I was again digging through old pictures and I found one of myself as a toddler with a daredevil streak. I was posing for the photo while precariously balanced on the spout of a water pump located near my maternal grandparents' house. They lived on the outskirts of a country village, and the pump was … Continue reading Don’t Forget To Prime The Pump
Author: BG
BG (aka The Big Geez) is a retiree who who has spent over a decade generating the Geezer Music Club, where he tries to prove that geezers can stay in touch with today's world. . .and still find time for the trimming of ear hair.
Al Martino Will Be Remembered
When I read that Al Martino had died recently, a number of thoughts went through my mind. Like a lot of people, I thought about his appearances in the Godfather movies -- not a lot of screen time, but memorable nonetheless. He played a mob-connected singer named Johnny Fontane, a character rumored to have been … Continue reading Al Martino Will Be Remembered
REVIEW: Count Basie Orchestra – Swinging, Singing, Playing
One of the best of the many "ghost" bands that have operated through the years would have to be that of Count Basie. Although he died over twenty years ago, the Count Basie Orchestra -- or the CBO, as it calls itself (complete with a nifty logo that pictures all the group's members) -- has … Continue reading REVIEW: Count Basie Orchestra – Swinging, Singing, Playing
Teddy Wilson – Smoother Than Silk
If you were to take all the talented pianists whose careers stretched from the Big Band days to the the Modern Jazz era and lay them end to end, they'd reach to -- whoops. What I meant to say was that if you're looking for one among them who was the very definition of a … Continue reading Teddy Wilson – Smoother Than Silk
Upping The Bid With Leroy Van Dyke
I've attended my share of auctions through the years. When I was a young family man with limited funds I knew it was a good source of everything from furniture to tools, and -- admittedly -- the occasional useless gadget. But even before that, I had been known to place a bid or two and … Continue reading Upping The Bid With Leroy Van Dyke
Blasted Bloodsuckers
I hate mosquitoes. That might seem like an odd way to begin a post on a music blog. It also might seem to be out of season, since this is October and everybody knows mosquitoes are Summer critters, right? Wrong. I just got bit by one, adding yet another chapter to my lifelong love/hate relationship. … Continue reading Blasted Bloodsuckers
Echoes Of The Beach Boys
I've written several pieces recently about groups like the Knickerbockers and the Buckinghams, two American bands in the Sixties who attempted to emulate the success of British groups like the Beatles. But popular groups of all kinds have always had their imitators, and it's sometimes fun to rediscover one like the Trade Winds, who seemed … Continue reading Echoes Of The Beach Boys
Born To Be A Cowboy?
There was a period during my late teens when I was convinced that I'd been born in the wrong time and place. I was sure that I should have been a cowboy. Or maybe the marshal of Dodge City. I was a little unclear on the details, but the whole idea of having been around … Continue reading Born To Be A Cowboy?
REVIEW: Ramsey Lewis – Songs From The Heart; Ramsey Plays Ramsey
One of the things I enjoy about reviewing new albums is that it sometimes opens my eyes to artists who might be a little unfamiliar to me. But it's also a pleasure when I rediscover a legendary three-time Grammy winner who is still a vibrant and active force in music. That would be Ramsey Lewis. … Continue reading REVIEW: Ramsey Lewis – Songs From The Heart; Ramsey Plays Ramsey
Franck Pourcel And His French Fiddlers
The French have had their share of musical stars through the years, and seem to have been especially strong in instrumental pop and light classics, a genre sometimes called Easy Listening. A while back I wrote about Paul Mauriat, and another good example would be his friend and frequent collaborator, Franck Pourcel. Pourcel was the … Continue reading Franck Pourcel And His French Fiddlers
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