (Hedy West) 3:27
5. Please Mr. Kennedy – Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver (Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen) 1:59
6. Green, Green Rocky Road – Oscar Isaac (Len Chandler & Robert Kaufman) 3:18
7. The Death of Queen Jane – Oscar Isaac (Music by Dáithí Sproule; Lyrics: Traditional) 3:58
8. The Roving Gambler – The Down Hill Strugglers with John Cohen (Traditional; Arranged and Adapted by The Down Hill Strugglers) 3:05
9. The Shoals of Herring – Oscar Isaac with Punch Brothers (Ewan MacColl)
Small Interviews
Q: Why do you make movies about failures?
A: Joel Coen: “Because all the success stories have all been done.”
A: T-Bone Burnett: “Even if the scene or moment is supposed to be bad, the music has to be great.”
Q: How did you want it to look?
A: We actually shot more in the East Village than the West Village. Some streets in the East Village aren’t as built up as the modern day MacDougal Street. We wanted something to feel more like it would have in 1961. We did shoot a little in the West Village; Village Cigars, Thompson Street, Jones Street, and MacDougal.
A: Our first thought for the film was to shoot in black and white on 16mm, but that idea fell by the wayside when we started designing shots.
Actress in the film Bonnie Rose, Bette Midler’s stand in for The First Wives Club, and Isn’t She Great, and Dodi Gamble in Inside Llewyn Davis, answered the following questions for me.
Q: If you had to describe the Coen Brothers and then Llewyn Davis in one word, what would they be?
A: It is very hard to say one word about the Coen Brothers…..
I would have to use two words about these two men who are iconic.
The Coen brothers are “Authentic Geniuses.”
The character of Llewyn Davis, is “resolute.”
The New York Film Festival (Sept. 27-Oct.13) is going on now. Los Angeles' own Rose Kuo (formerly director of the AFI FIlm Festival) has notched it up this year as our local newspaper L.A. Times has pointed out to us in perhaps a somewhat condescending way. Nyff was never a "quaint afterthought", but it was not what the Lincoln Center Film Society offered the trade with new offerings of films you can see in its spring festival New Directors/ New Directions. But this year, it is on the trade's map of top fall film festivals for the first time since 1984 when Blood Simple of the Coen Brothers made the trade realize its great value. Covering for SydneysBuzz in New York is Sharon Abella, an occasional writer for SydneysBuzz. Editor-in-chief of One World Cinema ,an internationally-minded website about film, music and travel, Sharon Abella holds multiple degrees in the sciences, and she makes the point that this site would not be possible without the help of God, family, friends, and her life partner, Jon Kilik. We are happy to be able to post her articles on SydneysBuzz.
“The Gaslight Cafe” was an American coffee house located in the basement of 116 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village. The Gaslight (alternatively known as “The Village Gaslight”) opened in 1958 and was a well known venue for folk music and other musical acts, until it closed in 1971.
When Llewyn finishes his set, he is told that there is a man wearing a dark suit in the back alley who wishes to meet him. As he approaches him, he gets beat up. Poor Llewyn, he’s down on his luck, and, in my opinion, born a little too early. Perhaps if he had been playing his songs in the late ’60′s, he would probably have been better received, but because it is 1961, most of the other acts, like “Jim and Jean,” still have a Very clean cut look, personality and sound.
Broke, couch-surfing, locked out of the apartment with his friend’s cat, trying to get singing gigs, a manager who doesn’t help him, an ex-girlfriend who wants nothing to do with him, Llewyn is looking for a break.
Funniest scene: Adam Driver’s singing role as Al Cody in “Please Mr. Kennedy.”
Musical Performances
1. Hang Me, Oh Hang Me – Oscar Isaac
(Traditional; Arranged by Oscar Isaac & T Bone Burnett) 3:26
2. Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song) – Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford (Traditional; Arranged by Marcus Mumford, Oscar Isaac, T Bone Burnett) 3:01
3. The Last Thing on My Mind – Stark Sands with Punch Brothers (Tom Paxton) 3:35
4. Five Hundred Miles – Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan, Stark Sands (Hedy West) 3:27
5. Please Mr. Kennedy – Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver (Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen) 1:59
6. Green, Green Rocky Road – Oscar Isaac (Len Chandler & Robert Kaufman) 3:18
7. The Death of Queen Jane – Oscar Isaac (Music by Dáithí Sproule; Lyrics: Traditional) 3:58
8. The Roving Gambler – The Down Hill Strugglers with John Cohen (Traditional; Arranged and Adapted by The Down Hill Strugglers) 3:05
9. The Shoals of Herring – Oscar Isaac with Punch Brothers (Ewan MacColl)
Small Interviews
Q: Why do you make movies about failures?
A: Joel Coen: “Because all the success stories have all been done.”
A: T-Bone Burnett: “Even if the scene or moment is supposed to be bad, the music has to be great.”
Q: How did you want it to look?
A: We actually shot more in the East Village than the West Village. Some streets in the East Village aren’t as built up as the modern day MacDougal Street. We wanted something to feel more like it would have in 1961. We did shoot a little in the West Village; Village Cigars, Thompson Street, Jones Street, and MacDougal.
A: Our first thought for the film was to shoot in black and white on 16mm, but that idea fell by the wayside when we started designing shots.
Actress in the film Bonnie Rose, Bette Midler’s stand in for The First Wives Club, and Isn’t She Great, and Dodi Gamble in Inside Llewyn Davis, answered the following questions for me.
Q: If you had to describe the Coen Brothers and then Llewyn Davis in one word, what would they be?
A: It is very hard to say one word about the Coen Brothers…..
I would have to use two words about these two men who are iconic.
The Coen brothers are “Authentic Geniuses.”
The character of Llewyn Davis, is “resolute.”
The New York Film Festival (Sept. 27-Oct.13) is going on now. Los Angeles' own Rose Kuo (formerly director of the AFI FIlm Festival) has notched it up this year as our local newspaper L.A. Times has pointed out to us in perhaps a somewhat condescending way. Nyff was never a "quaint afterthought", but it was not what the Lincoln Center Film Society offered the trade with new offerings of films you can see in its spring festival New Directors/ New Directions. But this year, it is on the trade's map of top fall film festivals for the first time since 1984 when Blood Simple of the Coen Brothers made the trade realize its great value. Covering for SydneysBuzz in New York is Sharon Abella, an occasional writer for SydneysBuzz. Editor-in-chief of One World Cinema ,an internationally-minded website about film, music and travel, Sharon Abella holds multiple degrees in the sciences, and she makes the point that this site would not be possible without the help of God, family, friends, and her life partner, Jon Kilik. We are happy to be able to post her articles on SydneysBuzz.
- 10/1/2013
- by Sharon Abella
- Sydney's Buzz
Bob Dylan: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) The Bootleg Series Vol. 10 (Columbia/Legacy)
If you are more than just a casual fan of Bob Dylan, you probably already know Greil Marcus’s famous opening line in his review of Dylan’s 1970 album Self Portrait in Rolling Stone. Just about any article I’ve read that has referenced the album at any length over the years has trotted out the quote -- as has everything I’ve read recently on Dylan’s latest installment (the tenth) in his ongoing Bootleg Series -- Another Self Portrait. I won’t repeat the quote here [You can Google it] but I will say that my initial reaction, while not as vitriolic as Marcus’s, was not entirely dissimilar.
At the time, I thought the album was a total (although not entirely unlistenable) train wreck -- a hodgepodge of folk, rock, country, blues, Tin Pan Alley, hokum, and even musical theater.
If you are more than just a casual fan of Bob Dylan, you probably already know Greil Marcus’s famous opening line in his review of Dylan’s 1970 album Self Portrait in Rolling Stone. Just about any article I’ve read that has referenced the album at any length over the years has trotted out the quote -- as has everything I’ve read recently on Dylan’s latest installment (the tenth) in his ongoing Bootleg Series -- Another Self Portrait. I won’t repeat the quote here [You can Google it] but I will say that my initial reaction, while not as vitriolic as Marcus’s, was not entirely dissimilar.
At the time, I thought the album was a total (although not entirely unlistenable) train wreck -- a hodgepodge of folk, rock, country, blues, Tin Pan Alley, hokum, and even musical theater.
- 9/9/2013
- by Jon Geffner
- www.culturecatch.com
This is Oscar Isaac's year. Since his solid villanous turn in the otherwise-abysmal Sucker Punch, he's been cast in the next Bourne movie as well as appearing in Drive and Madonna's W.E. Now he's landed what's perhaps his most high-profile role yet: the lead in the next Coen Brothers movie, which follows figures in the 1960s folk scene in Greenwich Village.
The movie will be called Inside Llwelyn Davis, and many of the roles - already being chased by A-list actors in need of some Oscar cred - are loosely based on real folk singers like Tom Paxton and Dave Van Ronk.
The subject matter seems a little odd for the Coens, but then, odd is their thing. I do wonder how they'll approach the material. One thing's for sure: A Mighty Wind this ain't.
--
More: Ology Film News
Talk back! Want to connect with fellow Coen Brothers Ologists?...
The movie will be called Inside Llwelyn Davis, and many of the roles - already being chased by A-list actors in need of some Oscar cred - are loosely based on real folk singers like Tom Paxton and Dave Van Ronk.
The subject matter seems a little odd for the Coens, but then, odd is their thing. I do wonder how they'll approach the material. One thing's for sure: A Mighty Wind this ain't.
--
More: Ology Film News
Talk back! Want to connect with fellow Coen Brothers Ologists?...
- 10/14/2011
- by Anna Breslaw
- Filmology
Though Oscar Isaac might not have been one of the top-billed actors in Nicolas Winding Refn's critical hit "Drive," his performance as a man just out of prison trying to do right by his family definitely got the attention of a couple big name Hollywood directors.
Deadline is reporting that Isaac has landed the much-sought-after lead role in the Coen brothers' latest film, "Inside Llewyn Davis." The flick focuses on the early folk music scene in the 60s in Greenwich Village, and its lead characters are loosely based on the lives of Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paxton. Shooting is slated to start early next year in New York.
Check out the rest of today's casting news after the jump!
Tom Savini Reteaming With Quentin Tarantino
Fans might remember Tom Savini as the memorable character "Sex Machine" -- the biker with a machine-gun crotch -- in the Quentin Tarantino-penned "From Dusk 'Till Dawn.
Deadline is reporting that Isaac has landed the much-sought-after lead role in the Coen brothers' latest film, "Inside Llewyn Davis." The flick focuses on the early folk music scene in the 60s in Greenwich Village, and its lead characters are loosely based on the lives of Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paxton. Shooting is slated to start early next year in New York.
Check out the rest of today's casting news after the jump!
Tom Savini Reteaming With Quentin Tarantino
Fans might remember Tom Savini as the memorable character "Sex Machine" -- the biker with a machine-gun crotch -- in the Quentin Tarantino-penned "From Dusk 'Till Dawn.
- 10/14/2011
- by Terri Schwartz
- MTV Movies Blog
Anyone who has paid attention to the work of Oscar Isaac over the past few years has likely predicted great things for the actor. He's a great presence in Drive, a solid presence in Sucker Punch (fighting against a terrible role) and he's worked with a stable of established big name directors like Steven Soderbergh, Ridley Scott, and Alejandro Amenábar. Now he's being handed what could end up being a defining role, as Joel and Ethan Coen have chosen him to play the lead role in their music-oriented indie Inside Llewyn Davis. Deadline [1] reports on the deal, saying that the Coens have " the usual number of stars lining up to play characters loosely based on folk singers like Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paxton." We don't know much about the film other than that it focuses on the folk music scene in New York's Greenwich Village in the 1960s. Scott Rudin...
- 10/14/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
This year has seen some great strides for Oscar Isaac with turns in Sucker Punch and Drive, not to mention a great turn in Robin Hood last year, and now the actor has snagged what will likely be a huge breakthrough in his career. Deadline reports Isaac has landed the lead role in Inside Llewyn Davis, the new film from Joel and Ethan Coen which is said to focus on the early folk music scene in Greenwich Village in the 60's. As is standard with their films, the Coen brothers also wrote the script which will follow the struggles of the titular fictional musician as he attempts to make a name for himself in the genre's heyday. Apparently plenty more stars will be lined up soon to play fictional characters loosely based on real folk singers like Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paxton. Likely there's plenty more folk musicians who...
- 10/14/2011
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Even if you don’t realize it at first blush, Oscar Isaac has been one of the fastest-rising stars of 2011. After giving (and I don’t mean this as a backhanded compliment) the best performance in Sucker Punch, he went on to be cast in The Bourne Legacy, and then followed that up with an impressive turn in Drive. Now, Deadline reports that he’ll be leading the new film by Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis.
Focusing on “Llewyn Davis’ struggles as a folk musician during the genre’s 1960s heyday in New York City,” it’s something of a smaller affair than recent Coen pictures like Burn After Reading or True Grit — the duo is even filming without a distributor. The main source for the drama is the life of musician Dave Van Ronk; others, such as Tom Paxton, have also played a part in the lead’s formation.
Focusing on “Llewyn Davis’ struggles as a folk musician during the genre’s 1960s heyday in New York City,” it’s something of a smaller affair than recent Coen pictures like Burn After Reading or True Grit — the duo is even filming without a distributor. The main source for the drama is the life of musician Dave Van Ronk; others, such as Tom Paxton, have also played a part in the lead’s formation.
- 10/14/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Oscar Isaac has landed the coveted lead role in the next film to be directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Inside Llewyn Davis, which is being made without a domestic distributor, focuses on the early folk music scene in Greenwich Village in the 60s. The Coens and their producing partner Scott Rudin are making it with only an alignment with Studio Canal, which will distribute in France and some other territories. The Coens wrote the script, and they have the usual number of stars lining up to play characters loosely based on folk singers like Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paxton. The brothers are also back in business with Rudin, their producing partner on the Oscar-winning No Country For Old Men and their last film, True Grit. Shooting will start early next year in New York. Isaac is a fast rising actor who had a showy role in Drive...
- 10/14/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
I would hesitate to call the Coen brothers mainstream filmmakers, but they’re certainly a name at this point. And their next project, Inside Llewyn Davis, has material that is seemingly audience-friendly — a folk singer in the ’60s? People love that stuff, including me.
So I’m a little curious as to why they’ll be shooting the film without a distributor behind it. As Deadline says, the brothers and producer Scott Rudin are only aligning themselves with French company Studio Canal at the moment, who’ll be distributing it in France, eventually selling it to other territories. Rudin himself said that they’re “delighted to have Studio Canal as partners,” and since they’ve been involved with several of their recent projects, it’s “the logical next step.”
Canal’s Olivier Courson shed some more light on the film, saying that the script “has a feeling of fun like The Big Lebowski,...
So I’m a little curious as to why they’ll be shooting the film without a distributor behind it. As Deadline says, the brothers and producer Scott Rudin are only aligning themselves with French company Studio Canal at the moment, who’ll be distributing it in France, eventually selling it to other territories. Rudin himself said that they’re “delighted to have Studio Canal as partners,” and since they’ve been involved with several of their recent projects, it’s “the logical next step.”
Canal’s Olivier Courson shed some more light on the film, saying that the script “has a feeling of fun like The Big Lebowski,...
- 9/10/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
If there is one thing that buyers at the Toronto Film Festival have lamented so far, it’s that many of the strongest titles were bought by distributors at script stage. Imagine the bidding that would occur if a Coen Brothers film would bring if it came to a festival without a partner? It could happen. Joel and Ethan Coen have their next film, and while the project has been on the rumor mill, the surprise is that Inside Llewyn Davis will be made without a domestic distribution partner. The film’s focus is the early folk music scene in Greenwich Village in the 60s, and the Coens and their producing partner Scott Rudin are making it with only an alignment with Studio Canal, which will distribute in France and some other territories, and look to sell the rest of foreign down the line. The Coens wrote the script, and...
- 9/9/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
• Charity Concert This Saturday In Manhattan Features Artists Aged Nine To Ninety • Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Neil Innes, Earl Slick, Mark Hudson, Marshall Crenshaw, Tom Chapin, Glen Burtnik & many more team up with Lennon's first band The Quarrymen (The Band That Became The Beatles) to salute Lennon on his 70th birthday John Lennon with his band The Quarrymen on Saturday July 6th 1957. Photographed just one hour before John Lennon & Paul McCartney met for the first time -- the 'Big Bang' that led to the Beatles. Photo: © 1957 & 2010 -- Geoff Rhind This Saturday -- October 9th -- is the exact 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth. There are multiple celebrations taking place worldwide, including the Us release of the superb movie Nowhere Boy about Lennon's teenage years, the formation of his band The Quarrymen...
- 10/6/2010
- by Martin Lewis
- Huffington Post
Chicago – Movie tie-in games have a reputation for being subpar at best and sometimes downright horrendous but the legacy of the blockbuster companion is nothing compared to the cavalcade of gaming crap that has come with our favorite TV shows. Games based on great shows like “The X-Files,” “Lost,” “24,” and “The Sopranos” have been absolute disasters. We can now add “Prison Break” to that list.
Video Game Rating: 1.0/5.0
The press materials that accompanied our review copy of “Prison Break: The Conspiracy” emphasized the fact that the game was made for the fans; as if that would be enough to give its significant flaws a pass. Personally, I think when a game is so clearly intended for hardcore fans that it almost sets the bar higher. This is a companion to something they love and they’ll feel easily ripped off if it doesn’t create the same level of entertainment as its inspiration.
Video Game Rating: 1.0/5.0
The press materials that accompanied our review copy of “Prison Break: The Conspiracy” emphasized the fact that the game was made for the fans; as if that would be enough to give its significant flaws a pass. Personally, I think when a game is so clearly intended for hardcore fans that it almost sets the bar higher. This is a companion to something they love and they’ll feel easily ripped off if it doesn’t create the same level of entertainment as its inspiration.
- 4/13/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
After ruling Billboard Hot 200 for two straight weeks, Sade extend their reign for another week on the top spot of the chart. Like what happened last week, there is no heavy contender which is able to dethrone this group from the No. 1 position this week.
Their album "Soldier of Love" actually can only manage to pull in another 127,000 copies, but it's enough to block the other records from the hot spot. Lady Antebellum remain the runner up, shifting 118,000 units with "Need You Now".
While last week's Top 10 saw no new release, this week is a bit different as a posthumous album "American VI: Ain't No Grave" from Johnny Cash bows at No. 3. Filled with covers of tunes by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and Tom Paxton, the disc has sold around 54,000.
With the arrival of the posthumous record, the other albums from Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa and Lil Wayne are...
Their album "Soldier of Love" actually can only manage to pull in another 127,000 copies, but it's enough to block the other records from the hot spot. Lady Antebellum remain the runner up, shifting 118,000 units with "Need You Now".
While last week's Top 10 saw no new release, this week is a bit different as a posthumous album "American VI: Ain't No Grave" from Johnny Cash bows at No. 3. Filled with covers of tunes by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and Tom Paxton, the disc has sold around 54,000.
With the arrival of the posthumous record, the other albums from Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa and Lil Wayne are...
- 3/4/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Final Johnny Cash album debuts at #3.
By Gil Kaufman
Sade's <i>Soldier Of Love</i>
Photo: Epic
Sade has done it again. The mysterious chanteuse will notch her third week in a row at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart next week with her Soldier of Love album. According to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, thanks to another slow week for new releases, the Nigerian-born singer moved another 127,000 copies of her first album in 10 years, for a three-week total topping 820,000.
The only other debut in the top 10 was a posthumous disc from late country giant Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain't No Grave, containing some of the final recordings from the singer, including covers of tunes by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and Tom Paxton. The Rick Rubin-produced disc sold 54,000 in its debut week.
The rest of the top 10 was largely unchanged: Lady Antebellum's Need You Now (#2, 118,000), Black Eyed Peas' The E.
By Gil Kaufman
Sade's <i>Soldier Of Love</i>
Photo: Epic
Sade has done it again. The mysterious chanteuse will notch her third week in a row at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart next week with her Soldier of Love album. According to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, thanks to another slow week for new releases, the Nigerian-born singer moved another 127,000 copies of her first album in 10 years, for a three-week total topping 820,000.
The only other debut in the top 10 was a posthumous disc from late country giant Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain't No Grave, containing some of the final recordings from the singer, including covers of tunes by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson and Tom Paxton. The Rick Rubin-produced disc sold 54,000 in its debut week.
The rest of the top 10 was largely unchanged: Lady Antebellum's Need You Now (#2, 118,000), Black Eyed Peas' The E.
- 3/3/2010
- MTV Music News
Here at Game Rant, we haven’t been the kindest of folks when it comes to Prison Break: The Conspiracy. From the initial screenshots we posted back in December, through to the screens we saw in February, we’ve been rather skeptical, to say the least. And who can blame us? With little to no real information to go on, we were forced to make judgements based on the screenshots provided. Suffice to say, we weren’t that impressed.
Yet, with the release of a new trailer, I have to say that my curiosity has been piqued. Sure, the visuals aren’t of the caliber of Alan Wake or Heavy Rain, but does that really matter? Perhaps it’s fair to say that as soon as the Prison Break score kicked in, my judgement was impaired somewhat as I was transported back to the show’s original release back...
Yet, with the release of a new trailer, I have to say that my curiosity has been piqued. Sure, the visuals aren’t of the caliber of Alan Wake or Heavy Rain, but does that really matter? Perhaps it’s fair to say that as soon as the Prison Break score kicked in, my judgement was impaired somewhat as I was transported back to the show’s original release back...
- 2/22/2010
- by Phillipe Bosher
- GameRant
Koch Media has expressed its high hopes for the forthcoming Prison Break video game, despite the television show being off the air since last year. Titled Prison Break: The Conspiracy, the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC title will feature voice acting from the show's main cast members when it is released in March. Developed by Zootfly, the story will roughly follow events from the first season of Prison Break, with players becoming Company agent Tom Paxton as he travels to the Fox River State Penitentiary to discover why Michael Scofield got himself locked up. Speaking to McV, Koch Media's sales and marketing director Paul Nicholls said that strong DVD sales and a committed Prison Break fanbase will hopefully boost the game's fortunes. "Even (more)...
- 2/11/2010
- by By Andrew Laughlin
- Digital Spy
Provided you have a television (if you don’t, why are you here?), you know the television show Prison Break, which premiered on Fox back in 2005 and ran for four seasons. A game – titled Prison Break: The Conspiracy - has been in development based on the first season for some time and developer Deep Silver has now released more screenshots to the public.
Suffice to say, the screenshots are a good example of graphics in the industry. Well, at least they would be, if it were 2001. The less-than-stellar graphics are merely “so-so” at best, making the game look like another sheep in the “Let’s take a TV Show / Movie and turn it into a game” list. It’s a large enough list, and none of the games on it are noteworthy. That said, the game isn’t out yet – so I guess I shouldn’t judge too much.
Suffice to say, the screenshots are a good example of graphics in the industry. Well, at least they would be, if it were 2001. The less-than-stellar graphics are merely “so-so” at best, making the game look like another sheep in the “Let’s take a TV Show / Movie and turn it into a game” list. It’s a large enough list, and none of the games on it are noteworthy. That said, the game isn’t out yet – so I guess I shouldn’t judge too much.
- 12/3/2009
- by John Jacques
- GameRant
More than 15,000 admirers celebrated Pete Seeger's 90th birthday with him at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, which included a greeting from President Barack Obama. Since the late 1930s, Seeger has been a political activist and a troubadour for social justice in the U.S. and human rights around the world. He has used his remarkable talents as a performer, musician, songwriter, and folklorist to engage other people, from all walks of life, across generations and cultures, in causes to build a better and more civilized world. He almost singlehandedly popularized the notion that music can be a force for social change. This was evident Sunday at Madison Square Garden. The crowd included some of America's most respected musical performers -- including Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, Richie Havens, Billy...
- 5/4/2009
- by Peter Dreier
- Huffington Post
Former Led Zeppelin star Robert Plant and his new performance partner Alison Krauss were the toast of the 51st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night after claiming a fistful of honours.The duo picked up awards for Album of The Year, Record of The Year, Best Pop Collaboration, Best Country Collaboration and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.
Lil Wayne, who was the most nominated artist at this year's Grammys, took home three prizes and a share of the Best Rap Performance for a Duo or Group for Swagga Like Us with Jay-z, T.I. and Kanye West.
Coldplay were also triple winners, claiming Song of The Year, Best Rock Album and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
Double winners included Metallica, Al Green, Daft Punk, gospel star Kirk Franklin, Brad Paisley and Peter Gabriel and composer Thomas Newman, who won honours for their work on the Wall-e soundtrack.
Neil Diamond, the Four Tops, Dean Martin and music mogul Clive Davis were among those honoured with special awards during the ceremony.
The night was a star-studded affair - with more performers than ever before hitting the stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the event.
Highlights included Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift's duet on the country star's 15, Jennifer Hudson's stirring rendition of Diane Warren's You Pulled Me Through - backed by a gospel choir, the Jonas Brothers' collaboration with Stevie Wonder, Coldplay's performance with rapper Jay-z and Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke's rousing tribute to New Orleans with Terence Blanchard and Allen Toussaint.
Rockers U2 kicked off the 51st Grammys with new song Get on Your Boots and heavily-pregnant M.I.A., who was due to give birth on Sunday, performed Paper Planes/Swagga Like Us with rappers Lil Wayne, Jay-z, T.I. and Kanye West.
Lil Wayne, who was the most nominated artist at this year's Grammys, took home three prizes and a share of the Best Rap Performance for a Duo or Group for Swagga Like Us with Jay-z, T.I. and Kanye West.
Coldplay were also triple winners, claiming Song of The Year, Best Rock Album and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
Double winners included Metallica, Al Green, Daft Punk, gospel star Kirk Franklin, Brad Paisley and Peter Gabriel and composer Thomas Newman, who won honours for their work on the Wall-e soundtrack.
Neil Diamond, the Four Tops, Dean Martin and music mogul Clive Davis were among those honoured with special awards during the ceremony.
The night was a star-studded affair - with more performers than ever before hitting the stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the event.
Highlights included Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift's duet on the country star's 15, Jennifer Hudson's stirring rendition of Diane Warren's You Pulled Me Through - backed by a gospel choir, the Jonas Brothers' collaboration with Stevie Wonder, Coldplay's performance with rapper Jay-z and Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke's rousing tribute to New Orleans with Terence Blanchard and Allen Toussaint.
Rockers U2 kicked off the 51st Grammys with new song Get on Your Boots and heavily-pregnant M.I.A., who was due to give birth on Sunday, performed Paper Planes/Swagga Like Us with rappers Lil Wayne, Jay-z, T.I. and Kanye West.
- 2/9/2009
- WENN
Dean Martin will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement award during the ceremony of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards for his lasting contribution to music industry. On the recipient's list for the honor, he will be joined by Brenda Lee, The Four Tops, Blind Boys of Alabama, Hank Jones, Gene Autry and Tom Paxton.
Recording Academy president Neil Portnow is excited with the choice for the lifetime awards. He says, "Their outstanding accomplishments, legendary passion and artistry have positively affected our culture and will continue to influence and inspire generations to come."
The 2009 Grammy Awards will be held on February 8, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 08:00 A.M. - 11:30 P.M. (Et/Pt). Leading this coveted awards' nominees list with eight nods is Lil Wayne. The rapper nailed counts in "Best Rap Solo Performance", "Best...
Recording Academy president Neil Portnow is excited with the choice for the lifetime awards. He says, "Their outstanding accomplishments, legendary passion and artistry have positively affected our culture and will continue to influence and inspire generations to come."
The 2009 Grammy Awards will be held on February 8, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 08:00 A.M. - 11:30 P.M. (Et/Pt). Leading this coveted awards' nominees list with eight nods is Lil Wayne. The rapper nailed counts in "Best Rap Solo Performance", "Best...
- 12/23/2008
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
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