I was sorry to see that veteran cowboy movie star Monte Hale has died. I've written before about my childhood fondness for Saturday matinees with Western movies, and even though he wasn't one of the bigger stars I remember him well. The funny thing is that he's now described as a 'singing cowboy' and I … Continue reading Saying Adios To Monte Hale
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.
Nagasaki — The Song, Not The City
For the last sixty-plus years, the name Nagasaki has stirred thoughts of a city in Japan with a history that includes being the site of the last wartime use of a nuclear device. But in the pre-war years, jazz fans probably most often thought of it as the title of one of the most popular … Continue reading Nagasaki — The Song, Not The City
Not Every Clover Brings Good Luck
My musical memory works in funny ways sometimes. I'll hear something that starts a little tickle deep inside, just a whisper or hint of a memory that I can't quite grasp. Eventually I'll figure it out -- or more likely, drive myself nuts trying. It happened again today while I was listening to Tommy James … Continue reading Not Every Clover Brings Good Luck
Bringin’ The Blues — The Butterfield Blues Band
The rise of what came to be known in the 1960s as 'blue-eyed soul' included contributions from a lot of different musicians. One band that should receive more recognition as an important influence in the evolution of the music is the Butterfield Blues Band, the Chicago-based band led by harmonica wiz and vocalist Paul Butterfield. … Continue reading Bringin’ The Blues — The Butterfield Blues Band
REVIEW: Various Artists – Very Best Of Prestige Records
Before I read the album notes for a new collection called The Very Best Of Prestige Records, I naturally enough thought to myself that it would have been child's play to put together this double-album commemorating the label's 60th anniversary. After all, Prestige has a long history as one of the best jazz labels around, … Continue reading REVIEW: Various Artists – Very Best Of Prestige Records
Leon Payne – The Multi-Talented Texan
There have been many blind musicians through the years and I'm sure that a few come to mind as you read this. But one that is mostly remembered as a songwriter -- if he's remembered at all -- was actually an amazingly skilled multi-instrumentalist and a very popular singer in his day. Texan Leon Payne … Continue reading Leon Payne – The Multi-Talented Texan
Harpers Bizarre — Beyond The Bridge
A while back I wrote about a group called the Danleers, and I coined the phrase 'One-Hit Plus Wonders'. It was my silly way of recognizing that sometimes musicians are a little more than just a simple One-Hit Wonder. To help prove the point I direct your attention to Harpers Bizarre, a California-based group popular … Continue reading Harpers Bizarre — Beyond The Bridge
In The Footsteps Of Glenn Miller
I guess it's just how things work sometimes, but it's not unusual for talented musicians to sometimes be more remembered for their association with a big name than for their own abilities. A case could be made that Ray McKinley's history with Glenn Miller fits that profile. The two were good friends whose paths often … Continue reading In The Footsteps Of Glenn Miller
Comic Book Collector Wannabe
A news item about the first Superman comic selling for $317,000 caught my attention today, especially when I saw that the original owner had bought it in a second-hand bookstore back in the 1950s when he was just 9 years old. The story triggered memories of my own childhood experience, which unfortunately didn't end as … Continue reading Comic Book Collector Wannabe
REVIEW: Steve Haines Quintet – Stickadiboom
Retro rules the roost in a new release from bassist Steve Haines and his group, who seem to have found a direct route to the kind of music that would have been right at home in the hard-bop era. Stickadiboom, now out on the Zoho label, is strongly evocative of the days when creative jazz … Continue reading REVIEW: Steve Haines Quintet – Stickadiboom
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