Don Vappie: the Heart of Creole Jazz
Steve Provizer
June 30, 2020
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Not meaning to offend any of my bass-playing friends, I’ve often wondered what motivates a musician to want to play the bass and have to
Hal Smith: You are best known among Traditional Jazz fans as a cornetist, but can you tell us about the instrument you started with? Chris
Following the publication of “Nick Fatool – the Perfect Jazz Percussionist” (Syncopated Times, Nov. 2019), I have been carrying on a dialogue with Kevin Dorn—a
When Yvonne Marther Fasnacht died—on Sunday, 13 November 2011, aged 101—Variety.com carried her obituary. The top entertainment website remembered a pioneering nightclub owner who helped
See, Part 1 A Real New York Story We had been recording double sessions, often earning overtime to complete more difficult or complicated arrangements. We
Vocalist Roya Naldi, in her mid-twenties, is probably not a household name among Syncopated Times readers—yet. This interview will hopefully change that. She has just
New Yorkers think of themselves as a pretty tough bunch. But even the coolest, most nonchalant among them has to admit: they’ve never seen a
There is this old joke about two musicians catching up on the latest news, and the conversation goes something like this: Musician One: Did you
With the avalanche of festival cancellations and postponements that have occurred due to the coronavirus crisis this year, festival organizers are looking for possible ways
The tenor-saxophone took a little while to be accepted in jazz. Unlike the alto-sax and C-melody which were considered lead instruments, the tenor did not
Several years ago, I met a remarkable young man at the Sedalia Ragtime Festival named Brandon Byrne. Later, I discovered an on-line newsletter he produces
When researching, oftentimes what we don’t know about someone can be more interesting than what we do know. In this situation, it can allow our
Arthur Briggs (1901-1991) was considered the premier Jazz trumpet player of Europe between the two world wars. Living in France continuously after 1931, he deserved
Noble Sissle was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 10, 1889. While still a teenager, he toured in vaudeville in the Midwest with a male
Each month, it seems, represents a newer normal. Normal wants to update itself relentlessly, much like my Windows operating system—usually at no small inconvenience and
Okay folks, we’re hitting three months of lockdown. And it seems like there’ll be no live music for some time now, at least not here
A Welcome Perspective To the Editor: Larry Melton’s “Blowing off the Dust” in the June issue was a welcome perspective on the impacts of the
This is an old, and horribly outdated Festival Roundup from way back in the lost summer of 2020. You can find current listings for events
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
The path of Creole multi-instrumentalist Frank “Big Boy” Goudie (b. 1899 Lafayette, LA 1899 – d. 1964 San Francisco, CA) parallels the history of Jazz
Arthur Briggs (1901-1991) was considered the premier Jazz trumpet player of Europe between the two world wars. Living in France continuously after 1931, he deserved
If San Francisco jazz had its own Mount Rushmore, Pat Yankee would be on it. Born in Lodi, California, Pat saw a medicine show at
Jazz is often thought of as America’s first cultural export. This isn’t entirely true. Long before jazz, or even ragtime, America had developed a form
The Archeophone label makes early recordings available to the public accompanied by comprehensive liner notes that are often nominated for Grammy’s. Past efforts have included
When Lil Hardin Armstrong’s name is mentioned, many, if not most, people probably think immediately of Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five’s piano player or Armstrong’s second
Don Vappie, who is interviewed in this issue, has had a long career for a man of 64. He drifted into traditional jazz from other
This album is vol. 1, “Then,” of a two-volume set of the Easy Riders Jazz Band on the Jazz Crusade label, titled “Then” and “Now.”
This album is vol. 2, “Now,” of a two-volume set of the Easy Riders Jazz Band, “Then” and “Now,” on the Jazz Crusade label. (“Then”
As a pianist, I’m drawn to any album which puts the storehouse center stage. It’s rare that I’ll get excited about a Benny Goodman, Louis
As an alto-saxophonist, arranger, composer and bandleader, not to mention trumpeter, Benny Carter (1907-2003) recorded many classics during his 70-year career (1927-97). Further Definitions is
Despite writing over 600 songs, many of them “hits,” as the booklet notes inform us, Walter Donaldson never seemed to become a household name. This
While vocal groups are very common in pop music, jazz vocal groups have always been rarer. Duchess is a collaboration between singers Amy Cervini, Hilary
Kenny Ball (1930-2013) was one of the top stars of the British Trad Jazz movement. A colorful trumpeter, a personable singer, and a witty personality
Trust a Japanese band to take what you and love, tune it up and hand it back better than ever, all shiny and new—in a
Even experts on jazz history may not be that acquainted with Johnny Letman (1917-92). An excellent swing trumpeter who also had a bit of New
I knew of Peter Bergin as a fine performer from his YouTube postings, so I was delighted to learn he was recording an album utilizing
Of all of the New Orleans players associated with Wynton Marsalis, clarinetist Dr. Michael White has been the most consistently involved in playing traditional New
Seeing that this group is led by trombonist Geoff Cole and also has Tony Pyke on clarinet might prompt one to think of the early
When Django Reinhardt passed away in 1953, almost no guitarists in the world sounded like him. His influence was far overshadowed by that of Charlie
For all the gigs and festivals which have inevitably been cancelled in recent months, there sure have been a lot of great dancing records released—as
Trad jazz was so popular in England by the early 1960s that it is not surprising that its top musicians and bands appeared in quite
This double-disc set is a reissue of what were originally issued as two separate CDs, titled Jumpin’ in Irigny—JCCD 3110 vol. 1 and JCCD 3111
Pianist Freddy Cole died on June 27th in Atlanta, he was 88. Born in 1931 in Chicago, he had called Atlanta home for the last
Dame Vera Lynn, “Forces’ Sweetheart” of WWII Britain died at home on June 18th, she was 103. Forces’ Sweetheart is an honorific given to women
Gene R. Maurice passed away on April 8, 2020 in Alameda California, he was 93. After service in the Pacific during World War II on
Bob Pilsbury passed away on May 12th in Bedford Massachusetts, he was 93. Bob was the pianist for the New Black Eagle Jazz Band from
Don Vappie: the Heart of Creole Jazz, by Stephen Provizer
Dave Stone: A Family Trait, by Lew Shaw
Recording the Cotton Club Soundtrack, Part Two, by Dan Barrett
Miss Dixie: A Gay Icon’s Almost-Forgotten Music Career, by Dave Doyle
Let’s Talk About Some Great Drummers, by Hal Smith & Kevin Dorn
Chris Tyle’s Lifelong Musical Odyssey, interview by Hal Smith
Bix, West Coast Ragtime Fests Go Virtual, by Andy Senior
The New Saturday Night, by Banu Gibson
Musicians Hunker Down During COVID, by Stephanie Robinson
Jazz Birthday of the Month: Noble Sissle, illustration by Joe Busam
Static from my Attic, by Andy Senior
Final Chorus, compiled by Joe Bebco
Jazz Jottings, by Lew Shaw
The Professor is IN: Your Own Jazz Club at Home, by Adrian Cunningham
What We Don’t Know About Justin Ring, by R.S. Baker
Jazz Travels: Roya Naldi, by Bill Hoffman
Festival Roundup, compiled by Joe Bebco
Frank “Big Boy” Goudie: A Big Life, Part One, by Dave Radlauer
Profiles in Jazz: Bud Freeman, by Scott Yanow
Blowing off the Dust: Brandon Byrne, by Larry Melton
CD Review: The Blue Book of Storyville, reviewed by Joe Bebco
CD Review: Beyond the Maple Leaf, reviewed by Larry Melton
CD Reviews, by Dave Doyle
Nights at the Turntable, CD reviews by Scott Yanow
Book Review: Better Days Will Come Again, reviewed by Dave Radlauer
Bert’s Bits and Beats, CD reviews by Bert Thompson
Book Review: You Gotta See Your Mama Every Night, reviewed by Andy Senior
The Persistence of Minstrelsy in Modern Media, reviews by Joe Bebco
