A while back I wrote about bandleader Claude Thornhill, who is unfortunately less remembered than many of his contemporaries from that era, but was nevertheless a very important part of jazz history. He was an outstanding instrumentalist, composer, and arranger, but in addition to all that he was a shrewd judge of musical talent -- … Continue reading Maxine Sullivan – Swingin’ To Loch Lomond
Category: Big Band
Tony Martin — Crooner Or Cowboy?
I love to watch old Western movies on TV, but I have admit that I caught one the other day that affected me in a way the director probably didn't intend -- it made me laugh. It was a hokey film from 1956 called Quincannon, Frontier Scout, and the star was crooner Tony Martin. Martin … Continue reading Tony Martin — Crooner Or Cowboy?
Chattanooga Has Inspired Classic Songs
I've always been a train buff, and since I'm also a fan of big-band music it stands to reason that one of my favorite songs of all time would be Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo." I especially like the long version, which includes a 'jive' reprise. That performance, which features an 18 year-old Dorothy Dandridge and … Continue reading Chattanooga Has Inspired Classic Songs
Laura Lives On – Musically
Sometimes movies -- even classics -- end up being less remembered than the music contained within. A good example is the 1944 film, Laura, which is considered one of the best cinematic mysteries ever made and still has many fans, but probably isn't remembered as much as its timeless theme song. When producer/director Otto Preminger … Continue reading Laura Lives On – Musically
Jack Jones – Son To The Father
If you read my stuff with any regularity, you had to know this one was coming. After all, it was just last week that I generated a piece called Alan Jones - Father To The Son, and I even mentioned the possibility, so no surprise here. But that doesn't mean Jack's story is any less … Continue reading Jack Jones – Son To The Father
REVIEW: The Aggregation – Groove’s Mood
I've always been partial to the music of the big-band era, even though its heyday was a little before my time. I sometimes even feel a little envy for anyone who was around in those days to experience the music first hand, but I always have to remind myself that even today there are still … Continue reading REVIEW: The Aggregation – Groove’s Mood
Al Martino Will Be Remembered
When I read that Al Martino had died recently, a number of thoughts went through my mind. Like a lot of people, I thought about his appearances in the Godfather movies -- not a lot of screen time, but memorable nonetheless. He played a mob-connected singer named Johnny Fontane, a character rumored to have been … Continue reading Al Martino Will Be Remembered
REVIEW: Count Basie Orchestra – Swinging, Singing, Playing
One of the best of the many "ghost" bands that have operated through the years would have to be that of Count Basie. Although he died over twenty years ago, the Count Basie Orchestra -- or the CBO, as it calls itself (complete with a nifty logo that pictures all the group's members) -- has … Continue reading REVIEW: Count Basie Orchestra – Swinging, Singing, Playing
Teddy Wilson – Smoother Than Silk
If you were to take all the talented pianists whose careers stretched from the Big Band days to the the Modern Jazz era and lay them end to end, they'd reach to -- whoops. What I meant to say was that if you're looking for one among them who was the very definition of a … Continue reading Teddy Wilson – Smoother Than Silk
REVIEW: Gerald Wilson Orchestra – Detroit
When considering Gerald Wilson's Detroit, the orchestral suite he composed to commemorate the 30th anniversary of that city's International Jazz Festival, it would be easy to get sidetracked by his unbelievably long career. After all, he's been a vital part of the jazz scene for seven decades. But the simple fact is that his composition, … Continue reading REVIEW: Gerald Wilson Orchestra – Detroit
Geezer Music Club 