Duke Ellington’s Singers, Part 1
Scott Yanow
January 28, 2025
It may seem surprising that Duke Ellington, who took over Elmer Snowden’s Washingtonians in 1924, did not have a regular vocalist until late in 1931.
It may seem surprising that Duke Ellington, who took over Elmer Snowden’s Washingtonians in 1924, did not have a regular vocalist until late in 1931.
Harry “The Hipster” Gibson (1915-91) was a unique character in jazz history. In some ways he was the jazz equivalent to rock and roll’s Jerry
Jazz Classic of the Month The Jubilee radio shows, which were aired during 1942-53 and were at their prime during 1943-46, were geared towards African-American
[The EP referenced in the below review is now sold as a full 11 track album called Winter’s Day.] Gunhild Carling is a bit of
In recent columns for The Syncopated Times, I have reviewed reissues compiled by Alan Eichler for the Jasmine label of Nat and Freddie Cole’s lesser-known
A consistently stirring trumpeter who caught the tail-end of the trad jazz boom in England and has since worked as a writer, broadcaster, and the
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There is no point in mincing words. The Joymakers’ Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow is one of the hottest jazz records of the year. The
Teddy Wilson always stood apart from the stereotypes attached to jazz musicians of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. He was soft-spoken, distinguished, reliable, and very
To say that Artie Shaw (1910-2004) was a unique individual would be an understatement. A perfectionist who mastered the clarinet, Shaw treated his musicians well
Johnny Guarnieri and Harry Warren had one main thing in common. When one thinks of the great jazz pianists, Guarnieri is often overlooked while lists
In the current jazz scene, there are a countless number of talented female jazz-oriented singers, as opposed to just a handful of male jazz singers.
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Lucien Barbarin (1956-2020), the grandnephew of Paul Barbarin, was a very expressive New Orleans trombonist. In his career he mostly played locally (including with Dr.
Champian Fulton’s series of rewarding recordings are known to many of the readers of The Syncopated Times. She is equally skilled as a 1940s-type singer
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Because a full drum set could overwhelm the other instruments in the early days of jazz recording, drummers of the time were restricted to utilizing
The Hot Club Of San Francisco has been active since the early 1990s. There have been many personnel changes along the way other than its
The Hot Club Of Tenerife (named after an island in Spain) is led by Italian guitarist Filippo Dall’Asta. He began playing guitar when he was
They were both masterful clarinetists from the South who had notable associations with rather major players. In addition to having the same B.B. initials, their
