Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-73) was a unique and influential performer. Her mother was very active in the church and encouraged her daughter to develop into
Although he was born in Chicago, Abe Lyman (1897-1957) spent much of his professional life working in the Los Angeles area. A solid drummer, he
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Arnvid Meyer (1927-2007) was a trumpeter from Copenhagen, Denmark, who led a swing-oriented sextet during his prime years. He made
Buck Clayton is most famous today for his association with Count Basie but that is only a small part of his musical legacy, a seven-year
Lil Hardin Armstrong (1898-1971) deserves better from jazz history. While she remains famous for being Louis Armstrong’s second wife, and the pianist with King Oliver’s
Ever since he burst upon the major league jazz scene in the mid-1970s, tenor-saxophonist Scott Hamilton has been one of the most consistent of all
Maxine Sullivan was born as Marietta Lillian Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 1911. As a teenager she sang on the radio in Pittsburgh
Of all of the major jazz orchestra leaders of the 1930s and ’40s, Artie Shaw undoubtedly led the most big bands, six during 1936-49. His
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH While New Orleans traditional jazz has had several major revivals from the mid-1930s on, the opening of Preservation Hall in
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-96) had a rough start to her life, living in poverty and actually being homeless for a period. However after winning the Apollo
It is certainly not an understatement to say that George Gershwin (1898-1937) accomplished a great deal during his 38 years. Ranging from popular songs to
A superb swing and classic pianist (he held his own with Dick Hyman on a duo piano album), Chris Hopkins is based in Germany where
The combination of tenor-saxophonist Harry Allen, pianist Rossano Sportiello, and drummer Bryan Carter (who takes an occasional vocal) is certainly a hit throughout their new
Bela Fleck has been undoubtedly the most remarkable banjo player of the past half-century, often taking his instrument to places it had never been before.
Oscar Moore (1916-81) will always be best remembered for being the guitarist with the Nat King Cole Trio during 1937-47. His tasteful and fluent guitar
Mary Lou Williams had a unique career. For much of her life she was called “jazz’s greatest female musician” but in reality she was simply
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH George Buck (1928-2013) recorded and released so many rewarding New Orleans jazz albums throughout his life that it is easy
The Boswell Sisters (Connie, Martha and Vet) were arguably the greatest jazz vocal group of all time, ranking at the top with the Mills Brothers
With the rapid evolution of jazz and the emphasis on coming up with new ways to play the music, there have been periods when certain
Duke Ellington’s compositions have been sung so often, particularly those that he wrote prior to the early 1950s, that it is surprising that it was
Ricky Riccardi, who has his dream job as the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum, began his trilogy of definitive Louis
