Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928 – December 16, 2017) One of the most popular acts of the 1950s was the husband and wife team of bandleader Louis Prima and singer Keely Smith. Their show included music mixed with comedy and was especially suited for Vegas clubs, but the twosome often appeared on TV and … Continue reading Keely Smith Sings
Category: Big Band
June Christy — From Songbird To Cool Jazz Soloist
One of the very best of the singers who successfully managed the transition from big band songbird to solo jazz vocalist was June Christy, whose first high profile job was as the replacement for a future legend. But she would go on to a long and notable career of her own, winning a lot of … Continue reading June Christy — From Songbird To Cool Jazz Soloist
The Crooning Eberly – Er – Eberle Brothers
In a recent piece about big band songbird Helen O'Connell I included a video of her performing with a guy who was her usual partner, crooner Bob Eberly. I also noted that the clip seemed to be mislabeled because it identified the singer as Ray Eberle, Bob's lookalike younger brother. I based my opinion on … Continue reading The Crooning Eberly – Er – Eberle Brothers
Crop Circles Were Just The Beginning
About a year ago I put up a brief post that featured a picture of a decorative crop circle, but I thought I'd revisit the subject today for a couple of reasons. For one thing I now have the slideshow gizmo at my disposal, which allows me to show a whole series of pictures instead … Continue reading Crop Circles Were Just The Beginning
Charlie Christian – An Inspiration To Generations Of Guitarists
Django Reinhardt might be the patron saint of all jazz guitarists, but for many of those who built careers on playing electric guitars, Charlie Christian was the inspiration. And even though he had a very short career and has been gone for nearly 70 years, he is still revered by many. The Texas-born (but Oklahoma-raised) … Continue reading Charlie Christian – An Inspiration To Generations Of Guitarists
Jess Stacy’s Unforgettable Moment
In a recent piece about early jazz singer Lee Wiley I mentioned that she'd had a short and troubled marriage to pianist/bandleader Jess Stacy, but his career makes for an interesting story too. He was a very respected veteran of the big band era who first rose to fame with Benny Goodman and played alongside … Continue reading Jess Stacy’s Unforgettable Moment
Appreciating Lee Wiley
Although you seldom hear Lee Wiley's name mentioned now, she was one of the best of the early jazz singers, with a very distinctive voice and style. She was also a pioneer in the practice of recording 'songbook' albums built around a single composer, and even though it's been well over three decades since her … Continue reading Appreciating Lee Wiley
Helen O’Connell – A Fan Favorite
Helen O'Connell's vivacious personality and dimpled cheeks might have helped her get noticed by fans in the big band era, but she could sell a song with the best of them. And even if her voice didn't quite have the range enjoyed by some of her contemporaries, she became one of the most popular songbirds … Continue reading Helen O’Connell – A Fan Favorite
Neal Hefti – Before Batman
It all started when Mrs. Big Geez commented about a particular song that seemed to have lyrics that were endlessly repetitive. I don't remember what it was, but it did seem to go over and over the same territory way more than necessary. It also got me to thinking about songs that repeat lyrics, and … Continue reading Neal Hefti – Before Batman
The Sweet Sound Of Johnny Hodges
Although I don't think of myself as a serious music critic, during the first few years of this blog I did review over two hundred new albums. During that period I learned that what I liked was not always in tune with the cutting-edge crowd, especially when it came to jazz. While many modern critics … Continue reading The Sweet Sound Of Johnny Hodges
Geezer Music Club 