Caity Gyorgy Serves Up a Neat Retort to Critics
Women are relatively rare in the jazz world. They still constitute only a small minority of performers, compared with men, particularly if you exclude singers:
James Reese Europe: ‘The MLK of American Music’
James Reese Europe was more than a bandleader. He was more than a soldier. He was more than an activist. Once labeled the “Martin Luther
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band Celebrates Ten Years of Jazzing Fest
The unique music project known as the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, with its worldwide reputation as a wellspring of astonishing talent among its pre-teen and
Cookie’s Gingersnaps: Sweet, Hot, and St. Cyr
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, we’re both very fortunate to have busy performing/traveling schedules this month so we’ve pared down the number of tunes we’ll explore. As we’ll
Treemonisha Transformed! The Volcano/Luminato Production
Scott Joplin and Opera Known for his piano rags, Scott Joplin’s ambition to become an opera composer surprised many of his contemporaries. It still surprises
Chicago Reedwoman Natalie Scharf
I encountered reedwoman Natalie Scharf after she joined the front line of the Chicago Cellar Boys. If you’re not aware of this band (and you
Three Great Jazz Guitarists: Carl Kress, Dick McDonough and George Barnes
They were three of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 1930s although they have been overshadowed in the jazz history books by Eddie Lang, Django
Golden Memories from the Golden State Jazz Band
One of the experiences in jazz that I wouldn’t trade for anything was the brief time I spent playing with Ev Farey’s Golden State Jazz
Guitarist Steven Hancoff
This month I continue to write about the premier 1974 Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri. Last month I featured Flint Long, piano contest
Ruby Brooks: The Champion of the Banjo
In the era of Tin Pan Alley, a few recording artists tried to unite their record making with sheet music publishing. In the latter 19th
Ellington Orchestra 5tet Heats Up Criterion Theater in Bar Harbor
On July 27, 2023, I had the pleasure of attending a one-night-only, 90-minute show by The Duke Ellington Orchestra Quintet at the Criterion Theater in
Digital Challenges
Musicians have to be a hardy lot, and here I’m not only talking about the full-timers—those who log in hundreds of thousands of miles and
Golden Island Dim Sum creates home for San Diego swing scene
Presents Lizzy & The Triggermen from Los Angeles. San Diego’s, Mad Hat Hucksters, Opens. Mira Mesa – November 12th, 2023 – Golden Island Dim Sum will be
Jazz in Arizona’s Mile High City!
The Prescott Jazz Summit takes place the weekend before Labor Day and this year they were celebrating the 22nd year of the event. Situated about
The Rain in Maine Can’t Stop the Jazz
Yellow sweaters, my friends, yellow sweaters galore! I read a quote recently comparing history to items that float by on the surface of a river
Pershore — Jazz on a Summer’s Day
Pershore is a small city in England unknown to most people. Yet it is home of one of the most active Trad Jazz clubs in
How to Kick Yourself Out
Just how ignorant do you have to be to get kicked out of a club you started? That’s a rhetorical question which was nonetheless answered
Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters was born on October 31, 1896, in Chester, Pennsylvania. She sang in church choirs as a child, won local talent contests, and performed
Jazz Jottings October 2023
Stephanie Trick has found that painting has given her a release from the “high” of performing, and the results have been most impressive. This paint-on-the-go
School of Ragtime
I have never understood why Scott Joplin’s instructional (1908) is conspicuously absent from most “complete” recorded anthologies of the composer’s piano music. School of Ragtime is an apt
View From the Bandstand
Over the years from the bandstand I have witnessed some rather strange scenes on the dance floor. At our weekly residency at a pizza parlor,
Festival Roundup October 2023
DJANGO BY THE SEA (Kittery, ME) Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 The premiere annual Gypsy Jazz festival in New England takes place at The Dance
Calling all Jazz Clubs
Come to jazz class! The Potomac River Jazz Club (PRJC) of the Washington DC area has issued a call to all other clubs and societies
Hannah Gill • Everyone Loves a Lover
At just 26 years old, Hannah Gill could hardly be better established as a performer. She’s toured the world twice with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions
In the end, it comes down to your Moldy Fig quotient. If, like me, you rooted yourself in a jazz era that barely stretched into
The Bix Centennial All Stars • Celebrating Bix
There have been many tributes to cornetist Bix Beiderbecke (1903-31) during the past 92 years. Besides being second only to Louis Armstrong in importance among
Danny Jonokuchi Big Band • Voices
Danny Jonokuchi features on both of the records I’ve reviewed this month—yes, it’s a Doyle’s Discs double-Danny discourse. He isn’t someone I was too familiar
Michel Pastre, Louis Mazetier, and Guillaume Nouaux • Fine Ideas
An all-star French jazz trio comprised of tenor-saxophonist Michel Pastre, pianist Louis Mazetier, and drummer Guillaume Nouaux performs a wide-ranging set of music on their
Champian Fulton • Meet Me At Birdland
Back in 2003, pianist-singer Champian Fulton, who had recently graduated from high school, moved to New York and made her first appearance performing at Birdland.
Roger Marks • In Retrospect
Trombonist and band leader Roger Marks from the UK probably gets little name recognition in the traditional jazz community in the US. As this CD
Walter Payton’s Gumbo Filè Band • Live ‘In Store’ At The Louisiana Music Factory
The late New Orleans bassist Walter Payton (died 2010) had a busy musical career that found him playing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the
West London Rhythm Kings and Guests
This compilation of tracks by the West London Rhythm Kings gives some idea of the various personnel who played with the band or “depped” (“subbed”
Jimmy Jones • The Splendid Mr. Jones
Jimmy Jones (1918-82) was a sophisticated and harmonically advanced pianist who emerged out of the swing era. He made his recording debut with violinist Stuff
The Hot Jazz of Alan Cooper and Friends
While most of the musicians’ names will be familiar to UK Traditional jazz fans, such will probably not be the case here in the US.
French Preservation New Orleans Band • Steaming Hot Jazz at the Irigny Festival
The French Preservation New Orleans Jazz Band has issued numerous recordings—in his liner notes JP Alessi speaks of this latest one being the 36th—and like
Gene Krupa • Drummin’ Man
JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH Gene Krupa (1909-73) was the first drummer to become a matinee idol and a household name. He was also the
Norman Thatcher’s Ragtime Band • Live at the Bull at Barnes
The UK, that relatively small country, has produced many fine traditional jazz musicians and bandleaders during the last century whose names will be familiar to
Illiana Jazz Club Celebrates Fifty Years of Hot Jazz in Chicago
There was a roadhouse built in the late 1940s located just on the Illinois side of the state line near the little town of Dyer,
Composer and Trombonist Morgan Powell Has Died
Morgan Powell, a composer and jazz trombonist, died on August 20th, he was 85. A graduate of the famous University of North Texas Music Program
Trombonist William Shepherd, Jr has died at 89
William Shepherd, Jr. died on August 29th, he was 89. He toured with the Tommy Dorsey/Warren Covington Orchestra in the late 50s before turning to
Swedish Saxophonist Frans Sjöström Has Died
Frans Sjöström, a Swedish saxophonist who modeled his style on Adrian Rollini, died on August 19th, he was 78 years old. He was one of
Judy Carmichael: Taking Life in Stride
Pianist Judy Carmichael wrote SWINGER! as an autobiographical account of the myriad experiences she has experienced throughout her creative and high-energy life. She describes herself
Mamie Smith: Always “The First Lady of the Blues”
A beautiful portrait of Mamie Smith graced the entire cover of Leonard Kunstadt’s legendary publication Record Research in January 1964. The portrait by famed Harlem
The Soggy Po’ Boys: The Hottest Jazz Band in New Hampshire!
On a warm August evening, I had the pleasure of sitting with six (of the seven) members of the Soggy Po’ Boys, a New Orleans-style
Twenty-Five Jazz Movies to See
Jazz has been used in many Hollywood films through the years, whether on the soundtrack, for cameo appearances by jazz greats, or as part of
The Moaninest Moan: Rediscovering Loren McMurray
While fishing for excuses for being beyond my deadline, I told the publisher this was the most important jazz release we have ever covered. For
San Francisco Jazz, Phase Two, 1940-66
WWII Jazz boom, The Fillmore, Oakland Blues, North Beach & Forbidden City Nightclubs San Francisco was the location for dynamic developments in popular entertainment: Traditional,
Focus on Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Orchestra
Jeff Barnhart: Hal, this month we’re exploring Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Orchestra (sometimes Ten or Band), a unit that recorded between Feb 1925 and May 1929
