Arranger, composer and multi-instrumentalist Spud Murphy wrote 600 charts for the top Swing orchestras of the 1930s, creating colorful and dynamic arrangements that shaped the
At the outset of the Swing era, Casa Loma Orchestra set the highest standards for superb musicianship, arranging, presentation, sweet ballads and hard-driving dance rhythms.
Jazz trombonist Bill Bardin played gutty two-beat Stomps, sophisticated four-beat Swing and lowdown Blues. His rich tone and tasteful instrumental voice made him a stalwart
Whether you love New Orleans tailgate trombone or sophisticated Swing, Bill Bardin (1924 – 2011) is your man for tasteful, expressive jazz trombone. He was second
The music, words and voice of William Christopher Handy (1873-1958) reveal his passion for Blues music and African American culture. He was one of the earliest gathering
Frank Big Boy Goudie (1899-1964) played only clarinet on the West Coast, his most personal voice emerging in an autumnal blossoming of his music. His
Creole multi-instrumentalist Frank “Big Boy” Goudie (1899-1964) spent six vibrant years blowing saxophone, trumpet and clarinet in Brazil and South America. Big Boy played Samba-swing,
Arthur Briggs (1901-1991) was considered the premier Jazz trumpet player of Europe between the two world wars. Living in France continuously after 1931, he deserved
The path of Creole multi-instrumentalist Frank “Big Boy” Goudie (b. 1899 Lafayette, LA 1899 – d. 1964 San Francisco, CA) parallels the history of Jazz
This lively tribute to Mielke offers three dozen exclusive photos and music tracks from his personal collection. Included in this profile of an innovative bandleader
Concealed in the shadows of early Jazz, Blues and Popular music history are dynamic and accomplished women who nurtured, guided and developed the music. Several
The passing of trombone player and bandleader Bob Mielke at age 93 on April 17th was the result of age and fragility, not the pandemic.
Concealed in the shadows of Jazz and Blues history are dynamic women who nurtured, guided and developed the music. Several of the most talented and
In this Article: Location recordings, rare photos, unissued studio tracks and a radio broadcast explore Dick Oxtot’s Golden Age Jazz Band. His talent for mentoring
Dick Oxtot fondly recalled the venue in his 1999 memoir: “The Ordinary was a happy-go-lucky Oakland club which featured a happy-go-lucky clientele, and served New
Jazz trumpet player Buck Clayton is best known for his role in the early years of the Count Basie orchestra and sensitive accompaniment to Billie
This is an introduction to French jazz musician Andre Ekyan (1907-1972) who played alto saxophone and clarinet and made robust contributions to the development of
Welcoming Christmas in Jazz and Blues music is a tradition as old as the music itself. By the mid-1920s seasonal music was available on record,
“A seamy hole in the wall on Broadway — the booming entertainment strip of North Beach— this joint was near the bottom of the long
Live concerts, location recordings and broadcast transcriptions of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra from 1940 to 1963 reveal a distinctive body of work separate
Frank Chace was admired for his expressive clarinet style in a lineage from Chicago jazz of the 1920s and ‘30s. Little-known but intensely creative, his
The music of early Jazz piano player James P. Johnson, the creator of Harlem Stride Piano, is explored in this award-winning production. Actor Peter Coyote
“We’ve had a really warm response. It’s fun to be able to play to the people directly. Face to face, not through a microphone or
“It was always hard to believe, for most of us who worked with Barbara, that any jazz singer could be that sweet and that uncomplicated.She
