The title of trumpeter Sean Jones' new album, The Search Within, provides a pretty strong clue to the career progression of the young jazz musician. It's his fifth in five years -- all on the Mack Avenue label -- and follows up on 2007's Kaleidoscope. That effort featured a diversified collection with a lot of … Continue reading REVIEW: Sean Jones – The Search Within
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.
Helen Humes And The Cotton Club
I've always been a little fascinated by the story of the Cotton Club, the historic New York night spot that hosted countless musical legends through the years. In fact, I've written about it before, but my subject here is a lady who might -- or might not -- have appeared there. Helen Humes was a … Continue reading Helen Humes And The Cotton Club
Marchin’ To The Train With King Curtis
So I was listening to some music today -- specifically an old R&B instrumental called "Night Train," by King Curtis -- and as I enjoyed his honkin' sax I kept thinking to myself, why does that song sound so familiar? I don't mean just familiar in the sense that I'd heard it before, because practically … Continue reading Marchin’ To The Train With King Curtis
Dave ‘Baby’ Cortez And His Happy Organ
Teenage boys in the 1950s were not that much different from now in at least one respect -- risqué double-entendres usually made us snicker and dig an elbow into our friends' sides. That might have helped explain why a relatively unknown keyboardist named Dave Cortez rocketed to the top of the charts in 1959 with … Continue reading Dave ‘Baby’ Cortez And His Happy Organ
REVIEW: High Performance – Live From Breaux Bridge: Pt 1
Steve Riley, the leader of the Mamou Playboys, is probably one of the better-known names in Cajun music -- admittedly not a major genre but still one with lots of fans, including me. That's why it caught my attention to see that he's teamed up with band-mate Kevin Dugas on a labor of love, an … Continue reading REVIEW: High Performance – Live From Breaux Bridge: Pt 1
The Winky-Dink Revolution
I have to thank Lil' Sis for the inspiration for this post. It's the story of one of the earliest instances of interactive entertainment, a TV program that even Bill Gates once saluted as a revolutionary use of the medium -- a 1950s show called Winky-Dink And You. Co-producer Jack Barry also served as host … Continue reading The Winky-Dink Revolution
From Honky-Tonks To Pop Stardom — Al Dexter
I like to think of myself as someone who is reasonably knowledgeable about the music of the past, but for a long time I didn't realize how popular country music was in the first half of the 20th century. I always knew that both jazz and blues were vital parts of the musical landscape in … Continue reading From Honky-Tonks To Pop Stardom — Al Dexter
Jan Savitt – The Enigmatic Russian
One of the most fascinating stories of the big band era would have to be that of bandleader Jan Savitt. A Russian immigrant with a few holes in the story of his origin, as a child he was a prodigy on the violin but ended up leading his own very popular swing band -- and … Continue reading Jan Savitt – The Enigmatic Russian
On The Marquee: Friend And Lover
I sometimes look at things from an strange angle. Case in point, I was listening to the music of the 1960s -- specifically a singing duo that carried the unusual name Friend and Lover -- and I visualized a guy working on putting up the signs outside a club where they were opening. He would … Continue reading On The Marquee: Friend And Lover
REVIEW: Eyran Katsenelenbogen – 88 Fingers
When I'm reviewing a new album, I have the unfortunate habit of occasionally getting distracted by something that has little -- if anything -- to do with the music. Even worse, the object of my distraction is often something that's unworthy of a serious music critic. Good thing I'm not one. A new album from … Continue reading REVIEW: Eyran Katsenelenbogen – 88 Fingers
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