Jazz Diva Laurel Massé Celebrates 50 Years in Music
Garry Berman
July 31, 2022
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A little-known fact in the Billie Holiday death saga is that jazz singer Adelaide Hall made a personal visit to Billie’s bedside at the Metropolitan
Arnett T. Nelson was born March 3, 1892, in Ellisville, Mississippi, and grew up in Laurel, Mississippi (142 miles northeast of New Orleans, LA). According
Arnett Nelson has a reasonably distinctive tone with a rather fine and fast vibrato and a rich chalumeau (low register) tone. In the 1920s, he
In his career, Bing Crosby showed that he could sing practically everything other than opera. Whether it was classic American pop tunes, traditional Irish songs,
If there’s one thing my Sherrie Tucker-inspired scribblings—to which I collectively refer as “my forgotten ladies”—have revealed, it’s that behind many of history’s greatest jazzmen
“I submit that there is nothing that anybody in the world has ever done that is more civilized or sophisticated than to dance elegantly, which
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we’ve wanted to return to an in-depth exploration of a single tune, and this one is the Mt. Everest of the classic
In 1899, recording artist Len Spencer decided to make a bold move: take his small group of phonograph friends on tour in a minstrel troupe.
[N.B. This month’s column is a continuation of my recalling halcyon days I enjoyed performing at the Yankee Silversmith Inn in Wallingford, CT, and being
Arthur Fields was born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia on August 6, 1888, with his family relocating to Utica, New York, shortly thereafter. Young Abe was
On the second weekend in June I attended for the first time the Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda, Iowa, his birthplace, an event that has
I find myself sitting here with the words that invariably manifest themselves as I write my Static column for each issue: It’s been a month.
As a child in 1949, I had a routine of surreptitiously going into the living room after everyone was asleep to listen to late night
As a musician, over the years, we occasionally have the opportunity to play with some giants or the industry. And about a decade ago, I
If Dick Gibson is considered the Father of Jazz Parties, then Al White Jr. deserved to be his Number 1 son. Gibson was a successful
From French Quarter Festivals and Offbeat Magazine: Satchmo SummerFest presented by Chevron returns for two full days of music, food and celebration! Every year we
Praise for TST To the Editor: One of the smartest things I ever did in the past year is to subscribe to The Syncopated Times!
Jack Rummel is my favorite Ragtime composer; his Folk Ragtime and Bluegrass-influenced compositions bring me joy every time I play them. His Portrait of a
Hal Smith: Recently, fellow columnist Jeff Barnhart suggested the idea of an article about Verna Burrichter. Verna was a volunteer at the Bix Jazz Fest;
I’m in my forties, but I feel like a grumpy old man. Technological changes in my lifetime have been staggering. Computers, smartphones, and the internet
Leonard Garment was a fascinating person, son of Brooklyn Jewish immigrants who played jazz saxophone early in his career, went to law school and then
Legends come and legends go. While they walk amongst us, when we have an opportunity to show our gratitude we should strongly consider doing so.
THE BIX BIEDERBECKE JAZZ FEST (Davenport, IA ) Aug 4-6 The 51st Annual Bix Jazz Fest will be held at Rhythm City Casino & Hotel in
The Board and Co-Directors of the 2022 Hot Jazz Jubilee are devastated to report that we have been forced to cancel the upcoming festival over
My husband Rod and I claim “expert” status when it comes to Jazzfest at Sea cruises on MSC, having sailed with them at least fifteen
Davenport Iowa based bandleader Kenneth R. “Kenny” Paulsen passed away on July 10th, he was 82. He had a career in law enforcement, working for
Alto-saxophonist and arranger Eyal Vilner, who was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, moved to the US in 2007 and formed what became one of New
Chris Barber (1930-2021) had a very long, productive and influential career. After brief periods playing the violin, cornet and clarinet, he settled on the trombone
Adolphus Anthony “Doc” Cheatham (1905-97) had a rather unusual career. Although inspired early on by King Oliver and Louis Armstrong, the technically skilled Cheatham spent
In the early 1950s, Bob Wilber (1928-2019) was having a musical identity crisis. He had been a protégé of the masterful Sidney Bechet during 1946-48
Since its inception in 2009, as a jazz band (formerly known as the “Dead Man Street Orchestra” playing old time string mountain music) busking on
Are you a Hollywood producer seeking the perfect soundtrack for your next nostalgic blockbuster? Well, I think I may have found it. If I could
It’s been a good while since I listened to any big band swing: my playlist has been all duos, trios and small combos for the
As heard on this disc, the Chicago Cellar Boys is not your typical “trad” or “dixie jam” band. Having evolved from another group (The Fat
When fellow musicians and acquaintances of Bob Wallis speak of him and his band, a word frequently heard is “drive.” This pair of CDs both
During the more than seven decades since the beginning of the Traditional Jazz Revival in the 1940s, Europe has been producing some first-rate traditional jazz
Vol.7, No.8 August 2022
Jazz Diva Laurel Massé Celebrates 50 Years in Music, by Garry Berman
Arnett Nelson: An “Unknown” Clarinet Player, by Christopher D.K. Cook
Arnett Nelson Annotated Discography
From the Back to the Front: “Sophisticated Lady” Jeanette Kimball, by Dave Doyle
Rhythm in the Rocks, by Peter Gerler
“Trying to Live 100 Days in One Day”, by Iain Cameron Williams
Changes and Challenges in the Digital Age, by Henry Peterson
Nights at the Turntable, by CD reviews by Scott Yanow
Tuba Skinny and Chicago Cellar Boys reviewed by Ted des Plantes
Danny Jonokuchi & Lester’s Blues reviewed by Dave Doyle
Bob Wallis & French Preservation JB reviewed by Bert Thompson
Jazz Birthday of the Month: Arthur Fields, illustration by Joe Busam
Static from my Attic, by Andy Senior
My Inspirations: The Yankee Silversmith, Part 2, by Jeff Barnhart
The Professor is IN: Jerry Lewis, by Adrian Cunningham
Ragtime Vignettes: Portrait of a Silver Lady, by Brandon Byrne
Quarter Notes: Big Easy’s Mid-Summer Mini-Fests!, by Shelly Gallichio
Len Spencer Goes on the Road, by R.S. Baker
Jazz Travels: The 2022 Glenn Miller Festival, by Bill Hoffman
Jazz Jottings: Al White—Jazz Fan and Chronicler, by Lew Shaw
Festival Roundup, compiled by Joe Bebco
Final Chorus: Kenneth R. “Kenny” Paulsen, by Joe Bebco
Profiles in Jazz: Bing Crosby—Jazz Singer, by Scott Yanow
Blowing off the Dust: Goat Glands and Border Blasters, by Larry Melton
Ain’t Cha Got Music? “Copenhagen”: Pt. 1, by Jeff Barnhart & Hal Smith
Ken Peplowski Benefit to Defray Medical Expenses, by Jeff Barnhart
Hot Jazz Jubilee Cancelled Due to Construction Woes, by Patti Jones
Verna Burrichter: Breaking the Glass Ceiling at the Bix Society, by Hal Smith
20 Great Reasons to Love a Jazzfest at Sea Cruise, by Sharon DePue
