Jazz Jottings

F. Norman Vickers, the jazz ambassador and moving spirit behind Jazz Pensacola, is one of 23 individuals who are the 2021 recipients of the JJA

There have been a number of books written about the legendary Buddy Bolden and the fact that no authentic recordings by him or his band

Joining Scott Whitfield as a 2021 inductee into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame is Brad Roth, who for the past 20 years has

Pop music has had its popular sisters’ vocal groups over the years: the Boswell sisters from New Orleans, known for intricate harmonies and rhythmic experimentation;

In late November, the City of New Orleans announced regulations regarding the permitting process to host live entertainment in indoor and outdoor settings. All live

With just about all of the 2020 festivals and jazz parties scheduled since March going virtual or being postponed until late 2021 or 2022, the

Scott Anthony is known to jazz fans as the leader of the Golden Gate Rhythm Machine and the guitarist in Bob Schultz’s Frisco Jazz Band.

After eight long months of cancellations and dark venues, there is at last a glimmer of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. With

A spokesman for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) was quoted in a story carried by National Public Radio last month stating that without federal

Checking on the status of the few festivals scheduled to take place during the remaining months of 2020 is akin to reading the final chapters

As most of you know, I’ve been writing musician profiles for various publications for the past 35 years. The musicians who were interviewed candidly discussed

My “beat” for this newspaper over the past 35 years has been to travel about the country chronicling jazz events, attending festivals and jazz parties,

As panic over the coronavirus sweeps the globe, much of the focus is on the broader economic effects on businesses or venues that have had

At my advanced age, the thing I like about jazz parties is that they are held in a single venue (usually a hotel ballroom with

One of my favorite songs is “Once in a While.” Or should I say that two of my favorite songs are “Once in a While”

The Barbary Coast Dixieland Jazz Band holds a special place in Minnesota music history—and not just because its members were inducted into the Minnesota Music

Longtime pianist-arranger John Sheridan has assumed leadership of the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, which will continue its bi-weekly gigs at San Antonio restaurants as well

The jazz community lost a true icon with the passing of Jim Cullum in August. In light of Jim’s lifetime commitment to the performance, promotion,

A Re-ordering of Priorities . . . I have been fortunate in chronicling jazz events and personalities for this paper and its predecessors over the

When Sam Pilafian was 11, he was told that if he switched from the accordion to the tuba, he would always have friends. When he

In a One Day University lecture, University of Maryland professor of music Anna Celenza identified three musical masterpieces that changed America. Stating that “music does

It is apparent that the story about bandleader Glenn Miller’s disappearance over the English Channel during World War II has no end. The latest version

For the past 20 years, Dave Robinson has been the leading advocate in promoting the concept that traditional jazz should be a vital part of