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Tito Puente's Cha-Cha-Cha
Yesterday, as temperatures hit the mid-90s in New York, thoughts turned to Tito Puente, the Les Brown of Latin dance music. In the 1950s, Puente was one of the so-called "Big Three" mambo kings—Puente, Machito and Tito Rodriguez. While Machito veered toward Latin jazz and Rodriguez, a vocalist, was a bit more commercial, Puente, a percussionist, focused on dance music. And oh what dance music. The artistry and skill was extraordinary, as were the arrangements. Puente also became a master of the cha-cha-cha.
First, a little history about the music. The mambo caught on in the States with a shift in recording formats from 78s to the LP and the rise of Mexico City as a Latin recording center. Demand for Latin music climbed with a wave of Cuban immigration to the States in the late 1940s, as sugar monopolies, government corruption and political violence in Havana raised tensions there. To ease the pressure and undercut the threat of Communism in Cuba, the U.S. established quotas for Cuban immigration. Mambo first surfaced in Havana, a city that thrived after World War II as a major resort city and entertainment capital that pre-dated Las Vegas. Gambling was legal and so was virtually everything else.
When Cuban families moved to the U.S., many settled in Florida and New York, where they had family. Many brought with them a passion for records from back home. At the same time, American band leaders and record industry executives who visited Havana were exposed at clubs to the intricate poly-rhythms and jazz-influenced brass arrangements of mambo ensembles and bands. During this period, the mambo of Perez Prado flourished in Mexico City and made its way into West Coast jazz while in New York, Machito's mabo ruled.
In 1952, when Puerto Rico became a U.S. Commonwealth and commercial air travel began to pick up, a wave of Puerto Ricans emigrated to New York to escape a faltering economy. Many moved close to families who had arrived decades earlier. With markets in Miami and New York established for Latin music, many Puerto Rican musicians rode the mambo wave. These artists included Tito Puente, who was born in Manhattan's Spanish Harlem in 1923, and Tito Rodriguez, who was born the same year in Puerto Rico.
In the early 1950s, the cha-cha-cha emerged in Havana as a twist on the traditional mambo. During this period, the earliest cha-cha-cha records by Orchestra Americana—La Engañadora and Silver Star—were recorded in Cuba. The craze quickly leapt from Havana to Mexico City and then to New York. The cha-cha-cha (shortened to cha-cha) had an addictive beat and all but compelled listeners to dance. Along with the mambo and other varieties, the cha-cha-cha became immensely popular at summer resorts in the Catskill Mountains north of New York City and at New York's Latin ballrooms, including the Palladium and Roseland. Puente (above) was a master of this beat.
Here's an introduction to Puente and the cha-cha-cha, and why his orchestra was on par with Les Brown's band as a dance force in the 1950s:
Here's Habanero from Let's Cha Cha with Puente in 1956...
Here's Cubarama from the same album...
Here's New Cha-Cha with Woody Herman from Herman's Heat & Puente's Beat! in 1958...
Here's Tito Meets Woody from the same album...
Here's How High the Moon from At Grossinger's in 1960...
Here's The Continental with Buddy Morrow from The Revolving Bandstand in 1960...
Here's Cha Cha Cha de los Pollos from Cuban Carnival in 1956...
And here's Que Sera from the same album...
What did the cha-cha-cha look like? Here's Mambo Madness in 1955, featuring Tito Rodriguez. The first full song, at 00:41 is a cha-cha-cha. Watch the intricate dance steps and halting, stylized body language...
JazzWax tracks: If you want a fab introductory album for Tito Puente, dig Tito Puente: Quatro, the Definitive Collection, which includes four albums—Cuban Carnival (1956), Night Beat (1957), Dance Mania (1958) and Revolving Bandstand (1960). You'll find the collection here.
You'll also find the collection at Spotify.
Tags: Tito Puente
Steve Lacy and Whitey Mitchell
Mention the soprano saxophone and most people think first of Sidney Bechet, Lucky Thompson, Pony Poindexter, John Coltrane and Dave Liebman. But in the 1950s and beyond, the artist who did more to demonstrate the instrument's versatility across multiple jazz styles was Steve Lacy. He began in the early 1950s as a New Orleans-style player, using the instrument as a clarinet. Then he shifted to progressive jazz in the mid-1950s before becoming an early pioneer of avant-garde jazz with Cecil Taylor starting in late 1956. Lacy also was smitten with Thelonious Monk and was among the first to feature an album of Monk's music. He recorded Monk's songs on many of his albums.
Lacy's first two albums in 1954 were with trumpeter Dick Sutton. The first was Jazz Idiom and the second was Progressive Dixieland. His next series of albums were with bassist Whitey Mitchell and Tom Stewart, who played the tenor horn—a smaller version of the baritone or euphonium that sounded like a valve trombone.
Lacy's first collaboration with Stewart and Mitchell was on Tom Stewart Sextette/Quintette, recorded for ABC-Paramount in February 1956. Let's Get Lost featured Tom Stewart (tenor-hrn), Steve Lacy (sop), Herbie Mann (alto-fl,ts), Joe Puma (g), Whitey Mitchell (b) and Al Levitt (d).
On Some of These Days, These Are the Things I Love and Spain, Will Bradley, Jr. (d) replaced Al Levitt. And on Fidgety Feet, Out of Nowhere, Potatoes, Rosetta, Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You? and My Heart is a Halo, the band consisted of Stewart (tenor-hrn) Lacy (sop) Dave McKenna (p) Mitchell (b) and Levitt (d).
The second album was Whitey Mitchell Sextette, also for ABC-Paramount, in April 1956. The band featured Don Stratton (tp) Tom Stewart (tenor-hrn) Steve Lacy (sop) Joe Puma (g) Whitey Mitchell (b) Gus Johnson (d) Neal Hefti (arr). On a bulk of tracks for this album, Osie Johnson replaced Gus Johnson.
Lacy also recorded two tracks with Stewart and Mitchell in June '56 that wound up on a compilation, Modern Jazz Festival. The band featured Tom Stewart (bar-hrn), Steve Lacy (sop), Herbie Mann (ts), Joe Puma (g) Whitey Mitchell (b) and Herb Wasserman (d).
The piercing reedy sound of Lacy's soprano sax against the mellow sound of Stewart's tenor horn is particularly textured and engaging, especially on Potatoes and Let's Get Lost. The album overall, led by trigger-happy bassist Whitey Mitchell, gives everyone an opportunity to solo. Most interesting are the arrangements by Hefti. They're taut and swinging, and tailor-made for the ensemble.
Give Me the Simple Life by Puma's group has a hip energy, with Puma leading the way and comping with beautiful guitar chords behind the soloists. On this one, Herbie Mann plays a big, smokey tenor sax.
Lacy was a fascinating player who stretched his intellectual side throughout his life, often foregoing songbook standards for brave new works and letting his curiosity seek out cutting-edge players. Throughout his career, Lacy had an eye for the visual arts and poetry, which became important sources of influence. During his lengthy career, Lacy collaborated with painters and dancers in multimedia projects.
Steve Lacy died in 2004.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find all of Steve Lacy's recordings with Tom Stewart and Whitey Mitchell on Steve Lacy: Complete Whitey Mitchell Sessions here and here.
JazzWax note: Soprano saxophonist and educator Bill Kirchner sent along a link to a marvelous piece that Whitey Mitchell wrote for Down Beat in 1961 (go here). According to Bill, after this article was published, comedian Lenny Bruce wrote him a fan letter. He persuaded Whitey to leave music and pursue a career as a TV comedy writer, which he did. His work as a writer/producer included My Mother, the Car.
JazzWax clips: Here's guitarist Dick Garcia's Potatoes...
Here's You Stepped Out of a Dream, arranged by Neal Hefti...
You Stepped Out Of A Dream
And here's Give Me the Simple Life...
A special thanks to David Langner.
Tags: Joe Puma, Steve Lacy, Tom Stewart, Whitey Michell
Charley, Joe and Benny
In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed Charley Pride for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). A country-music legend, Charley was RCA's best-selling artist since Elvis Presley and recorded 29 No. 1 Billboard country hits. He is a three-time Grammy winner and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. His latest album is Music in My Heart (Music City). It's terrific. Here's a track, New Patches...
Also in the WSJ, I interviewed British new-wave artist Joe Jackson and co-producer David Kershenbaum on the writing and recording of Joe's Steppin' Out for my "Anatomy of a Song" column (go here). Joe played all of the instruments on the 1982 hit. His infectious bass line was was inspired by Kraftwerk and programmed on a Minimoog. Here's the official video from 1982...
JJA Jazz Awards. Thanks again to everyone who sent along congrats and photos from the Jazz Journalists Association's Jazz Awards ceremony last week. A special thanks to JJA president Howard Mandel for throwing a fabulous party.
Sirius XM. My next appearance on SiriusXM's Feedback, with co-hosts Nik Carter and Lori Majewski (Channel 106), will be at 9 a.m. (EDT) on June 28, when we'll be breaking down Joe Jackson's Steppin' Out.
Stablemates. Here's Benny Golson and Freddie Hubbard in 1989 playing Benny's Stablemates...
Record sale for a jazz album. What album do you think fetched $7,600 at New York's Jazz Record Center? Rocío de la Rosa of Cádiz, Spain, sent along a link to the answer. Go here.
Harold Arlen radio. On Sunday (June 17), Sid Gribetz will present a five-hour special radio broadcast featuring the music of composer Harold Arlen on WKCR-FM fro 2 to 7 p.m. (EDT). Sid will be looking at Arlen's impact on the jazz repertory. You can access his show from anywhere in the world on your computer or phone by going here.
Note from Nate Chinen. Nate, the editorial director of content at NPR's flagship jazz station WBGO-FM, sent along the following note: "Marc, good seeing you at the JJA Awards—congrats yourself! It's so well deserved. Writer Lara Pellegrinelli and photographer Enid Farber covered the ceremony for us at WBGO, with a focus on the female-forward winners' circle (go here).
"JazzWax readers also may be interested in Mark Stryker on Erroll Garner (go here) and my appreciation of Lorraine Gordon (go here). Keep up the excellent work, at JazzWax and the WSJ. Hope to run into you again soon."
You can listen to WBGO-FM in Newark, N.J., from anywhere in the world on your computer or phone by going here.
What the heck. Here's Dionne Warwick in Paris in 1964 singing Hal David and Burt Bacharach's Walk on By...
Oddball album cover of the week.
This cover looks more like Way Down Yonder in San Francisco, circa 1967.
Dixieland Goes Progressive
Ever sit down to a meal and find yourself loving a dish you never liked before? Your change of heart often is the result of an ingredient or a special preparation that makes the dish downright delicious. It could be fish with an amazing mustard sauce or broccoli with caraway and toasted almonds.
I'm that way with Dixieland. Never cared much for it, probably because it has always sounded to me like New Orleans and Chicago jazz scrubbed of its soul. But in the case of the albums I'm posting about today, the game-changing ingredient was progressive jazz arrangements.
It's a strange concept, combining the rigid madness of Dixieland instruments coming and going with the cohesive cool of modern jazz. But it worked on two albums—Modern Jazz With Dixieland Roots and Dixieland Goes Progressive. The former was recorded in February 1956 for the ABC-Paramount label, while the latter followed in June 1957 for Golden Crest Records.
In the 1950s, New Orleans and Chicago jazz was still beloved by an older generation of listeners. They never made the leap to bebop's jagged melody lines and frantic tempo or the sophistication of cool jazz. Their ear needed the blue sound of a clarinet, the taut energy of a cornet and the slurring melancholy of a trombone all frantically zig-zagging like city traffic in a 1920s comedy.
Younger listeners found jazz from New Orleans and Chicago painfully stuffy. By uniting the two styles, the strategy must have been to attract the "moldy figs" and the "young turks," resulting, I suppose, in Turkish figs. Sorry, a little Friday humor. These two albums are sensational on every level. The playing is bright and spirited and so are the 1950s arrangements that bridge the jazz styles neatly.
Modern Jazz With Dixieland Roots featured the Don Stratton Quintet. The songs Black Bottom, Sunday, Wigglin' an' Gigglin', Moxahala and What Is This Thing Called Love featured Stratton (tp), Dick Hafer (ts), John Williams (p), Chuck Andrus (b) and Karl Kiffe (d).
On R.H.S., Royal Garden Blues, Charleston, Sow Goo Mang and Yesterdays, the same group was featured, but with Phil Sunkel (tp) and Dave McKenna (p) replacing Hafer and Williams. The album was produced by Creed Taylor, who ingenious when it came to finding new ways to present jazz. [Photo above of Don Stratton]
Dixieland Goes Progressive in '57 was split between two groups—one led by Dick Cary and the other by John Plonsky. The Dick Cary group played Mahogany Hall, Muskrat Ramble, That's a Plenty, St. James Infirmary, At the Darktown Strutters' Ball and Millenberg Joys. The band featured Johnny Glasel (tp), Dick Cary, (tp,alto-hrn), Urbie Green (tb), Bob Wilber (cl,ts), Hall Overton (p), Sal Salvador (g), Will Stanley (b,tuba) and Jerry Segal (d).
The Plonsky group played Royal Garden Blues, High Society, Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, Basin Street Blues, When the Saints Go Marching In and South Rampart Street Parade. The band included Plonsky (tp), Urbie Green (tb), Bill Barber (tuba), Carl Janelli (cl), Tony Aless (p), Don Arnone (g), Jack Zimmerman (b) and Mel Zelnick (d).
In each case, the groups assume the spirit of New Orleans and Chicago jazz but with a relaxed, straight-ahead feel. There are warm, wonderful solos by Hafer, Green, Plonsky, Cary and others. Marrying the two styles of jazz this way was a spectacular move. What we wind up with has much in common with the contrapuntal sound of West Coast jazz. At any rate, there's something here for every ear.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find both albums mentioned in this post on Dixieland Goes Progressive (Fresh Sound) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's the Don Stratton Group in 1956 playing Moxahala...
Moxahala
Here's the Dick Cary Group in 1957 playing That's a Plenty...
That's a Plenty
And here's the John Plonsky Group in 1957 playing Way Down Yonder in New Orleans...
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
Tags: Dick Cary, Don Stratton, John Plonsky
Skip Martin: TV Jazz Themes
One of the first arrangers and bandleaders to take on Henry Mancini's music was Skip Martin (above). In the spring or summer of 1958, Martin, one of the most prolific and in-demand arrangers of the swing era, recorded TV Jazz Themes with his "video all-stars" for Los Angeles's Somerset label. The six Mancini selections on the album from the Peter Gunn private-eye TV drama were recorded in advance of the show's first season, which began airing in September of '58. If the recording date found in discographies is accurate, Mancini must have provided Martin with a score or demo to help attract the bachelor crowd to the TV show when the album was released in the fall.
The Martin album featured a stellar band used in smaller configurations on several of the songs. On The Brothers Go to Mothers, Soft Sounds, Dreamsville, The Thin Man and Richard Diamond Theme, the orchestra's complete personnel included: Don Fagerquist, Ray Linn, Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Frank Beach, Joe Triscari, Vince Terri, Gene Sherry and Jimmy Salko (tp); Joe Howard, Dick Nash, Frank Rosolino and George Roberts (tb); Jimmy McGee (fhr); Gus Bivona, Paul Horn, Bob Cooper, Jules Jacobs and Pete Terry (reeds); Gene Estes (vib); Jimmy Rowles (p); Al Hendrickson (g) or Vince Terry (g); Red Mitchell (b); Shelly Manne (d,perc) or Irv Cottler (d,perc); and Larry Bunker (vib,perc).
On the session for Peter Gunn Theme, Fallout, Session's at Pete's Pad and the 77 Sunset Strip Theme, the orchestra included: Gene Sherry and Joe Triscari (tp); Frank Rosolino, George Roberts, Dick Nash and Joe Howard (tb); Jimmy McGee (fhr); Gus Bivona (cl,as); Paul Horn (as,fl); Bob Cooper (ts,oboe); Pete Terry (ts); Jules Jacobs (ts,oboe); Jimmy Rowles (p); Red Mitchell (b) and Shelly Manne (d).
Music from Peter Gunn recorded before the TV series aired included the single Mancini arranged for Ray Anthony, Ted Nash and Maxwell Davis's Peter Gunn album, and Mancini's own Music From Peter Gunn. All were recorded in August '58. After the Mancini album was released in 1959, the composer-arranger-pianist won an Emmy Award and two Grammys, one for Album of the Year and the other for Best Arrangement. From there, the hit theme and music from the TV show became jazz standards as many West Coast jazz artists took a shot at recording what is now known euphemistically as "private-eye jazz" or "crime jazz."
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Skip Martin & The Video All-Stars: TV Jazz Themes here.
JazzWax clip: Here's The Brothers Go to Mothers, featuring gorgeous solos by trombonist Frank Rosolino and tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, backed by Larry Bunker (vib), Al Hendrickson (g), Red Mitchell (b) and Shelly Manne. Dig Manne's brushwork...
The Brothers Go to Mother's
Tags: Henry Mancini, Skip Martin
2018 JJA Jazz Awards Party
Yesterday afternoon, the Jazz Journalists Association's 2018 Jazz Awards ceremony was held at New York's New School. During the event, the acrylic statues were handed out to the winners, speeches were given and jazz performers entertained. The award above is as much yours as it is mine. Without you—JazzWax's loyal readers—this blog would have fizzled out years ago. I deeply appreciate all of my readers and social-media followers—people in every corner of the world who love jazz and enjoy visiting JazzWax to catch up on my daily listening recommendations and musings.
At the event, I had a chance to catch up with Nate Chinen (above). Yesterday, he was awarded his 10th Robert Palmer-Helen Oakley Dance Award for Excellence in Writing. For years, Nate wrote on jazz for The New York Times and The Village Voice. He's also the author of George Wein's memoir, Myself Among Others. Now Nate is director of editorial content at WBGO, a flagship NPR station in Newark, N.J. Nate's pieces on jazz are always thorough, fluid and beautifully articulated. To dig Nate's work for WBGO, go here. Then scroll down through the summaries of his recent posts.
In addition to Nate, I chatted with Resonance Records producer Zev Feldman and label owner George Klabin (above), WKCR's Sid Gribetz, writer and radio host Neil Tesser, the Songwriters Hall of Fame's Robbin Ahrold, JJA president Howard Mandel, jazz journalist Susan Brink, WBGO radio host Monifa Brown, Newport Jazz Festival publicist Carolyn McClair, and Mark Ruffin, host of SiriusXM's "Real Jazz."
On my way home, while crossing a street in Greenwich Village, I heard Tony Bennett singing David Rose's arrangement of Never Too Late from the 1965 film of the same name. The music was coming from a red Jaguar convertible with New Jersey plates that was stopped at the light. Dig the strings arrangement. Go here...
Tags: Jazz Journalists Association
Dennis Coffey: At Morey's, 1968
Yesterday I posted video clips by eight electric-blues guitarists. Today, a new release by Dennis Coffey, a guitarist who played on numerous Motown, funk and soul hits of the late 1960s before going out on his own in the '70s and beyond. What makes Coffey's guitar stand out is its metallic twang and psychedelic funk-rock swagger. The last time I posted about Coffey was in January 2017, when he released Hot Coffey in the D (Resonance).
One Night at Morey's: 1968 (Omnivore) was recorded the same night as Hot Coffey in D, at Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge in Detroit in 1968, when the Lyman Woodard Trio was playing there three nights a week. The trio featured Coffey, organist Woodard and drummer Melvin Davis. All the tracks on the new live album are previously unreleased and are from the vaults of Coffey and producer Mike Theodore. They include Coffey originals (Big City Lights, Union Station and Mindbender) and covers of the Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, the Meters' Cissy Strut, the Isley Brothers' It's Your Thing, the Young Rascals' Groovin', Bobby Womack and Wilson Pickett's I'm a Midnight Mover, Charlie Parker's Billie's Bounce and Richard Evans's Burning Spear, which runs 14 minutes.
Among my favorites are Big City Lights and It's Your Thing/Union Station. Both songs sizzling rock-funk wailers. On the former track, we hear what made the trio special in '68. Coffey could get a deep rock groove going on his Gibson Byrdland guitar while Woodard matched him on his bluesy Hammond organ. On the latter track, Coffey uses distortion to superb effect, giving his guitar texture. If Union Station's riff sounds familiar, it would turn up on Queen's Another One Bites the Dust in 1980. And dig what Coffey does with Groovin', transforming it from a sunshine pop hit into a snarling, funky boat-shaker.
The Detroit scene was and still is remarkable. Today, Dennis Coffey plays every Tuesday at Detroit's Northern Lights Lounge.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Dennis Coffey's One Night at Morey's: 1968 here.
You'll also find the album at Spotify.
JazzWax clip: Here's Big City Lights...
And here's It's Your Thing/Union Station...
It's Your Thing/Union Station
Tags: Dennis Coffey
Eight Clips: The Blues Guitar
By the early 1970s, the electric blues guitar reached its peak in mass popularity. With roots in the post-World War II Chicago blues style marked by amplification and picking solos, the electric blues was pioneered by African-American guitarists including T. Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddy King, Albert King, Chuck Berry, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy and many others. White American and British guitarists also introduced many young listeners to the electric blues in the late '60s and early '70s thanks to the advent of FM radio and rise of rock albums. These artists include Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman and Pete Townshend, among others.
Here are 8 clips of pioneering electric-blues artists in the early 1970s:
Here's Albert King at the Fillmore East in 1970...
Here's Johnny Winter in Copenhagen in 1970...
Here's Freddie King in 1973...
Here's Pete Townshend and the Who in 1970...
Here's B.B. King in 1973...
Here's Howlin' Wolf in 1970...
Here's Muddy Waters in 1970...
And here's Big Mama Thornton with Buddy Guy's band in 1970...
Kyra, Johnny and Grant
This week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed actress Kyra Sedgwick for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section. In addition to talking about her childhood, she explained how knocking over an important piece of art became a valuable life lesson. I think we all miss her in TV's The Closer—a show she was in for six seasons. [Photo above of Kyra Sedgwick from YouTube]
Here's a trailer of the pilot, with Kyra playing Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson...
Johnny Mandel, one of America's great big band and movie composers and arrangers, was interviewed by saxophonist and educator Bill Kirchner in 1995. To read the detail-rich interview, go here.
Grant Green. Following my post on guitarist Grant Green, Robert Fletcher reminded me that Green's former daughter-in-law, Sharony Andrews Green, published a biography of Green in 2002. You'll find the book, Grant Green: Rediscovering the Forgotten Genius of Jazz Guitar, here.
Eva Marie Saint. After actress Eva Marie Saint finished On the Waterfront in 1954, she won an Oscar in '55 for her performance and playfully said she might gave birth to her baby (son, Darrell) on stage while accepting the award in New York. Her followup film, That Certain Feeling (1956), was oddly soft for an Oscar-winner. Perhaps the new mom wanted it that way. Surprisingly, the film showcased her comic skills beautifully. Though Bob Hope is wooden as a leading man, the scene that makes the film for me is the pajama dance. If you don't want to watch the film from the beginning, start at 53:10 and catch the exquisite Pearl Bailey. Watch through the short boardroom scene to the pajama dance and the title song. In these scenes, Ms. Saint and Ms. Bailey run away with the film. Here's the entire film of That Certain Feeling...
Oddball cover of the week.
Once again, the prop drives the art direction. Someone must have had a rubber dino in the closet. So they built the cover around prehistoric notions of how women should be treated. A perfectly imbecilic way to illustrate This Love of Mine. Come to think of it, that looks like Jayne Mansfield on the floor with husband Mickey Hargitay's foot on her back.
Doc: The Responsive Eye
From February to April 1965, the Museum of Modern Art held an exhibit called The Responsive Eye. It featured works by artists who were exploring op art—short for optical art or art that created optical illusions. Perhaps the artist who best represented this style was Bridget Riley (below), whose works in black and white virtually shimmer as you looked at them.
My father took me to see the show at the Modern several times when I was 9. The exhibit was controversial, since art's old guard viewed it less as art and more as a visual fun-house gimmick while the avant-garde thought the show was cool and on par with what was happening then in music and pop celebrity.
I thought it was cool, too. Art that could make you dizzy or changed before your eyes as you moved your head from side to side. Wow. Op-art was so explosive it made it onto several jazz covers, including Herbie Mann's Today!, Sam Rivers's Dimensions & Extensions and Gary McFarland's Soft Samba, to name a few.
Director Brian De Palma's first film was a documentary on the exhibit. Aptly entitled The Responsive Eye, the film seemed to poke fun at the swells dressed up to see the latest thing only to be at a loss for words as to why they thought it was special or thoroughly clumsy in how they tried to slam it.
Here's the film, which unfortunately is in black and white. I recall the show being explosively colorful...
Tags: Brian De Palma, Museum of Modern Art, The Responsive Eye