Jazz Short: Howard Alden
Van Young February 22, 2021
Of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of musicians hired for Elkhart’s jazz festival, Howard Alden was one of the youngsters. …only in his forties! Now, a
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Of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of musicians hired for Elkhart’s jazz festival, Howard Alden was one of the youngsters. …only in his forties! Now, a
A little over 30 years ago, Ted Huff and I met as a result of our mutual interest in jazz, both playing it as a
For the years when Jean and I could stay awake until after 11:00 pm, we were big fans of The Tonight Show, especially its band;
Back in my disc jockey days in the ’90s, when I read about jazz in Chicago, one name kept appearing: Franz Jackson (November 1, 1912
Although cancelled for June 2020 this year, the Elkhart Jazz Festival will make a return next year…maybe. Most of the guys and gals who worked
Back in 1988 while building the lineup for the Elkhart Jazz Festival, I took a look at Doc Cheatham as an all-star participant; however, when
Almost 30 years ago, my wife Jean and I decided to drop by Andy’s Jazz Club in Chicago. Bobby Lewis had the best band in
Sometime in the mid- to late 70’s, my wife Jean and our youngest daughter headed for Chicago to catch Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson, probably
Seems like yesterday that Cab Calloway was singing and dancing on black and white tv. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to meet Cab but
Bassist Milt Hinton and his wife Mona thoroughly enjoyed going to Milt’s gigs scattered around the world. In the early ‘80’s, my wife Jean and
As an avid Dukes of Dixieland fan, I was very pleased to discover we still have an Assunto out there making music, lovely Lexie Assunto
Some folks called him by his true first name, Haydn. For most of us, a simple “Eddie” worked alright. I’ve introduced Eddie several times and
The picture with Louis Armstrong and two young boys on the steps of his Queens home reminds me of my first wide eyed encounter with
One of the many things I admire about jazz is its variety. I’ve had folks tell me they didn’t care for jazz and my usual
Both vocalist June Christy and reed man Bob Cooper have been gone for close to 30 years. Bob played a lot with big bands, especially
For many jazz lovers, Ray Brown’s one of the “greats” with a long list of recordings where he’s the leader. He’s also listed on several
Wild Bill became one of my favorite jazz musicians very early (1949). The Wild Bill reference applies to his playing, not his manners. However ,
Once the Elkhart Jazz Festival board “got into gear,” it decided where to have it (downtown!) with a free venue as well as several (five)
While seniors at Ball State, Jean and I married and began living off campus. The wedding occurred on Thursday, November 27, 1959. On that evening
Researching Terry Myers can be a bit exhausting, especially his last 35 years or so. I’ve never encountered a musician who has played in and
Few jazz fans would argue the value of ragtime, including both its continued popularity and its huge contribution to the early development of jazz. And
When I see the long lists of famous musicians from New Jersey, it makes me wonder whether it’s all coincidental or, maybe, there’s really something
Over the past 70 or so years, traditional and swing jazz have been my primary jazz interests, beginning as a young listener in my early
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly About seventy years ago when I was a young teen and a precocious collector of jazz, my mom
A Young Jazz Fan in the French Quarter Ask anyone what street comes to mind when they think of Dixieland jazz and the response, usually,
At the time of his passing, in 2000, Milt “The Judge” Hinton was considered by both fans and fellow musicians the Dean of Jazz bassists.
No, the title “Jazz Bugs” doesn’t refer to a new jazz band but I wouldn’t be surprised. I use it in reference to being “bitten”
Elkhart, Indiana has long been the major center in the United States for the manufacture of band instruments. Over the past century, the city has
As a long-time jazz fan (over 70 years), I find that I’m no longer as distressed by the doomsayers who say “Jazz is dead!” or,
When I hear someone tell me, “I don’t care for jazz,” my first response is very direct: “Which kind do you dislike?” Many of my
With many thousands of jazz concerts, festivals, and workshops worldwide, the passion for jazz has never been greater. That passion is shared by listeners and
Can free and paid jazz compliment each other or do they contradict the purpose of a jazz festival? With non-paying audiences five times larger than
Most jazz lovers know the contributions made through our embrace of ragtime late in the 19th century, as well as the important efforts of New
Have you noticed the slow trend of the older jazz festivals to add new genres to their lineups, especially the trad fests? Perhaps the closing
