Earl Bostic – Taking Jazz In A New Direction

As much as I've always enjoyed the traditional big band sound of guys like Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller, I've also had a certain amount of admiration for those who came along with something a little different. A good example of that would be the bebop revolution of the post-war years, when guys … Continue reading Earl Bostic – Taking Jazz In A New Direction

Louisiana Quagmire Continues

Although I'm not any kind of environmental expert, and in fact have been known to chuckle at the occasional misguided efforts from activists, it's difficult to ignore what's currently going on in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill is continuing to encroach on more and more of the Louisiana coastline, and a solution to … Continue reading Louisiana Quagmire Continues

Another “You Pick ‘Em” Musical Poll

Nothing much going on today, so I thought I'd offer up a couple of different versions of a song that Mrs. Big Geez and I differ on. You might recall that I did the same thing a month or so ago, in a piece called Choosing Young Love. I might also mention that my version … Continue reading Another “You Pick ‘Em” Musical Poll

Roy Drusky — Crooning Country-Style

Country music has always had its share of crooners like Don Williams and Jim Reeves, but not many would rate higher on the smoothness scale than singer/songwriter Roy Drusky. In fact, at the peak of his career he was often called 'the Perry Como of country music'. The Atlanta native was the son of a … Continue reading Roy Drusky — Crooning Country-Style

Seeking The Real Thing

I was noodling around recently and found my attention drawn to a video of that famous 1971 TV commercial -- you know, the one where a bunch of singers tell us that they'd like to "teach the world to sing" while guzzling a Coke? According to the information I've found -- which is on the … Continue reading Seeking The Real Thing

Fat Cats Are Everywhere

You don't have to look far to find mention of 'fat cats' these days. A term that was originally used to describe the powerful backers of politicians, it has become common to hear it applied to certain Wall Street types, CEOs with golden parachutes, and just about anybody else who seems to have money and … Continue reading Fat Cats Are Everywhere

Rock & Roll Comes To Lawrence Welk

Most of us are familiar with what was a pretty common occurrence during the early days of rock and roll -- guest appearances by rising musical stars on TV shows. Producers of the shows recognized the burgeoning popularity of the new music and quickly realized the boost in ratings that could come their way, so … Continue reading Rock & Roll Comes To Lawrence Welk

About That Grass Mowing Thing

If you stop by here with any regularity, you know that I've written a time or two about my general lack of interest in mowing the lawn. I pay a guy to come by and cut it when it's reached ankle depth, but if he doesn't show up for a while it's been known to … Continue reading About That Grass Mowing Thing

America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band

You might find yourself reading the title of this piece and wondering if ol' Big Geez has gotten a little carried away. But it's not hyperbole, because 'America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band' is exactly what the members of a very popular post-war country group often called themselves, and the description fit like a glove. The … Continue reading America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band

Revisiting The Chalk Man

A few weeks ago, I posted a piece I called Talkin' The Talk With Chalk, in which I reminisced about my faux pool-shark days and also featured an amazing picture. It was a sidewalk chalk drawing by an artist named Edgar Mueller, who somehow manages to give flat surfaces an astonishingly realistic 3-D effect. I … Continue reading Revisiting The Chalk Man