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
All Strings Attached at the All Frets Reunion!
Back in February, my friend Arlene Tomlinson (bs) let me know about the All Frets Reunion taking place here in Tucson in August. This annual
Southside Aces • Minneapolis Bump
It’s easy to prejudge an album, based on a band’s blurb and the first track or two. The latest release by Southside Aces promises “original
A Deep Dive into Fred Hager’s Papers
Recently, I went back to Medford, Long Island, to revisit the box of papers that once belonged to Fred Hager. While yes, I did go
Tatiana Eva-Marie & Jeremy Corren • Two At The Most
Tatiana Eva-Marie, who was born in Switzerland and is based in Brooklyn, is best-known for her spirited renditions of Gypsy jazz and swing standards, inspired
Sideman Joys at the Bix
To set the stage for this month’s journey, I’ll quote lyrics from one of my biggest inspirations, pianist, composer, vocalist and lyricist Dave Frishberg: I
Loren McMurray • The Moaninest Moan Of Them All
Before Coleman Hawkins, Sidney Bechet, Frank Trumbauer, Jimmy Dorsey, and Adrian Rollini made their first recordings, there was Loren McMurray (1897-1922). A technically skilled alto-saxophonist
Jazz Jottings September 2023
The official opening of the Louis Armstrong Visitors Center in early July will provide a deeper dive into the life and art of one of
Greg Ruby and Steve Rice • Corner Café
We Brits like to think of ourselves as European—or 55 percent of us do, judging by a 2023 YouGov survey on Brexit “Bregret” (well, quelle
From the 2023 Davenport Bix Fest
In my report of the 2022 Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival In Davenport, Iowa, I opined that it was one of the best edition I’ve
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band, a popular attraction in the swing scene of New York, performs vintage standards with impressive musicianship and abundant spirit. It
Ain’t No Wrong Notes in Jazz
It is easy to be impressed by jazz musicians… if you are not one yourself. We are, after all, an impressive bunch. And I know
Ethel Waters • Stormy Weather
She was the most versatile singer to emerge from the classic blues movement of the early 1920s. Ethel Waters (1896-1977), who had a very rough
Central Pennsylvania Ragtime & American Music Festival returns this September
Imagine sitting on the platform of your towns’ railroad station, whistles blowing as the old-time steam engine chugs to the platform, and live jazz music
Jazz In Britain 1919-1950 (4 CD Box Set)
When the Original Dixieland Jazz Band settled in London for an extended stay in 1919, they were essentially introducing jazz to the United Kingdom. While
Catching up with Flint Long
As I was blowing the dust off some unsorted clippings recently, I found a clipping on the contest held at the first Scott Joplin Ragtime
Leg Up
I enjoyed an unexpected vacation during the month of August—or I should say I enjoyed those aspects of it that were enjoyable. This brief sabbatical
You are the 1% — keeping CDs alive
My personal Instagram account celebrates “Lost Formats”. I have shared photos of wire recorders, cylinder records, Betamax videos, and stereoscopes. I once shared a picture
Thompson Falls Rag
A “dark horse” in the first volume of Ragtime Wizardry is the second-to-last selection, Bryan Wright’s Thompson Falls Rag. Arpeggios—many with double notes—abound in this
Ted Weems
Ted Weems was born Wilfred Theodore Wemyes on September 26, 1901, in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. Weems’ start in music came when he won a violin in
The Festival Roundup September 2023
HOT JAZZ JUBILEE (Sacramento, CA) – Sept. 1-4 Join Us Labor Day Weekend 2023 for Sacramento’s Premier End of Summer Celebration! Hot Jazz Jubilee will
Letters: The End of the Ragtime Revival?/Jean Goldkette: Setting the Record Straight
The End of the Ragtime Revival? To the Editor: I am writing in reference to “Max Morath and the 1941-2023 Ragtime Revival,” published in the
Piddler on the Roof
Oriental Odyssey How’s this for a truly international adventure? During a 10-day gig at the Excelsior Hotel in Hong Kong in 1990, the Natural Gas
Rudiments of Ragtime Installment 9: Eubie Blake (1887-1983)
Eubie Blake (born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore) learned to play the piano as a child of four or five. He became a living link
Music amid Mayhem: Jazz in Tel Aviv, Spring 2023
For the last several months viewers around the world have been treated to TV news showing Tel Aviv streets regularly filled with tens of thousands
20th Evergreen Festival Hits a Rocky Mountain High Note
The 20th Evergreen Jazz Festival, held July 28-30 in Evergreen, Colorado, continued the event’s reputation for presenting big talent in intimate venues with a scenic
Tom Brier Receives Outstanding Achievement Award from SJIRF
Tom Brier received the 2023 Ragtime Outstanding Achievement Award from the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation. He is an extremely popular California pianist, composer, collector,
New Orleans Drummer Barry “Kid” Martyn has died
British born drummer Barry “Kid” Martyn died on July 17th, he was 82. He first heard New Orleans jazz on Alistair Cooke’s Letter from America
Tonny Bennett
Tony Bennett (August 3rd, 1926 – July 21st, 2023) was the last of the original crooners. Younger than Frank Sinatra and others with whom he
Tom Artin has died at 84
Trombonist Tom Artin died on July 27th, he was 84. He began playing in junior high school under the direction of composer John Harbison, in
Ryoichi Kawai
Clarinetist Ryoichi Kawai (1940 – August 2023) founded The New Orleans Rascals in 1961 as an extension of the Original Dixieland Jazz Club of Osaka
NOLA’s Joplin Parnell: Living the Dream in London
Many aspirational jazz musicians make their way to New Orleans at some point—to soak up the culture they love, to undertake a musical apprenticeship or
Mezz Mezzrow and the Disciples of Swing
Introduction Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow was a jazz musician/marijuana seller and author (with writer Bernard Wolfe) of a singular autobiography, Really The Blues. The book, set
NOLA’s Tuba Skinny Stomps in the Rain in Syracuse
The New Orleans’ street-sensation Tuba Skinny took the Amazon Main Stage Saturday, June 24 under rainy skies at the at the 37th edition of the
Trad Jazz in Maine: From Desert to Oasis
As I read Andy Senior’s February 2023 “Static in My Attic” column where he recounted pushback he’d received on the need to save trad jazz,
Richard Berry: Capturing Images of Ragtime
Richard Berry is a fine musician and has performed at many ragtime events since the 1980s. In addition to his musical talent however, Rich has
Jazz in the UK: Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2023
When I wrote about last year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, I noted the dearth of old-timey acts compared with its soul, pop, and fusion-oriented headliners. Well
Max Morath and the 1941-2023 Ragtime Revival
The “ragtime revival” started with Wally Rose’s surprise hit recording, in December 1941, of George Botsford’s “Black And White Rag.” At that time, there was
Remembering Earl Scheelar (1929-2023)
Bay Area bandleader, clarinetist and cornet player, Earl Scheelar (1929-2023) died peacefully on July 28, 2023. Few have shown greater leadership keeping Classic Jazz alive,
M.K. Jerome and the James Taylor – Katnip Kollege Connection
TST: Gary, your previous books were about American history but The Tunesmith is a book about your grandfather. It’s so different from your other books.
Bill Edwards Explores Honky-Tonk: the Ragtime Craze of the 1950s
For some time now I have been wanting to write about the prodigious work of Bill Edwards of Ashburn, Virginia. (However, I learned he had
Weird Gigs I Have Known: Shivaree Stomp
That banjo player I spoke of previously was also in the wars again when his son was getting married. He wanted to book us to
