JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Arnvid Meyer (1927-2007) was a trumpeter from Copenhagen, Denmark, who led a swing-oriented sextet during his prime years. He made relatively few commercially released records other than appearing on a 1962 session led by trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, and an album with Ben Webster in 1965.

I’ve been listening to American (and British and Canadian) dance band music for nigh-on 50+ years, and thought for a minute that I had not heard this group before as I did not remember them! Multi-talented producer Bryan Wright has written eloquent and beautifully written liner notes to accompany this

This 2009 compact disc has a lot of exceptional music and performances on it. However, the potential listener has to be aware of a couple of things. First of all, some “ragtime enthusiasts” usually think of pieces like Zez Confrey’s “Kitten on the Keys,” or Roy Bargy’s “Pianoflage” when confronted

Although he was born in Chicago, Abe Lyman (1897-1957) spent much of his professional life working in the Los Angeles area. A solid drummer, he began leading bands around 1919, playing in night clubs and hotels on a regular basis into the mid-1940s. His band toured Europe in 1929, appeared

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-73) was a unique and influential performer. Her mother was very active in the church and encouraged her daughter to develop into a singer and a guitarist. At six, Rosetta accompanied her mother in performances with a traveling evangelical troupe. After being married and divorced, she made

Upbeat has compiled a rather unusual release. The premise is that the 26 vintage recordings included on their Inspiring The Sixties CD (subtitled “The Musical Roots Of The Beat Generation”) helped lead to the Beatles, the British Invasion, and the British Blues Explosion of the 1960s. For example the Rolling

Considered Scotland’s top Gypsy Jazz group, Rose Room has been together for 15 years. Led by violinist and singer Seonaid Aitken, the current version of the quartet also includes solo guitarist Conor Smith (the unit’s newest member who joined five years ago), rhythm guitarist Tam Gallagher, and bassist Jimmy Moon.

During a period when most New Orleans brass bands have followed the lead of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and emphasize r&b and funk, the Storyville Stompers Brass Band is one of the leaders of the traditional groups. They have been together for 44 years and have performed more than

Janet Klein and Her Parlor Boys have long been a cornerstone of the hot jazz community, unearthing forgotten tunes with wit and heart. They have had around 13 albums releases and innumerable performances in 27 years, with connections into both older and now younger generations. Janet Klein was one of

New Orleans’ Eight Dice Cloth forges a new path with their latest album, The Songs and Arrangements of Armand J. Piron, a vibrant tribute to one of the Crescent City’s most influential jazz pioneers. Recorded to tape by engineers Morgan Orion and Ian Wood, this grant-funded project supported by the

The Secret Six Jazz Band, led by the ever-steady upright bassist John Joyce, returns with a sixth album in under four years. Fireworks is a sparkling follow-up to their highly praised Centennial Tribute to King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. Released last October, Fireworks returns to their roots, instead of Centennials’