Book Review: The Official Book of Mob Humor by Malcolm Kushner

With a title like The Official Book of Mob Humor, how could a guy resist? The way the Mafia has been presented in the first two Godfather films, plus Goodfellas and The Sopranos — it seems like the ultimate “boys club.” For one thing, in all of these celluloid visions, the guys being “whacked” had it coming. For the most part, the Mafia “heroes” had our sympathy. This is sort of a weird way of looking at things. Does anyone remember the days of “The Teflon Don” (John Gotti) back in the mid-eighties? When Gotti beat Federal rap after rap, crowds cheered him. Not only that, but he was actually on the cover of Time magazine. And this was 25 years ago, when the cover of Time actually meant something.

There was a pretty good movie that came out in 1997 called Donnie Brasco, which was the undercover name of FBI agent Joe Pistone. Pistone is quoted on the cover with the words “A book for all Mafia lovers.” Mafia lovers? What is that supposed to mean? You love the fact that your neighborhood deli guy has to pay a percentage of his income to keep from being killed? And this from a former FBI agent.

Regardless of these disclaimers though, I have seen the films cited, and all episodes of The Soparanos probably 20 times apiece. So much of this type of humor was summed up in about 45 seconds of the very first Godfather flick. After the Don is shot, revenge is quietly taken out on the New Jersey turnpike. While Peter Clemenza takes a whiz, Paulie (the driver) is shot by Rocco from the backseat. As the two leave Clemenza says “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

The Official Book of Mob Humor is filled with classic dead-pan moments like those — and they are a big part of what make us “Mafia lovers.” Those quotes alone are worthwhile, but author Malcolm Kushner goes quite a bit deeper. One of the funnier chapters is “Headline Hits,” which shows how the New York papers vie to come up with the best Mob-pun headlines. A couple of examples are “Yule Be Sorry, Rat Squeals on Gotti Over $50 X-Mas Gift,” and “Meat Shop Mob Guy Will Never Loin.” Kushner even reproduces the little two or three paragraph articles that these witticisms were created for.

I liked the “Mob Q & A” sections a lot as well. There are both mobster and “mobster women” sections — and they have a bit of “old Vegas” to them. Here are a few examples:

Q: How many mobsters does it take to throw a man down the stairs?
A: None, he fell.

Q. How many mobsters does it take to open a beer?
A: None. It should be open when his wife brings it.

And now for a couple from the female perspective:

Q: Why do mistresses fake orgasms?
A: They think mobsters care.

Q: What’s a mobster’s idea of honesty in a relationship?
A: Telling you his real name.

Quite a bit of the book is taken up with little vignettes from the dozens of Mob movies made over the years. The chapter for me was the one titled “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up.” As the author puts it, “Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.”
There are quite a number of these, but one that made me laugh out loud was reported in the May 3, 1999 edition of the Palm Beach Post in Florida. The article reported that mobsters in Taiwan were offering to pay tuition for needy students who would agree to work for them after graduation. It seemed that they needed accountants, lawyers, and other professionals in their business.

The Official Book of Mob Humor is pretty funny, no question about it. The book even has a forward by a man who could only be called “The Teflon Rat,” Henry Hill. Geez, the guy even has a website. I don’t know. I always thought Tony Soprano was one of the most complex characters ever created on TV. But when you get right down to it, the real stuff with these guys isn’t funny at all. I have mixed feelings about this book.

But it definitely intrigued me, which is why I picked it up in the first place. I imagine there are quite a number of people out there who may have the same curiosity. The Official Book of Mob Humor is published by Robert D. Reed Publishers.







Article first published as Book Review: The Official Book of Mob Humor by Malcolm Kushner on Blogcritics.

Music Review: Foghat - Last Train Home: Limited Edition LP

Foghat’s Last Train Home was originally released in 2010 and caused a bit of a stir with their fans. It was a great disc and was greeted enthusiastically. It was so well received in fact, that they have just issued a special, limited-edition vinyl version of it. This is not a new phenomenon; vinyl is making something of a comeback, especially with classic-rock acts. Although LPs account for a miniscule amount of music sales overall, some of us never completely abandoned it. With Last Train Home, Foghat have produced an outstanding package. Not only is the double-album limited to just 1,000 copies, but it comes in a beautiful gatefold sleeve, and the vinyl itself is a stunning shade of blue.

Blue is a natural choice for the set, as this is a collection of blues songs, which has always been a part of Foghat‘s music. Their first hit was a cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want To Make Love To You” off of their 1972 debut Foghat. What they did with those older songs was to put a seventies rock spin on them, which FM radio ate up. Their heyday (at least for some of us) was their 1975 Fool For The City album, which contained the classic “Slow Ride.”

There were more hits to come, but things changed over the years. Like so many groups of the era, Foghat’s audience slowly fell off. It’s a sad story, but the group continued to record and play live regardless. By 2010, two members of the “classic” Foghat lineup had passed on - “Lonesome” Dave Peverett in 2000, and Rod Price in 2005. The 2010 CD release of Last Train Home was dedicated to the memories of them.

The group that recorded Last Train Home consisted of Roger Earl (drums), Charlie Huhn (vocals, lead guitar), Bryan Bassett (lead and slide guitar), Jeff Howell (bass), Colin Earl (keyboards), Lefty Jerkewitz (fix!!!) (harmonica), and special guest Eddie “Bluesman” Kirkland - who played guitar and sang on “Good Good Day,” and “In My Dreams,” (both of which he wrote as well). Sadly, between the time of the CD release, and this LP - Eddie was killed in an auto accident, and he too receives a special memorial dedication on the back cover.

Last Train Home is a tribute to the blues masters who inspired Foghat in the first place. It is a project that Roger Earl and Lonesome Dave had discussed doing for years, but unfortunately Peverett had left us by the time it became a reality. The vinyl release date of February 7 marked the 12-year anniversary of Peverett’s death.

As previously mentioned, two of the 12 songs were written by Kirkland. Three others are Foghat originals, written by various incarnations of the group. Six were written by blues legends Otis Rush, Chuck Willis, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, and Elmore James (two tracks).

The remaining track is “Needle And Spoon,“ written by Chris Youlden. It originally appeared on the 1969 Savoy Brown album Raw Sienna. For those who may be unfamiliar with the historical roots of Foghat, both Roger Earl and Dave Peverett were members of Savoy at the time. In fact, they left that group to form Foghat, so the inclusion of this song has a special significance.

One of the things about the blues I have always enjoyed is the fact that age never seems to be an issue. For one thing, the songs themselves are “old.” But I was thinking more about the artists. Take Muddy Waters for example. For anyone who has seen The Last Waltz (1978), his performance of “Mannish Boy” just about stole the show - and that is saying something considering the level of talent who performed that night. Waters was 63 years old at the time.

As a band, nobody on Last Train Home can be accused of slacking. In fact, they seem to be egging each other on to stronger and stronger performances. This may sound like a back-handed compliment, but it really is not intended that way. With this set, and the way they play - they are like the ultimate roadhouse blues band anyone could ever hope to see. All 12 songs are great, but I particularly enjoyed the medley of “Rollin’ & Tumblin'”/”You Need Love.” The two Elmore James tracks are very strong, as is the Muddy Waters tune “Louisiana Blues.”

The three Foghat-written songs also sound good, especially the album-opening “Born For The Road.” The set closes with the two Kirkland cuts: “In My Dreams,” and “Good Good Day.” With all due respect, they are fine, but not my favorites.

The only “new” vinyl albums I have bought over the past decade or so have been special reissues of older releases. Last Train Home is a little different. It was obviously very carefully crafted to appeal to fans like myself. It really does remind me of the classic-era, with some great photos, liner notes, and cool sleeves.

Last Train Home is obviously a real labor of love for the group. From the songs they chose, to the memorials to lost members, and the performances themselves - this is a recording they really cared about. For older guys like me, the vinyl version makes it better than ever. I’m a bit surprised that this is limited to just 1,000 copies - because I think there are far more people who would be interested in this edition than that small number. It makes it all the cooler though, as each copy is hand-numbered.

The Last Train Home Limited Edition LP is available exclusively through the Foghat website.


Article first published as Music Review: Foghat - Last Train Home: Limited Edition LP on Blogcritics.

Book Review:Outside The Lines by Amy Hatvany

Seattle-area author Amy Hatvany’s latest novel is titled Outside The Lines, which makes perfect sense after reading it. The book is one of those which raises a number of questions, not all of them easily answered. Many of the issues brought up in the book do indeed fall “outside the lines,” because they are so personal. As a reader, some of them mirror situations I have been faced with just this past few months — so it definitely struck a chord.

Eden West is a 30-year old Seattle woman trying to come to grips with some very difficult issues. When she was just ten years old, she found her father lying on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood. He had slashed his wrists, out of desperation and painful mental illness. The suicide attempt led to her parents eventual divorce, and he all but disappeared from Eden’s life.

Over the years, she had heard various stories of him living on the streets, and struggling with his mental illness. When we catch up with Eden, she is running her own catering business, which is doing quite well — and has dreams of opening her own restaurant. After a health scare with her mother, Eden decides she wants to try and find her father, and hopefully begin the process of moving past that horrific day two decades prior.

With this in mind, she begins her search in one of the downtown Seattle homeless shelters. With the help of the understanding and helpful director, Eden’s quest becomes more and more real. It is at this point where the title really comes into play. By delving into the issues of mental illness, and homelessness, we are faced with questions which simply do not have easy answers.

Keeping things interesting on another level, there is a budding romance between Eden and the homeless shelter director, Jack. As a Seattle native, I personally enjoyed Amy’s use of various local landmarks throughout the story. Although they really do not add or detract from the story itself, the use of them adds a special bit of a personal touch.

Outside The Lines is Amy Hatvany’s third novel, and has been chosen as a Target Club Pick — which is a bit of an achievement for a local author. The book is available through a number of sources, including publisher Washington Square Press.





Article first published as Book Review: Outside The Lines by Amy Hatvany on Blogcritics.

DVD Review: Battlefield Detectives

The Acorn Media Group specializes in packaging British television shows for the American DVD market. Of course, that is not all they do - the company also releases a great deal of educational material. In the case of Battlefield Detectives, Acorn has put together a three-DVD box set that offers the best of both worlds.

The Athena imprint is the home Acorn uses for its educational releases. Last year the company put out a couple of excellent documentary sets; The Making of the President: The 1960s, and Joseph Campbell: Mythos III.

Battlefield Detectives could be considered English historical programming. Although the show aired on The History Channel in the United States, it was produced by the ITV Studios - based in both London and Manchester.

The Battlefield Detectives set contains all nine episodes from the first season of the series (2003). As the name implies, the program investigates famous battles fought over the centuries by using three-dimensional computer models, maps, artifacts, and (in later years) actual footage. There are a great many dramatic re-enactments utilized as well.

One of the series highlights is its use of experts in a numerous fields, including geologists, climatologists, firearms experts, forensic scientists, and even psychiatrists. Taken together, all of this information provides very deep background for each of the battles discussed.

The historical sweep of the series certainly cannot be faulted. The first episode “Who Got Lucky at Hastings?” refers to the Battle of Hastings fought October 14, 1066. This was a decisive event in the Norman conquest of England, during which the English King Harold II was killed. Duke William II of Normandy emerged victorious, becoming King William I, the first Norman King of England. Using modern management theory the episode theorizes which of the two leaders was actually the better.

It must have been quite a task to choose just nine battles from nearly 1,000 years of history. The series progresses through the 15th Century Battle of Agincourt, the sinking of the Armada in 1588, the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War in 1854, Custer’s Last Stand (1876), the Gallipoli disaster (1915), and finally Vietnam War during the 1960s.

There is a wealth of information contained in this set, and it is a truly fascinating way to learn about these pivotal events. Bonus features include a 16-page viewers guide, biographies of the major military leaders featured in the series, and online companion features at the Athena website.

All in all, this is a very satisfying set on several levels, and as is usually the case with Acorn Media product, very affordably priced. Although I hate the term “info-tainment” and what it implies, in this case it would not be inappropriate. Battlefield Detectives is both educational and entertaining - which is not an easy task. I am hoping that Athena will release the second and third seasons of this excellent program at some point in the near future.






Article first published as DVD Review: Battlefield Detectives on Blogcritics.

Music Review: Gidon Kremer - Edition Lockenhaus [5CD Box Set]

Although Gidon Kremer’s five-CD Edition Lockenhaus has been available for a couple of months now, it well worth discussing for fans of classical “new music.” This past year marked the 30th anniversary of the chamber music festival co-founded by violinist Gidon Kremer and Pastor Josef Herowitsch in the Austrian village of Lockenhaus.

The first Lockenhaus festival took place way back in 1981, which Kremer considered “a home with open doors” for the musical community he hoped to build. It was certainly an excellent choice, and has paid off handsomely. The various performances collected on this set include a huge variety of supporting musicians. A full listing here would be a bit much, but a few of the well-known names include Gerard Causse, Thomas Zehetmair, Heinz Holliger, Robert Levin, and Julius Berger, among many others.

The first disc of the set focuses on previously unreleased recordings from 2001 and 2008. These feature Sir Simon Rattle and Roman Kofman conducting Kremerata Baltica in performances of Strauss’s “Metamorphosen” and Messiaen’s “Trois petites Liturgies de la Prescence Divine.” For U.S. fans, don't let the “foreign” names throw you; this is beautiful music, played with a brilliance one may not normally expect in such a festival setting.

The remaining four discs were previously released on ECM as Edition Lockenhaus Volumes 1/2 and 4/5. These performances were recorded back in the '80s—1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, and 1986. Those sets have been out of print for years now, so their reissue has been highly anticipated by fans.

One of the more notable aspects of each festival has been a focus on certain composers. Discs two through five are concerned with the music of Cesar Franck, Andre Caplet, Francis Poulenc, Leos Janacek, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Erwin Schulhoff.

While there is obviously an enormous amount of material to choose from here, I found the fourth disc, which is devoted solely to the music of Shostakovich, especially noteworthy. The 22:22 “String Quartet No. 12 op. 138” features the violins of both Kremer and Thomas Zehetmair, the viola of Nobuko Imai, and the violoncello of Boris Pergamentschikow. It is quite an outstanding piece.

The 60-page booklet included in the set is printed in both German and English, and contains in-depth discussions of each composition. The original liner notes to the Edition Lockenhaus 1/2 and 4/5 are also included. This is a marvelous set of music, and a very impressive package overall. To put it simply, ECM have done it again.






Article first published as Music Review: Gidon Kremer - Edition Lockenhaus [5CD Box Set] on Blogcritics.

Music Reviews: Autistici - Detached Metal Voice & Slow Temperature; Various Artists: Autistici Reworked - Resonating Wires

Autistici is the musical alter ego of David Newman, who also happens to run the Audiobulb record label. Newman is based in Sheffield, which is a long way away from London, New York, Los Angeles, or even Seattle—where I am writing from. But good music is never confined to geographic locations, as we all know. Even in this global internet world there is a tendency, however, to focus on music from your “local” area. I mention this because the music of Autistici (and that of the Audiobulb label in general) seems practically unknown in the United States. So I am doing my small part to spread the word.

There are three pretty fascinating releases here which I'm addressing. The first two are Autistici recordings titled Detached Metal Voice (Early Works Volume 1) and Slow Temperature (Early Works Volume Two). The third is Autistici Reworked - Resonating Wires. This third entry contains ambient remixes by various artists of some of the later Autistici music.

As Newman himself describes the early material, it is from a time when he was exploring abstract sounds. Here is the “official” explanation of what the album is: “A collection of early works exploring the raw extrusion of the human condition. Bringing together abstract early works, Detached Metal Voice is characterized by a detached narrative, AT&T voiceovers provide threads of psychological association, rhythmic neoclassical arrangements and noise electronic jazz improvisations provide the backdrop.”

Fair enough. Now let’s move on to Volume Two: “Slow Temperature brings together archive material from 2001—2005. The collection features abstract ambience, a focus on micro-sounds and digital sculpting of audio from everyday objects.”

In all honesty—as those descriptions clearly show—this is music that is a little difficult to describe. To sum things up, though, the most obvious word people would use would probably be “dissonant.” That term is pretty loaded, though, and does not really do justice to the music at hand. Just be ready for something a little less melodic than the “usual” fare.

I remember the first time I heard John Coltrane really “go out there,” and wondering how (or why) anyone would listen to music as disconcerting as that was. Jeez—that was a live version of “My Favorite Things” recorded in 1963! Then I heard Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz, and even though all of my friends hated it, I began to understand the ideas behind it all.

As Newman himself says, his appreciation for music was a growth process. It took me a while for me to understand why John Cage’s 4’33” is so cool. Although many people think it is all about silence, the piece is actually all about the audience. The discomfort and rustling of papers for four minutes and thirty-three seconds is the “song.”

Yes it is conceptual, and yes one could call it pretentious. But it is pretty damned fascinating when you understand its real point. The real point of the early works of Autistici? Despite my earlier comments, the music is not really that dissonant at all. In fact, I quite enjoyed both albums.

The one that kind of threw me for a loop, though, was the first one I actually listened to: the various artists collection Autistici Reworked. I have never been the biggest fan of remixes, but these are pretty impressive. It was a totally bizarre experience for me to hear these pretty, ambient pieces by a number of David Newman’s associates next to the early Autistici discs. Quite a difference indeed.

I commend David Newman for what he is doing with the Audiobulb label, and it seems that the basic description (besides the early Autistici recordings) are what most of us would term “ambient” music. Tired of the “same old same old?” Then try something truly unique. Visit the Audiobulb label site and discover a whole new world of music.







Article first published as Music Reviews: Autistici - Detached Metal Voice & Slow Temperature; Various Artists: Autistici Reworked - Resonating Wires on Blogcritics.

DVD Review: Poldark: The Complete Collection

The Acorn Media Group have done it again. Their release of yet another fascinating BBC production in the U.S. as a budget-priced box-set is a “must” for fans of great British television. In this case, it is Poldark: The Complete Collection - an eight-DVD set which features series one and two of the program. The term “series” is used in English television lingo the way we in the United States use the word “season.” Just by way of explanation, Poldark ran for two seasons - and this set contains all 29 episodes.

Poldark was originally shown in the U.S. on Masterpiece Theatre in 1977. The producers call it a “costume drama,” which is useful - but there is much more to the program than just the excellent re-creation of 18th Century England. The title character is Captain Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis), and the series deals with his life both in and out of the military.

One of the basic themes throughout the various episodes is that the events in Poldark’s personal life are often more difficult than those he faces as an English Captain. In the first series, we find the wounded Captain returning from the American Revolution - after escaping from a French prisoner-of-war camp. He is faced with the awful fact that not only has his father died while he was away, but that the woman he had intended to wed is engaged to another man. To add to his woes, there is also a ruthless businessman out to force the family off of their land. During the second series, the trials and tribulations continue - and Captain Poldark is faced with a number of crises that he again must face, in addition to his outstanding career as a military officer.

In watching Poldark: The Complete Collection, it is hard to believe that it was filmed way back in 1975. Even by today’s hi-def standards, the landscapes, costumes, and sets remain very impressive. Obviously, a great deal of care went into “getting it right,” and the efforts certainly paid off.

Bonus features include “Getting It Right” by star Robin Ellis - which is excerpted from his book Making Poldark. There are also cast filmographies, and a fascinating historical background on Cornwall, where most of the series takes place.

For fans of great BBC “costume dramas,” Poldark: The Complete Collection is a real treat. Acorn previously released each of the series as two separate four-DVD sets. If you did not pick those up when they were released in 2010 - then by all means, get Poldark: The Complete Collection. Not only is it “bargain priced,” but you will want to see the whole story. Maybe not all in one sitting, because the whole thing runs about 25 hours. But believe me, once you tune in - the various plots and subplots will have you hooked. I know it certainly was that way for me.

Poldark: The Complete Collection is another set of excellent British television, from the always reliable Acorn Media Group. I recommend this without hesitation.