Giacomo ‘Kansas Smitty’ Smith is All About Authenticity
Dave Doyle
September 1, 2022
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One morning not long ago, I’d awakened to the sound of music. It wasn’t from the neighbor’s all-rock radio station. It wasn’t my son Andrew
Great music, good conversation, delicious food plus total relaxation awaited us for our 4th year at Ascona in Southern Switzerland. After the covid-induced hiatus, the
“Novelty Piano Music” is a sub-genre of ragtime music. It slowly started to develop in the late 1910s, but reached its zenith in the 1920s.
On April 30, 2022, we mourned the loss of Jim Maihack—one of the best traditional jazz performers of recent times. Jim was also one of
Working with the late Richard “Butch” Thompson was always a memorable experience. The Butch Thompson Trio—with himself on piano, bassist Bill Evans and drummer George
Wingy Manone had an appealing image of a happy intuitive musician, a primitive who one day woke up and started playing the trumpet for the
The 1930s Jeff Barnhart: Hal, last month we explored the tune “Copenhagen” from the first recording by Bix in 1924 to versions essayed through 1929.
Phil Napoleon was born Filippo Napoli in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 2, 1901. Napoleon took up the trumpet early and first played in public when
We all struggle with the conundrum regarding Art and Life: which imitates which? Sometimes it seems as if we are watching rather than scriptwriting our
Since the introduction of the phonograph, syncopated music was commonly recorded. But often while flipping through collections of classic ragtime sheet music, it seems odd
The 51st Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival In Davenport, Iowa, got under way, as usual, with a free concert at the Putnam Museum on Thursday afternoon,
It is always a pleasure to receive comments from readers. This past month I was delighted to hear from an old friend in Sweden, Peter
My one concert of 2022 was at The Hollywood Bowl and it was an evening to be remembered. A tribute to two icons of jazz:
It seems that during the annual hurricane season, New Orleans and the French Quarter delight in providing lots of distractions to benefit both local musicians,
Music has been the driving force in Herb Gardner’s life and has carried over to his entire family. Growing up in Massachusetts, Herb took piano
This work—co-written with Scott Hayden in 1901—has continually been one of Scott Joplin’s most popular pieces. Many fine recordings exist of Sunflower Slow Drag. Richard
As I write this month’s column, it’s challenging to find words to express the depth of my gratitude. I am deeply thankful to all those
More About Charlie Barnet To the Editor: Scott’s article about Charlie Barnet in the July issue of Sync Times reminded me of “Porky” Cohen’s stories
We are hard at work to bring back a live, in-person Jazz Jubilee by the Sea after two years of Livestreaming and Backyard shows. The
In the middle or late nineteen eighties I got a several weeks long engagement in Laredo, Texas, at the La Posada Inn. It is situated
Minnesota based pianist and clarinetist Butch Thompson passed away on August 14th, he was 78. He was most widely known as the house pianist and
24th Annual PENTASTIC HOT JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL (Penticton, BC) – Sept. 9-11 Situated between two lakes in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia,
Most planners of jazz festivals make decisions based on their budgets. Then, grants, sponsors, ticket sales, and venues have to be considered. Once the decision-making
During 1943-49, the Black & White label, which was founded and run by Lester Schriber, was one of the most significant small record companies on
Tenor-saxophonist Scott Hamilton and guitarist Duke Robillard have been friends for a half century, growing up in Rhode Island and first playing together when they
Buddy Johnson (1915-77) was a fine pianist and an important bandleader. He began recording with a swing septet in 1939. His group, which featured his
The CD Solos, Duets And Trios has a variety of valuable performances that mostly put the focus on Duke Ellington’s piano playing as both a
The Austin High School Gang, a group of teenagers in Chicago attending Austin High School in the 1920’s, became smitten with the jazz of the
When I first saw a punk folk band called Holy Moly and the Crackers, I wished I could get married again just to have them
Describing themselves as “a band for dancers and listeners alike,” Australian outfit Andrew Dickeson’s Blue Rhythm Band have been delighting swing fans around their native
In this second volume of Once More from the Beginning! by the Red Beans ’n’ Rice Jazz Band, Stuart McLean continues his recounting of the
If a group of traditional jazz fans were asked to name a great trombonist of the genre from the 1920s-1930s, we might hear “Jack Teagarden
The legendary Crane River Jazz Band was one of the earliest bands in the Traditional Jazz Revival in the U.K. that began in the late
Vol.7, No.9 August 2022
Giacomo “Kansas Smitty” Smith is All About Authenticity, by Dave Doyle
The Versatility of Jim Maihack, by Hal Smith
Novelty Piano Ragtime, by Matthew de Lacey Davidson
Bill Campbell and Two Sides of Martinique, by Dan Barrett
Ascona ‘New Orleans Experience’ Festival 2022, by Frank Farbenbloom
Travels With Butch: A Sideman’s Memories, by Hal Smith
Ain’t Cha Got Music: Copenhagen: Part 2, by Jeff Barnhart & Hal Smith
Profiles in Jazz: Wingy Manone, by Scott Yanow
Sinatra, Lee, and . . . Eilish?, by Randi Cee
Jazz Birthday of the Month: Phil Napoleon, illustration by Joe Busam
Static from my Attic, by Andy Senior
Jazz Jottings, by Lew Shaw
My Inspirations: What’s My Number, by Jeff Barnhart
Ragtime Vignettes: Sunflower Slow Drag, by Brandon Byrne
Quarter Notes: Oh What a Night!, by Shelly Gallichio
Rare Ragtime on Phonograph Records, by R.S. Baker
Jazz Travels: 2022 Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival, by Bill Hoffman
Festival Roundup, compiled by Joe Bebco
Blowing off the Dust: Take Me to the Promised Gland, by Larry Melton
Beloved Pianist and Clarinetist Butch Thompson Dies at 78, by Joe Bebco
The Streets of Laredo, by Peter Lundberg
Hoagy’s Workshop: An Approach to Jazz Education, byVan D. Young
Pismo Jazz Jubilee By the Sea Going Forward in 2023, byRhonda Cardinal
Nights at the Turntable, CD reviews by Scott Yanow
Doyle’s Discs, CD reviews by Dave Doyle
Bert’s Bits and Beats, CD reviews by Bert Thompson
