Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions
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
Ryan Calloway: Master of Music, Art, and Dance
Hal Smith: Ryan, you can be contacted for original artwork, graphic design, swing dance instruction, to lead a band and to perform as a sideman.
The Palmetto Jazzerites: Steamboat Jazz on the Mississippi
Two steamboat jazz bands were the talk of the Mississippi River in 1920. One became famous. The other remains obscure. The famous band, of course,
Duke Ellington’s Singers, Part 2
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
The Firehouse 5+2: When ‘Goes South’ is a GOOD Thing!
Hal Smith: Jeff, This month’s column was intended to be the first in a series of articles about the New Black Eagle Jazz Band; a
Conversations with Bucky Pizzarelli
His guitar mastery made him a top first-call artist in the New York recording scene for decades. His quiet and friendly manner made one club
Frank Mazziotta: An Immigrant in Edison’s Studio
Before researching him, I had assumed that there wouldn’t be much on Frank S. Mazziotta, but I was wrong. As historians, we can only hope
Stomp Off, Let’s Go – The Early Years of Louis Armstrong
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
Beyond the Bandstand: Paul Whiteman in American Musical Culture
Paul Whiteman was a formidable figure in jazz/popular music history. The facts of Whiteman’s career have been well covered by The Syncopated Times. His place
Postcard from the Snowbelt
Aside from the weather and just about everything else, it’s been a good month. This is the sort of old-fashioned winter we had when I
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
Our January visit started off at Fritzel’s with Colin Myers (tb), Zach Lange (tp), Ellis Dyson (bj), Brett Gallo (dr) and Ted Long (bs). This
The Festival Roundup March 20225
43rd annual JAZZ BASH BY THE BAY (Monterey, CA) March 7-9 The 43rd annual Jazz Bash By the Bay Monterey takes place March 7-9, 2025,
Hamilton College’s Fillius Jazz Archive Celebrates 30 Years
Thirty years ago at Hamilton College in Kirkland, N.Y., Milt Fillius Jr. and his fiancé, Nelma “Nikki” Nenneau, teamed up with jazz singer Joe Williams
Locked Doors and Silences
Here are two points of view expressed by poets of unequal stature: Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter . . .
Syncopated Media Needs Your Help
Ideas are the easy part. If we had a million dollars to promote hot jazz, ragtime, and swing we could find ways to use it.
My Three ‘Must-Get-Theres’
I’ll be ranting in this edition of “My Inspirations,” so if you’re (understandably) in the mood for some humor or uplift, you might want to
Beginnings and Endings at Monterey Jazz Bash: March 7-9, 2025
The Central Coast will be swinging again during the 45th Annual Jazz Bash by the Bay in Monterey, CA! This year’s event focuses on Hot
Caribbean Carnival Welcomes the New Year with a Piano-Shaped Pool
Sometimes it’s impossible to predict how a risk could pay off, or if a gamble is worth taking. Fortunately this year the unknown was underlined
Sylvia Fine Scored Some of Hollywood’s Best-Loved Musicals
“Behind every great man, there is a great woman.” How many biographical articles have opened with that trite old aphorism? It acknowledges—quite rightly—that many of
Gretchen and the Sidecar Six • Getting Some Fun Out of Life
Hello, reader—it’s been a while. (Happy New Year, by the way!) A while since I wrote, a while since I danced—a while since I did
The House of Swing Premieres Waldo World and New Orleans Humbug
The House of Swing at Columbus Circle presented two compositions commissioned by Wynton Marsalis for his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Terry Waldo appeared on
Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band
The story of Ernie Fields begins, as it must, with the visit from John Hammond. This was in the late 1930s, when Hammond was prowling
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano • Painting the Town
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano have created something truly special with their new album, Painting the Town. Celebrating two decades of marriage and a deep
Kismet Rag (1913)
The Joplin/Hayden collaboration Kismet Rag (1913) is probably Scott Joplin’s most underrated composition. The piece’s opening section is a bit challenging to play, requiring pianistic
JazzFest at Sea: January 17-27, 2025
After a good experience on my first cruise (the coast of Alaska and British Columbia in 2023), I was open to cruising again. Such an
Raymond Burke • The Southland Recordings 1958-1960
Of the fourteen tracks on this CD, ten have not been previously issued. The four tracks previously issued (on Southland LP 220: Mike Lala and
Barney Bigard
Albany Leon “Barney” Bigard was born in New Orleans on March 3, 1906. Bigard began on the E-flat clarinet when he was seven. He took
Paul Whiteman • The Hits Collection Vol. 1 & 2
Throughout his career and during the nearly 60 years since his death, Paul Whiteman (1890-1967) and his music have been both overrated and underrated. The
Louis Armstrong • Live In Paris
By the time that the concert on Live In Paris (from Apr. 24, 1962) was performed, Louis Armstrong had been a world traveler for quite
Al Hirt & Pete Fountain • Super Jazz
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH The music at the Super Bowl halftime shows are famous for being pretty forgettable (some would say horrendous) except for
Mellon Foundation Announces $35 Million Jazz Initiative
The Mellon Foundation has launched a $35 million initiative to support the preservation and evolution of jazz and spotlight the cultural legacy of veteran jazz
Fire, Devastation, and Touchstones of Memory in Los Angeles
This is not a time to bury the lead. Myself and my octogenarian roommates (Mother and Cat) are all safe. We are not currently in
Gavin Rice & His Famous Collegiates: Live at Bop Shop Records
It is my pleasure to introduce Gavin Rice to our readers. Here at The Syncopated Times there is nothing that thrills us more than to
Dzimek Markiewicz • My Best Recordings with Various Orchestras
Polish trombonist Dzimek Markiewicz is one of the best friends of this paper, having been a listener to Andy Senior’s RADIOLA! program for years ahead
New Orleans Rascals of Osaka with Henry Blackburn
Among the long runningest of the many traditional jazz bands that have achieved extreme longevity is the New Orleans Rascals of Osaka, Japan. Americans who
Duke Ellington’s Singers, Part 1
It may seem surprising that Duke Ellington, who took over Elmer Snowden’s Washingtonians in 1924, did not have a regular vocalist until late in 1931.
The Story of Blues Over Bodega, Part Two
JB: Faithful readers, this month my fellow musical forensicist and I will be continuing our exploration of a nine-track LP released by Fantasy Records in
Palm Court – Thanks For the Memory!
When we visited with Nina Buck, owner of the now-closed Palm Court, during our last trip in October, she mentioned that she wanted to have
Celebrating Bill Crow’s 97th Birthday at Shanghai Jazz
The Japanese honor their most distinguished, and usually aged, artists with the title “Living National Treasure.” Bassist Bill Crow well deserves such a designation, and
2025: Off to a Clanging Start!
Yes, I admit it. It’s a shorter issue this month. I could just be flippant and say “It’s a short month.” Or I could suggest
The Wild and Wiggy Times of Harry the Hipster Gibson
Harry “The Hipster” Gibson (1915-91) was a unique character in jazz history. In some ways he was the jazz equivalent to rock and roll’s Jerry
Berlin’s Bugler and his Banjo
This is a story of the power of memory, music, and love. My column last month on Connecticut’s restaurant Bill’s Seafood, its longtime owner the
Big Band Jazz: The Jubilee Sessions 1943-1946
Jazz Classic of the Month The Jubilee radio shows, which were aired during 1942-53 and were at their prime during 1943-46, were geared towards African-American
Gunhild Carling • Winter’s Day
[The EP referenced in the below review is now sold as a full 11 track album called Winter’s Day.] Gunhild Carling is a bit of
Maria Cole • The Talk Of The Town
In recent columns for The Syncopated Times, I have reviewed reissues compiled by Alan Eichler for the Jasmine label of Nat and Freddie Cole’s lesser-known
Digby Fairweather • Notes From A Jazz Life Volume 4
A consistently stirring trumpeter who caught the tail-end of the trad jazz boom in England and has since worked as a writer, broadcaster, and the
Terry Waldo & the Gotham Jazz Band • Treasury Volume 1
Terry Waldo, who is now 80, has been a very busy and major classic jazz pianist and bandleader since the mid-1960s, several years before he
Billy Golden, Monarch of Recorded Minstrelsy
When listening to acoustic era recordings, some performers will usually turn people off right away, one of these performers is Billy Golden. He specialized in
