Strange strange year for the consumption of entertainment. Saw a total of 6 films in the theater. I miss The Landmark and the local arts theater out here in Agoura Hills. So no movie list this year. We watched lots of TV but limited our viewing to the evening. Kept the TV off through the day. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I do not watch televised news.
As always I never call this a "best of" list since I believe that no one has that super power. These were the shows that resonated with me on various levels.
Only one I would call outstanding or ground breaking (P-VALLEY) with a unique and memorable performer in Nicco Annon. Another stellar performer (Rhea Seehorn) took an outstanding show and made it even better, and two (GIRI/HAJI and LOVECRAFT COUNTRY) were so different that they always commanded my full attention. I would feel exhausted after watching an episode.
If you haven't seen them check them out in the new year. I found it interesting that, among the Masked 10, and more than half overall, are shows that drop once a week and were consumed that way. I also watched a shit-ton of international procedurals over the year especially when we started to hunker down.
So here's the 10 with an additional 10 more that I would recommend
THE MASKED 10 - TV
P-Valley (STARZ)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Giri/Haji (NETFLIX)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Shitts Creek (POP TV)
Kim’s Convenience (NETFLIX)
Fargo (FX)
Perry Mason (HBO)
Pen15 (HULU)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
THE NEXT 10
McMillions (HBO)
World on Fire (PBS)
Homeland (SHOWTIME)
Awkwafina is Nora From Queens (COMEDY CENTRAL)
Gentefied (NETFLIX)
Dark Side of the Ring (VICE)
The Queen’s Gambit (NETFLIX)
Stumptown (ABC)
Hunters (AMAZON)
Working Moms (HBO)
The evening was for TV but the rest of the day we had music playing throughout the house and out back which served as my office. Mostly jazz and reggae.
We miss the live concerts at Cal State Northridge and UCLA Royce Hall and the clubs we frequent...Catalina and The Baked Potato. We try to make it to New York and spend a week at the clubs there and were devastated to learn of the closing of the Jazz Standard. We have been supporting the clubs through live streaming sets especially at Smalls which offers live jazz every day.
These are the albums that, when they appear on shuffle, I stop and confirm who I think it is. Hard to limit it to ten so there's an additional ten I would recommend. Again not the best, just the ones that stood out to me. If you are not a fan of jazz and want to get acquainted this is a good place to start.
Hopefully, the coming year brings more time in a theatre, a club or a concert hall and I look forward to a Dodger Dog....but I'm realistic.
MASKED 10 - JAZZ
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah - Axiom
Gilfema-Three
Ron Miles - Rainbow Sign
Immanuel Wilkens - Omega
Charles Lloyd - 8:Kindred Spirits
Joel Ross - Who Are You?
Fahir Atakoglu - For Love
Artemis - Artemis
Raphaël Pannier Quartet - Faune
Sun Ra Arkestra - Swirling
THE NEXT 10
Koppel/Werner/Colley/DeJonette - The Art of the Quartet
The Nels Cline Singers - Share the Wealth
Nubya Garcia - Source
Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow - Life Goes On
Luciana Souza WDR Big Band Cologne - Storytellers
Dave Douglas - Dizzy Atmosphere
Aaron Parks - Little Big II:Dreams of Mechanical Man
Rudresh Mahanthappa - Hero Trio
Gerald Clayton - Happening Live at the Village Vanguard
Nate Wooley - Seven Story Mountain VI
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