Remembering Burt Bales 1916-1989
Hal Smith June 28, 2022
In 1966, while visiting a friend in San Diego, our conversation turned to my obsession with traditional jazz. My friend said, “I think my dad
Menu
In 1966, while visiting a friend in San Diego, our conversation turned to my obsession with traditional jazz. My friend said, “I think my dad
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, last month I mentioned we’d continue with an exploration of the seminal early jazz classic, “Copenhagen.” Let’s postpone that for a month
Jeff Barnhart: This month, we conclude our exploration of the Firehouse Five Story, with plans to revisit the band and examine their many themed albums
In the music business, it is easy to focus on the negative: problematic gigs, cancellations, difficulty getting paid and of course the ever-present “Musical Politics.”
JB: For this installment, we turn to the wild and wonderful world of the Firehouse Five Plus Two. I am happy to welcome Hal Smith
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we’re taking a month break from our exploration of Moten to concentrate on the music of the band we compared to early
JB: When one thinks of large hot jazz outfits predating the swing era that would bring—to name a few—Goodman, the Dorseys and Miller to prominence,
Hal Smith: In 1965 I obtained the Good Time Jazz LP Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band—1954. Besides Ory’s righteous tailgate trombone and the fantastic rhythm
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, after our brief, but wonderful, foray into the musical world of little-known trumpet man Benny Strickler, let’s talk about the Post-War version
Hal Smith: One of the greatest musicians of the New Orleans Revival was a trumpet man from Arkansas named Benny Strickler. During his too-brief career
JB: Hal, when someone studies the traditional jazz “revival” of the 1940s-1950s (if anyone actually does anymore!!!), two names emerge as towering figures. While there
Note: Earlier in 2021, jazz writer Dave Radlauer was offered a collection of recordings by the Red Onion Jazz Band—from the collection of Dick Dreiwitz,
Jeff Barnhart: This column is a special one for me! Several years ago, Hal introduced me to the music of Frank Melrose (it’s truly a
JB: Hal, over the past several columns, we’ve explored obscure musical heroes, dissected seminal early jazz pieces, and celebrated iconic ensembles. Let’s take a break
Pianist John Sheridan passed away after a battle with Cancer on Aug. 24, 2021. I had the privilege of playing with John in the Jim
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
In the previous issue of The Syncopated Times, we explored the similarities and (copious) differences between recordings of “Panama” made during the 1920s and 1930s.
Hal Smith: Jeff, when you think about the traditional jazz “warhorses”—like “At The Jazz Band Ball,” “That’s A Plenty” or “Fidgety Feet”—traditional jazz musicians usually
Hal Smith: During the seemingly endless nationwide lockdown, I have enjoyed one positive experience: participating in a series of video discussions regarding the Benny Goodman
Hal Smith: When we finished our last article for The Syncopated Times, Jeff kindly offered to let me choose the subject for our next collaboration.
Hal Smith: Last June, Kevin Dorn and I talked about some of the people who have influenced our own playing. That article received many positive
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we left off our discussion in Part One with a brief analysis of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and their way of
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, this month’s column marks a thematic departure for us, but it is a subject about which I’ve given considerable thought over the
Multi-talented Ramona S. Baker is the daughter of Clint Baker (“Preserving the Fire of Early Jazz,” TST, June 2020) and sister of Riley Baker (“Swingin’
After several phone calls and e-mails were exchanged, Jeff and I decided to postpone the discussion on “Panama.” While we mulled over a variety of
Jeff Barnhart: Well, Hal, I am excited to delve into Euday Bowman’s “12th Street Rag” with you! Before we start chewing over the myriad interpretations
Hal Smith: Jeff, since I suggested Johnny Dodds as the subject for our second column in The Syncopated Times, I would like to select the
David Sager is rightfully acknowledged as one of the best currently active jazz trombonists. But he also has excellent credentials in other areas of the
Jeff Barnhart is an in-demand solo performer, sideman, bandleader and festival musical director with a well-deserved, international fan base. Besides sharing a bandstand with this
The wonderful vocalist Banu Gibson (“First Lady of the Bayou,” TST, September 2016) is a great friend and it is always a privilege to share
Guitarist-drummer-vocalist Dave “Pappy” Stuckey is also a bandleader, and he is greatly admired by musicians, dancers and listeners across several genres. Dave is also—literally—an award-winning
A banjo-centric conversation with Hal Smith and John Gill Multi-instrumentalist and bandleader John Gill (“Traditional Jazz’s Stomper-in-Chief,” TST, April 2020) has an encyclopedic knowledge of,
Multi-instrumentalist Riley Baker is a California native. He is the son of musician Clint Baker and the brother of TST contributing writer Ramona Baker. Riley
Pianist Kris Tokarski (“Lendítsd a zongorán!” TST, May 2020) hails from the home state of James P. Johnson and currently lives in Jelly Roll Morton’s
Note: Most of the recent recordings by Steve Pistorius are available from the Louisiana Music Factory . Bandcamp also has some of the newest albums
Pianist Steve Pistorius has honored the New Orleans Jazz tradition since the 1970s as a piano soloist, sideman, bandleader, and educator. Hal Smith: What was
Hal Smith: You are best known among Traditional Jazz fans as a cornetist, but can you tell us about the instrument you started with? Chris
Following the publication of “Nick Fatool – the Perfect Jazz Percussionist” (Syncopated Times, Nov. 2019), I have been carrying on a dialogue with Kevin Dorn—a
Clint Baker is one of the most important musicians in the contemporary Traditional Jazz and Swing world. Besides being a first-class musician (a multi-instrumentalist), he
Pianist Kris Tokarski honors the traditions of keyboard masters from New Orleans to Bop. Though he is only 31, Kris has already performed extensively in
Note: John Gill is a multi-instrumentalist with wide-ranging musical tastes. However, he is best known as an authority on San Francisco Style Jazz and also
In the late 1970s, Bay Area banker Jim Goggin, a longtime friend and fan of Turk Murphy, envisioned a “Turk Murphy Jazz Foundation” – a
John Royen is one of the premier stride pianists active today. His background includes work with some of the best-known Traditional Jazz performers in the
Present-day fans of Harlem Stride who are familiar with European pianists such as Rossano Sportiello, Louis Mazetier and Paolo Alderighi may want to make the
The great jazz pianist Jess Stacy told his biographer, Keith Keller: “Nick Fatool was always 100 per cent of what a good drummer should be.”
The 13th Annual Charles H. Templeton Ragtime & Jazz Festival was an unqualified musical success. The event, held in the Mitchell Memorial Library and McComas
