Ken Peplowski Bounces Back After COVID
Schaen Fox
July 31, 2021
In jazz history, “Chicago jazz” is often associated with the groundbreaking New Orleans musicians who made the Windy City their home during the twenties. “Chicagoan”
The Millpond Tavern was the home of the Galvanized Jazz Band for 25 years, starting on the first Sunday of January in 1971 when we
There was a time when hundreds of big bands roamed the land. Some enjoyed long-time residencies at hotels while others performed at an endless string
JB: So many fantastic musicians of the jazz era who made their living as sidemen never received enough limelight to be widely remembered by modern
Jimmie Noone was one of the big three of New Orleans clarinetists to emerge on records in the 1920s, holding his own with Johnny Dodds
I first met Hal Isbitz in 1991 at the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, and again in Santa Barbara, California in 1992, while
Max Morath often credits “Lady Luck” with at least part of his success. However, listening to his stories and reading accounts of his long life
Seeing The UnSwung Heroes in concert was an emotional roller coaster. Their website promised a New Orleans-style “Dixieland” outfit (forgive them the term—we haven’t really
Read: Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Pt 1: The Early Years In the late 1930s the Swing combos of Benny Goodman (1906-1986) created a game-changing small-band
In 1904, the famous composer Victor Herbert sued the Universal talking machine company (better known as Zon-O-Phone) for illegal use of his name. The folks
Jim Fitzgerald was happiest when he was on the bandstand playing for an appreciative audience. Speaking of that special connection between musician and listener, he
Enough With the Politics! To the Editor: Here is my answer to Charles Suhor’s answer to esteemed editor Andy Senior’s “Problem Attic” article in the
It often happens that, when I need to cleanse my palate of the taste of drudgery that this gig engenders, I will browse our local
Helen Kane was born Helen Claire Schroeder in New York City on August 4, 1904. Her first stage experience was in school theatricals, but by
I spent most of this summer in western New York instead of at my usual place, Potsdam in the St. Lawrence River valley, since my
Inspirations can be widely shared or private. We’ve all enjoyed being inspired by a chance encounter with someone who becomes a dear friend or reacquainting
Edward Maraga of El Sereno, California, has adroitly adopted the characteristics of Brun Campbell’s music—simplicity, directness, and undimmed cheerfulness—in his own compositions. The title of
A few years ago while on tour through Europe with my band, we found ourselves in Krakow, Poland. It’s a beautiful old walled city with
I have been thinking a lot about our ragtime community these past months in forced isolation. Not that I have been unaware of the other
What a wonderful time to be in the French Quarter after all restrictions were lifted on May 28th. Plans began for a visit two weeks
The month of August brings the warm days of summer and the return of the 23rd Annual “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival”. This year, the weekend
Jazz Jubilee by the Sea 2021 is on track. It looks very positive that we will have a full-scale live indoor event in California by
Elliot Lawrence, one of the last-living bandleaders of the Big Band Era, died on July 2, 2021. He was 96. Lawrence was born Elliot Lawrence
CLINE WINE & TRADITIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL (Sonoma, CA) – CANCELLED The two band mini festival scheduled for August 29th has been cancelled. Call (707) 940-4025
John was born in Elmira, NY on December 21, 1937. His father was a general manager for the W.T. Grant Company and traveled a bit
Chema Peñalver is an accomplished clarinetist and music professor in Spain but may be unfamiliar to our readers. That will hopefully change in coming months
A few months back Dan Barrett had an essay subtitled “What’s in a Name?” which listed off all the amazing jazzmen blessed with monikers that
Klaus Lessmann’s trad chops are real: his other works have included a sextet tribute to Jelly Roll Morton and his Abbey Road Dixie Band plays
One of the more successful big bands in NYC, certainly of those run by young people, the Eyal Vilner Big Band can be heard at
This trio album is, broadly speaking, the most “traditional” of my reviews this month. That’s saying something considering a mere 18 months ago the means
Michael McQuaid should be a household name among traditional jazz fans. He’s one of the top reedmen of this generation and a force behind many
Balboa is my thing, right now. There’s been a real dearth of dancing in my
Listening to Le Dancing Pepa’s latest album while doing the dishes, I wasn’t won over.
When “ragtime” is mentioned, many people—perhaps most—think immediately of piano players. In
A couple of years ago when reviewing the Missing Pieces CD, I
Considering that Israel is a country about the size of New Jersey
Vol.6, No.8 August 2021
Ken Peplowski Bounces Back After COVID, by Schaen Fox
“Lady Luck” and the Career of an Entertainer, by Max Morath with Larry Melton
History of the Galvanized Jazz Band, Part 2: The Millpond Years, by Art Hovey
Darnell Howard: A Musician’s Life, Part One, by Andrew J. Sammut
UnSwung Heroes Are Too Good Just for Weddings, by Dave Doyle
A Digital Conversation with Hal Isbitz, by Matthew de Lacey Davidson
Jazz Birthday of the Month: Helen Kane, illustration by Joe Busam
Static from my Attic, by Andy Senior
Jazz Jottings: Jim Fitzgerald and Sorta Dixie, by Lew Shaw
My Inspirations: Flora of Essex, by Jeff Barnhart
The Professor is IN: The Stories We Tell, by Adrian Cunningham
Ragtime Vignettes: One Four Brun, by Brandon Byrne
Quarter Notes: Back in the Quarter Again!, by Shelly Gallichio
Courtly Posturings: Victor Herbert v. Zonophone, by R.S. Baker
Festival Roundup, compiled by Joe Bebco
Blowing off the Dust: Our Ragtime Community, by Larry Melton
Profiles in Jazz: Jimmie Noone, by Scott Yanow
Jazz Travels: Buffalo and Rochester, by Bill Hoffman
Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Pt. 2, by Dave Radlauer
Sterling Bose, by Jeff Barnhart, Hal Smith, Colin Hancock, Jan Ostrom
Big Band Era Leader Elliot Lawrence Dies at 96
Live Jazz Returns to Tel Aviv, by Frank Farbenbloom
Off the Beaten Tracks, CD reviews by Joe Bebco
Nights at the Turntable: A Dozen Essential Big Band Albums, by Scott Yanow
CD Review by Dave Doyle: Balboa Lovers
CD Review by Dave Doyle: CalBal Live 2021