There was a stirring tribute to singer Davy Jones at B.B.Kings that truly moved the crowd to laughter, tears, and of course to their cell phones/cameras to perhaps save the moment. Jones is best known as a singer with “The Monkees,” and two “Monkees” performed near the end, first Peter Tork and then Micky Dolenz (no e in Davy or Micky but with Peter and Mike Nesmith, the latter who broke from the group, never to return, but had truly kind words about Davy).
Two of Davy’s four daughters, Annabel and Talia, were on stage at various moments and performed admirably. Each waited after the performance which ended around midnight and was over three hours in duration to sign and pose for pictures. Both Annabel and Talia are adorable women, who spoke passionately about their father. They really went “overtime” to comfort fans and told them how much that affection for their father was appreciated.
Davy Jones was in Oliver on Broadway, playing “The Artful Dodger” and coincidentally appeared with members of the cast on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 when the country stopped and watched The Beatles for the first time. Two years later, The Monkees burst on the scene, a fictional band, a garage band if you will, composed of four guys who wanted to be The Beatles. While no one has matched The Beatles, The Monkees had extraordinary success and the night was a fitting tribute to a great talent and person in Davy Jones.
The crowd which was treated to a rendition of “Everybody Loves Somebody” by Deana Martin and tributes to Davy from Tommy James and Gene Cornish really had a great time. Deana, one of Dean Martin’s seven children talked of how she was Dean’s daughter but also Davy Jones’ girlfriend. Both Dean and Davy liked horses and really got along well. Deana joined Annabel, Talia, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and the wonderful band that played with Davy for so long on stage for the big finale. The song was “Daydream Believer” and the song provided a rousing end to a great evening.
Davy Jones
The NHL playoffs begin this week with the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers as the top seeds in each conference. Those teams met in the 1994 Finals with the Rangers winning in 7 games. That was the Rangers first title in 54 years. Vancouver, which lost another final in 7 games last year (that to the Boston Bruins, who won their first title in 39 years) are in their 41st season and are still seeking their first Stanley Cup Title.
By the way, their first season was 1970-1971 so this should be their 42nd season but unlike the NBA which is playing its second partial season, the NHL had no season in 2004-2005. No team from Canada has won the Stanley Cup since 1993 and only Vancouver and east 7 seed, Ottawa, among the seven Canadian teams made the playoffs this season. The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs both failed to make the playoffs. The once mighty Canadiens, who won an incredible 15 titles in 24 seasons from (1956-1979) have won but two since then. Meanwhile Toronto has not won the Cup nor made the Finals since 1967, the last year before expansion.The Leafs have missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons.
Stanley Cup
Kentucky University won its 8th NCAA Basketball Title winning both its Final Four games by eight points. The Kentucky/Kansas final featured two teams that have won 7 of the 8 NCAA Tournaments contested in years ending in 8. Kentucky won in 1948, 1958, 1978, and 1998 while Kansas took the title in 1988 and 2008.(UCLA won the other “8” year title in 1968). Finally, the last six Kentucky Titles have been followed by New York Yankees’ Titles while in 1948 when Kentucky won its first title, the Yankees had won the 1947 World Series but the Cleveland Indians won the World Series in 1948 but have not won it since.
Kentucky University
Traditional college basketball powers, Kentucky and Kansas Universities will meet in the NCAA Basketball Title game on Monday night April 2nd. Kentucky is coached by John Calipari, who is seeking his first national title in this his 4th “Final Four” appearance. Kentucky has won 7 titles while Kansas has won 3, the last under current coach Bill Self in 2008. In that game, Kansas got a late regulation time 3 point shot from Mario Chalmers to force overtime. Then Kansas eased in the overtime winning vs Memphis which was coached by John Calipari.
Kansas is (3-5) in championship games: the most famous a 3 overtime loss to North Carolina in 1957. That Kansas team featured Wilt Chamberlain and it was the first of many painful losses for a Chamberlain team. Kentucky is (7-3) in Title games, winning 3 Titles in 4 seasons from (1948-1951) and also losing to UCLA in John Wooden’s last game in 1975. That was Wooden’s 10th Title all within 12 seasons (1964-1975) and that is by far the most titles for any coach. Kentucky’s legendary coach Adolf “Baron” Rupp and current Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski are tied for second with 4 titles each. All 3 previous Kansas titles came in presidential election years, (1952, 1988 and 2008). This is,NCAA Basketball, of course, a presidential election year. Kentucky is favored by 6 points in this the first title tilt between these two basketball giants.
Bill Self
John Calipari
It was a quite an evening at the Hammerstein Ballroom on March 31, 2012 when WCBS-FM presented “The Legends of Disco,” which was co-hosted by dance legend Deney Terrio and WCBS-FM’s own Joe Causi. Both did great jobs, and, by the way, Terrio’s dancing ability is still “off the charts” great.
Causi was masterful as a co-host blending stories, personal favorites, humor and doing all the thank you’s and promotions in a way that did not deter from the music one bit. He is a true professional and was great to talk with after the event. (He told me his nephew Anthony Causi is a photographer with The New York Post.)
Joe truly had a great time mixing and moving some great acts and interacting with Terrio. At one point, Terrio revealed he was from Revere, Massachusetts near Boston only to be chided in fun by Causi.
It was a festive event: people “going back in time,” dancing, and having fun. Causi, “Brooklyn’s own,” talked of 86th street in Brooklyn and “Saturday Night Fever.” His stories and pacing contributed mightily to a great show and evening.
We will have much more on the music and chats/interviews I had with Deney Terrio and others.
Denny Terrio, Joe Causi, Nile Rodgers
A Saturday night at home alone (reminds me of high school but that is another story) and I watched “The Goodbye Girl” which was part of TCM’s “The Essentials.” The movie was great, Drew Barrymore is improving as the incomparable Robert Osborne’s co host, and I noticed some interesting things near the end, and as a reward for watching the credits. Near the end of the movie, Marsha Mason’s Paula says to Richard Dreyfuss’ Elliott, “If you ever win an Academy Award” and in “real life,” Dreyfuss did win the Academy Award for the “Goodbye Girl.”
While watching the closing credits to the “Goodbye Girl,” I noticed the name Carrie White as part of the makeup team. The movie “Carrie,” is about a fictional Carrie White and her telekinetic powers. That movie hit the screens about the same time. The real Carrie White has always been and continues to be a well known stylist and hairdresser to Hollywood insiders.
The Goodbye Girl
I went to the first taping of the new TV-webcast show, “There,” which is a title based on “if you can make it there” (NY). It featured three talented, relatively unknown talents and is hosted by the man who plays guitar in the park, David Ippolito. The banter between host and guests was excellent. Check the Ippolito website (www.thatguitarman.com) for information on how and when to watch the show. It is a great idea, showcasing new talent worldwide.
NYC
Harry Belafonte’s “My Song: A Memoir,” written with Michael Shnayerson, is a riveting account of one of the most incredible people of recent times. Belafonte is honest, forthright and thinking ahead in giving us perspective on so much meaningful history. Add to that, Mr.Belafonte’s incredible entertainment career and personal life and you gain access to someone so extraordinary. His activism came first and this memoir adds so much to our knowledge of historic figures like Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. The events were seminal and this man was a big part of it. Now to be able to read his accounts, in a truly revealing manner, moved me beyond words. Eleanor Roosevelt dinner parties, Frank Sinatra shooting dice and the ways of Las Vegas hotels, are addressed. Belafonte is honest about his therapy, issues regarding his upbringing, race in America, and that American “essential:” money.
More than anything, he talks of his involvement in the civil rights movement. He is far too modest as to how much he contributed in time, money, and bringing the stars to some of the great demonstrations and events in our history. He talks of the Kennedys and how he talked with them in many a private setting. Talk about access, this extraordinary man had it with some of the greatest people of recent history. In this memoir he brings us to the incredible talks and events. Few have done so much and to read about it is not nearly doing the same, but still truly inspirational.
Harry Belafonte
There are some historic rematches in the Regional semi finals of the 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Cincinnati and Ohio State, who are meeting in the East Region semi finals, met in a game for the NCAA Title 50 years ago. Cincinnati won that game as well as the 1961 Final when Ohio State came into the game as defending national champions.
Cincinnati was denied a 3rd straight title when Loyola of Chicago upset them in the 1963 Final in a great game. Vic Rouse’s offensive rebound basket was decisive. Those Bearcats of Cincinnati came the closest by far of any team to win 3 straight titles, other than, of course, the famed John Wooden coached the UCLA Bruins, who won seven straight titles from 1967-1973.
Oddly, Cincinnati began that great 3 year run, that produced two titles and a second place finish, after their greatest player Oscar Robertson graduated and began his career with the Cincinnati Royals–who now are the Sacramento Kings. That franchise started in Rochester as the Royals where they won their only Title in 1950-1951. Subsequent to playing in Rochester the team moved to Cincinnati and then became the Kansas City Omaha Kings. The Rochester Royals, by the way, kept the Minneapolis Lakers from winning a third straight NBA Title and the 1950-1951 season was the only season in which Minneapolis did not win the crown from (1949-1954).
Another historic rematch is also a clash between two great basketball schools from two great basketball states. Of course that is the Kentucky vs Indiana South Regional semi final matchup. Kentucky is the favorite to win its 8th NCAA Title and they are second only to UCLA which has the most titles with eleven. Meanwhile, Indiana has won 5 Titles which ties them with North Carolina for third place, the Tar Heels being the current 2nd choice in this tournament. Kentucky beat an undefeated Indiana team in the 1975 Regional Finals in a game whose TV announcers were Marv Albert and Jerry Lucas. Albert, a magnificent basketball broadcaster, is working his second straight NCAA tournament after a 30 year absence from the event. Lucas was the star of the Ohio State NCAA winner in 1960 and the 2nd place teams of 1961 and 1962. His teammates for all or part of that period of excellence included John Havlicek, Larry Seigfried and one Bob Knight, the latter best known as a volatile basketball coach. Knight was the Indiana coach whose undefeated team lost that 1975 Regional Final to Kentucky.
Oscar Robertson
“Enter Your Sleep ” is a very well done play in which the two characters, longtime friends, who have not seen each other in years, enter each other’s dreams. It stars Jonathan Hooks as P.K.Whylde and Lauren Sowa as Glory Zico. They are the only actors on stage with each playing more than one role. The play really makes one think about opportunities and explores a wonderful concept; dreams with feedback. “Enter Your Sleep” was written by Christina Quintana and directed by Jonathan McCrory. Both Hooks and Sowa were excited about the project. Each is worth following as they are truly talented actors.
Jonathan Hooks and Lauren Sowa have known each other for some time. Their chemistry really comes across to the audience. At one point in the play, the two get up together, from a prone position keeping their heads touching at all times. Try that some time. I, for one, would be lucky to just get up from the floor.
Hooks plays Sowa’s/Glory’s character’s mother in one scene and does it with excellent comedic timing and quite a good version of a feminine voice. Hooks, like P.K., is from Oklahoma where he studied at The University of Oklahoma Drama School. His previous work includes the films “Where Truth Lies” and “Sadie Clove,” on which Jonathan also contributed special effects. Sowa, who keeps a blog to motivate her to read a play each day, is about to begin filming “Stalled,” a short film whose topic is revenge. She also recently worked with Kevin Spacey at Brooklyn Academy of Music on no less a project than “Richard III.”
Author Christina Quintana is hoping for a March 2013 revival of “Enter Your Sleep.” She says the play is about the “kooky and undefinable” relationship of P.K. and Glory. I say her dream, making a viable play about dreams and possibilities should, and hopefully will come to fruition. Watching “Enter Your Sleep” was a transforming experience that made me think and sadly caused regrets about my missed opportunities. But overall, it left me inspired and others will learn lessons about seeking one’s dreams. I left the performance truly feeling great. Here’s hoping “Enter Your Sleep” is back, bigger and better, very soon…
