TT 218: Substacks and Automobiles
Lewis Porter on James P. Johnson. Great find! Interesting to hear James P. talk a bit as well.
Vinnie Sperrazza on Shelly Manne. Unique and engaging perspective!
I have my own particular opinion on Manne, namely that he is one of the greatest studio drummers but less enchanting in a creative situation. Ray Brown is somewhat in the same camp. I don’t love Manne/Brown with Sonny Rollins on the wide open Way Out West, but those two are perfect for the comparatively constrained Hampton Hawes valediction At the Piano.
Ted Gioia on the LP “boom.” Gioia understands this arena better than most. We live in hope, but…
Last week I quickly walked through two museums.
At the Petersen —
Mercer Speedster, circa 1910 (alongside an early Chevrolet). I always respond to the Speedster, one of the first sports cars. Dig the circular windscreen for the driver.
Car history is history writ large. “The Mercer Automobile Company was started by the wealthy Roebling and Kuser families who helped build the Brooklyn Bridge. The designer, Washington A. Roebling II, died in the sinking of the Titanic.”
Duesenberg and LaSalle. My mother’s favorite car was the Duesenberg; she told me that she wept while looking at Duesenbergs at an auto show.
Not one but two Delahayes (there was also third down the row a bit)
When I was 10 years old, I was terrified of the ominous television ads for Stephen King’s Christine. Not long ago Sarah and I watched the John Carpenter film and I really enjoyed it. For what it is, 10/10.
The ‘58 Plymouth Fury in all her glory:
Among the non-production cars was a truly spectacular ‘53 Cadillac Ghia made for Rita Hayworth.
Mopar muscle cars are a tough yet classy act, for example this ‘67 Dodge.
Upstairs I looked a Tucker -- not too many of those around...
It's Hollywood, so they had Starsky and Hutch, "Eleanor," and some live-action Scooby Doo Mystery Machine
The Model T and the Cybertruck…Alpha and Omega?
At the Estrella Warbird Museum/Woodland Auto Display —
A Marmon! In Hammett’s Red Harvest, Dinah Brand drives a Marmon coupe that must have been similar to this one. Reno Starkey tells her, “You handle this bus like you mean it,” (after executing a fast getaway despite a hail of bullets).
Time for some chrome: Chrysler New Yorker and Buick Century
My dad collected Studebakers. On my way out, the proprietor of Woodland Auto Display asked his prepared question, “Which one are you taking with you?” I might have surprised him when I quickly responded, “I’m easy to please, I’ll take the Studebaker Lark in the corner.”
I’m less into army stuff but both these trucks were at the Battle of the Bulge alongside my hero Charles Willeford.
It was impressive to stand under the long blades of two ‘Nam-era choppers, the Choctaw and the Huey.
With the propeller of a ‘53 Lockheed…Who’s photo-bombing who?
Didn't know you were such a car guy. I've been crazy about cars for ever--jazz since I was about 10 any my folks gave me a jazz collection on 45s--when I heard "In a Mist" I was sold. Cars--I've had some nice ones-- a '55 Porsche cabriolet, And Alfa, a Mini, Sprites--and used the Mini and the Sprite for SCCA racing for quite a few years. So cars and jazz--CDs and a lot of vinyl in the basement. Still listen to Sonny Rollins a LOT.