Jazz Royalty Remembered: Prince Robinson
Jazz history is not necessarily written by its winners, yet they still manage to dominate the narrative. There are certainly landmark musicians whose influence merits
The Professor Speaks! Our Interview with Adrian Cunningham
Over the years, Adrian Cunningham has made his mark on the jazz scene. Knowing a bit of his background, I wanted to interview him, but
The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966
Louis Armstrong entered a new and lucrative phase of his career in 1947 when he broke up his big band and formed his All-Stars. While
Roundtable: The Benny Goodman Sextet at Basin Street East, 1954
Hal Smith: During the seemingly endless nationwide lockdown, I have enjoyed one positive experience: participating in a series of video discussions regarding the Benny Goodman
Is the Gus Haenschen-Scott Joplin Connection Significant?
Gus Haenschen (1889–1980) was once a highly prominent figure in popular music with his name-recognition reinforced by regular newspaper advertisements and occasional articles. From 1919
Brick Fleagle: What’s in a Name
My wife Laura I lived in New York City for nearly fourteen exciting years, from early 1983 until the summer of 1996. It seemed that
Happy Days (for Dancers) Are Here Again—or They Will Be, Soon
The British weather has been … changeable, over the last month. I know, bad weather in Britain—quelle surprise. But honestly, the sun has been unusually
Getting Happily Together: How Maria Muldaur Met Tuba Skinny
Over her 50-plus-year career, Maria Muldaur has worked with dozens of musical giants and geniuses, from Ry Cooder to Duke Robillard to Jerry Garcia. She
Jazz Jottings June 2021
Sad news that Arthur’s Tavern, the historic blues and jazz club in New York City’s West Village for over 70 years, has officially closed. The
Reedman Keenan McKenzie Keeps Riffing!
Keenan McKenzie has his own bands: the Riffers are a popular dance-oriented swing combo with a three-horn front line, while the Keenan McKenzie Orchestra is
Gunhild Carling: Living the Jazz Life
For some musicians, jazz is the music they play but for multi-talented Gunhild Carling, jazz is her life. She grew up surrounded by it and
Johnathan Stout’s Jazz is Crafted for Dancing
What is authentic swing music? It depends who you ask. Plenty of modern outfits advertise themselves as “authentic” swing musicians—many of them function bands, sporting
Texas Shout #11 Reviewing Records, Part Two
Set forth below is the eleventh “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the October 1990 issue of The West Coast Rag, now known as
Texas Shout #13 Playing the Standards
Set forth below is the thirteenth “Texas Shout” column. It first appeared in the Holiday Edition 1990 issue of the West Coast Rag, (Now Syncopated Times.)
Texas Shout #53 Routines and Roadmaps
Set forth below is the fifty-third “Texas Shout” column. The initial installment of a two-part essay, it first appeared in the August 1994 issue of
A Visit with Domingo Mancuello
Although pianist Domingo Mancuello (pronounced Man-KWAY-o) lives only three miles from me (but not for long—see below), I did not meet him here in Lancaster.
A cold live show with Champian Fulton
Like many of you since the onset of COVID, I’ve been itching to be able to attend live music events and festivals. There just haven’t
Charlotte Dickison on her 25 years with the Olympia Jazz Festival
Charlotte Dickison retired as director of the Olympia Jazz Festival after the 2019 edition. She made many friends from all over the US and Canada
The Secret Six
Black Swan Classic Jazz Band • Pandemonium
Diplomacy in Swing • The Intercontinental Jazz Ambassadors
The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966
Cait and the Critters • I Love Being Here With You
The Piano Music Of Dick Hyman performed by Steven Harlos
Shaymus Hanlin • Just Us, Just We
Albert Nicholas • Albert’s Back In Town
Swingin’ the Blues: The Virtuosity of Eddie Durham, by Topsy M. Durham
It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie by Marty Grosz
12 Jazz Violin Duos composed by Ittzés Tamás
The Lady Swings: Memoirs Of A Jazz Drummer
Red Norvo and Mildred Bailey: Mr and Mrs. Swing
They were a bit of an odd couple. Red Norvo was thin and soft-spoken while Mildred Bailey was heavy and could be rather boisterous. But
Jimmy Rushing: Profiles in Jazz
During the swing era, there were two types of male singers that were employed by many big bands, and then there was Jimmy Rushing. While
Cliff Edwards: Profiles in Jazz
He was a very popular singer and entertainer who, as “Ukulele Ike,” had major accomplishments in the 1920s, he appeared in many films in the
Nickel-A-Dance Returns!
Sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the following press release was a welcome announcement: “NICKEL-A-DANCE is a free series of Sunday afternoon
Keep on Truckin’ in the Quarter
Although easing up a bit, the current situation has put a stop to most live music in New Orleans but it has created some alternatives
More Bits and Pieces
The Orpheum Theater in New Orleans is celebrating its 100th birthday and re-introducing the new Double Dealer speakeasy under the theater. Resembling the backstage setting
The History Behind “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Billie Holiday has inspired a number of books–often with conflicting views–that try to get a handle on her tumultuous and complex life. There’s an autobiography
With CalBal Live, We Need Not Stop Dancing
As much as I’ve missed dancing during the pandemic—more than I can express, really—it’s not something I’ve sought out online. People have put a ton
From the Virtual West Coast Ragtime Festival
I remember reading Bill Hoffman’s fine column last year in The Syncopated Times describing his first visit to a West Coast Ragtime Festival (WCRF) and
Charlie Carson Records in the Far East
Last month’s piece in this column was on Charlie Carson and his partner in crime Russell Hunting. This month will be a continuation of Carson’s
The Charming and Cunning Charlie Carson
In 1896, two phonograph engineers were arrested for the first crime not patent related within the recording business. The more famous of the two, Russell
Bert Morphy: The Man Who Sang to Beat the Band
In the 19th century, novelties and curiosities were all the rage. We have all heard of the circus performers, snake oil salesmen, sideshow freaks—but there
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
Clichés in the COVID Cabaret
I am a bacon-wrapped cliché, an idiom in puffed pastry. And sometimes I am the wrong that proves the right. I have been absent from
Farewell to Stan McDonald (1935-2021)
Stanley ‘Stan’ Montrose McDonald, Jr. (1935-2021) loved the music of Sidney Bechet, his wife Ellen, their historic semi-rural Massachusetts home and a hard-driving rhythm section
Swingin’ the Blues: The Virtuosity of Eddie Durham, by Topsy M. Durham
The monumental role of Eddie Durham (1906-1987) in the development of Swing has been hidden in the corners of Jazz history and mostly overlooked by
Bobby Bruce: Twentieth Century Fiddler
Fiddler Bobby Bruce lived one of the longest and most diverse professional music careers I’ve encountered, performing and arranging for seven decades in Vaudeville, Jazz,
There Goes Another Gig
I was talking with a colleague recently who told me that someone had uploaded all the Nirvana songs to an A.I. algorithm, then the A.I.
A Quarantine Year in Review
Well folks, it’s been one full year since our lives all fundamentally changed. If you’d have asked me a year ago where we’d be by
For the Record
The way we listen to music has changed a lot in the last decade. And I, probably like many of you, have been absorbing music
Stepping Out Of The Shade
As I watch civilization slowly emerge from our pandemic hibernation, I realize we still live in a dangerous world. I find myself in a tentative
Scott Joplin Autographs
For many admirers, a personally signed autograph is a treasured keepsake. For over fifty years I avidly accumulated these bits of personalized ephemera. It all
Celebrating Missouri’s Music
If anything can dispel the gloom of a negative historical anniversary, it is music. That seems to have been what motivated Dr. Michael J. Budds
Trombonist Sonny Helmer has died
Trombonist Sonny Helmer died on May 25th, he was 90 years old. Helmer was a veteran of the Korean War, a member of the 392nd
Cellist Leo Crandall has died at 67
Bandleader, songwriter and cellist Leo Crandall died suddenly on May 29, in Syracuse, N.Y. He was 67 years old. Born in Detroit, he moved to
Jazz Drummer Al Hartland, 1950-2021
Jazz drummer Al Hartland died May 23 of heart disease, in Ithaca, N.Y. He was 71. Born Alexander S. Micucci in Philadelphia, Pa., Al grew
