The Red Onion Jazz Band: A Hot Time in New York City
Note: Earlier in 2021, jazz writer Dave Radlauer was offered a collection of recordings by the Red Onion Jazz Band—from the collection of Dick Dreiwitz,
History of the Galvanized Jazz Band, Pt. 3: After the Millpond
Also see: Early History of the Galvanized Jazz Band & History of the Galvanized Jazz Band, Part 2: The Millpond Years After the Millpond Tavern closed in
The Ragtime Era and the Birth of Public Television
As Max Morath celebrates his 95th birthday on October 1st this year, we are reminded of his career that spanned eight decades and included nearly
Vince Giordano: Keeper of the Jazz Age Flame
Vince Giordano’s life has been dedicated to the performance and preservation of the music of the 1920s and ’30s. He has been described as “a
Darnell Howard: A Musician’s Life, Part Two
The first part of the Darnell Howard story, discussing his early years in Chicago and work with W.C. Handy, Charles Elgar, and King Oliver, appeared
MacGyvering My Vinyl: An Experiment in Audiophilia
I don’t listen to music quietly. When my wife and I jump in the car and the stereo comes on, blaring out whatever CD I
Trumpeter Roy Tate, Jr. has died.
Jazz trumpeter Roy Tate, Jr., died on July 3d of this year, he was 84. He recorded his first album with the Queen City Jazz
The St. Louis Jazz Club to Celebrate 70 Years!
The St. Louis Jazz Club is proud to announce that we will be celebrating 70 wonderful years in October. The first meeting of the Jazz
The Potomac River Jazz Club at 50
In the beginning, it was about “fun and games”. At least that was what trombonist Al Webber is reliably reported to have said when he
Max Morath: Records That Changed Ragtime History
Within the space of three years, ragtime pianist-composer Max Morath released four vinyl LPs on the prestigious Vanguard label: The Best of Scott Joplin (double
Risa Branch: A Passion for Tradition
Singer Risa Branch is a fighter. As a self-proclaimed “former professional advocate,” she’s fought for civil rights, animal welfare, and gender equality around the United
Katie Thiroux: Lessons Learned While Teaching
They say it takes a village to raise a child. What does it take to raise a jazz musician? For bassist, vocalist, and composer Katie
Texas Shout #70 Melodic Improvisation
Set forth below is the seventieth “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the March 1996 issue of The American Rag. The text has not
Texas Shout #38 Jazz Singers
Set forth below is the thirty-eighth “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the April 1993 issue of the West Coast Rag now The Syncopated
Texas Shout #31 The History of Storyville Blues
Set forth below is the thirty-first “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the August 1992 issue of the West Coast Rag (now The Syncopated
A trip to NYC: Waldo’s Gotham Band & David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
This is not an article I expected to write, but given that the events I’m relating occur on a regular or seasonal basis, I felt
From the 50th Bix Jazz Festival
The 50th anniversary Bix Beiderbecke jazz festival in Bix’s hometown of Davenport, Iowa, got underway in its usual fashion on Thursday afternoon, August 5, with
Jazz in Buffalo and Rochester
I spent most of this summer in western New York instead of at my usual place, Potsdam in the St. Lawrence River valley, since my
Leigh Barker • Melbourne & Paris
Wanted: Ted Des Plantes (For Playing Traditional Jazz)
Savoy Satellites • Just Jivin’
Sarah Vaughan • Live At The Berlin Philharmonie 1969
Cats and Dinosaurs • Live!
Vintage Humphrey Lyttelton 1948-51
Sheila Jordan • Comes Love – Lost Session 1960
Tony Kieraldo • Hudson Ragtime Piano Suite
Spike Jones Off the Record: The Man Who Murdered Music
Texas Jazz Singer: Louise Tobin in the Golden Age of Swing and Beyond
Orlando R. Marsh: Chicago’s Pioneer of Electrical Recording (An Illustrated Bio-Discography)
Swingin’ the Blues: The Virtuosity of Eddie Durham, by Topsy M. Durham
The Blues-Singing Smiths: Mamie, Clara, Trixie, and Laura
In 1920, the success of Mamie Smith’s recording of “Crazy Blues,” the first blues recorded by an African-American singer, was a major surprise to the
Fred and George Van Eps: Profiles in Jazz
Banjoist Fred Van Eps cut his first released recordings in 1897 while his son, guitarist George Van Eps, made his final recordings in 1997, a
Jimmie Noone: Profiles in Jazz
Jimmie Noone was one of the big three of New Orleans clarinetists to emerge on records in the 1920s, holding his own with Johnny Dodds
Jazz in the Mountains
While Hurricane Ida was heading towards New Orleans and the State of Louisiana, we were up in the northern part of Arizona at the Prescott
NOLA Festivals Flip Flop
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival had been scheduled for the October 8-15 weekends since earlier this year with a “save the date” promotion,
Back in the Quarter Again!
What a wonderful time to be in the French Quarter after all restrictions were lifted on May 28th. Plans began for a visit two weeks
Dancing in a Bubble at the Fresno “Sounds of Mardi Gras” Festival in July
Throngs of live-music lovers descended upon the much anticipated “Sounds of Mardi Gras” festival in Fresno, California. We were almost giddy to attend this always
Live Jazz Returns to Tel Aviv
Considering that Israel is a country about the size of New Jersey with a population of about nine million, I would guess that per capita,
The 2021 Virtual Program of the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival
The weekend of June 4-5 belonged to the virtual concerts and symposia of the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival Foundation. That would ordinarily have been
Boston Brass and Beefsteak
In 1910, a new phonograph company emerged in Boston, it was founded upon a few generous donations from local elites. Their donations set the company
Frank Banta’s Greatest Hit
A question that phonograph collectors and historians often get asked is, “what was the most popular song to be recorded in the 1890s?” This question
Courtly Posturings: Victor Herbert v. Zonophone
In 1904, the famous composer Victor Herbert sued the Universal talking machine company (better known as Zon-O-Phone) for illegal use of his name. The folks
The Tears of a Clown
My desire to lead my band and sing the old tunes hasn’t cooled, but my hustle has. My reality with an at-risk mother has devolved
Second Hand Rows
4 years BC (Before Covid) my life hit a scary financial pothole. I had a small, yet vital secondary income and theoretically it would have
You Can’t Kill Death
I don’t know who first said it but it’s as true a statement as one can utter: Death is the great equalizer. On Monday, April
Buck Clayton’s Jazz World, Part One
The year 2021 marks 110 years since the birth of jazz trumpeter Buck Clayton, best known for his role in the classic early Count Basie
Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Part 2: Small Bands, Classical Career and Legacy
Read: Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Pt 1: The Early Years In the late 1930s the Swing combos of Benny Goodman (1906-1986) created a game-changing small-band
Benny Goodman’s Kingdom of Swing, Pt 1: The Early Years
Benny Goodman (1909-1986) did for clarinet what Louis Armstrong had done for the trumpet, gave it a virtuoso leadership role in the jazz ensemble. Benny’s
An American Art Form
Jazz has had quite an amazing journey this last hundred years. It is no longer the music of the downtrodden and uneducated lower classes. It
The World’s $#!%!est Gig?
The other night, I sat down with my girlfriend for a romantic night in, and we watched Titanic, that classic ’90s James Cameron blockbuster. Its
The Stories We Tell Ourselves
A few years ago while on tour through Europe with my band, we found ourselves in Krakow, Poland. It’s a beautiful old walled city with
From the 2021 Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival
The emergence of music festivals in America during the last century contributed greatly to the preservation and appreciation of the nation’s musical heritage. I have
A Field Guide to Social Media Types
I came to the Internet’s social media late but have benefitted immensely from the discovery. It can be unnervingly controversial, or thought provoking, and informative
Our Ragtime Community
I have been thinking a lot about our ragtime community these past months in forced isolation. Not that I have been unaware of the other
Jazz Drummer Dottie Dodgion has passed
It was with his band that she started taking drum lessons in the late 1940s. She began playing drums professionally in the early 1950s and
Polish traditional jazzman Paweł Tartanus has died.
On September 17, 2021, Paweł Tartanus, singer, banjoist and guitarist died in Warsaw after a long illness. One of the leaders of traditional jazz in
Trumpet player Phil Kirk has died
After being in failing health for the last couple of years, Phil Kirk died on Oct. 1, 2021. Phil was the leader and trumpet player
