Assessing the Louis Armstrong Story: Ricky Riccardi’s Trilogy
Around the time Louis Armstrong moved from a big band to a small-group setting in 1947, grumblings were being heard. At first, it came from
Morey Feld swings, drives, then swings some more
Part One of this discussion of Morey Feld appeared in our March 2024 issue, and Part Two was published in May 2024. Hal Smith: Brother
Trumpeter Paul Higgs Guides a History of Jazz at the Corn Hall in Diss, UK
If you ask any Englishman (or woman): “Have you heard of a town called Diss?” they will almost certainly say “no.” Even if you asked
Tolkien’s Biographer Was Also a Pro Jazz Bassist
The joy of digging through thrift store vinyl crates is the prospect of discovering new arrangements, new songs, even new bands or composers which had
The Palmetto Jazzerites: Steamboat Jazz on the Mississippi
Two steamboat jazz bands were the talk of the Mississippi River in 1920. One became famous. The other remains obscure. The famous band, of course,
Conversations with Bucky Pizzarelli
His guitar mastery made him a top first-call artist in the New York recording scene for decades. His quiet and friendly manner made one club
Ryan Calloway: Master of Music, Art, and Dance
Hal Smith: Ryan, you can be contacted for original artwork, graphic design, swing dance instruction, to lead a band and to perform as a sideman.
Klas Lindquist: Sweden’s Alto Sax Virtuoso Finds His Groove
Klas Lindquist, a Swedish saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, has spent decades carving his niche in the jazz world. Drawing inspiration from legends like Johnny Hodges,
Violinist Daniel Garlitsky Revives the Quintette du Hot Club de France
What’s in a name? A quintet by any other name would sound as sweet! At least, that’s what went through my mind when my good
The Festival Roundup April 2025
DURANGO RAGTIME & EARLY JAZZ FESTIVAL (Durango, CO) – April 3-6 JOIN US for the return of the Durango Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival in
A 1925 Playlist for Jazz Appreciation Month
April 2025 ushers in Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), a nationwide celebration of America’s homegrown musical treasure. Launched in 2001 by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of
Hamilton College’s Fillius Jazz Archive Celebrates 30 Years
Thirty years ago at Hamilton College in Kirkland, N.Y., Milt Fillius Jr. and his fiancé, Nelma “Nikki” Nenneau, teamed up with jazz singer Joe Williams
The 2025 NYC Hot Jazz Camp
The 10th annual (except for 2020 when it was cancelled by Covid) New York Hot Jazz Camp convened at its regular home, the Greenwich House
JazzFest at Sea: January 17-27, 2025
After a good experience on my first cruise (the coast of Alaska and British Columbia in 2023), I was open to cruising again. Such an
The Scott Joplin House
In early June, on my way home from the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, I visited the Joplin House State Historic Site. I had been to
Nanna Carling • Melodies for Two
The Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band • Prawn Shop
Dandelion Stompers • Whirlwind Sessions Vol. I & II
Chris Hopkins Meets The Young Lions – Live Vol. 1
Harry Allen, Romano Sportiello, and Bryan Carter • It Takes 3
Bela Fleck • Rhapsody In Blue
The Enchanting Guitar Of Oscar Moore
The Jug Band Special: Rare & Hot Jug Band Recordings 1924-1939
The Boswell Legacy: Two books and a film
Jazz Radio America by Aaron J. Johnson
Stomp Off, Let’s Go – The Early Years of Louis Armstrong
Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band
Mary Lou Williams: Profiles in Jazz
Mary Lou Williams had a unique career. For much of her life she was called “jazz’s greatest female musician” but in reality she was simply
Duke Ellington’s Singers, Part 2
Duke Ellington’s compositions have been sung so often, particularly those that he wrote prior to the early 1950s, that it is surprising that it was
Duke Ellington’s Singers, Part 1
It may seem surprising that Duke Ellington, who took over Elmer Snowden’s Washingtonians in 1924, did not have a regular vocalist until late in 1931.
From the San Diego Jazz Party 2025
The San Diego Jazz Party held its annual event the weekend of February 21st and its 20+ musicians and vocalists made it an extremely memorable
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
Our January visit started off at Fritzel’s with Colin Myers (tb), Zach Lange (tp), Ellis Dyson (bj), Brett Gallo (dr) and Ted Long (bs). This
Palm Court – Thanks For the Memory!
When we visited with Nina Buck, owner of the now-closed Palm Court, during our last trip in October, she mentioned that she wanted to have
Texas Shout #70 Melodic Improvisation
Set forth below is the seventieth “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the March 1996 issue of The American Rag. The text has not
Texas Shout #59 Learning To Play, Part 2
Set forth below is the fifty-ninth “Texas Shout” column. The second installment of a three-part essay, it first appeared in the March 1995 issue of
Texas Shout #31 The History of Storyville Blues
Set forth below is the thirty-first “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the August 1992 issue of the West Coast Rag (now The Syncopated
Remembering Summer in Cornwall: The Bude Jazz Festival 2024
This review, only now appearing in the middle of the winter, is a reminder of how enjoyable it was to once again spend some warm
Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band at Caffè Lena
Caffè Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY, Dec. 5, 2024 My grasp of French is tenuous, and that puts it generously. I’m good at classic French dishes
The Secret is Out: The International Classic Jazz Party Is Hot!
Many years ago back in 2011, when I started coming to Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party, the party felt like a bit of a
Siblings in the Early Recording Industry
In several articles I have written about performers whose siblings got into recording, this seemed to have been a more common pattern than expected. To
Frank Mazziotta: An Immigrant in Edison’s Studio
Before researching him, I had assumed that there wouldn’t be much on Frank S. Mazziotta, but I was wrong. As historians, we can only hope
Billy Golden, Monarch of Recorded Minstrelsy
When listening to acoustic era recordings, some performers will usually turn people off right away, one of these performers is Billy Golden. He specialized in
‘Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh!’
How I wish I could fact check with a time machine! As with many formative strong childhood memories, music swirls in and out of the
The Lost Hook Tapes
It really is a waiting game based on luck and endurance. I am banking on the idea that if you stick to your artistic career
Birthday Blues
“Everything happens for the best” Does it really? In a continuation of last month’s theme of reality being how we perceive it, perhaps the better
The Odd Brilliance of P.T. Stanton
Horn player P.T. Stanton was a creative, original and mysterious musician who left his signature on the second wave of the Great San Francisco Jazz
Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy
“It seemed the perfect way to fight my war.”– Josephine Baker No American was ever more beloved by the French nation than Josephine Baker. In
Bush Street above Powell in San Francisco: The Club Hangover Story, 1949-61
Club Hangover was the foremost Dixieland and New Orleans Jazz nightclub on the West Coast in the 1950s. The intimate nightspot featured music six nights
Ain’t No Wrong Notes in Jazz
It is easy to be impressed by jazz musicians… if you are not one yourself. We are, after all, an impressive bunch. And I know
Bad Moon Rising
Jazz musicians are a mischievous bunch. I doubt that’s a surprise to any of you, as the history books are filled with stories of pranks
The New Syllabus
There’s been a lot made in the news in recent times about systemic issues in our education system. As I understand it, there seems to
Help Save Ragtime’s History
I was recently contacted by a gentleman in New York who has had to curtail playing the piano due to the challenges of aging and
Fifty Years Later, Here We Are!
We got old. Fifty years added to our twenties, thirties, and forties in 1974 equals old for those who have managed to survive. And. for
Helen Traubel Defends Popular Music
My grandmother used to say she couldn’t see because she had Cadillacs in front of her eyes. Well, it must be genetic because I’ve gone
Ragtime composer Jack Rummel has passed away
Devoted Ragtimer Jack Rummel passed away on March 10th. Born in Tacoma Washington in 1939, he spent most of his musical life in Colorado but
Lawrence Ketchens
Lawrence Henry Ketchens II passed away on January 31, 2025; he was 61. A beloved figure in New Orleans, with his wife Doreen Ketchens he
David Johansen
David Johansen passed away on February 28th; he was 75. Johanson got his start doing sound and lights for Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theater Company and
