Although his name might not be a familiar one to casual jazz fans, British musical prodigy Victor Feldman was a much-respected instrumentalist for many years. His career encompassed everything from playing drums for Glenn Miller (at age 10!) to heading up ground-breaking jazz groups of his own. Along the way he appeared alongside many of … Continue reading Remembering A Prodigy – Victor Feldman
Author: BG
Life Is Like A Box Of Chiclets
Tabloid City, a new book by legendary New York writer Pete Hamill, has triggered my latest foray into the dim recesses of childhood memory. During a passage in which he's describing the sound made by an oldster who is softly snoring, he compares it to what you hear when you blow into an empty Chiclets … Continue reading Life Is Like A Box Of Chiclets
A Half-Century Of Lulu
I would think that most of the folks who find their way to the GMC on a regular basis would be familiar with a 1960s British singer named Lulu -- or at least will remember her huge number-one pop hit, "To Sir With Love." As you will also recall, it was the theme of a … Continue reading A Half-Century Of Lulu
Sing Like An Egyptian
There was a period in the late 1970s when it seemed like everyone was fascinated by all things Egyptian -- especially anything related to King Tut. The long-gone 'boy pharaoh' Tutankhamun was by most reports a fairly minor figure in Egyptian history but as one of the few whose artifacts survived the attention of grave-robbers, … Continue reading Sing Like An Egyptian
The Endlessly Inventive Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Blind for most of his life and slowed by a stroke in his later years, jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk still managed to make his mark in a big way before his death in 1977. He was the very definition of cutting-edge, playing a staggering number of different instruments -- sometimes several at once -- … Continue reading The Endlessly Inventive Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Green Fields Of A Different Kind
A while back, I posted a slideshow that featured pictures of crop circles, but the photos below are of green fields of a different kind. They show rice paddies in Japan that have been skillfully planted with different varieties of the ubiquitous grain, so that as the plants grow they form amazing pieces of artwork. … Continue reading Green Fields Of A Different Kind
Classic Bluegrass – Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
It's been a while since we featured country music on the ol' GMC, and even longer since the sub-genre known as bluegrass has made an appearance. That being the case, it seems only fitting to take a look at one of the best of the traditional bluegrass acts, a husband and wife team that also … Continue reading Classic Bluegrass – Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
Sheila Jordan – Defying The Odds
You would have to assume that by the time we reach our 80s most of us would no longer be pursuing our normal vocation (if we're even still around), but it has always seemed to me that musical artists often defy the odds. Yet another example is jazz singer Sheila Jordan, who is still entertaining … Continue reading Sheila Jordan – Defying The Odds
Happy Un-Birthday To Louis Armstrong
During his lifetime, Louis Armstrong always said that he'd been born on July 4th, 1900. It became part of his legend and somehow always seemed appropriate for someone who was arguably the most important figure in the history of jazz, America's music. It wasn't until more than a decade after his 1971 death that his … Continue reading Happy Un-Birthday To Louis Armstrong
Music Legends Inspired By ‘Blackface’ Entertainer
With our modern sensibilities it can be a little jarring to look at a picture like the one below, but 'blackface' performers are a part of music history, and most of us will recall reading about early minstrel shows or will remember Al Jolson, who specialized in blackface for many years. But in at least … Continue reading Music Legends Inspired By ‘Blackface’ Entertainer