Lee J Cobb

musicology #220

12AngryMen #15 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(The Marquees – Wyatt Earp)

end of the 12 angry road. the not guilty count is now 11-1. last man standing is Lee J Cobb whose personal vendetta against juveniles is obviously related to how he feels about his own son which, is not enough of a reason to send a teengaer to the ‘chair’ when all the evidence has been shot down in flames.

this last piece of the musicology pie is another from the OKeh label featuring a young drummer by the name of Marvin Pentz Gay whose recording career begun on this piece. signed to the label by Bo Diddley the record was a commercial failure so Bo introduced them to Rhythm& Blues legend Harvey Fuqua who incorporated them into his New Moonglows in 1957.

around 1958/9 Fuqua moved to Detroit, married Gwen Gordy, set up a couple of his own labels and when Berry Gordy convinced him to be an influential part of Motown introduced Marvin to the fold. and the rest, as they say, is history.

musicology #218

12AngryMen #13 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Donnie Elbert – What Can I Do)

so it’s almost over…not only for the 12angry but also for this chapter in the book of life. institutions are crashing and burning after almost a century of ‘rinsing’ it. no surprise that ‘man on the street’ is being asked to shoulder the load..it’s all in the game.

the dialogue features two of the three remaining ‘guiltys’ (with Lee J Cobb in commanding form in the supporting role). the music, I must confess, is a personal favourite and any chance to throw it down is good enough reason. but in true musicologist style when the right time come, up steps a tune to ‘express the inexpressible’ and this one is no exception. a piece, (no need to tell you from what year !!), that signals a shift away from Rhythm & Blues into a new style. one where the lead singer steps out of the vocal group shadow and into the spotlight. pioneered by cats like Donnie Elbert, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke this sound became known as Soul…

Listen Tune……

musicology #213

12AngryMen #9 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Jimmy Smith & Lou Donaldson – Summertime)

so the count is now 9 to 3 in favour of the guilty’s. The evidence is being torn to shreds piece by piece and what started as an open and shut case is turning into a battle of subjectivite opinion vs objective facts.

the two performances that, for me, are outstanding are Henry Fonda and Lee J Cobb. The others are good but these two are special. both are featured on this piece of dialogue.

the song which comes courtesy of organist supreme Jimmy Smith and Blue Note stable mate, Saxophone legend Lou Donaldson is a haunting 1957 rendition of the George Gershwin classic Summertime, (penned for the Opera Porgy & Bess). A song that has been covered more times than I’ve had hot dinners, rumour has it that Gershwin adapted it from a Ukranian lullaby ‘Oy Khodyt Son Kolo Vikon’, (A Dream Passes By The Windows), which he heard in 1926.

musicology #209

12AngryMen #6 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Pete Seeger – John Henry)

day 6, the invisible votes have been cast…and here comes the verdict.

the music is a 1957 piece from an important and highly influential cat in the development of ‘popular’ music who is still performing at the ripe old age of 89. A man who walked it like he talked it, Seeger was, and still is, an Activist with a capital A, who shares themusicologist’s belief that music and song is a most powerful force for change.

Alone among the many witnesses after the 1950 conviction and imprisonment of the Hollywood Ten for contempt of court, Seeger refused to plead the Fifth Amendment (which asserted that his testimony might be self incriminating) and instead (as the Hollywood Ten had done) refused to name personal and political associations on the grounds that this would violate his First Ammendment rights:

“I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this.”

The man’s refusal to testify led to a 1957 indictment for contempt of Congress and for years he had to keep the federal government apprised of where he was going any time he left the Southern District of New York.

Finally sentenced, (by Jury Trial), to a 10 Stretch in 1961, for whatever they could hang on him, this was overturned a year later in ’62 for being ‘seriously flawed’

Not trying to style it that I’m a long time fan of the man and his music..in fact that’s one of the things that themusicologist provides, an opportunity for me to explore genres and styles that I am unfamiliar with.

musicology #205

12AngryMen #2 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers – I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent)

day two of the 12 Angry Men selection and the ‘action’ begins. 12 jurors, 1 Room, Hottest day of the year…No Air-Con. The jockying has already started as Lee J. Cobb, (Juror #3), lets his feelings known on what he thinks the verdict should be.

themusicologist wasn’t even born in 1957 but from what I have read and heard the ‘Teenager’ had most definately arrived. Music, (Rock and Roll), being an example of this. The way I have understood it, before World War II music was made predominantly by and for ‘grown ups’.  Swing had begun to change that but by the time Rock and Roll emerged the writing was well and truly on the wall for who to target…Teenagers.

the slice of, (1956), musicology, (released in early ’57), is courtesy of 13 year old !! Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, (Herman Santiago, Joe Negroni, Jimmy Merchant, Sherman Garnes), who epitomised the change as well as anyone. Of note is that the majority of the group members were of Puerto Rican descent, as was the kid charged with murder in the film, and half of the subjects of the original 1957 Broadway production of West Side Story.