Album Reviews

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Al Hirt (1922-99) was one of the most popular of all New Orleans trumpeters. Blessed with phenomenal technique, he sometimes

Russ Wilson and the Wrong Crowd is an excellent new swing band with a collection of great names from roughly speaking the Mid Atlantic. I

Guitarist Leo Forde has been living and working in New Orleans since 2014 but, I was pleased to discover, he’s one of ours—a Brit (although,

Sweet Megg has been living a double life, singing for jazz bands in New York City and exploring classic country and early rock ‘n roll

Most of the pro jazz musicians I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing have majored in music at college. This seems like a smart move: if

It’s Chicago in 1927. Trombonist Roy Palmer and musicians inspired by Louis Armstrong (perhaps Bob Shoffner), Johnny Dodds, and Jelly Roll Morton are joined by

From his teenage years until his death, Bill Bissonnette (or “Big Bill Bissonnette,” as he liked to be known) was a staunch champion of traditional

For his recent release on the Spanish Swit label, pianist Ignasi Terraza decided to feature what he called an “unusual trio” with Adrian Cunningham on

Jazz Classic of the Month The Spirits Of Rhythm were a unique, swinging and joyful group that hit it big at the Onyx Club on

The Umlaut Big Band is a very flexible and musical ensemble based in France that is directed by alto-saxophonist Pierre-Antoine Badaroux. Two of their recent

Mosaic Records’ new collection of jazz sessions from the Black & White label nominally covers 1942-49, but a couple of Petrillo-led musicians’-union strikes shut down

In the Windy City, long before the Chicago Cellar Boys, before the Fat Babies, there was the West End Jazz Band. It was formed by

Chip Deffaa has had a busy life with several overlapping careers. From the jazz standpoint, he has been most significant in writing five very valuable

When tenor-saxophonist Harry Allen’s name appears on a CD, it is always worth acquiring. Austrian drummer Reinhardt Winkler is actually the leader of Flying Home,

Andrew Oliver may very well be the finest traditional jazz pianist in the world that you have never heard of. Although an American by birth,

Tenor sax icon Scott Hamilton seems to lead as relaxed a life as his playing suggests. He’s based in Florence, Italy, playing festivals and club

Altoist Johnny Hodges (1907-70) had one of the most beautiful tones of any saxophonist and was a major asset to the Duke Ellington Orchestra for

Doc Evans (1907-77) was a world class trad jazz cornetist who, because he chose to spend much of his life living and performing in Minnesota,

Duke Ellington was such a brilliant and prolific musician that one could pay regular tributes to him as a pianist, arranger, and/or composer and never

The Doro Wat Jazz Band of New Orleans produced a self-titled CD a few years ago, featuring the cream of the traditionalist crop of musicians

The recordings featured on this CD are all taken from the archive of the late John R.T. Davies, UK multi-instrumentalist and wizard of restoration. Some

The Austin High School Gang, a group of teenagers in Chicago attending Austin High School in the 1920’s, became smitten with the jazz of the

When I first saw a punk folk band called Holy Moly and the Crackers, I wished I could get married again just to have them

Describing themselves as “a band for dancers and listeners alike,” Australian outfit Andrew Dickeson’s Blue Rhythm Band have been delighting swing fans around their native