While a really swinging beat or rhythm will make sophisticated dancers perform quite extraordinary terpsichorean feats, we also know that the vast amount of social
I was weaned on Benny Goodman by listening to my mother’s youngest brother as he tried to emulate BG. From those early days my love
Some months ago, when I first saw the musician lineup for the 2023 Charles H. Templeton Ragtime and American Music Festival, Scott Kirby was listed.
Trombonist Will Bradley, drummer-singer Ray McKinley, and pianist Freddie Slack only teamed up together for a relatively brief period of time, 18 months during 1939-41,
As I have written more than once, my initial exposure to live jazz was hearing the Firehouse Five Plus Two at Disneyland in 1962. It
Nearly a half-century after his death, one of the most-recorded vocalists of the 20th century, Irving Kaufman, received a Lifetime Achievement Award in his old
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, onto Part 2 of our exploration of the New Orleans Owls, a hot band that recorded some terrific sides over five sessions
We were at Jazz Bash by the Bay in Monterey in 2022, living it up and enjoying the first live festival we had been to
The 35th San Diego Jazz Party was held at the San Diego Hilton Del Mar the last weekend in February. The rains pelting the Southern
A Tribute to Oscar “Papa” Celestin and Other Early Jazz Artists from the Thibodaux, La., Area This poem was commissioned for the Thibodaux Jubilee celebration
Few engineers live scandalous lives, but one emerged in the acoustic era that lived a rather extraordinary life. George Cheney came from a humble background,
I have always found it difficult to ask for assistance, even when I have clearly needed it. This reluctance to accept help may be an
The owner has graciously turned over much of the Perry part of what exists currently consisting of seven deteriorating cardboard boxes. Sedalia’s superb local historian,
If you’ll allow that inspirations come in all shapes, colors and sizes, I’ll share that for me March has already yielded bunches of them and
Since Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag seems to be the pivot around which ragtime revolves, it is appropriate to relate a bit of his biography
There’s been a lot made in the news in recent times about systemic issues in our education system. As I understand it, there seems to
Johnny Dodds was born April 12, 1892, in Waveland, Mississippi. Johnny spent his childhood steeped in music, with his father, uncle, and sister playing various
Imperial Rag, Max Morath’s first Ragtime composition, was written in 1954 and eventually included in Cripple Creek: A Ragtime Suite for Piano three decades later.
If I was a rich man, I would have a right proper mid life crisis. I suppose that is a very sexist idea that you
To the Editor: Thanks for being the keeper of the traditional jazz flame. I enjoy each issue, and your columns especially. In looking through the
A Gypsy Jazz Renaissance There is a subculture bubbling away on the underbelly of London’s world revered jazz scene. Despite being a century old, the
FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL (New Orleans, LA) – April 13-16 More than 20 stages throughout the French Quarter celebrate local music and represent every genre from
Wally Fawkes, one of the most recognizable figures in the British Trad movement, and a prominent satirical cartoonist, died on March 1st, he was 98
Periodically, the Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation recognizes someone in jazz education with a special Jazz Education Award. This award was created in 2012 by the
Andy Senior, Publisher and Editor of The Syncopated Times, has launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to shore up the paper’s finances prior to converting the entity
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
The Chicago Stompers celebrate 20 years together on their new album Greatest Hits. Rather than your typical hits album, collecting previous recordings, these are new
Two planned albums from Dot Time Records include recently uncovered recordings of Luis Russell found in the closet of a working musician of the period.
It is almost criminal that in seven years the name Jeremy Mohney has never appeared in the pages of The Syncopated Times. A creative young
On French Onion Superman, veteran banjoist David Bandrowski (in his recording debut as a leader) sought to explore a wide variety of New Orleans jazz.
Blossom Seeley (1886-1974), like the better known Sophie Tucker (who was six months older), was a vaudeville performer with a strong voice (a necessity in
Edward and Perlina Coles must have done something right. Although Edward (a minister) and Perlina (a singer in choirs) would have preferred that their children
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981) was one of the truly great songwriters from the era of the Great American Songbook. While most
Sam Irwin’s well-written and entertaining book would be a worthy part of any early jazz lover’s library. A native of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, he has
You may already know a lot about Eubie Blake, especially if you are an aficionado of ragtime music. Even you are not an aficionado you
Vol.8, No.4 April 2023
Russell Welch: Being “Human With Other Humans”, by Dave Doyle
The Swing Era Was Not an Era: A Centennial Look Back, by Peter Gerler
Recording Pioneer Irving Kaufman Celebrated in Hometown, by Russ Tarby
Swing Meets Klezmer: Gilad Harel, by Frank Farbenbloom
When Fresno Met Pismo: Jazz Festivals Collaborate, by Rhonda Cardinal
Double Your Pleasure: Two Cornets Are Better!, by Hal Smith
Jazz Birthday of the Month: Johnny Dodds, illustration by Joe Busam
Static from my Attic, by Andy Senior
Jazz Travels: A Conversation with Scott Kirby, by Bill Hoffman
My Inspirations: An Inspirational Olio, by Jeff Barnhart
The Professor is IN: The New Syllabus, by Adrian Cunningham
Ragtime Vignettes: Imperial Rag, by Brandon Byrne
Quarter Notes: Wild, Wet & Wonderful!, by Shelly Gallichio
George Cheney: The Scandalous Engineer, by R.S. Baker
Conserving the Perry Music Company Collection, Pt. 2, by Larry Melton
Festival Roundup, compiled by Joe Bebco
Profiles in Jazz: W. Bradley, R. McKinley, & F. Slack, by Scott Yanow
Rudiments of Ragtime: Inst. 4, Scott Joplin, by Larry Melton
Ain’t Cha Got Music: New Orleans Owls, Pt. 2, by Jeff Barnhart & Hal Smith
Failure is a Cruel Mistress, by Randi Cee
Publisher Launches GoFundMe: “Help TST Go Non-Profit”
Clarinetist/Cartoonist Wally Fawkes Dies at 98, by Joe Bebco
Sac JEF Honors Jazz Educator John Soulis, by Patti Jones
Remembering Right (poem), by Charles Suhor
Donald Lambert Recorded 1959-1961, review by Ted des Plantes
Six Blueses, Five Joys, and a Stomp, reviewed by Ted des Plantes
Deuces Wild, reviewed by Ed Berlin
Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm, & Race, book review by Bob Jacobson
Hidden History of LA’s Jazz Age, book review by Charles Suhor
Doyle’s Discs, reviews by Dave Doyle
Nights at the Turntable, reviews by Scott Yanow
Off the Beaten Tracks, reviews by Joe Bebco