THE MASKED TEN: TV - MOVIES - JAZZ

It’s time for my annual offering of the MASKED TEN in Television, Jazz and Movies for 2019. These are not “the best” or anything like that. Just ten in each genre which made me happy in 2019 and may make you happy as well. I just want to share.

MASKED TEN (really 11): TV

This was a year of farewells and when I looked at this group I realized that more than half will have aired their final episode by the end of the year. I celebrate them and others and look forward to sharing some new favorites next year. This is the one group listed in sort of my level of favoriteness.

BILLIONS

SUCCESSION

FLEABAG

SHITTS CREEK

THE DEUCE

PEN15

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

SILICON VALLEY

JANE THE VIRGIN/CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (end of a CW era…sigh)

SOME OTHERS…..SEX EDUCATION,HIGH MAINTENANCE, SHTISEL, RAMY, THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT (sad), THE WRESTLERS, JETT, PREACHER, GLOW, STUMPTOWN

MASKED TEN: MOVIES

Since I don’t get screeners two of these were released in late 2018 but I didn’t see them until 2019. Honestly, for me, not the greatest year for movies but I enjoyed these offered in alphabetical order:

AMAZING GRACE

BOOKSMART

COLD WAR

THE FAREWELL

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY

JO JO RABBIT

MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL

ROCKETMAN

TEL AVIV ON FIRE

SHOPLIFTERS

I know no PARASITE. I love this guy’s work but I just don’t know. There was something not right here. I do think about it a lot though so, if you haven’t go see it. This seemed to be the year of rock documentaries. I enjoyed LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE and ECHO IN THE CANYON so see those as well.

MASKED TEN: JAZZ

A lot of fine music by a lot of talented women this year. They make up half of the list which is in no particular order because JAZZ

John Coltrane  - BLUE WORLD

Mary Stallings - SONGS WERE MADE TO SING

Tierney Sutton Band - SCREENPLAY

Chris Potter - CIRCUTS

Angelique Kidjo - CELIA

Terri Lyne Carrington & Social Science - WAITING GAME

Komo Saxo - PETER ELDH & KOMO SAXO

Ted Nash, Steve Cardenas & Ben Allison - SOMEWHERE ELSE: WEST SIDE STORY SONGS

Jane Bunnett & Maqueque - ON FIRM GROUND

As always support live music. Some memorable shows this year included the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Arturo O’Farrill, Omar Sossa, Mary Stallings, Kurt Elling, Vijay Iyer, Lisa Fischer and Chick Corea.