As a teenager in the late Fifties I was exposed to a lot of different kinds of music, including everything from early rock & roll to the softer sounds of my parents' favorite records. But even though I enjoyed a lot of what I heard, I often found myself attracted to big band jazz. The … Continue reading Si Zentner – Thriving In The Twilight
Category: Big Band
The Cooler Side Of Peggy Lee
Most successful singers are closely identified with a particular song, one that becomes known as their trademark or signature song. Of course, the best of them will have a number of good songs and best-selling records, but there will usually be one that stands out. For Peggy Lee, that song would have to be "Fever." … Continue reading The Cooler Side Of Peggy Lee
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
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
The Candoli Brothers – Doubling Trumpets
The subject of musical siblings has always fascinated me, although I suppose it's actually a pretty common occurrence. Growing up in a musical household would subject all the kids in the family to the same influences, so it's only logical that more than one might follow the same muse. Still, it's got to be a … Continue reading The Candoli Brothers – Doubling Trumpets
Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?
It might surprise you to learn that Lawrence Welk wasn't the first bandleader to have a 'bubbling' theme. Although Welk's champagne bubbles eventually became a famous part of his image, Shep Fields preceded him with his Rippling Rhythm orchestra in the Thirties. His group -- one of the 'sweet' bands of the big band era … Continue reading Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?
Turns Out Mr. Lucky . . . Wasn’t
During my teen years, I was a little unfocused about my musical tastes. Actually I was unfocused about most everything in those days, but we're talking about music here and one thing I do remember is how much I liked the Henry Mancini brand of jazz on the TV's Peter Gunn. The music from that … Continue reading Turns Out Mr. Lucky . . . Wasn’t
Spring Is For Slithering
Spring is -- er -- springing to life all over the place. On my lawn, the first fresh green tendrils of crabgrass are beginning to bravely peek through the dead leftover leaves. Cracks in the driveway are starting to sprout with joyful weeds that look so healthy they might eventually grow legs and walk around. … Continue reading Spring Is For Slithering
Happy Bunny Day
Like most holidays, Easter has evolved into a day with various meanings for a lot of different people. To keep it simple, I thought I'd just focus on cute little bunny rabbits. Buddy Rich - "Cotton Tail"
Remembering The Liltin’ Miss Tilton
Although I've often written about various Songbirds -- the ladies who sang with the big bands -- in no way should it be assumed that I've done so with any kind of priority or ranking. In fact, their stories are all equally fascinating to me, even though some ladies might have found more lasting fame … Continue reading Remembering The Liltin’ Miss Tilton
Geezer Music Club 