Steel guitars in all their many variations have long been a fascinating part of music. Named after the steel slide used to alter the pitch of the strings while playing -- not the material of the guitar itself -- the distinctive sound they create has become a familiar part of everything from country music to … Continue reading Jimmy Day And His Blue Darlin’
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.
A Long Ride For Ray Anthony
I've written a lot of pieces about musical stars who have enjoyed long performing careers, many stretching on for several decades. But it would be tough to top a guy who began his professional career by playing in Glenn Miller's band in 1940 -- and is still active today. Bandleader/trumpeter Ray Anthony (Raymond Antonini) was … Continue reading A Long Ride For Ray Anthony
REVIEW: James Moody – Moody 4A
For someone who is at an age when most of us (including me) would be napping in the sun, James Moody is on quite a roll. After a warm reception for last year's Our Delight, an album that featured the legendary saxophonist's collaboration with the equally respected pianist Hank Jones and his quartet, Moody has … Continue reading REVIEW: James Moody – Moody 4A
Remembering Mr. & Mrs. Swing
When you look at the current music scene and see the various methods used to promote the performers, it would be easy to think that it's a relatively new phenomenon, but it's not. Historical precedents are varied and numerous. For example, Mozart's father tirelessly promoted his son as a young genius and a musical prodigy … Continue reading Remembering Mr. & Mrs. Swing
Kenny Ball – Keepin’ It Alive
I guess you could consider this a continuation of my recent article about Acker Bilk, or at least a companion piece, because Kenny Ball is certainly a contemporary of Bilk's and was another stalwart of the British trad jazz movement. He's also still actively pursuing his music, as is Bilk. But there are differences, other … Continue reading Kenny Ball – Keepin’ It Alive
Just Keep Smilin’
If you're a "glass half-empty" type of person, it's certainly easy enough to find reasons to be that way in today's world. But if you look at that same imaginary glass and see it as half-full (and maybe even rising), then chances are that you're able to crack a smile once in a while. But … Continue reading Just Keep Smilin’
Acker Bilk – Trad Jazz Master
I've never been a big fan of dixieland jazz. I remember hearing a lot of it when I was a teenager and a friend of mine seemed inexplicably entranced by a group called the Dukes Of Dixieland. He had several LP records by the Dukes and seemed to play them every time I visited. It … Continue reading Acker Bilk – Trad Jazz Master
Norman Greenbaum — A Spirited Life
Although Norman Greenbaum could probably be described as a classic one-hit wonder, his story is still an interesting one. After all, even though he's best known for his big hit, 1970's "Spirit In The Sky," his first charted song was the oddly-named "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago," and he later spent some time as a … Continue reading Norman Greenbaum — A Spirited Life
REVIEW: Michael Olatuja — Speak
As someone who mostly writes about jazz, country music, and oldies (with the occasional foray into oddities like zydeco), I sometimes enjoy taking a look at something completely different. Speak, a new album on the Backdrop/ObliqSound label from Nigerian bassist and composer Michael Olatuja, is certainly just that. Although Olatuja is only 28 and this … Continue reading REVIEW: Michael Olatuja — Speak
Ben Webster – King Of The Tenors?
Although King Of The Tenors was the title given to Ben Webster's classic 1953 album, making that type of pronouncement probably provoked an argument, as it would now. But even though Webster was certainly one of the best of the early jazz saxophonists, the title of the album was probably not his idea anyway. In … Continue reading Ben Webster – King Of The Tenors?
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