Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band: The Crescent Sessions
The blue links on song titles go to the referenced recordings on Archive.org. Hal Smith: Jeff, we have discussed Kid Ory’s historic recordings with Jelly
Catherine Russell & Colin Hancock’s Cat & The Hounds
There is a tension in traditional jazz between recreation and creation. Colin Hancock has always lived on the rarer side of that line, not content
A Comedy of Lehrer’s
On July 26, we lost one of my heroes of surreal and satirical humor, pianist/singer/songwriter Tom Lehrer. As were millions of people across the globe,
Gabrielle Lee Carries Harlem’s Legacy Into the Present
Gabrielle Lee is a modern-day “Blackbird,” her voice and presence carrying the glamour, grit, and history of Harlem’s celebrated nightclub era and its performers into
C’est Si Bon: Capital Focus Jazz Band in France
An article in the July ’24 issue of The Syncopated Times about a French jazz festival caught my eye. “We really try to put the
Louis Armstrong’s 70 Greatest Recordings
LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S 70 GREATEST RECORDINGS Although I have long wanted to write about Louis Armstrong for The Syncopated Times, since Ricky Riccardi’s trio of books
Bassists of the 1920s
While the string bass was part of the early New Orleans jazz scene from its start, with Jimmy Johnson (1876-1937) and his bass being seen
Tony Desare: ‘Doing What I So Enjoy!’
When asked for a self-assessment, singer-pianist-composer Tony Desare responded, “I’m just a kid from Glens Falls, New York when fell in love with jazz at
Ink: The Indelible J. Mayo Williams
J. Mayo Williams, who was nicknamed “Ink” due to his dark skin, had two often simultaneous careers. He is best remembered today as a pioneering
The Whistling Bureaucrat: John Yorke AtLee
Acoustic recordings of whistlers aren’t for everyone, but there was one whistler who I would consider many levels better than the others. He had a
Andy Schumm Reflects on his 20-Year Career
Multi-instrumentalist Andy Schumm made some interesting comments regarding his career on the occasion of his 40th birthday in a Facebook posting. He wrote “I’m not
From the 2025 Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival
The 54th Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival in Davenport, Iowa continued its tradition of excellence on July 31-August 3 at the perennially over-cooled Rhythm City Casino.
It’s Happening (Again!) in Sun Valley
The website for the 36th Sun Valley Jazz Festival describes the annual event in the Idaho Rockies as a vibrant celebration of music. Over the
Jazzin’ In July!
The Century Room in the downtown Hotel Congress was again the venue for a terrific Sunday Gospel set! A lazy afternoon saw the Gospel According
2nd Jazz Jubilee Central Coast set for Oct. 17th to 26th
The Basin Street Regulars Hot Jazz Society is thrilled to announce the 2nd Jazz Jubilee Central Coast 2025, a vibrant celebration of jazz music stretching
Laughter Is the Grout
The columnist whose writing normally appears in this space has taken a leave of absence to fulfill the terms of a court-ordered anger management program
Carl Lunsford
Carl Lunsford, a traditional jazz banjo player whose rhythmic style anchored many West Coast trad bands, passed away on August 5th in Sausalito, California, at
Alain Bouchet
Alain Bouchet, the French trumpeter and cornetist, passed away on August 4th, he was 81. He began his career in the 1960s with groups like
David F. Gibson
David F. Gibson, a dynamic drummer whose rhythmic drive powered iconic big bands, passed away on July 30th, he was 72. Born in Philadelphia, he
Sheila Jordan
Sheila Jordan, the pioneering jazz vocalist, passed away on August 11, 2025, in New York City. She was 96. Inspired by Charlie Parker, who she
Chuck Mangione
Chuck Mangione, a flugelhorn player and composer whose early work shaped the ongoing legacy of swing, passed away on July 22nd. He was 84. Born
Cleo Laine
Cleo Laine, a British jazz singer whose voice shaped British jazz and standards singing, passed away on July 24th in Wavendon, England. She was 97.
Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer, the pianist and musical satirist whose sharp-witted songs blended ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, and musical theater, passed away on July 26th in Cambridge,
Robert “Bob” Rann, Revered Tubaist and Lifelong Champion of Traditional Jazz, Dies at 88
Robert “Bob” Rann, renowned tubaist and a foundational figure in the traditional jazz revival movement, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2025, at the age
The Publisher is Grateful for Your Kindness and Patience
We owe a vast debt of gratitude to all the readers and supporters of The Syncopated Times who have kept us in print this year.
Reader’s Correspondence: September 2025
Over the Moon about “Under the Moon” To the Editor: I very much enjoyed reading “Get Out and Get Under the Moon” by Joe Bebco
Appreciating Tom Brier
Tom Brier’s voluminous output of quality piano rags is highly esteemed among his fellow Ragtime artists. His Razor Blades has become a standard and can
Rare 100+ Year-Old Compositions by Will H. Dixon Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Historic Music Rediscovered: Rare 100+ Year-Old Compositions by Will H. Dixon Released on 146th Anniversary of His Birth NEW YORK, NY –
Albert Ammons
Albert Ammons was born in Chicago on March 1, 1907. Both of his parents were pianists and he began playing when he was ten. One
100 of The Hottest Classic Jazz Albums of 1945-2025, Part 4: 1977-1996
What are the most exciting and essential classic jazz recordings that have taken place since the end of World War II? An impossible question to
Festival Roundup September 2025
27th Annual PENTASTIC HOT JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL (Penticton, BC) Sept. 5-7 Situated between two lakes in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Pentastic
The Rise of a Jazz Vibraphonist: Evelyn Yosmali
The vibraphone, that sweet-sounding array of metal bars that can make its presence known even when alongside a big band of trumpets, saxes, and trombones,
Get Out and Get Under the Moon
From my house I can hear baseball games at our local stadium. In my youth it hosted a Single A team that regularly sent players
100 of The Hottest Classic Jazz Albums of 1945-2025, Part 3: 1959-1977
What are the most exciting and essential classic jazz recordings that have taken place since the end of World War II? I accepted the challenge
Banjo and Vocal Records
The banjo was an essential mode of entertainment in the latter 19th century, but often it was accompanied by other instruments, usually piano. There were,
Les Paul: From Chicago to New York
In 1952, the Gibson Guitar Company unveiled a new instrument at a special event featuring star guitarists Tony Mottola, George Barnes, and Mundell Lowe. It
Allen Lowe: Saxophonist, Composer, and Music Historian
There are a fair number of jazz musicians who wrote autobiographies (often “as told to”) including Rex Stewart, Eddie Condon, Louis Armstrong, and Charles Mingus.
Bix Beiderbecke: Legend, Reality, and Legacy
Bix the Cult Figure A legend among many musicians and fans even during his relatively brief life, Bix Beiderbecke was jazz’s first cult figure. After
In Sedalia, Joshua Rifkin Recounts Sparking the 1970s Rag Revival
Joshua Rifkin, whose recordings of Scott Joplin’s compositions on the Nonesuch label are considered paragons, is reputed to have helped spark the Ragtime Revival of
Memories of the first Elkhart Jazz Fest
Seventy-five years ago, I was introduced to trad and big band jazz. A close friend, Don Boyer, asked me if I had any jazz records.
The Remarkable John Williams
I was ten when Star Wars changed the world in 1977. This film was special to me for multiple reasons. It was a movie my
The New Black Eagle Jazz Band: Pt. 3
JB: I’m concluding an interview/listening session with New Black Eagle Jazz Band members Stan Vincent (trombone), “Pam” Pameijer (drums) and Billy Novick (reeds) about the
Bill Dart: Un-blocked and Uncaged Drumming!
Hal Smith: Brother Kevin, let’s stay on the topic of West Coast drummers and talk about one of the best: Bill Dart. I think it’s
Downtown: Where All the Lights Are Bright!
In Downtown Tucson, the Hotel Congress is definitely the “place to be” with several onsite music venues at any one time. Recently the lobby area
The Festival Roundup August 2025
BIX BEIDERBECKE JAZZ FESTIVAL (Davenport, IA) July 31-Aug 2 Hot Jazz will return to the Upper Mississippi River during the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival. Scheduled
I’m Sorry, I Can’t Apologize
This past month, I made noises in a fundraising letter that I was planning to shut up for a month or two. “I am likely
Eddie Durham
Eddie Durham was born August 19, 1906, in San Marcos, Texas. From an early age, Durham performed with his family in the Durham Brothers Orchestra,
Broadway Rag (1922)
Broadway Rag (1922) is James Scott’s final published composition. It is thickly-chorded in keeping with Scott’s style. However, the tonic chord resolutions in the B
Delayed and Missing Papers Beset our July 2025 Issue
It has come to my attention that there is a problem with postal delivery of the paper. Subscribers to The Syncopated Times have written to
