JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Earl Hines (1903-83) was always a true original. When he emerged on the scene in the 1920s, he sounded unlike
Clarinetist Ricky Alexander’s fourth album as a leader (following Just Found Joy, Strike Up The Band, and I’m In Love Again) straddles the often-artificial boundaries
A top-notch swing and classic jazz pianist based in Germany, Chris Hopkins is also an excellent alto-saxophonist. In 2025 he released an album on his
Archeophone, the top label in reissuing pre-1920 music, has 23 CDs in their very valuable series of Phonographic Yearbooks. The program consists of two volumes
A superb all-round trumpeter, Billy Butterfield had a warm tone, strong technical skills, and a versatile style that found him equally at home playing swing,
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Although Jack Pettis never became a major name, he was one of the top tenor and C-melody saxophonists of the
Chip Deffaa has gained fame as a prolific playwright and a producer of plays and recordings. He wrote for the New York Post for 18
The Rag Messengers consists of Exequiel Celada on clarinet and soprano-sax, pianist Auguste Caron, and drummer Orphélie Luminti. The trio is very much in the
Today, Sophie Tucker (1886-1966) is primarily remembered for being billed as “The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas” and for introducing her trademark song “Some
The only time that Django Reinhardt recorded with a harmonica player was on May 31, 1938, when Larry Adler was joined by the Quintet of
Cornetist Muggsy Spanier always had a distinctive sound, was consistently enthusiastic in his playing, and was very reliable whether leading a Dixieland ensemble or taking
The genesis of this work occurred in 2010 when Steven Bowie dreamt that he was in a book store with Cootie Williams. When he asked
While they never recorded together, Frank Signorelli and Rube Bloom had several similarities in their careers. Both were excellent jazz pianists who appeared on many
Bassist John Joyce, whose earlier experiences were in the worlds of punk rock and rockabilly, has gained fame in the traditional jazz world with the
Throughout his career, Stephane Wrembel has often played his Django Reinhardt-inspired guitar in unusual settings, most notably on his series of recordings called Django Experiment.
Bob Crosby (1913-93) was a unique bandleader. When asked what he did for a living, he often replied, “I’m Bing Crosby’s brother.” He had a
In several ways, the 1943-52 period is the most fascinating of Frank Sinatra’s career. Before 1943 he had gained fame as a band singer, at
The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra was one of the most popular African-American big bands of the swing era. Its emphasis was on showmanship, impeccably played ensembles,
It is difficult not to feel sorry for Frank Sinatra, Jr. Imagine being named after a very famous father and having to convince people your
When one thinks of the classic Count Basie Orchestra of 1936-40, the tenor-saxophonists (Lester Young and either Herschel Evans or Buddy Tate), the trumpeters (most
