Back in 1972, 29-year old Aretha Franklin decided she wanted to record a live gospel album at the New Temple Baptist Missionary Church in Watts, California. After two evenings of singing and recording, Franklin produced the best selling gospel album in history: Amazing Grace. What most people did not know was that these two evenings were filmed by a young, up-and-coming director named Sydney Pollack with a small crew armed with 16mm cameras. But Pollack and his crew neglected to slate the shots so they had hours of film and hours of sound, but no way to sync them up. Warner Brothers shelved the project and nothing happened for years.

Finally, producer Alan Elliott bought the footage and brought in film editor Alan Elliot to use digital technology to bring the film and sound together. But, then another problem rose up: Aretha Franklin sued Elliott in 2011 for using her likeness without her permission. Then in 2015, Franklin blocked the film from being screened at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals. After Aretha Franklin’s death in 2018, Elliot showed the documentary to Franklin’s family and got their permission to show the film.

Amazing Grace shows Aretha Franklin at the height of her powers. The record that came out of these live recording sessions became Franklin’s best selling album. If you’re a fan of Aretha Franklin this film is a must-see. What is your favorite Aretha Franklin song? GRADE: A
AMAZING GRACE TRACK LIST:
Disc 1
Mary, Don’t You Weep
Precious Lord, Take My Hand/You’ve Got a Friend
Old Landmark
Give Yourself To Jesus
How I Got Over
What a Friend We Have In Jesus
Amazing Grace
Disc 2
Precious Memories
Climbing Higher Mountains
[Remarks By Reverend C. L. Franklin]
God Will Take Care of You
Wholy Holy
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Never Grow Old

Theodore Geisel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Geisel was the son of a German-American brewer whose prosperous life came to an end with Prohibition. Geisel’s father managed to send his son to Dartmouth where Geisel worked on the college’s humor magazine. Geisel then went to Oxford University to pursue a graduate degree, but never completed the program. Geisel did meet fellow American student, Helen Palmer, who would become his first wife and invaluable collaborator.

When Geisel and his wife returned to America, Geisel worked in advertising by drawing humorous ads for products like motor oil, insect repellent, and other consumer necessities. But, surprisingly, Geisel really wanted to write and illustrate children’s books. From his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937), Geisel’s work possessed a unique look and feel. Each book sold more than the one before it as the audience for Dr. Seuss books grew. If you’re a fan of Dr. Seuss books, you’ll find plenty of background on all the key titles. Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book? GRADE: B+

I know most NFL General Managers will claim they are choosing “the Best Player Available” when they draft, but I suspect most of them are choosing players by team needs. The Buffalo Bills needed a defensive tackle after their All-Pro DT Kyle Williams retired. So, guess who the Bills draft? Defensive Tackle Ed Oliver. The Bills need offensive line help so in the Second Round they picked Offensive Guard Cody Ford. And so it went: Running Back, Tight End, Linebacker, Safety…all positions the Bills needed players. How did you favorite NFL team do in the 2019 NFL Draft?
Round 1, Pick 9 (No. 9 overall): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
Round 2, Pick 6 (No. 38 overall): Cody Ford, G, Oklahoma
Round 3, Pick 10 (No. 74 overall): Devin Singletary, RB, FAU
Round 3, Pick 33 (No. 96 overall): Dawson Knox, TE, Ole Miss
Round 5, Pick 9 (No. 147 overall): Vosean Joseph, LB, Florida
Round 6, Pick 8 (No. 181 overall): Jaquan Johnson, S, Miami
Round 7, Pick 11 (No. 225 overall): Darryl Johnson Jr., OLB, North Carolina A&T
Round 7, Pick 14 (No. 228 overall): Tommy Sweeney, TE, Boston College

The Avengers: Endgame begins after half the population of the Earth (and by extension…the Universe) has been turned to dust (in THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR). The surviving Avengers deal with their grief and loss in different ways. But due to a coincidence, Ant-Man (who has been stuck in the Quantum Realm) shows up at Avengers Headquarters with a possible solution to Thanos’s destruction.

A three-hour movie with over a dozen characters produces a lot of ups and downs. I loved every scene Robert Downey, Jr. was in. Scarlett Johansson wasn’t given enough to do. Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth provide much needed comic relief. I though Karen Gillan as Nebula was fabulous. Of course, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel is a game-changer. The epic battle at the end of the movie presents both action and pathos. I found The Avengers: Endgame moving and compelling. What will the MARVEL people do next? GRADE: A

I’m a big fan of the Library of America so when I came across this copy of Kaufman & Co.: Broadway Comedies by George S. Kaufman at a Library Book Sale, I scooped it up immediately. I enjoyed The Royal Family–written with Edna Ferber–about an eccentric family. I also enjoyed Dinner at Eight–another play written with Edna Ferber–with its snarky humor. Animal Crackers is a classic. George S. Kaufman was a Broadway institution for decades writing brilliant plays. This volume of comedies includes Stage Door which is also an enjoyable movie from 1937 based on Kaufman and Ferber’s play starring Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Samuel S. Hinds and Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, and Ann Miller. If you enjoy Broadway comic plays, this volume is pure gold! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Royal Family (with Edna Ferber)
Animal Crackers (with Morrie Ryskind)
June Moon (with Ring Lardner)
Once in a Lifetime (with Moss Hart)
Of Thee I Sing (with Morrie Ryskind & Ira Gershwin)
You Can’t Take It with You (with Moss Hart)
Dinner at Eight (with Edna Ferber)
Stage Door (with Edna Ferber)
The Man Who Came to Dinner (with Moss Hart)

The Wrecking Crew were a group of studio musicians who played on dozens of songs. Some of the songs are classics and some are better forgotten. I reviewed THE WRECKING CREW documentary here. Both the DVD and this 4-CD set are well worth experiencing. Do you see any favorite songs in this collection? GRADE: A
Track List:
Disc 1
Be My Baby — The Ronettes 2:42
Walk Right In — The Moments 2:11
This Diamond Ring — Gary Lewis & The Playboys 2:11
The Birds and the Bees — Jewel Akens 2:11
La Bamba — Richie Valens 2:05
Johnny Angel — Shelly Fabre 2:11
Mr. Tambourine Man — The Byrds 2:31
Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Discuss Stone Soul Picnic :59
Stone Soul Picnic — The Fifth Dimension 3:31
Let’s Go (Pony) — The Routers 2:22
Deep Purple — April & Nino 2:44
Donna — Rickie Valens 2:24
Let’s Dance — Chris Montez 2:31
Mike Melvoin Joke Drummer Joke :10
Dean Torrence Talks About Baby Talk 1:39
Baby Talk — Jan & Dean 2:25
Monday Monday — The Mamas and The Papas 3:27
To Know Him is to Love Him — The Teddy Bears 2:26
Guantanamera — The Sandpipers 3:23
Disc 2
Good Vibrations — The Beach Boys 3:39
California Dreamin’ –The Mamas and The Papas 2:44
Dizzy — Tommy Roe 2:56
Eve of Destruction (Barry McGuire Interview) 1:11
Eve of Destruction — Barry McGuire 3:34
Windy — The Association 2:56
Up, Up and Away — The Fifth Dimension 2:38
This Guy’s in Love with You — Herb Alpert 4:02
Everybody’s Talking — Harry Nilsson 2:51
The Big Hurt — Miss Toni Fisher 2:11
Mary, Mary — The Monkees 2:27
The Beat Goes On — Sonny & Cher 3:22
Baja — Jack Nitzsche 2:22
California Sunshine Girl — The Shacklefords 2:45
Flying Telecaster — Michael Nesmith 3:20
You Told Me — Michael Nesmith 4:37
Little War –Suze Jane Hokem 2:08
Disc 3
Wichita Lineman — Glen Campbell 3:10
Midnight Confessions — The Grass Roots 2:49
God Only Knows — The Beach Boys 2:55
Danke Shoen — Wayne Newton 2:45
Louis Shelton Talks about Valerie 1:29
Valerie — The Monkees 2:27
Another Saturday Night — Sam Cooke 2:24
Out of Limits — The Markets 2:17
Sleep in the Grass — Ann Margret and Lee Hazelwood 3:25
Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) — Paul Revere & The Raiders 2:55
Gypsies Tramps and Thieves — Cher 2:40
Summer Breeze — Seals & Crofts 3:30
The Lonely Surfer — Jack Nietzsche 2:37
Hal Blaine 3 Piece Suite Joke :11
Whipped Cream — Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass 2:38
Dedicated to the One I Love — The Mamas and The Papas 3:31
It Ain’t Easy Being Green — Ray Charles 3:01
Julie, Do Ya Love Me — Bobby Sherman 2:58
Forget Marie — Lee Hazelwood 2:01
[Untitled]
[Untitled]
Disc 4
The Beat Goes On — Hal Blaine’s Hollywood Drum Band 3:39
Surfin’ Hootenanny — Al Casey 2:11
James Bond Theme — Billy Strange 2:00
Walking and Talking — Bobby Tedesco 6:03
Floreando — Al Delory 3:39
De Patie Melt — Don Randi & John DePatti 2:28
Safari West — Buddy Collette 7:01
Deep Drum — Hal Blaine 3:12
Lost in the Shuffle — Mike Deasy 3:08
Cute — Frank Capp 3:08
Concierto de Aranjuez — Dennis Budimir 4:55
Ciao Bella — Emil Richards 5:50
Blues Cha Cha — Michael Rubini 3:30
Beginner’s Luck — Lyle Ritz 3:20
Afternoon in Paris — Chuck Berghofer 6:32
Begin the Blues — Barney Kessel 4:26
Room 2000 — Tommy Tedesco 2:19
Grease Patrol — Plas Johnson 6:25

Generous Beth Fedyn sent me The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old knowing I enjoyed A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Hendrik Groen lives in a nursing home in Amsterdam with 160 residents in varying degrees of health. Hendrik’s friend, Everet, suffers from diabetes and struggles to control it.

Then, there are details like this: “Mrs. Surmann decided to dry her wet slippers in the microwave. She set the timer for twenty minutes and then went to watch TV. The slippers melted and set off the fire alarm.” (p.187) Hendrik shows both the positives and negatives of nursing home life. Some of this book is funny and some is very sad. If you liked A Man Called Ove, you’ll enjoy the curmudgeonly wit of Hendrik. Thanks again, Beth! GRADE: B+

With The Avengers: Endgame just days away, I decided to go back and rewatch The Avengers: Infinity War (2018). If you remember, The Avengers: Infinity War features an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt.

In essence, the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy attempt to stop Thanos from amassing the all-powerful Infinity Stones. THANOS wants to reduce the population of the Galaxy by 50% and uses the power of the Infinity stones to achieve his goal. Now, in The Avengers: Endgame we’ll see how the post-THANOS world looks…and if Captain Marvel can help save the day! Are you excited about The Avengers: Endgame? Are you going to see it? We have our tickets!

Dylan Struzan’s brilliant account of the rise of Organized Crime in America, based on 50 hours of interviews with Vincent “Jimmy Blue Eyes” Alo, reveals how Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Dutch Schultz, Bugsy Siegal, Al Capone, Nucky Johnson, and other gangsters built their criminal empires. In 1919, the National Prohibition Act passed making it illegal to produce, distribute, or sell alcohol products. That opened the gates for gangsters to supply liquor that Americans craved. It also generated millions of dollars of profit for those gangsters involved in Black Market liquor, speakeasies, and gin mills. Of course, turf fights raged as gangsters fought to expand their territories.

Dylan Struzan’s graphic accounts of Vincent Alo’s exploits in the underworld ruled by Lansky and Luciano–bootlegging, violence, and murders–shows the dynamics of these criminal enterprises. I found a A Bloody Business credible and fascinating guide to the mobsters’s methods and techniques. The timing of this book could not have been better: 2019 is the Hundredth Anniversary of Prohibition. And now we have a scintillating history of the consequences of the ill-fated Eighteenth Amendment. Highly recommended! GRADE: A