Album Reviews

Archeophone’s latest entry in their “Phonographic Yearbook” series consists of 27 selections from 1904-05 that were released in the latter year. 1905 was 118 years

Since its inception, ragtime has appealed to dancers, who happily engaged in the one-step and the “animal” dances—the Bunny Hug, the Grizzly Bear, the Turkey

The Barrelhouse Wailers are a hot jazz and blues outfit from Ventura, California. They’ve played together since 2013 and Never Look Back is their third

Benny Goodman became the “King of Swing” when his big band caused a sensation at Los Angeles’ Palomar Ballroom on Aug. 21, 1935, launching the

It’s sure nice to have a new live album to review. We haven’t had too many of those come through in the last three years,

Hazel Scott (1920-81) was a brilliant pianist and a pleasing singer who deserves to be remembered. A prodigy, she received a scholarship to Juilliard when

Harry Belafonte, the man who more than anyone brought calypso to the masses, died in April. His 1956 alum, titled simply Calypso, was the first

Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa first recorded together back in 1929 with Red Nichols. In 1927, Krupa was the first percussionist to use a full

The Dukes Of Dixieland, featuring trumpeter-singer Frank Assunto and his brother trombonist Fred Assunto, was one of the most popular Dixieland bands of the 1950s

James Evans is an English musician, specializing in reed instruments and trombone, who became resident in New Orleans some years ago and quickly found himself

About ten years ago, when I’d not been Lindy hopping long, I took part in a swing dance exhibition at a shopping center in Leeds.

It was late on a Friday when I first checked out the Cigar Box Serenaders’ new record, and I’d had a tough old week. Not

Luis Russell (1902-63), who was born in Panama and came to New Orleans with his family after winning $3,000 in a lottery, moved to Chicago

40 years ago, guitarist-singer John Pizzarelli led his first album, I’m Hip (Please Don’t Tell My Father). The still-youthful performer (the son of guitarist Bucky

For Satchmocracy Volume II, trumpeter-arranger Jerome Etcheberry put together a rather unusual tribute to Louis Armstrong. He utilizes an eight-piece group consisting of himself and

At first glance, the idea of Ann Hampton Callaway paying tribute to Peggy Lee may seem a little odd. Callaway is a powerhouse singer with

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Between 1949-69, Lester Koenig ran the Good Time Jazz label, a company that released some of the best New Orleans

The pool of young trad jazz musicians in New Orleans is so deep that I am continuously finding new ones. This is especially true when

If I was to describe the Pacific Six’s latest record as a no frills, economy size, value pack of swing and blues, you might well

In New Orleans today there are several bands and independent musicians who are taking advantage of the city’s attraction to tourists who want to hear

The Chicago Stompers celebrate 20 years together on their new album Greatest Hits. Rather than your typical hits album, collecting previous recordings, these are new

I’ve mentioned my fondness for Bugsy Malone twice in previous record reviews, but nowhere was the reference more relevant than it is here. In both

Two planned albums from Dot Time Records include recently uncovered recordings of Luis Russell found in the closet of a working musician of the period.

Through more than three decades of recordings, we’ve come to expect excellence from Rick Benjamin’s Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. Even with that history in mind, this