TT 231: Mezzrow, Dilys Winn, other crimes
Hitting with two of the best, Peter Washington and Eric McPherson, at Mezzrow this weekend (Fri-Sat)
Dilys Winn finally gets an obit, and a well-done obit as well. Thank you Allyson McCabe.
My mother had Winn's two anthologies of critical articles Murder Ink and Murderess Ink on the shelves. I read them cover to cover; I suppose this early influence goes straight into my jazz writing today.
Winn's own commentary makes a small but important cameo in my Nero Wolfe opus, “Comfort Food.”
On topic: in Scottsdale, I visited one of the last true-blue brick-and-mortars modeled after Murder Ink, The Poisoned Pen Bookstore.
I purchased Drive by James Sallis (somehow never read him, but I do like the movie adaptation), Idle Gossip by Renee Patrick (latest in great series, amazing title), and Light It Up by Nick Petrie (a staff recommendation).
Very amusing review of Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre by Olivia Rutigliano.
"Anyone who was disappointed by Operation Fortune, or who expected more from it, must have forgotten that the film is called 'Operation Fortune' —and not only that, but also that it gives itself a secondary title in French, which is in fact never a sign of quality."
Despite my interest in crime movies I’ve seen very few “erotic thrillers.” From the current Criterion survey of this outstandingly dated form…
…I only know Body Double (meh), The Last Seduction (terrible) and Basic Instinct (good). Going through the rest sounded like fun until I remembered the sultry sax-heavy soundtracks. Body Heat is a perfect example: John Barry's 1981 mix of synthesizer and sax is absolutely abominable, and the reason I’ve never this movie, a film that has a good reputation otherwise.
(Jerry Goldsmith does makes wonderful choices for Basic Instinct.)
Thanks for posting Dilys Winn’s obit. I’d missed it. I’m a big fan of yours, Ethan, from way back in the Bad Plus days. I’m an artist who has always listened to jazz as I work. I also used to do picture research to pay the bills. I got to work with Dilys Winn and her editor at Workman, Sally Kovalchik on Murder Ink. I found the photos, pictures that illustrate it. The three of us had great fun.
Sorry for your loss. Maybe hire a shamus to find it. I know you hate my sense of humor or wordplay, but it’s springtime. I thought I would turn over a new leaf.
Speaking of Jerry Goldsmith, if you ever play the Palo Alto Art Center here there are two monotypes on the wall by Joseph Zirker. who was Jerry‘s first cousin.