Great Jazz: The First Ladies of Jazz and Swing
Bert Thompson
November 29, 2024
This compilation of early female jazz singers and musicians contains those who will be familiar and those, perhaps, who will be less so. The recordings
This compilation of early female jazz singers and musicians contains those who will be familiar and those, perhaps, who will be less so. The recordings
The French Preservation New Orleans Jazz Band* was founded some twenty-five years ago by reed man J[ean]P[ierre] Alessi. During that time the group has issued
This latest Armada Jazz Band CD, titled Best Days, issued by Upbeat Recordings is a compilation of tracks from two previously issued CD’s. These were
This latest Armada Jazz Band CD, titled Best Days, issued by Upbeat Recordings is a compilation of tracks from two previously issued CD’s. These were
Some two months after I arrived in the US, I became a guest of Uncle Sam for two years. On induction to the army after
While the names “Wally Fawkes” and “Ian Christie” are well-known in UK trad jazz circles, they are probably not so well-known in those here in
In these days of diminishing audiences and venues, it takes a brave soul to start a traditional jazz band, not alone keep an existing band
These days we seem to be witnessing the sunset of traditional jazz. The number of traditional jazz clubs and festivals, along with that of their
Over the past years, I have seen it claimed quite often, sometimes with a tinge of resentment by black speakers, that Elvis Presley co-opted the
Among the odd venues in which I played, the following are some additional ones. Private homes are occasionally the site of a gig. One memorable
Probably most musicians have played in strange venues at one time or another. Over the years I have played with various bands in some odd
Whoever composed the title to this CD was having a bit of fun. First is the playfulness of the rhyming “Marks/Sparks.” There may also be
Like many people, I imagine, I first became aware of the term “Creole” in relation to some jazz musicians, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney
Probably most musicians, at one time or another, experience a “heart-stopping moment” or predicament. Here are some I have witnessed—or experienced myself. A tuba player
I encountered reedwoman Natalie Scharf after she joined the front line of the Chicago Cellar Boys. If you’re not aware of this band (and you
Over the years from the bandstand I have witnessed some rather strange scenes on the dance floor. At our weekly residency at a pizza parlor,
Trombonist and band leader Roger Marks from the UK probably gets little name recognition in the traditional jazz community in the US. As this CD
This compilation of tracks by the West London Rhythm Kings gives some idea of the various personnel who played with the band or “depped” (“subbed”
While most of the musicians’ names will be familiar to UK Traditional jazz fans, such will probably not be the case here in the US.
The French Preservation New Orleans Jazz Band has issued numerous recordings—in his liner notes JP Alessi speaks of this latest one being the 36th—and like
The UK, that relatively small country, has produced many fine traditional jazz musicians and bandleaders during the last century whose names will be familiar to
That banjo player I spoke of previously was also in the wars again when his son was getting married. He wanted to book us to
This compilation of tracks by the West London Rhythm Kings gives some idea of the various personnel who played with the band or “depped” (“subbed”
Like most jazz musicians, I would guess, some bands that I played with experienced off-the-wall encounters that left us shaking our heads—or wringing our hands!
