Album Reviews

Jazz Classic of the Month Before he switched to vibraphone in 1943, Red Norvo was jazz’s top and (nearly only) xylophonist. Norvo (1908-99) was a

This is a set that every Syncopated Times reader should become familiar with. Remember those? Back when every fan shared a cannon of material they

Our man Joe Bebco has reviewed several previous works by New Orleans outfit Smoking Time Jazz Club, a longstanding live fixture in the city and

In his notes to this CD, Roger Marks informs us all of these tracks, recorded on cassettes and CDs, had lain forgotten in a cake

When Gunhild Carling says she comes from a musical family she doesn’t mean her dad owned Kind of Blue. Her childhood was closer to the

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