Arthur Vint: Bringing New York-Style Jazz to the Desert
Arthur Vint has capitalized on a series of life experiences that has enabled him to make a major contribution in the creation of a highly-successful
The New Wonders • Steppin’ Out
When exploring 1920s jazz it is easy for today’s musicians to be a little too reverential of the past, seeking to recreate aspects of earlier
Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy
“It seemed the perfect way to fight my war.”– Josephine Baker No American was ever more beloved by the French nation than Josephine Baker. In
The Timber Men Stompers • Jig Time
I love the Mills Brothers. Any time I see one of their LPs in a charity shop I do a little “shoop-de-whoop-whoop,” accompanied by a
May We All Be as Obscure as Porter Brown!
If you never heard of Porter Brown and only skimmed the broad strokes of his biography, he might seem like an obscure sideman whose life
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band
The Toddies are something of a supergroup. Led by celebrated stage composer Patrick Soluri on drums, the outfit boasts veteran bandleader Gordon Webster on keys,
Author Fumi Tomita Delves into Early Jazz
Fumi Tomita is Associate Professor of Jazz Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the author of The Jazz Rhythm Section:
Ed Clute • Shadows on the Moon
Ed Clute’s relationship with this paper goes back about as far as is possible. He was profiled in our very first issue, our publisher, Andy
Benny Waters and Joe Turner: Profiles in Jazz
Benny Waters and Joe Turner (no relation to blues singer Big Joe Turner) were two of the many American jazz artists who found life to
Raymond Burke • The Southland Recordings 1958 &1960
Returning to my notes on an album before writing a review I often find more exclamations than insights but sometimes they point me in the
A Subversive in Sedalia
I could be the wrong person to report on a ragtime festival. My first piano hero was Teddy Wilson, so the crowd at the Scott
The Palomar Trio • The Song In Our Soul
Of the numerous Turtle Bay releases this one will especially resonate with TST readers. Not trying to be hip or current, these are men with
Oscar Aleman • Ritmo Loco – El Rey de la Guitarra Swing
Jazz Classic of the Month Oscar Aleman (1909-80) was born and raised in Argentina but is best-known today for his work in Europe in the
Bobby Leecan • Suitcase Breakdown
Bobby Leecan (1897-1946) was a fine banjoist and guitarist who straddled the boundaries between jazz, blues and hokum during his relatively brief recording career. What
Great Jazz Great Clarinets
Upbeat recently reissued a collection originally put out by Big Bill Bissonnette’s Jazz Crusade label that was titled Rare Cuts – Well Done, Volume 8.
Jack Teagarden • Rare And Obscure Recordings From the 1930s
When Jack Teagarden (1905-64) arrived in New York in 1927, he created a bit of a sensation in the jazz world. Sounding years ahead of
Roger Marks’ Armada Jazz Band • Best Days
British trombonist Roger Marks led one of his finest groups during 2000-2001, a period when his Armada Jazz Band was captured on no less than
Do You Want Fries With That?
It was distinctly embarrassing (but not altogether surprising) for me to discover the editorial glitches in the June 2024 issue of The Syncopated Times. I’d
Saying Goodbye to The Palm Court
Nina Rimington and George Buck met once again in Atlanta, Georgia in 1984 when the effervescent mother of three was looking for a job with
That Most Soulful Scot: Saxophonist Joe Temperley
Judged by looks alone, Joe Temperley did not live up to any cliché of a jazz musician. Rather, he looked like a successful businessman, always
The Five Points, the Bowery, and the Phonograph
Between the 1820s and the early 1890s, the Five Points slum was the most feared neighborhood in New York. It was, however, the most diverse
The New Wonders
I’ll lead this by saying this is a different album from the one Scott Yanow reviews in this issue. He is quicker on the draw
Never Say Nix to Bix!
As I write this month’s column, Anne and I are in Scotland, performing at the Kirkcudbright (pronounced “Kir-coo-bree”) Jazz Festival (pronounced “Jazz” “Fes-ti-val”). It’s a
Bennie Moten’s K.C. Orch: The Final Years, Part 2
Jeff Barnhart: You loyal followers of hot music and the dissection thereof will rejoice that musician and musicologist Dan Barrett again joins me with great
Yankee Doodle Dandy and the Fourth of July
Where do we learn about love? About hate? About selfishness? About generosity? We learn from our parents. We learn from our friends. From our Clergy.
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The Festival Roundup July 2024
EVERGREEN JAZZ FESTIVAL (Evergreen, CO) – July 26-28 The 2ist Evergreen Jazz Festival is set for July 26, 27, and 28. Known for its beautiful
Dick McDonough
Dick McDonough was born July 30, 1904, in New York City. He began playing banjo and mandolin as a teenager in high school. His first
Rhythm in Gloucestershire: The 2024 Cheltenham Jazz Festival
I’m not much of a festival-goer, to be honest. I find myself getting a bit bored after two days of non-stop music and two nights
After Midnight: Ford Dabney and the Clef Club’s Lost Chapter
The story of the Clef Club and its impact on jazz has almost always been told through the lens of its most famous alum, James
Basin Street Regulars to Host Midiri Brothers in Pismo Beach in July
The Basin Street Regulars have two truly outstanding events coming up in July. The incredible Midiri Brothers are making the trip to California to perform
Seaside Rag (2021)
Jacob Adams is one of today’s most prolific piano rag composers. Seaside Rag (2021) displays the hallmarks of his compositional style: sonorous extended tertian harmonies
The 50th Old Time Piano-Playing Contest
The 50th Old Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival took place on Memorial Day weekend at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Ole Miss has
The Cellar Boys at the Green Mill
I was finally able to catch my favorite Chicago band, the Cellar Boys, at one of their regular habitats on Tuesday, May 21. I was
Fest Jazz in Brittany returns in July
“A jazz festival not like the others”! Why is that ? Well, first of all the setting: a small, sleepy French village in the middle
Trombonist Craig Klein: A NOLA Native Keeps the Music Playing
New Orleans jazz and brass band music in the ’70s Ellis Marsalis once stated that “In other places, culture comes down from on high. In
Bennie Moten’s KC Orch 1931-32: The Birth of Swing
Jeff Barnhart: This month, commitments have swept Hal away and it took me about 20 seconds (actually, I’m exaggerating) to arrive at my desired substitute;
Tuba Skinny • Hot Town
I’m enough of a hipster to wish I could dislike Tuba Skinny. To wish I could say they were overrated and their fame undeserved. To
Jenavieve and the Winding Boys • sleepy time dream team
Many albums from New Orleans are recorded in houses in the 9th Ward, supplying a poetic mental image of the festivities, but this one actually
Crawfish Wallet• A Good Man Is Hard To Find
The first album I heard from Crawfish Wallet was their third, 2022’s Ti Flanboyan, and two years later I still play it on my walks
The Secret Six • Centennial Tribute To King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band
Every year is now a centennial year for historic jazz. Between 2017 and 2023 we didn’t commemorate that many recordings. The ODJB got their articles
Amber Rachelle & The Sweet Potatoes • Two Sweet
I’ve had a lot of unsolicited CDs lately, which have made up the bulk of my recent album reviews. And while it’s always nice to
Corte Swearingen Introduces a Ragtime Master to a New Generation
Like most pianists who have devoted their lives to ragtime and early jazz, they remember the precise moment—and maybe even the exact work—when they first
Olli Soikkeli: A Guitarist’s Journey from Finland to New York
Olli Soikkeli is from a family of nonmusicians. His parents, however, tried to interest his two older brothers in playing some instruments, but the only
Lil Hardin Armstrong: Profiles in Jazz
Lil Hardin Armstrong had a long career as a pianist, songwriter and occasional singer but she is chiefly remembered today for her work during a
Michael Cuscuna and the Mosaic Records Legacy
There’s probably no better memorial to the legacy of legendary producer Michael Cuscuna than the release, expected in June, of a seven-CD set titled Classic
Helen Traubel Defends Popular Music
My grandmother used to say she couldn’t see because she had Cadillacs in front of her eyes. Well, it must be genetic because I’ve gone
Labor Unions and Phonograph Workers
Musicians who worked in phonograph studios in the acoustic era were basically forced to fend for themselves for pay. The Musicians’ Union as we know
