Ray Charles was born on this day in 1930. In addition to his powerful and genre-jumping contributions to music, Ray's style and presence also made him a fantastic subject for filmmakers and photographers. Spy Vibers might enjoy seeing some of his live appearances on Shindig! on-line. Ray also starred in the 1965 British film, Ballad in Blue, directed and written by Paul Henreid (Victor Lazlo from Casablanca), whose directing credits also included TV episodes of Alfred Hitchcock, The Third Man, and various westerns. In Ballad in Blue Ray plays himself in a musical drama where he attempts to help a hard-luck family with a blind son. Co-stars included Mary Peach (Doctor Who, The Saint), Dawn Addams (Vampire Lovers, Department S, The Saint, Danger Man, 1,000 Eyes of Dr,. Mabuse, The Third Man), Betty McDowall (The Prisoner, The Liquidator, The Saint, Z Cars). Cinematography was by Robert Huge (You Only Live Twice). UK distributor Network released Blu-ray and DVD editions a few years back. From the press release: "Making his only major film appearance, legendary soul singer, musician and composer Ray Charles helps transform the lives of a blind boy and his widowed mother in this poignant, uplifting film drama set in mid-1960s London. Presented in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements showing the maximum filmed picture area, Ballad in Blue sees Charles – who had lost his sight completely by the age of eight – performing some of his best-loved songs, including I Got a Woman, Hit the Road, Jack and Busted. During a performance for blind children, global star Ray Charles befriends David, a young boy who has recently lost his sight, and tries to help him come to terms with his condition. Then, during a world tour, Charles finds himself in Paris, where a surgeon is pioneering a radical procedure that could restore David's sight; he sets out not only to convince David's over-protective mother to allow her son to undergo the surgery, but also to reconcile her with her boyfriend, a struggling composer who seeks solace in alcohol." More info at Amazon. Movie clip below. Enjoy!
Happy New Year, Spy Vibers! Get your mojo workin' with The Beatles, Sounds Incorporated, Cilla Black, Lord John Baldry, and others at this fab party! The Around The Beatles TV special was filmed on April 28, 1964 and aired on ITV in the UK on May 6th, 1964 (and on ABC in the States on November 15th, 1964). The show was produced by Jack Good, known for championing music programs like the Six-Five Special, Shindig!, and managing major British talent such as Tommy Steele, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, and Cliff Richard. Despite the miming, I love seeing this footage. Not only is it an incredible time capsule of the era, but everyone on-screen is super present and giving it their all to create a dynamic experience. Join the party! Related post: Jack Good: R.I.P. Spy Vibers, I have a new book out (over 700 pages!) about one of America's great cartoonists. On other creative fronts, folks might not know that I began exhibiting as a fine art photographer in the late 1980s. I haven't shared that part of my life here much, but readers might like to see some of my work on Instagram. Enjoy!
Jack Good, producer of Oh Boy!, Six-Five Special, and Shindig has passed away. If Pop music was the epicenter of the 1960s cultural revolution, we can't overlook the impact Good had on shaping the way the youth generation saw and experienced the many styles and trends via television. Joining the BBC as producer of Six-Five Special in 1957, Good's vision was to move away from elaborate sets so cameras could film through the milling crowds of kids and dancers to the musicians. Like so many facets of the period, he shifted attention toward a dynamic, active sense of participation- a style that would continue to influence the look and vibe of music programs. A lesser, narrative film adaptation of the Six-Five Special was made without Good in 1958, which remains a time capsule of an era when the music scene was dominated by cross-genre artists from Trad Jazz, Skiffle, and Pop Vocal (It's Trad Dad by Dick Lester in 1962 improved on the idea). Jack Good left the BBC in 1958 to create Oh Boy! for ITV, which focussed more on Rock and Roll. His efforts helped the careers of a golden roster of stars in the UK such as Cliff Richard, Tommy Steele, Billy Fury, and Marty Wild. He produced an early Beatles special in 1964 called Around The Beatles. And like producer Joe Boyd and Tad Jazz frontman Chris Barber, Good was also a champion of the American Blues (rhythm and blues) boom. His attempts in the early 1960s to create a show for the US market finally developed into Shindig! in September 1964. The musical series brought artists like Bo Diddley, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Cilla Black, The Dave Clark Five, Donovan, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman's Hermits, The Hollies, Georgie Fame, The Pretty Things, Johnny Rivers, The Supremes, The Who, Howling' Wolf, The Yardbirds, The Zombies, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones into living rooms everywhere. But things moved quickly in the 1960s and the program's wave lasted only two years (Good left in 1965). In the UK, the show was cancelled in 1966 to make room for a new phenomenon, Batman. Jack Good appeared on a number of other programs, and he produced the infamous Monkees special: 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee in 1969. Jack Good devoted his later years to painting and to his commitment to the church. He died on September 24th at the age of eighty-six. Learn more about Oh Boy! and Jack Good.
