Booker Little

Booker Little (scanned from my copy of his album "Out Front")

There are many tragic stories to tell when it comes to jazz, but none are perhaps more tragic than the death of trumpeter Booker Little at the mere age of 23. Booker Little sound was influenced by another trumpeter that also met a tragic death, Clifford Brown. Like Brown, Little's technique was technically exquisite without losing a soulful edge. Booker spent a large percentage of his very short career working with Eric Dolphy. They were able to create a unique musical relationship. Booker was one of the few trumpeters that was capable of keeping up with Dolphy's flurry of ideas. He always accepted Dolphy's challenge, and also contributed several compositions to Dolphy's working bad. The partnership culminated in a live recording at the Five Spot that spawned 3 album releases. One of the most impressive songs played that evening was Booker own superb composition "Aggression". Booker Little even managed to squeeze a few self-lead albums into his all too short career. One of my favourite solo albums of his was his self-titled album on Time records. One of the highlights of the album is to hear Booker working with another great jazz musicians that died tragically early, Bill Evans' bassist Scott LaFaro.


Cover Art for Booker Little's Self-Titled Album

The album has a beautiful timeless quality to it. I consider Booker as one of my favourite jazz trumpeters and even jazz composers. There are some amazing compositions on this album by Booker, and one of my favourites (which coincidently it was also his favourite) is "The Grand Valse". Booker based this tune around Sonny Rollins' Valse Hot. It's a touching jazz waltz. With a marvelous solo by Booker that clearly illustrates his beautiful full tone, and expressive sound.


Sheet music for "The Grand Valse"



Another picture of Booker from the cover of Dolphy's At The Five Spot Vol.1

Casque D'Or

*Warning Second Paragraph Has Spoilers*

Almost every Sunday I go to my state's main art gallery to see the free films they hold in their full size film theatre. In the past I have seen as diverse films as "La Dolce Vita", "The Blue Kite", "Taxi Driver", "L'Age D'or" among many others. The films featured are always related to a particular art exhibition at the gallery. The films from the past few weeks, and the next few weeks to come relate to the current Pissarro exhibition. The first film of the series was Jean Renoir's excellent "La Bete Humaine (The Human Beast)". A very enjoyable film directed by the son of impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The second film in the series was Jacques Becker's Casque D'Or, a superb tragic drama.


Casque D'or, The Golden Helmet played by Simone Signoret

The film was influenced by the real life story of Amelie Helie, a prostitute nicknamed "Casque D'Or". However there a great discrepancies between the real story and the plot of the film. In a sense it would be unwise to say that the film was based on the story of "Casque D'Or". Instead it used its backbone as a basis for the film, the story of jealous love that overtook the minds of Casque D'or's suitors. While doing research for this review a discovered a very interesting website relating to the real Manda-Leca scandal. I think it helps put the film into historical perspective. In reality Manda was no carpenter, but a well known leader of an infamous apache gang named Orteaux. He did indeed stab and kill a former lover of Casque D'or, but the ending of the film is pure fantasy. With Manda serving life manual labour rather than the guillotine, and Leca 8 years and Casque D'or forgetting about both of them by entertaining herself with wealthier men. It is therefore important to understand Becker's decision to make fundamental changes to the nature of the different characters. By doing so Becker was able to create a more symphetic view of Casques D'Or (Marie), and Manda. Instead of a story of betrayal it becomes a tragic love story. Manda is presented as a simple carpenter, drawn into a life of crime because of his love of Marie, while Leca is polarised into a stereotypical gang leader. This decision allows Becker to accentuate the devastating power of love on Manda. If we were to believe he was a leader of a gang, the stabbing of Raymond, and the shooting of Leca would seem far less shocking. The transformation of Manda is in my opinion a key aspect of the film. Becker also makes the character Leca highly unlikable, presenting him as an arrogant and deceitful gang leader. In the end in is hard to feel compassion for Leca, when he is murdered by Manda. Given the nature of the real Casque D'Or I was somewhat surprised by the ending. The radical transformation of Casque D'Or to find true timeless love is a little less convincing (at least for me).

All this drama is filmed beautifully with some fantastic cinematography. The film's cinematic highlight perhaps can be found in the fight to death scene between Manda and Roland. The close up of Manda's face being eye-gouged is a stands out as a beautiful piece of cinematography.


I can't help but feel this shot was influenced by film noir


I also loved this particular shot too

Well I think I've gone a little too much regarding this film. I was quite impressed with it as a whole. It has also recently been released by the Criterion collection. So if you have the money, I would recommend picking it up sometime in the future. It is well worth watching.

Link with more information on the real Manda/Leca Scandal

Another link with more info regarding the real Manda/Leca Scandal