'Who Shot Rock & Roll'

The family tried to escape the heat by heading down to Los Angeles Saturday for a bit of sightseeing. 

First stop was to see an excellent multimedia program titled "Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present." 

The focus of the show at The Annenberg Space for Photography is on 166 prints capturing a wide variety of bands, genres and moments. The lineup of more than 100 contributing photographers is stunning and the Annenberg has given their work the royal treatment.

Many of the photos have taken on iconic status. But many are lesser-known but equally deserving of attention,

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'Grand Prix: The Killer Years'

A BBC documentary titled "Grand Prix: The Killer Years" is both fascinating and gut-wrenching in documenting the horrific period in the late 1960s and early 1970s when Formula 1 drivers were perishing right and left. 

The archival footage is remarkably illuminating in capturing the dangers of driving a race car in those days. But it's the effective use of interviews with former drivers, mechanics, journalists and widows that pulls the story together and makes the hourlong documentary fly by. 

The documentary ends with a particularly tragic scene -- but one that encapsulates the theme and reminds us that racing is a much better industry thanks to brave souls like Jackie Stewart and David Purley who refused to simply accept common belief that death was simply something at which to shrug your shoulders.  

The rhythm genius of James Brown

Here's a terrifiic Los Angeles Review of Books podcast in which host Oliver Wang interviews R.J. Smith, author of "The One: The Life and Music of James Brown."

Smith shares great insight into Brown's colorful personality and long, varied career.

But Wang and Smith also spend a lot of time diving into the nitty-gritty of Brown's musical philosophy. Of particular note to me is a fascinating segment beginning at about 17:00 that breaks down the drum track on "I've Got Money" and debates Brown's impact on shifting rhythm patterns in popular music, the difficulty of playing a true shuffle and the contrasts and commonalities of Brown's two main drummers.