Album Reviews

The Upbeat label has, under the guidance of its founder-producer Liz Biddle, been reissuing gems from the past in their “Great Jazz” series which is

There is no other performer on the jazz scene quite like Gunhild Carling. It is not enough that she is able to sing in several

Centennial is quite possibly the most important, well-conceived and created reissue of recent times. Not only is it a masterful, quality product, but it presents

I’d never heard of non-profit Jazz at the Ballroom before today. I’m glad I finally got wise to them, as they’ve been busily celebrating “America’s

Halloween jazz is hard to find. That’s probably because the explosion of popular Christmas material coincided with jazz ubiquity in the first half of the

Listening to the first track—Geoge L. Cobb’s Stop It! (1919)—I was thrilled by the orchestra’s precision and its ability to bring out unexpected details and

The French violinist Mathilde Febrer has had a wide-ranging career. Although trained in classical music, jazz interested her much more. She has performed with rock

There has never been a shortage of Bing Crosby recordings that were readily available. The most popular (and one of the most versatile) singers of

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Benjamin Baruch Ambrose (1896-1971) who was known as Ambrose, was one of the top British bandleaders of the late 1920s

Thelma Carpenter (1922-97) was a fine singer and a skilled actress. She performed in New York City clubs as early as 1938, was discovered by

Nat King Cole (1919-65) had such success, first as an influential jazz pianist and then as a ballad singer, that he completely overshadowed the careers

It’s a country sort of month this month, with both my review records having a hint of the wide open prairie about them. I felt

This latest Armada Jazz Band CD, titled Best Days, issued by Upbeat Recordings is a compilation of tracks from two previously issued CD’s. These were

The Pearly Gates Marching Band is a musical comedy by Dean Norman, who has published cartoons in The Syncopated Times over the years as well

Trumpeter-singer Bria Skonberg continues to stretch herself on her latest recording, What It Means. While designed partly as a tribute to New Orleans, it features

TWO RELEASES FROM JAZZOLOGY Two CDs put out by Jazzology in 2020 are well worth discovering. Trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and clarinetist Evan Christopher are among

Don’t let a review where I keep my word count in check fool you. This is a remarkable album from one of our best female

I have felt at times that certain studio releases lacked emotion, the bandleader perhaps concentrating too much on the details when given what they perceive

In a life development I find most amusing I have come to be a regular contributor to what was once well known as the Village

I must be up front with you, reader, and confess that I’m no expert on jug bands—they never really piqued my interest. I guess I

This latest Armada Jazz Band CD, titled Best Days, issued by Upbeat Recordings is a compilation of tracks from two previously issued CD’s. These were

If truly obscure, truly early recordings are your pleasure you should subscribe to the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) semi-annual journal. Though their exploration

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH George Bruns (1914-83),no relation to George Brunies, was the musical director and a major arranger for Walt Disney Studios from

Joe Mares, the younger brother of cornetist Paul Mares of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, played clarinet but did not record himself. More significantly, in