
Red Norvo • Dance Of The Octopus
Jazz Classic of the Month Before he switched to vibraphone in 1943, Red Norvo was jazz’s top and (nearly only) xylophonist. Norvo (1908-99) was a

Jazz Classic of the Month Before he switched to vibraphone in 1943, Red Norvo was jazz’s top and (nearly only) xylophonist. Norvo (1908-99) was a


He was one of the hottest trumpeters to emerge from the late 1920s, a major attraction at jam sessions, and a superb blues singer. But

Archeophone’s latest entry in their “Phonographic Yearbook” series consists of 27 selections from 1904-05 that were released in the latter year. 1905 was 118 years

Benny Goodman became the “King of Swing” when his big band caused a sensation at Los Angeles’ Palomar Ballroom on Aug. 21, 1935, launching the

Hazel Scott (1920-81) was a brilliant pianist and a pleasing singer who deserves to be remembered. A prodigy, she received a scholarship to Juilliard when

Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa first recorded together back in 1929 with Red Nichols. In 1927, Krupa was the first percussionist to use a full

The Dukes Of Dixieland, featuring trumpeter-singer Frank Assunto and his brother trombonist Fred Assunto, was one of the most popular Dixieland bands of the 1950s


Cornetist Jimmy McPartland and pianist Marian McPartland were married for 22 years (1945-67). Their careers in jazz, if taken together, spanned a remarkable 90 years,

Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby on May 3, 1903, in Tacoma, Washington, growing up in Spokane. His lifelong nickname of Bing came from

Luis Russell (1902-63), who was born in Panama and came to New Orleans with his family after winning $3,000 in a lottery, moved to Chicago

40 years ago, guitarist-singer John Pizzarelli led his first album, I’m Hip (Please Don’t Tell My Father). The still-youthful performer (the son of guitarist Bucky

For Satchmocracy Volume II, trumpeter-arranger Jerome Etcheberry put together a rather unusual tribute to Louis Armstrong. He utilizes an eight-piece group consisting of himself and

At first glance, the idea of Ann Hampton Callaway paying tribute to Peggy Lee may seem a little odd. Callaway is a powerhouse singer with

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Between 1949-69, Lester Koenig ran the Good Time Jazz label, a company that released some of the best New Orleans


Trombonist Will Bradley, drummer-singer Ray McKinley, and pianist Freddie Slack only teamed up together for a relatively brief period of time, 18 months during 1939-41,

On French Onion Superman, veteran banjoist David Bandrowski (in his recording debut as a leader) sought to explore a wide variety of New Orleans jazz.

Blossom Seeley (1886-1974), like the better known Sophie Tucker (who was six months older), was a vaudeville performer with a strong voice (a necessity in


Edward and Perlina Coles must have done something right. Although Edward (a minister) and Perlina (a singer in choirs) would have preferred that their children

JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981) was one of the truly great songwriters from the era of the Great American Songbook. While most

One of the great frustrations in studying early jazz is trying to understand how the music sounded near its beginnings. There is not only a