The Unsettled Life and Career of Robert B. Joplin
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band: Our Newest Jazz Stars Are From—Barcelona?
Jazz returned to Barcelona in a big way this past September, with the annual four-day music event called Jazzing Festival — or simply, Jazzing. It was the
Sugar Chile Robinson Back in Limelight Thanks to ‘Go, Boy, Go’ Ad
Relentlessly repetitive commercials are one of the most irritating aspects of television. Especially egregious are personal injury attorneys, supplemental Medicare plans, auto insurance and Car
‘Weaned on the Horn’–The Mysterious Life of Ann Cooper
It’s a story almost as old as jazz itself: A musician is born in New Orleans, some time between 1900 and 1920, drawn magnetically to
The Red Onion Jazz Band: A Hot Time in New York City
Note: Earlier in 2021, jazz writer Dave Radlauer was offered a collection of recordings by the Red Onion Jazz Band—from the collection of Dick Dreiwitz,
History of the Galvanized Jazz Band, Pt. 3: After the Millpond
Also see: Early History of the Galvanized Jazz Band & History of the Galvanized Jazz Band, Part 2: The Millpond Years After the Millpond Tavern closed in
Cynthia Sayer Transcribes Snowden’s Harlem Banjo!
Cynthia Sayer, hailed as one of the finest four-string banjoists in the world today, has just issued The Swinging Solos of Elmer Snowden, a book
Sweet Megg Releases Two Christmas Singles
Turtle Bay Records was recently formed to provide jazz talent in New York the support and promotion they deserve. So far they’ve released an album
The St. Louis Jazz Club to Celebrate 70 Years!
The St. Louis Jazz Club is proud to announce that we will be celebrating 70 wonderful years in October. The first meeting of the Jazz
William Bolcom: Musical Influences and Colleagues
Dr. William Bolcom celebrated his 83rd birthday this year. Few musicians can compare with the diversity of his abilities. He has studied with Darius Milhaud
Max Morath: Records That Changed Ragtime History
Within the space of three years, ragtime pianist-composer Max Morath released four vinyl LPs on the prestigious Vanguard label: The Best of Scott Joplin (double
Risa Branch: A Passion for Tradition
Singer Risa Branch is a fighter. As a self-proclaimed “former professional advocate,” she’s fought for civil rights, animal welfare, and gender equality around the United
Texas Shout #32 White New Orleans Dixieland, Part 1
Set forth below is the thirty-second “Texas Shout” column. The initial installment of a two-part essay, it first appeared in the September 1992 issue of
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 #41 Blues
Set forth below is the forty-first “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the June 1993 issue of the West Coast Rag, now known as
From the Central Pennsylvania Ragtime Festival
After a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic, the 12th annual Central Pennsylvania Ragtime and American Music Festival returned to Orbisonia and Rockhill, PA on
A trip to NYC: Waldo’s Gotham Band & David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
This is not an article I expected to write, but given that the events I’m relating occur on a regular or seasonal basis, I felt
From the 50th Bix Jazz Festival
The 50th anniversary Bix Beiderbecke jazz festival in Bix’s hometown of Davenport, Iowa, got underway in its usual fashion on Thursday afternoon, August 5, with
Chris Barber • A Trailblazer’s Legacy
Ethan Leinwand • The Bigtone Session
Adam Swanson • Ragtime Australia!
Reinhardt Winkler • Let’s Face The Music
Geoff Power’s Great Gatsby Orchestra • Shake that Thing!
Danny Tobias • Silver Linings
Hot Steel and Cool Ukulele • Hapa Haole Hit Parade
Marieke Koopman • Chapter One
King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin by Stephen Costanza
Clancy Hayes Vocal Discography Available from TST
Buck Clayton’s Jazz World, Part One
Spike Jones Off the Record: The Man Who Murdered Music
Isham Jones: Profiles in Jazz
Isham Jones, whenever he is mentioned today, is cited as being a talented songwriter who added several standards to the Great American Songbook. However he
The Blues-Singing Smiths: Mamie, Clara, Trixie, and Laura
In 1920, the success of Mamie Smith’s recording of “Crazy Blues,” the first blues recorded by an African-American singer, was a major surprise to the
Fred and George Van Eps: Profiles in Jazz
Banjoist Fred Van Eps cut his first released recordings in 1897 while his son, guitarist George Van Eps, made his final recordings in 1997, a
No Fests—but Lots of Music!
Although the French Quarter Festival and The Jazz & Heritage Festival were cancelled for October and postponed to its usual April-May period for next year,
Jazz in the Mountains
While Hurricane Ida was heading towards New Orleans and the State of Louisiana, we were up in the northern part of Arizona at the Prescott
NOLA Festivals Flip Flop
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival had been scheduled for the October 8-15 weekends since earlier this year with a “save the date” promotion,
Dancing in a Bubble at the Fresno “Sounds of Mardi Gras” Festival in July
Throngs of live-music lovers descended upon the much anticipated “Sounds of Mardi Gras” festival in Fresno, California. We were almost giddy to attend this always
Live Jazz Returns to Tel Aviv
Considering that Israel is a country about the size of New Jersey with a population of about nine million, I would guess that per capita,
The 2021 Virtual Program of the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival
The weekend of June 4-5 belonged to the virtual concerts and symposia of the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival Foundation. That would ordinarily have been
More Notes on Jimmy Hager
Last year, in this column was an article on drummer Jimmy Hager, bandmaster Fred Hager’s brother, but since that publication, more has been discovered about
Boston Brass and Beefsteak
In 1910, a new phonograph company emerged in Boston, it was founded upon a few generous donations from local elites. Their donations set the company
Frank Banta’s Greatest Hit
A question that phonograph collectors and historians often get asked is, “what was the most popular song to be recorded in the 1890s?” This question
Jew-ish
I haven’t been to High Holiday services in a very long time. My last memory was crashing Yom Kippur services at my local synagogue where
The Tears of a Clown
My desire to lead my band and sing the old tunes hasn’t cooled, but my hustle has. My reality with an at-risk mother has devolved
Second Hand Rows
4 years BC (Before Covid) my life hit a scary financial pothole. I had a small, yet vital secondary income and theoretically it would have
Buck Clayton’s Jazz World, Part Two
Also See: Buck Clayton’s Jazz World, Part One Jazz trumpeter Buck Clayton published a colorful and sincere autobiographical memoir thirty-five years ago. His literary voice is
Buck Clayton’s Jazz World, Part One
The year 2021 marks 110 years since the birth of jazz trumpeter Buck Clayton, best known for his role in the classic early Count Basie
Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Part 2: Small Bands, Classical Career and Legacy
Read: Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Pt 1: The Early Years In the late 1930s the Swing combos of Benny Goodman (1906-1986) created a game-changing small-band
Music Education
The curious thing I’ve noticed about studying jazz at university, is that it sells all the glamour of becoming a jazz star, but largely ignores
An American Art Form
Jazz has had quite an amazing journey this last hundred years. It is no longer the music of the downtrodden and uneducated lower classes. It
The World’s $#!%!est Gig?
The other night, I sat down with my girlfriend for a romantic night in, and we watched Titanic, that classic ’90s James Cameron blockbuster. Its
Song Introductions
I was writing an autumn poem for our local nature reserve newsletter this morning describing family trips I remember as a kid. I grew up
From the 2021 Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival
The emergence of music festivals in America during the last century contributed greatly to the preservation and appreciation of the nation’s musical heritage. I have
A Field Guide to Social Media Types
I came to the Internet’s social media late but have benefitted immensely from the discovery. It can be unnervingly controversial, or thought provoking, and informative
Multi Instrumentalist Dan Zeilinger has died.
Dan Zeilinger, a well know Southern California jazz musician and host of Trad Jazz Today, died on October 31st. His mother was from the Philippines,
UK Trombonist Dave Donohoe has died
Trombonist Dave Donohoe passed away on October 23, he was 81. Well known among jazz musicians inn the UK he shared the local focus on
Banjoist Ken Salvo has died at 74
Banjoist and guitarist Ken Salvo passed away peacefully in Florida on September 15th, he was 74. Sandra, his wife of 52 years predeceased him by
