Trumpeter Oscar Celestin (1884-1954) was part of the New Orleans jazz scene as early as 1906, leading several groups with similar names (the Tuxedo Band,
It is a great time to be alive for early jazz enthusiasts. For decades fans waited for expensive LPs containing rare tracks from the acoustic era to arrive from
Rivermont, under the direction of pianist Bryan Wright, has amassed a very impressive catalog filled with hot jazz, ragtime, stride and rag pianists, historic recordings
Ray Greene, Featuring Dow Brain Tell me the Story of Christmas Underground Records (2018) Ray Greene is a multi-instrumentalist and sought after vocalist. He’s currently the
During the swing era, many of the more jazz-oriented big band leaders enjoyed playing occasional songs with small combos drawn out of their orchestra, a
PETRA VAN NUIS & DENNIS LUXION Petra van Nuis, a subtle and inviting jazz singer who is based in Chicago, often teams up with her
Veteran clarinetist Jim Beatty has had a long and colorful career which he fully outlined in his excellent memoirs Still Ramblin’. A few years ago
Pianist Charlie Johnson (1891-1959) is long forgotten today but he led five record dates during 1927-28 (and one in 1925) that rank with some of
Interestingly, I reviewed a previous two-CD set, Afterwords, exactly one year ago. On receiving this one, my expectations were pleasantly fulfilled. But, first some words
Tex Wyndham has played, studied, and written about Dixieland Jazz for over 50 years. He has won awards for his writing and his bands, the
The Shotgun Jazz Band should be familiar to many of our readers. Of the many traditional jazz bands on the New Orleans scene, their sound has
The River Raisin Ragtime Revue is a theater orchestra based in Michigan that produces exciting performances of America’s original popular music. They have curated concerts
The Galvanized Jazz band has been playing together for 47 years, and many of them were over a decade into playing Dixieland already when the
Champian Fulton seems much too young to be on her tenth album, but here it is. A double-CD of swinging music highlighting her artful vocals.
Syncopated Times readers were introduced to guitarist Henry Acker back in March of 2017 by our Jazz Travels writer Bill Hoffman. Bill discovered Acker at
The Riverside Jazz Collective is a working band with a long residence at The Always Lounge Cabaret (not for the faint of heart) and now
The On The Levee Jazz Band takes its name from a San Francisco nightclub owned by Kid Ory between 1958 and 1961. The group was
Tyler “Twerk” Thomson is a spectacular young bass player much in demand around New Orleans. He moved to the city a few years ago to
Valaida Snow (1904-56) was a unique performer. Virtually the only female to become a superior swing trumpeter in the 1930s (she was preceded by Dolly
In the 1950s and ’60s, Monty Sunshine (1928-2010) and Terry Lightfoot (1935-2013) were household names in the world of British trad, playing in styles inspired
Trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton, who led one of the top British 1920s-inspired trad bands of 1949-55, was given a lot of heat and criticism from his
A major jazz clarinetist and alto-saxophonist in the 1920s, Jimmy Dorsey co-led the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra with younger brother Tommy during 1934-35 until a blowup
Tom Hook is best known as a fluent and good-humored stride pianist and singer. In his career he was a founding member of the New
Cabin in the Sky Hendrik Meurkens, chromatic harmonica; Bill Cunliffe, piano Height Advantage (hendrikmuerkens.com) Music from the Heart Roger Davidson Quartet featuring Hendrik Meurkens Soundbrush
