Festival Roundup February 2025
NORTH CAROLINA JAZZ FESTIVAL (Wilmington, NC) – Feb. 6-8 Wilmington gives a warm welcome to all the jazz lovers attending our 45th Annual North Carolina Jazz Festival!
Frank Demond
Trombonist and banjo player Frank Demond died on November 21st; he was 91. Born in Los Angeles he would at one time be the only
Bill Carter
Photographer and clarinetist William “Bill” Carter died on New Year’s Day; he was 90 years old. His photography books varied in subject from Iraqi Kurds
Paul Fontaine
Boston area trumpet player Paul Fontaine passed away January11. From his published obituary: Paul’s career spanned many years, starting as a student studying trumpet at
Joel Forbes
New York area bassist Joel Forbes died on December 27th; he was 68. His father, also known as Joel Forbes, was a jazz pianist in
John “Prince” Gilbert
New Orleans saxophonist John “Prince” Gilbert died on December 15th; he was 66 years old. He was an original member of the Rebirth Brass Band.
Kathi Backus
Santa Barbara-area ragtimer Kathi Backus died in early January; she was 79. A well known figure in the California ragtime community she played regularly at
Danny Bacher
Singer, saxophonist, songwriter, magician, puppeteer, and all around entertainer Danny Bacher passed away unexpectedly on December 16th; he was only 46. Bacher worked at many
Lonnie Johnson
Alonzo “Lonnie” Johnson was born February 8, 1899, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Some sources give his birth year as 1894 or 1889.) He studied violin,
Help Barcelona’s SAJB Attend Essentially Ellington in NYC
Readers of The Syncopated Times may be familiar with the remarkable Sant Andreu Jazz Band of Barcelona, which has been the focus of several articles
Remembering Summer in Cornwall: The Bude Jazz Festival 2024
This review, only now appearing in the middle of the winter, is a reminder of how enjoyable it was to once again spend some warm
The Economics of an American Piano Player
I’m not an economist, but the math doesn’t add up here: for all the supposed freedoms US citizens are promised, there are equal excuses as
Josh Duffee & His Orchestra • In My Merry Oldsmobile, Volume III
“My merry Oldsmobile!” As rare as it is to hear that phrase nowadays, is to find an authentic 21st century jazz orchestra, unitedly perfecting the
Mosaic Boxed Set • Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions
“Just relax and play,” (John) Hammond instructed them. “No engineers in sight, no flashing lights—nothing but music. Only, please keep cigarettes off the piano.” The
The Scott Joplin House
In early June, on my way home from the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, I visited the Joplin House State Historic Site, the only place in
Matthew de Lacey Davidson • Stolen Music: Acoustic and Electronic Works
Last month I reviewed Matthew de Lacey Davidson’s double album The Graceful Ghost. This month my focus is on another multi-disc set issued by Davidson
Antoinette (1906)
Antoinette (1906) was the last of Scott Joplin’s three marches in 6/8 time to be published. The suspension of a melodic B over a C
Klas Lindquist: Sweden’s Alto Sax Virtuoso Finds His Groove
Klas Lindquist, a Swedish saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, has spent decades carving his niche in the jazz world. Drawing inspiration from legends like Johnny Hodges,
A Wonderful World: Telling Louis Armstrong’s Story on Broadway
The lights go down in Broadway’s Studio 54. And the theater is filled with the electrifying first notes of “West End Blues.” We’re hearing the
After Midnight • C’est Si Bon
It’s crazy to me that eight years into reviewing for The Syncopated Times the only previous time I covered After Midnight was their Christmas album.
The New Orleans Night Owls • St. Louis Rag
I’m not a natural ragtime fan, at least not the music most people think of when they hear the word. Solo piano ragtime often feels
Bridgetown Sextet • Functionizin’
My review column hasn’t visited the West Coast in a while, which would seem strange to readers who have had a jazz rag in their
Blue Moon Marquee • New Orleans Sessions
A slight stretch for this column, the Blue Moon Marquee is a spirited New Orleans blues band. On New Orleans Sessions which has the music
The Joymakers • Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow
There is no point in mincing words. The Joymakers’ Down Where The Bluebonnets Grow is one of the hottest jazz records of the year. The
Teddy Wilson: Profiles in Jazz
Teddy Wilson always stood apart from the stereotypes attached to jazz musicians of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. He was soft-spoken, distinguished, reliable, and very
Blues Over Bodega: The Epitome of Protest Jazz
Hal Smith: Jeff, according to our recent e-mail exchanges, we share a favorite album: Blues Over Bodega, recorded by Lu Watters’ Jazz Band and released
History and Rebirth of the Quintette du Hot Club de France
Until very recently, I thought that the Hot Club de France was simply the name of the band led by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli
Violinist Daniel Garlitsky Revives the Quintette du Hot Club de France
What’s in a name? A quintet by any other name would sound as sweet! At least, that’s what went through my mind when my good
Arizona Classic Jazz Fest: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu!
The Arizona Classic Jazz Society held its final Festival the first weekend in November—it was a bittersweet weekend with lots of music, friends and shared
Artie Shaw: Icon of Swing
To say that Artie Shaw (1910-2004) was a unique individual would be an understatement. A perfectionist who mastered the clarinet, Shaw treated his musicians well
Words from Disunity?
I don’t mean to get too serious in this column, but I want to begin by saying how grateful I am to readers who have
The Festival Roundup January 2025
Arbors All-Star Jazz Party (St. Petersburg, FL) – Jan. 18 Come celebrate Arbors Records and founders Rachel and Mat Domber at a gala concert featuring
The Final Chorus January 2025
David Yaffe died November 14th, 2024, at age 51. Yaffe authored many books and articles, including Fascinating Rhythm: Reading Jazz in American Writing. (Courtesy Jazzpassings.com)
Martial Solal
Martial Solal died on December 12th; he was 97. The Algeria-born French pianist had been active in Europe since the 1950s. He performed with Django
Marvin “Doc” Holladay
Marvin “Doc” Holladay died on November 25th, 2024. He was 95 years old. He was a baritone saxophonist and ethnomusicologist. After working as a freelance
George Schweinfest: The Last Pioneer
In this column I have written about many figures who were instrumental in the acoustic recording era, but often go unnoticed. One figure who fits
Help Save Ragtime’s History
I was recently contacted by a gentleman in New York who has had to curtail playing the piano due to the challenges of aging and
Jazz at Bill’s Seafood
Club owners get an often-deserved bad rep from musicians. Many times, the conditions in the club or restaurant are terrible: the lighting’s non-existent; the band’s
Henry “Red” Allen
Henry James “Red” Allen, Jr., was born in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 7, 1908. After playing trumpet on riverboats on
Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers • Lakewood Jump
There’s this internet meme from 2019 (bear with me) which goes, “Wake up babe, new just dropped.” The catchphrase implies insomnia-inducing levels of excitement about
The Syncopated Times March
Try this on your piano! Last month I made a semi-facetious request for someone to write “The Syncopated Times March,” since “We certainly deserve a
Louis Jordan World Broadcast Recordings
Back in college one of my pastimes, hep cat that I was, was chasing the library closing time copying their LPs to cassette tapes. My
Johnny Guarnieri Plays Harry Warren
Johnny Guarnieri and Harry Warren had one main thing in common. When one thinks of the great jazz pianists, Guarnieri is often overlooked while lists
Gabrielle Stravelli • Beautiful Moons Ago
In the current jazz scene, there are a countless number of talented female jazz-oriented singers, as opposed to just a handful of male jazz singers.
The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Duke Ellington
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH In Duke Ellington’s remarkably productive career, 1953-55 is considered by some to be his “off period” despite musical evidence to
Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band at Caffè Lena
Caffè Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY, Dec. 5, 2024 My grasp of French is tenuous, and that puts it generously. I’m good at classic French dishes
Mosaic’s Classic V-Disc Small Group Jazz Sessions (11 CD Set)
So much musical wealth bursts from the grooves of Mosaic’s 11-CD set of jazz V-Discs that you’ll be forgiven for forgetting that the 263 sides
Elite Syncopations (1902)
The memorably-titled Elite Syncopations (1902) is one of Scott Joplin’s most finely-crafted compositions. The piece’s B and C sections are Mozartian in their simplicity. Many
