Tom and Jerry deserve to go down in the great cartoon duos with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Scooby Doo and Shaggy. Created in the 1940s by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Tom is a blue-gray tomcat and Jerry is a little brown mouse who seem to have had it in for each other since they were drawn together.

Since their debut with the 1941 short “The Midnight Snack”, the dynamic duo of cat and mouse have destroyed lives, homes, and each other in more than 150 shorts between 1941 and 1967. Hanna and Barbera directed shorts in the 1940s and 50s. Gene Deitch directed a few in the 1961 and 1962. Chuck Jones directed shorts between 1963 and 1967… So Tom and Jerry have undergone a few changes over the years.

Personally, my favorites are from the Hanna and Barbera era, and all of the 14 shorts included in Tom and Jerry’s Greatest Chases, Vol. 3 collection are from that era. There were even a couple that I don’t think I’d ever seen, which is odd considering the number of cartoons I’ve watched in my life!

Three of my all-time favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons are included on this DVD, which absolutely made by day.

“The Two Mouseketeers” (1952) and “Touché, Pussy Cat!” (1954) are both set in the France of Alexandre Dumas book The Three Musketeers, featuring Jerry as a “Mouseketeer” and a young, enthusiastic mouse. In “The Two Mouseketeers”, Jerry and his young companion decide to take advantage of a lavish banquet guarded by Tom.

“Touché, Pussy Cat!” acts as a prequel to “The Two Mouseketeers,” explaining how the young mouse came to become a Mouseketeer. Sent to Jerry to train by friend François Mouse, the young mouse is originally turned away. But as with all things, the youngster proves he has the heart of a Mouseketeer and helps Jerry beat Tom in a swordfight.

My third favorite is “Pecos Pest” (1955) when Jerry’s Uncle Pecos comes to visit and practice playing his guitar before appearing on a television program. When a string breaks on Pecos’ guitar, the nearest replacement happens to be one of Tom’s whiskers, which causes all kinds of issues for Tom and Jerry.

Somehow I managed to miss “Blue Cat Blues” (1956) and “The Flying Sorceress” (1956) after all these years, but it was fun to see them appear in this collection.

Once again, Warner Brothers has done a great job of pulling together a fun collection of 14 classic Tom and Jerry cartoons in Tom and Jerry’s Greatest Chases, Vol. 3. Be sure to look for it (as well as Volume 1 and 2) at your favorite online or local retailer or rental store!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up Volume 3 and other Tom and Jerry greats on DVD from Amazon below!

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Long before meeting Charlie Brown, Guaraldi had been playing jazz piano. First in the Cal Tjader quintet, later in his own trios, and in a scattering of other groups like Woody Herman’s Third Herd, his quiet power and sense of joy were constant throughout. And when Lee Mendelson first heard “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” an upbeat piano piece, he was trying to find a soundtrack for a documentary, the stars aligned and the sound for the Peanuts television specials was found.

Like many kids growing up in the 1970s, I was raised watching all the Peanuts specials that aired on television. It was almost mandatory television in those days. The Guaraldi piano themes worked their way into my mind and gave me an appreciation for jazz and good music that I hope to pass along to my own children.

So what is The Definitive Vince Guaraldi all about? This 2-CD collection brings together 31 tracks from Guaraldi’s career, both pre- and post-Peanuts. Many of these tracks I was unfamiliar with, especially on the first CD – but the second CD holds some of his classic Charlie Brown tunes. Does that mean there’s nothing on the first CD to enjoy? Heck no. It just means that it’s a great way to discover, as I did, some of the deeper Guaraldi tracks that some of us must have missed.

Also included in the CD set is a great booklet that talks about Guaraldi’s career and includes some wonderful stories about the early days. One of those stories was about the first Guaraldi trio – Eddie Duran (guitar), Dean Reilly (bass) – and their gig at Enrico Banducci’s North Beach club in San Francisco. Evidently that gig lasted more than a year and a half, but a rival act – eccentric comic Professor Irwin Corey – convinced Banducci that the trio was extraneous to the business and got them fired. Seems Guaraldi was so angry he threatened to kill Corey. That didn’t happen, it turns out. As the booklet says – “Fortunately for Corey and generations of Guaraldi fans, the Sicilian storm [Guaraldi] subsided. Instead of going to San Quentin on a murder conviction, Guaraldi joined Woody Herman’s Third Herd early in 1956…” Lucky for us, Guaraldi decided not to commit murder or we wouldn’t have all the wonderful music we have of his today.

Beginning with “Calling Dr. Funk” on the first CD, you can clearly hear the fun Guaraldi has each time he lays his hands on the keys. As a saxophone player (or ex-sax player), I loved the combination of the classic jazz sax from Jerry Dodgion and Guaraldi on piano. It just grooves right along from beginning to end. The rest of the first CD follows suit, giving us such standards as Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm” and Guaraldi’s composition “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” which led to his work with the Peanuts.

The second CD doesn’t slow down any, with great salsa-influenced tracks like “Mr. Lucky,” “Corovado,” and “Work Song,” intermixed with some of his Peanuts classics – “Oh, Good Grief,” “Linus and Lucy,” the “Charlie Brown Theme” and much more.

It’s impossible to say how much of an influence Guaraldi had on my life, let alone any other other classic jazz pianists like the amazing Herbie Hancock.

If you’re a fan of jazz piano or simply want to hear more of the man who performed the music from the Charlie Brown specials through the years, The Definitive Vince Guaraldi deserves a place in your music collection. And if you’re anything like me, I’ll be wearing this CD set out far too quickly. Look for it at your favorite music retailer!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up this CD and other Vince Guaraldi greats at Amazon below:

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Written with admiration and humor, I found Gaiman’s prose entertaining and enlightening as I learned more about the author who has written so many of my favorite books – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, and The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul. And Gaiman has written two more of my favorite books – Neverwhere and American Gods.

In 1971, Adams was hitchhiking across Europe with a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Europe when, at the end of a harrowing day, he ended up flat on his back in a field in Innsbruck, staring up at the stars. It was then he had the thought “Sombebody really ought to write a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” He then promptly forgot about it.

Then, in 1977, he remembered it when he was trying to come up with ideas for radio scripts. And that started a long journey of writing and missing deadlines that continued for the next 24 years. In 2001, Adams passed away when he suffered a fatal heart attack while exercising in his gym in Santa Barbara.

I have read all of Douglas Adams’ novels, including Last Chance to See, which documented his journeys around the world to see how certain endangered species were doing. I’m a huge fan of his unique way of seeing the world.

But I never really knew the bumpy road of the Hitchhiker’s radio program or Adams’ involvement with the Dr. Who franchise. And I didn’t realize that he was involved with the Monty Python troupe. All these little facts are eloquently detailed in Gaiman’s prose.

This version of Don’t Panic is the fifth edition. The first was written in 1988 by Gaiman and it’s seen updates as Adams’ journey and his legacy continued over the years.

To continue that legacy, a new book in the ill-labeled “Hitchhiker’s Trilogy” will be released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first publication of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Written by author Eoin Colfer, author of the successful children’s series Artemis Fowl, the new book is called And Another Thing…. I’m excited about the upcoming book, as I never really felt that Arthur Dent’s journey was complete. We’ll see how Colfer does.

Adams will be forever missed, but his legacy will last forever.

If you’re a Douglas Adams fan or a fan of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Don’t Panic is a must have for your collection. Be sure to look for it in your local library or favorite bookstore and keep an eye out for Eoin Colfer’s book – And Another Thing…!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up any of these amazing books below!

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Give Up the Ghost is Carlile’s third studio album, pairing her with Grammy Award winning producer Rick Rubin. The album also provided an opportunity to work with her idol, Elton John, on the song “Caroline.” As Carlile said, “when I was 11 and discovered Elton John, I realized that performers do write and perform their own songs,” and that inspired her to get a keyboard and start writing. Also featured on the album are contributors Benmont Tench, multi-instrumentalist from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, drummer Chad Smith, and Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls.

It’s hard to argue with an album with this sort of pedigree. And Carlile doesn’t disappoint, returning once again with her soaring vocals, mixed musical styles, and amazing arrangements.

In “Dying Day,” an up-tempo guitar-driven beat provides the backdrop to the harmonies between Carlile and the twins. Add to that the lyrics of a lover stranded in the world, working his or her way home again to be with their love until their dying day.

“Caroline,” the duet with Elton John and Carlile, definitely has EJ’s touch on piano and they sound great together. There’s an interesting cross in musical styles between the almost Dixieland piano of EJ and the Grand Ol’ Opry quality of Carlile’s voice.

Without a doubt, “Before It Breaks” is my favorite on the album, with Carlile’s signature effortless octave-changing vocals. Backed by piano and strings, her voice takes on an ethereal quality. Take a listen for yourself in this live performance…

Brandi Carlile, \”Before it Breaks\” on YouTube

If you liked The Story, you should love Give Up the Ghost.. Brandi Carlile and her cohorts only get better from album to album and I for one hope they make music for many, many years to come. Look for Give Up the Ghost on store shelves starting October 6, 2009.

Don’t forget to watch for concert dates in your area either… Carlile and her band are just as amazing (if not moreso) live as they are on CD, so don’t pass up an opportunity to give them a listen.

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up Give Up the Ghost and other Brandi Carlile CDs at Amazon below:

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So many artists, so little time… I’m now of the opinion that the State of California has been hiding Greg Laswell since 2003. Based in Los Angeles, Laswell has produced and two EPs, with a new EP – Covers – released in October. He has a unique, almost haunting voice for a male singer and these simple arrangements of five songs from other artists reinforce that haunting quality…

The EP features covers of songs from Echo & the Bunnymen (”Killing Moon”), Morphine (”In Spite of Me”), Mazzy Star (”Take Everything”), Kristen Hersh (”Your Ghost“), and Kate Bush (”This Woman’s Work”). Not only is it an interesting combination of songs, but there’s a progression there… From a vaguely vampiric lyric to the burdens of a woman watching her son grow into a man, it’s interesting to hear a man’s voice singing these arrangements of music created or sung by women originally.

Beyond lending his emotive voice to these tracks, Laswell also played most of the instrument on the album. He produced the record himself in a cabin in Mountainaire, Arizona. The piano and guitar worked especially well for me in these stripped down, yet layered tracks. I have to say that though all of these songs are beautifully done by Laswell, the last two sold me – “Your Ghost” and “This Woman’s Work.”

In Hersh’s lyrics for “Your Ghost,” that haunting aspect of Laswell’s voice really come to the surface. He recorded multiple tracks of his voice to provide harmonies to give it further depth. But the words alone paint a picture of heartache… “… it’s too quiet, so I pad through the dark and call you on the phone / Push your old numbers and let your house ring til I wake your ghost…” The sense of loss is hard to miss and Laswell’s arrangements bring that to the fore.

I’d not heard Kate Bush’s version of “This Woman’s Work,” but had heard other songs featuring her distinctive voice. Laswell again takes the arrangement and boils it down to its core with a piano, a guitar, and his emotions. The lyrics are once again from a female perspective, yet Laswell provides the depth necessary to bring out the beauty, the hope in the underlying story instead of the sadness… “Of all the things I should’ve said / That I never said / All the things we should’ve done / Though we never did / All the things I should’ve given / but I didn’t… I should be crying, but I just can’t let it show…”

Laswell’s depth lends credence to all of the tracks on this album and I was left wanting more – the sure sign of a great artist. Be sure to look for Greg Laswell’s new EP – Covers – at your favorite retailer!

–Fitz

p.s. Unfortunately Covers doesn’t seem to be available at Amazon, but check out these other Laswell albums!

The story Allison Bartlett tells of John Gilkey makes me feel relatively normal in comparison. Gilkey loves books too. But he doesn’t have the money to pay for them, so writes bad checks or steals credit card receipts from those more fortunate and defrauds the credit card companies. His sense of morality and self-entitlement are seriously warped. Between the late 90s and early 2000s, Gilkey stole more than $100,000 worth of rare books and served jail time for bad checks and credit card fraud.

In The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, the main thread is Bartlett’s own investigation into Gilkey’s story and dives deeper into book theft and the world of book collectors and sellers. But Bartlett also weaves in vignettes from her investigation, including one from Winston Churchill, another from a 19th-century monk, and various stories about collectors, thieves and booksellers from around the globe.

The way Bartlett writes herself into the story provides us an entry point into this world of books. It’s through her eyes we see Gilkey, first in jail and then out and prowling California bookstores. We meet Ken Sanders, bookseller turned book detective or “bibliodick”, who helps booksellers and the police track down stolen goods and capture thieves. And we see the love of books by both men and the budding collector in Bartlett rise to the surface as she learns more and more.

These are real stories about real people and that alone would make them compelling enough for me. But Bartlett’s dedication to the task, documenting every little thing – down to remembering as much as she could while interviewing Gilkey in jail because they wouldn’t allow her to take a pencil or paper into the facility – really brought me into the story. I don’t know that I would have had the guts to go into a prison to interview someone, let alone deal with the many frustrating experiences she finds herself enduring to get a complete picture of these people.

Beyond the writing, which was marvelous, I have to mention the physicality of the book itself. I know many people prefer paperback books because they’re lighter, easier to carry around, and are generally less expensive than their hardcover bretheren. But I am a hardback kind of guy. There’s something about the heft of a hardback book and the quality of paper that has attracted me ever since I set foot in a library as a child. So to see The Man Who Loved Books Too Much bound so beautifully just made me smile.

The pages are bound such that the edges of the pages are not cut evenly, which provides a tactile and visual cue that few current hardbacks have. I haven’t seen that style of binding since some of the Anne Rice novels of the mid-90s and I absolutely adore it.

If you are interested in books from a collectors point of view or simply want to read a great story, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett provides enough crunch on a number of levels – from the real-world characters to the writing and the binding – this is a book for book lovers. Be sure to check it out at your local library or bookseller!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up The Man Who Loved Books Too Much at Amazon below!

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There has always been something haunting and ethereal about a well-played violin for me. And Joshua Bell has to be among the most talented violinists I’ve heard playing today. Though I don’t normally listen to classical music these days, Bell’s album At Home With Friends caught my attention because of who Bell was playing with – Chris Botti (talented trumpet player for jazz and pop music), Sting (amazing solo artist and lead singer of The Police), Josh Groban (amazing voice), Kristin Chenoweth (talented actress with a beatuiful voice), and many others…

Evidently Bell has been holding ‘musical soirées’ at his New York residence for a while now, inviting over musicians, actors, comics, writers, and anyone else interested in sharing their talents with friends. According to Bell, the inspiration for these gatherings came from growing up in a home where such gatherings were commonplace. My own family did something very similar as I was growing up, and even today we still try to play together when possible.

Bell and his friends cover quite a wide array of musical styles – from classical to pop, bluegrass to Broadway, jazz to ethnic. I always find it interesting to hear musicians cross genre boundaries in this way. There’s a spark that occurs when such boundaries are crossed that always has the potential to create inspiration and beauty.

That said, I have to admit that my favorite tracks are those that take Bell and his companions away from the realm of the classical and into the realm of Broadway and the Beatles.

Kristen Chenoweth’s sublime voice, accompanied by piano and Bell’s violin, makes “My Funny Valentine” absolutely come alive. Bell’s strings bring across the emotion of the history of this song. And listening to Chenoweth I couldn’t help but think she would be perfect for the role of Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. (She’ll also be gracing the television screen with her beauty and talent in an upcoming episode of Glee on FOX.)

My other favorite on the album is “Eleanor Rigby“, pairing Bell, a piano, and Frankie Moreno’s emotive, masculine voice. What surprised me was Bell’s interpretation of the song – providing a beautiful introduction before Moreno’s vibrato kicks in for the vocal parts. And then it builds… Changing speed and intensity, never losing the feel of the original while giving it a new spin. Listening to streaming music on the Frankie Moreno Band’s website has given me one more artist I may have to take a longer listen to.

If you are looking for something a bit different to add to your classical collection, Joshua Bell’s At Home With Friends might be right up your alley. The whole album is full of talented musicians and singers and Bell’s virtuoso violin skills. Be sure to give it a listen when it is released on September 29, 2009!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up this and other albums at Amazon below!

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Take a few parts of the game Mousetrap, a bit of the skepticism of A Christmas Carol, and the kids of Scooby Doo and you have a few of the ingredients that went into this entertaining holiday program. As I watched with my girls, ages 4 and 8, I know they enjoyed it and I have to admit that I did too.

What’s it about? Santa Claus of course! Twelve-year-old Trevor is a believer. His good friend Veronica is a skeptic however and chooses to only believe what she can see. So when Veronica challenges Trevor to get proof that Santa is real, Trevor of course accepts and sets out to not only prove that Santa exists, but to capture him and hold a press conference.

Santa himself is of course preparing for his yearly round-the-world record breaking journey from the North Pole delivering toys to good little girls and boys. Mrs. Claus, updated from the dowdy older matriarch to a thin, health-conscious and supportive wife, tries to keep the big guy’s sweet tooth in check. The elves are also helping with the preparations, making sure that everything goes smoothly.

And then, as if Trevor and Veronica weren’t enough trouble, Santa has to deal with the bad guy of the film – LeFreeze. LeFreeze is a frozen giant with a grudge. Santa wronged him sometime in the past and now LeFreeze wants to exact his revenge. LeFreeze is aided by his three snowman henchmen ready to help their boss.

Clocking in at about 66 minutes, this isn’t the longest holiday animated feature I’ve ever seen. But I think it was long enough to keep the kids entertained and present a solid beginning, middle, and end. A couple of the musical numbers were a bit much for me, but again – the kids seemed to enjoy them.

For me, the believer vs. skeptic battle worked beautifully. I can’t say that I’ve seen science worked into a holiday special quite the way Gotta Catch Santa Claus does. The skeptic in me appreciated the scene where Veronica worked through the math of why Santa couldn’t possibly deliver all those toys to all those people in a single night. What was Trevor’s answer? Magic, of course!

In addition to the movie itself, there were a few extras including two sing-alongs, a few deleted scenes, and a “Santa Behind-the-Scenes” feature. The deleted scenes were of unfinished animation for the most part, including the original opening for the movie which would have had Trevor as the skeptic and Veronica as the believer. But I recommend that you watch the “Behind the Scenes” feature simply because you get to hear William Shatner try, and fail, to sing “Deck the Halls” a few times as his animated alter ego. It’s worth watching just to see Shatner get a bit flustered.

If you’re looking for a new Christmas special to add to your holiday DVD collection, Gotta Catch Santa Claus is definitely worth checking out. Ask for it at your favorite online or brick-and-mortar retailer before Santa makes his yearly visit!

–Fitz

p.s. Pick up this and other great holiday specials below!

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Brothers Isaac and Thorry Koren, though Australian by birth, now find themselves based in New York. They made a splash over the summer, opening shows for Rod Stewart as he toured the Western U.S. and Canada, managing to sell enough albums to enter Billboard’s Heatseekers Album Chart at #37 – an amazing feat considering it hadn’t released to the public yet and that’s just with sales at their performances.

So how’d they do it? Through a mix of great arrangements and some simply amazing harmonies. The harmonies are what sold me. They have a gift for close harmonies that sent chills up my spine. I can hardly wait to see where they go from here in their next albums…

For their album THE UPside, they worked with a legendary producer – Jack Douglas – who’s helped John Lennon, Aerosmith, and The Who over the years. As Isaac said – “He helped us translate ideas we had no clue how to express and made it so we forgot we were making a record.” The result was an album recorded all along the West Coast – Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. And Douglas made sure those soaring melodies and great songwriting came to the surface.

In addition to the vocals, both brothers contributed different instruments to the project. Isaac played piano and Thorry added guitars, piano, and bass. The album will be available on October 6 and the brothers are not waiting for success to come to them – they’re touring the Northeast with Rusted Root and then heading down the East Coast, ending their tour on October 10 at the Hiro Ballroom in New York City. They’re heading home!

As I said earlier, it’s those harmonies that really sold me. From the time that the brothers hit their stride in the first track – “Waterbreaks” – they had me. Add to that a bit of rock ballad guitar, the steady beat of a drum, and you have a song that found its way into my brain and wouldn’t let go.

My other favorites on the album are the title track – “Upside” – and “Never Be the Same”.

“Never Be the Same” strips things back to a simple piano melody and the brothers’ strong voices. Combined with the powerful words, this becomes a very powerful, dramatic song… “All the people stopped and stared / they said hey boy, you oughta love from your heart / not from a broken mind…” This could be about a mentor, a friend, or a higher power – it’s up to the listener to decide.

And “Upside” merges a guitar and piano, reflecting upon the wars between lovers. “Understand what I mean when I stand up and fight for my life, for the upside…” These two people, fighting wars within themselves and between each other, are trying to find a way to work it out together.

My only complaint with the album is that every now and then the brothers stretch to an octave too high for their range. Straining to hit the high notes doesn’t carry the power of their voices as it does when they are within their range. But other than those occasions, this is a very strong album. I want to hear more. And I think they’d be great live, with their terrific, yet simple arrangements that translate well to a live show.

If you’re looking for something new to grace your ears, get a listen to The Kin and their album THE UPside. And if you’re lucky enough to be at one of their live shows, leave a comment and let me know how it went! Look for the album at your favorite retailer!

–Fitz

p.s. Be sure to pick up The Kin’s album The UPside at Amazon!

The book opens with Yeats diving in the wreckage of the legendary Nazi submarine, Nausicaa, deep in the Mediterranean ocean. Nausicaa was once captained by SS General Ludwig von Berg, also known as the Baron of the Black Order, the leader of Hitler’s Ahnenerbe – a group dedicated to proving that the Aryans were the descendants of Atlantis. The Baron had found some kind of Atlantean artifact and it had gone down when the submarine was sunk by the British Royal Navy in 1943.

Yeats soon discovered that it was the Flammenschwert or “Sword of Fire” – some kind of torpedo or bomb based on Atlantean technology? He had little time to find out however, as he was attacked in what I can only describe as a Thunderball-like (thank you Ian Fleming) underwater scuba battle by men also after the Baron’s treasure. As his attackers left him stuck in the Nausicaa, he had to wonder what he’d gotten himself into this time.

This was only the beginning of an adventure that spans the globe as Yeats puts the pieces together pitting him against Sir Roman Midas, Russian orphan turned British mining tycoon and mastermind behind what could become a global oil crisis. Along the way, Yeats works again with Sister Serena Serghetti from the Vatican, whom he had a previous relationship with. And it ends in a chase under the Temple Mount to stop a group intent on starting a world war.

Yeats seems to have a knack for surviving impossible situations and coming out on top or knowing who to contact when he gets into a bind, which got a bit tiring after a while. The jet-setting lifestyle and multiple talents of our erstwhile archaeologist made James Bond seem like an amateur while channeling a bit of Indiana Jones. But other than that it was fun to see how all the threads wove together.

The Atlantis Revelation was a very quick read and kept me entertained all the way through to the end. I’m always intrigued when writers work Nazis into the equation, as with The Boys from Brazil from Ira Levin and the Indiana Jones franchise. And add in the Atlantis side of things and I have to say it’s a great combination.

If you like quick, fun thrillers, The Atlantis Revelation by Thomas Greanias should be on your reading list. Check it out at your favorite library or bookstore!

–Fitz

p.s. Look for these books at Amazon!

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