Album Reviews

While he is well known in the classic jazz circuit as one of the top boogie-woogie and blues pianists around today, Carl Sonny Leyland (who

Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) was the first significant jazz horn soloist to be showcased on record, soloing throughout “Wild Cat Blues” and “Kansas City Man Blues”

Canadian jazz singer Susie Arioli on her prior recordings has generally been teamed up with guitarist Jordan Officer, performing swing standards in intimate settings. Her

Clarinetist Edmond Hall (1901-67) had a distinctive tone that was so passionate that he could easily cut through a large ensemble. While he played with

Pianist Brian Holland and drummer Danny Coots were getting ready to record their fifth duo album when, spontaneously on the day of the session, they

Starting in the late 1950s and continuing through the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, clarinetist Pete Fountain and trumpeter Al Hirt were two of the most

Lars Edegran’s Palm Court Jazz All Stars’ Hello Dolly gathers together some of the finest players on the New Orleans scene today. Edegran on piano

One of the most popular singers of the 1926-37 period, Ruth Etting (1897-1978) may not have technically been a jazz singer since she did not

Very few jazz musicians have made it to their 100th birthday but last Fen. 28 the great Danish violinist Svend Asmussen began his second century.

Earl Hines (1903-83) was one of the top jazz pianists of all time. His ability to suspend time, taking potentially reckless out-of-time runs while never

The Red Hot Mama (Gloria candens) was presumed to be extinct in 1966 with the passing of Sophie Tucker, who proclaimed herself the last of

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra was the first jazz big band to really swing. Arranger Don Redman figured out how to get the large ensemble sounding

Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy is arguably Satch’s finest recording of the 1950s. At the time, the Louis Armstrong All-Stars included trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist

George Buck (1928-2013) had quite a career as the head of GHB and Jazzology Records (both of which he founded) and other labels such as

For 42 years Rich Conaty, who passed away near the end of 2016, delighted in playing rare recordings from the 1920s and ‘30s on his

In 2014, during the festival season in New Orleans, cornetist Jamie Wight invited some of his favorite musicians who were in town to do some

Rich Conaty has hosted his weekly radio show The Big Broadcast since 1973, featuring jazz, dance music and singers from the 1920s and ‘30s. Since

Jeff Barnhart makes everything look so effortless. Like his idol Fats Waller, Barnhart not only finds it easy to take a vocal while playing heated

James P. Johnson may not have been the very first stride pianist in history but he was the most influential and the pacesetter of the

If pure, passionate and powerful horn-playing is your cup of tea, you owe yourself a big gulp of Live & Unplugged featuring Orlando-based trumpeter Charlie

Molly Ryan’s musical travelogue Let’s Fly Away is a jewel. The individual selections on the CD, all quite excellent, describe a dramatic trajectory within the

Peripatetic drummer Danny Coots, who travels the world from his home in Nashville, and stride pianist Brian Holland of Dallas have collaborated on four recordings,