In jazz history, “Chicago jazz” is often associated with the groundbreaking New Orleans musicians who made the Windy City their home during the twenties. “Chicagoan”
The Millpond Tavern was the home of the Galvanized Jazz Band for 25 years, starting on the first Sunday of January in 1971 when we
There was a time when hundreds of big bands roamed the land. Some enjoyed long-time residencies at hotels while others performed at an endless string
I first met Hal Isbitz in 1991 at the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, and again in Santa Barbara, California in 1992, while
Max Morath often credits “Lady Luck” with at least part of his success. However, listening to his stories and reading accounts of his long life
Jim Fitzgerald was happiest when he was on the bandstand playing for an appreciative audience. Speaking of that special connection between musician and listener, he
The history of Jazz is rife with disreputable tropes—brothels, gangsters, dives and dope. But transgressive or not, jazz is an art that prizes finding your
Although I had wanted to play dixieland jazz since I was very young, my first opportunity did not come until the fall of 1961. Wild
Scan the obituaries in The Syncopated Times and you will quickly realize just how fast we are losing veterans of WWII and Korea. Service during
Four and a half years ago I first met Colin Hancock, whose recognition and reputation as an eminent authority on early jazz, especially that performed
Jazz history is not necessarily written by its winners, yet they still manage to dominate the narrative. There are certainly landmark musicians whose influence merits
Over the years, Adrian Cunningham has made his mark on the jazz scene. Knowing a bit of his background, I wanted to interview him, but
Louis Armstrong entered a new and lucrative phase of his career in 1947 when he broke up his big band and formed his All-Stars. While
Hal Smith: During the seemingly endless nationwide lockdown, I have enjoyed one positive experience: participating in a series of video discussions regarding the Benny Goodman
Gus Haenschen (1889–1980) was once a highly prominent figure in popular music with his name-recognition reinforced by regular newspaper advertisements and occasional articles. From 1919
My wife Laura I lived in New York City for nearly fourteen exciting years, from early 1983 until the summer of 1996. It seemed that
For Britons, George Formby is seen as a national treasure. The comedian’s loving portrayals of hapless working-class characters has charmed countless filmgoers, and with statues
Saxophonist, Joseph Robert St. John had a thirty-year career in Manhattan and Detroit. His New York band battled the great Chick Webb Orchestra and shared a
Just over two years ago, I was contacted through my Drums In The Twenties website by a man called Bob Matthews. He was at that
Singer-lyricist-bandleader-entertainer, Noble Sissle occupies an unusual place in the world of ragtime, jazz and show business. He was one of the best-known musicians of the
Hal Smith: Last June, Kevin Dorn and I talked about some of the people who have influenced our own playing. That article received many positive
In our March issue, Dan Barrett recalled a gig with trumpeter George Orendorff and the story that George told about playing the trumpet break before
In 1991, I had been chasing the music of Joe “King” Oliver and Louis Armstrong for seven or eight years. By “chasing,” I mean I
As someone who has had a lifelong love affair with jazz, an interesting question came up in a ZOOM interview I recently had with Dan
