The Torments of Stephen Elliott

SAN francisco writer stephen elliott is the baudelaire of the mission district.

after reading his new book, "the adderall diaries" -- which begins with a possible murder and winds its way to a certain one -- i wasnt sure what kind of guy i'd be meeting for my interview at alcove cafe in los feliz. this is a man with numerous drug episodes, childhood years in rough group homes, a heroin OD after a year of stripping, and a career of what i will call "unconventional" sexuality.

but the writer ended up being well-adjusted, an engaging conversationalist, and, like his very fine memoir, without an ounce of either self-pity or self-indulgence.

here is my LATimes story on elliott.

i'll just say one more word about the book, which is subtitled "a memoir of moods, masochism and murder": i dont tend to read books about addiction, psychological flameouts, kinky sex, etc -- i outgrew my interest in the demimonde (as well as alliteration) in my 20s. but elliott's memoir is so crafted, so precisely distilled, so damned well written, it comes up with a blend of apollo and dionysus of the sort i have very rarely seen.

i also urge everyone to check out the blog he runs with a gang of other literati, the rumpus. today elliott has a new post about liz phair.

Photo Credit: Lydia Lunch

Miles Davis and "Kind of Blue" at 50

MORE proof that my taste hasn't changed much since i was 20 is tomorrow's LAT piece on miles davis's "kind of blue" record, which marks its 50th this august. (miles himself would celebrate his 83rd birthday on may 25 had he not died in 1991. i still remember that dark day and going to dc's cafe lautrec to see a trio knock out some miles classics that eve.)

HERE is my piece. i spoke to jazz critic ashley kahn, fred "mr. 1959" kaplan, and my longtime journalistic idol, gary giddins, one of the greatest writers on culture in any genre. my goal was to put it in context with jazz at the time as well as that period of transition in american culture.

i only regret having lost, because of space, some of kahn's musings on the record's success over the years. (tho it's now the bestselling jazz record of all time, it was not even the bestselling record of 1959, and albums like brubeck's "time out" and 1962's getz/gilberto outsold it initially.) 

kahn credits the slow build to the record's "aphrodisiac" quality, which many people he spoke to for his book "kind of blue" mentioned without provocation: "if you didnt get over by the time of 'flamenco sketches,' " the album's last track, "she wasnt going for your game."

as for me, i'm quite happy that this record i've known and played for 20 years stood up to the constant revisiting i gave it for the week i thought and wrote about it. like the best work of the beatles, bach, and coltrane, it never gets old. i look forward to sinking deeper into its musical, cultural and sensual pleasures.

Great Makeout Records and Happy Valentine's Day

Please forgive me a bit of cheesecake, folks, as i celebrate Valentine's Day, a bogus holiday that i learned the hard way (with a college girlfriend i considered too bohemian to care about such a hallmark inspired custom) not to ignore.

i guess today i am feeling something to lift the spirits after looking at all that east german cold-war art. so today i'm going to be building a list of great makeout records, and i hope my distinguished readers will jump in and contribute.

1) Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue": this is probably the most celebrated, the most famous, and bestselling of jazz records. it may lead to a slightly abstract makeout session -- this was the key recording of what's called "modal" jazz and miles was of course the coolest of trumpeters -- but it's always worked for me. fans of this might look for dexter gordon's "one flight up."

2) Air, "Moon Safari": a truly otherworldly record that surrounds the listener in a very mellow 70s-sci-fi-movie glow... one of the greatest-ever downtempo records and one that this french duo has never come close to topping.

3) "Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster": This meeting of two of the finest swing-era tenor men is easily one of the 10 greatest jazz records ever. it's also well suited for our purposes here: the first song is a barrelhouse blues that evokes a 1920s speakeasy, the rest of romantic, rhapsodic and gentle. the only thing that keeps it from being perfect is that it is a bit too short. so put it on "repeat."

4) Mazzy Star, "Among My Swans": perhaps a little heroin chic, but one of the sexiest bands of the 90s. blitzed-out white noise with great jaded female vocals. see also: joy zipper's sublime second record.

5) "The Supreme Al Green": okay, this one's obvious, but soul doesnt get any sweeter than this. many '70s al green records would do the trick, and marvin gaye's "let's get it on" would be a very close runner up.

6) Carla Bruni, "Someone Told Me": this has a french title which i will never spell right. pretend you are president sarkozy (okay scratch that) with this debut record by the lovely and talented italian-born model... not sure she has the depth of rival chaunteuse keren ann (love her "not going anywhere" lp), but this one is plenty suited to the task.

7) Chopin "Nocturnes": some of the first classical music i ever responded too -- music doesnt get any "dreamier" than this. for a high-class makeout session. the first version of this i ever heard was by the portugese/brazilian pianist maria pires, but of course the classic recordings, by rubinstein, are insurmountable. 

8) Cassandra Wilson, "Loverly": this eclectic and sultry voiced singer became known in the 90s for unconventional jazz treatments of songs outside the jazz canon --  neil young, robert johnson. a major boundary-pushing impulse. but her latest record, "loverly," reminds me of how good she is with jazz standards like "lover come back to me," "the very though of you," and so on. i was just given this by my valentine and took it upon myself to beta-test it -- let's just say i'll have good memories of this record for a long time.

Anybody?

And on the topic of Valentine's Day, here is a fascinating Slate story about increasingly sex during the recession that gives us a new phrase: "Make love, not reservations."

Photo credit: SuperStock