Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1207269
In the Groove The Cinematic Side of Bassist Kyle Eastwood B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D I N THE MID-1960S, THE SONS OF TWO OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST STARS TEAMED UP TO FORM A POP BAND, EPONYMOUSLY NAMED "DINO, DESI AND BILLY." DINO'S FATHER WAS RAT PACKER DEAN MARTIN; DESI WAS THE SON OF "I LOVE LUCY'S" DESI ARNAZ AND LUCILLE BALL (HE PLAYED LITTLE RICKY AS A CHILD ON THE SHOW). BILLY WAS A BUDDY WITH NO SHOW BIZ BONA FIDES. THE BOYS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR MARQUEE NAMES… IN FACT THEY RELIED ON THEM. THIS WAS A MEDIOCRE ACT AT BEST—ONE CRITIC SAID THE GROUP "NEVER HAD AN OUNCE OF CREDIBILITY"—BUT THEY CHARTED A COUPLE OF MODEST HITS. NO SUCH CRITICISM CAN BE LEVELED AT KYLE EASTWOOD. YES, HIS FATHER CLINT IS ONE OF THE MOST INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE PERSONALITIES IN THE WORLD. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY COMMONALITY KYLE HAS WITH DINO AND DESI. EASTWOOD THE YOUNGER HAS CARVED A DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS A TOP-TIER JAZZ BASSIST AND BANDLEADER, RELEASING NINE ALBUMS—INCLUDING 2019'S "CINEMATIC," AND TOURING EXTENSIVELY ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE'S PERFORMED AT THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL EIGHT TIMES SINCE 1994. OH, AND CRITICS ARE DESERVEDLY KINDER TO EASTWOOD. ONE NOTED: "THE BASS PLAYER EMBODIES THE VITALITY OF AN ART WHICH HE REINVENTS WITH ELEGANCE AND PASSION." THAT'S CREDIBILITY. THAT ELEGANCE AND PASSION ARE ON FULL DISPLAY ON "CINEMATIC," A COL- LECTION OF CLASSIC FILM SOUNDTRACK COMPOSITIONS. C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 133