[Dixielandjazz] Young At Heart

[Steven Holzer]

David Richoux wrote:
> Cottonfield Capers (1901)
> Coon Hollow Capers
> Sunshine Capers
> Canadian Capers
>
> And Randy Newman wrote the scores for both "Ragtime" and "The Great 
> Muppet Caper."
> (and BTW,  I have been told that his score for the new film 
> "Leatherheads" is very OKOM, but I have not heard it yet.
>
I saw "Leatherheads" the other day. The score is generally true to the 
time period, including some genuine recordings by Al Jolson. If it had 
been me, I might have induced Queen Latifah to do her Bessie Smith thing 
somwewhere in the show. As it is, there is a speakeasy scene where an 
unseen trumpet player gets some nice solo space and a black lady cabaret 
singer gets screen time singing a standard Gershwin tune (I forget which 
one - maybe The Man I Love). She sings with a trace of Billie Holiday 
and the trumpet player's style is probably a little advanced for the 
time frame, but I think that is quibbling. I really enjoyed the movie 
and encourage everybody to see it. People whop liked Clark Gable in the 
days of screwball comedy may find that George Clooney is more than 
Gable's equal. Laies will probably wish they had Rene Zellweger's hair 
stylist.

Steve Holzer