Rebecca Kilgore
Joe Bebco
January 19, 2026
Singer and rhythm guitarist Rebecca Kilgore died on January 7th. She was a widely admired figure in mainstream and swing-oriented jazz, particularly within the West
Singer and rhythm guitarist Rebecca Kilgore died on January 7th. She was a widely admired figure in mainstream and swing-oriented jazz, particularly within the West
Clarinetist and bandleader Stan Rubin died December 28, 2025, at age 92. He was a central figure in the 1950s college Dixieland boom, emerging from
British clarinetist Brian Carrick died on December 31, 2025, at approximately 82. Born in 1943 in South Shields, England, was a devoted exponent of New
Bassist Ernest McCarty, Jr. died December 11, 2025 at 84. He forged a broad career in jazz performance, composition and musical theatre over more than
Trombonist and euphonium player Frank Mesich died November 22, 2023, at age 84, and belatedly deserves inclusion in this column. Frank was co-leader, with cornetist
Trumpeter Bob White, a founding member and driving force of the Hyperion Outfall Serenaders, died on December 26th. The Dixieland-oriented group became a permanent part
Howard Shepherd, a British banjoist and bandleader best known as founder and leader of Shep’s Banjo Boys, died on December 13th. He formed the group
Posey Royale is an Asheville, North Carolina–based swing band that has, until now, gone unmentioned in The Syncopated Times. That says more about the way
With The Marigny Sessions, Sunny Side continues its steady evolution from a capable New Orleans traditional jazz band into something broader, warmer, and more broadly
It can be oddly difficult to pinpoint when a musician becomes essential to your listening life. With Ewan Bleach, that realization crept up gradually. His
British trumpeter and cornetist John Shillito, whose career spanned more than seven decades, died on November 6, 2025, aged 87. A committed exponent of classic
George Leo “Pat” O’Brien, who died October 13th at 91, was a San Francisco–born banjoist, guitarist, singer, and entertainer who spent decades working squarely within
Judy Whitmore’s Christmas sits in a different universe from the other holiday records in this batch, but that isn’t a drawback. She’s not trying to
The Mad Hat Hucksters have always been a band that treats swing as a living vernacular rather than a museum dialect, which is why holiday
Having nine players instead of her usual smaller lineup gives Chelsea Reed’s The Christmas EP a warmth and fullness that feels exactly right for the
Note: I have learned since writing the below that rights holders, aka record labels, are putting out releases on Bandcamp under the artist’s name, giving
Discovering a band that resonates with you is like the early days of a love affair, everything after is measured against that spark. You discover
Trombonist and pianist Herb Gardner, a fixture of the New York and New England traditional-jazz scenes for more than six decades, passed away on September
David W. “Smiley” Wallace Jr., a lifelong champion of ragtime and early jazz in the Kansas City region, died on October 2, 2025. He was 93.
Scottish guitarist and banjoist Jim Douglas, one of the most respected figures in British traditional jazz, died in early October 2025 while living in the
Clarinetist Bob Draga, a beloved mainstay of the traditional jazz festival circuit, passed away on September 23, 2025, on his 78th birthday. Known for his
