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
Locked Doors and Silences
Here are two points of view expressed by poets of unequal stature: Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter . . .
Caribbean Carnival Welcomes the New Year with a Piano-Shaped Pool
Sometimes it’s impossible to predict how a risk could pay off, or if a gamble is worth taking. Fortunately this year the unknown was underlined
Sylvia Fine Scored Some of Hollywood’s Best-Loved Musicals
“Behind every great man, there is a great woman.” How many biographical articles have opened with that trite old aphorism? It acknowledges—quite rightly—that many of
Fire, Devastation, and Touchstones of Memory in Los Angeles
This is not a time to bury the lead. Myself and my octogenarian roommates (Mother and Cat) are all safe. We are not currently in
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
Syncopated Media Needs Your Help
Ideas are the easy part. If we had a million dollars to promote hot jazz, ragtime, and swing we could find ways to use it.
The House of Swing Premieres Waldo World and New Orleans Humbug
The House of Swing at Columbus Circle presented two compositions commissioned by Wynton Marsalis for his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Terry Waldo appeared on
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
Texas Shout #8 Guide to Classic Dixieland
Set forth below is the eighth “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the July 1990 issue of The West Coast Rag, (now known as
Texas Shout #67 Dixieland Revisited
Set forth below is the sixty-seventh “Texas Shout” column. The initial installment of a two-part essay, it first appeared in the November 1995 issue of
Texas Shout #54 Jazz Band Hand Signals
Set forth below is the fifty-fourth “Texas Shout” column. The concluding installment of a two-part essay, (part 1,) it first appeared in the September 1994
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
From the Final Arizona Classic Jazz Fest
For the third, and unfortunately last, time I attended the Arizona Classic Jazz Festival at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Chandler on October 31-November 3.
Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions
Gretchen and the Sidecar Six • Getting Some Fun Out of Life
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano • Painting the Town
Raymond Burke • The Southland Recordings 1958-1960
Paul Whiteman • The Hits Collection Vol. 1 & 2
Louis Armstrong • Live In Paris
Al Hirt & Pete Fountain • Super Jazz
Gavin Rice & His Famous Collegiates: Live at Bop Shop Records
Stomp Off, Let’s Go – The Early Years of Louis Armstrong
Beyond the Bandstand: Paul Whiteman in American Musical Culture
Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band
The Wild and Wiggy Times of Harry the Hipster Gibson
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.
Teddy Wilson: Profiles in Jazz
Teddy Wilson always stood apart from the stereotypes attached to jazz musicians of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. He was soft-spoken, distinguished, reliable, and very
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
Arizona Classic Jazz Fest: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu!
The Arizona Classic Jazz Society held its final Festival the first weekend in November—it was a bittersweet weekend with lots of music, friends and shared
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
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
George Schweinfest: The Last Pioneer
In this column I have written about many figures who were instrumental in the acoustic recording era, but often go unnoticed. One figure who fits
‘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
Frank Demond
Trombonist and banjo player Frank Demond died on November 21st; he was 91. Born in Los Angeles he would at one time be the only
Bill Carter
Photographer and clarinetist William “Bill” Carter died on New Year’s Day; he was 90 years old. His photography books varied in subject from Iraqi Kurds
Paul Fontaine
Boston area trumpet player Paul Fontaine passed away January 11. From his published obituary: Paul’s career spanned many years, starting as a student studying trumpet
