Columnist Joe Delaney: A plethora of great movies, musicians to consider

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Dec. 27, 2001 | 8:13 a.m.

Favorite films: "Citizen Kane," "The Producers," "Casablanca," "The Informer" and the original "Stagecoach" ... The first named is a classic and most innovative ... "The Producers" was Mel Brooks' finest film effort; I look forward to seeing the stage version ... The other three are subject to further reflection and possible discussion.

Favorite albums: Miles Davis' "Porgy and Bess," "Porgy and Bess" on Bethlehem with Mel Torme and Frances Faye; and all three of Tony Bennett's tribute albums -- to Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday ... Singles: "West End Blues" (Louis Armstrong); "Solitude" (by Ellington and Holiday, individually); "Can't Get Started" (Bunny Berigan); and "After You've Gone" (Roy Eldridge).

Favorite big bands: Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and Woody Herman ... Favorite small groups (jazz): Goodman Quartet, Artie Shaw's Grammercy Five, Davis, Dizzy Gillespie with Charlie Parker, and George Shearing ... Vocal groups: Four Freshmen; Lambert, Hendricks and Ross; Manhattan Transfer; Hi-Los; and Babs the Three Bips and a Bop.

Male singers: Armstrong, Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin and Nat "King" Cole ... Armstrong was a profound influence on both Sinatra and Crosby vocally who, in turn, influenced Darin ... Cole was a top jazz pianist before Capitol Records decided he was an even better vocalist ... Armstrong was also a major influence on top female vocalists.

Female singers: Fitzgerald, all by herself; Anita O'Day; Sarah Vaughan; Dinah Washington and Mahalia Jackson ... Barbra Streisand will make most other lists ... Anita O'Day is an original, whence came June Christy and Chris Connor, among others ... Jackson was the inspiration for Aretha Franklin, who served as a fount for Natalie Cole and so many others.

Trumpets: Armstrong -- every good trumpet player since owes a tithe to Armstrong; he was to the instrumentalists and vocalists what Ellington was to the orchestra leaders and arrangers, an original source ... Plus Eldridge, Davis, Gillespie and Berigan ... Wynton Marsalis deserves mention for his versatility, classical and jazz.

Trombones: Carl Fontana, Jack Teagarden, Kai Winding, J.J. Johnson and Bill Harris ... Fontana plays in Las Vegas on Thursdays with the Marv Koral All-Stars (Jazzed Cafe) ... Clarinets: Barney Bigard, Goodman, Shaw, Edmund Hall and Irving "Fazola" Prestopnik ... Reeds: Johnny Hodges, Chu Berry, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb and Herbie Fields.

Piano: Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Teddy Wilson and James P. Johnson ... Guitar: Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Herb Ellis, Joe Lano and B.B. King, a profound influence on most contemporary players ... Bass: Ray Brown, Israel Crosby, Oscar Pettiford, Ron Carter and Monk Montgomery, who made the Fender bass a legitimate instrument.

Drums: Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Big Sid Catlett, Jo Jones and Davey Tough, with special mention to Joey Preston, the foundation for that great band that backed Vic Damone at the Frontier and, later, at the Riviera ... Miscellaneous: Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo and Terry Gibbs on vibraphones and Joe Venuti, Ray Nance and Stephane Grapelly, violin.

Reminder: The above lists are my personal choices, not a consensus or poll result, and cover jazz and pop artists who had a good jazz feel ... Your comments and lists are invited by letter, fax or e-mail.

Star-policy rundown

It's Gladys Knight (Bally's); Lou Rawls (Flamingo Las Vegas); Mac King afternoons, Clint Holmes evenings (Harrah's); Huey Lewis & the News (LV Hilton); Blue Man Group (Luxor); David Copperfield, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage); and Lance Burton (Monte Carlo).

Plus Rita Rudner, and the Four Tops and the Village People in separate theaters (New York-New York); Tony Bennett (Paris Las Vegas); Ronn Lucas, afternoons, and the Scintas evenings, plus Smokey Robinson, in separate theaters; Steve Wyrick (Sahara); Wayne Newton (Stardust); Frankie Randall, Vincent Falcone Orchestra (Suncoast); Rick Thomas (Tropicana); and Melinda, the First Lady of Magic, 7 p.m. and Charo in "Bravo," 9 p.m. (Venetian).

Suggestion: Make your reservations early for New Year's Eve ... This is a time to be even more careful; use a designated driver ... Have a great holiday without becoming a casualty ... See you Friday.

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