As someone who has always enjoyed Latin jazz, my spirits rise whenever I have the chance to review a new album featuring that type of music. But what makes it even more special is when that album is something a little different, and that's certainly the case with Felipe Salles' new release on the Curare … Continue reading REVIEW: Felipe Salles – South American Suite
Category: Big Band
Lee Konitz – Playing Fast, Sweet And High
During my college years I was still very new to listening to modern jazz, and like a lot of others at that time, thought that it began and ended with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. I was especially dazzled by the melodic, lyrical play of alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, and even though I eventually came to … Continue reading Lee Konitz – Playing Fast, Sweet And High
Billy Vaughn – Thriving In The Rock And Roll Era
During the rise of rock and roll in the 1950's, several other kinds of music still had a pretty good hold on much of the listening public, and one of the most popular was what's now described as 'easy listening' music. It's chief practitioners were orchestra leaders such as Percy Faith, Ray Coniff, and Nelson … Continue reading Billy Vaughn – Thriving In The Rock And Roll Era
REVIEW: Gust Spenos Quartet – Swing Theory
It's pretty obvious that saxophonist Gust Spenos developed the idea for his group's debut album, Swing Theory, with his tongue firmly lodged in his cheek. He's proposing a quasi-scientific explanation of swing music, and as part of the fun has likened it to the string theory in physics. He's even linked the two theories on … Continue reading REVIEW: Gust Spenos Quartet – Swing Theory
Kay Starr’s Answer To Rock And Roll
Kay Starr (Katherine Laverne Starks) July 21, 1922 - November 3, 2016 As a teenager in the 1950's, I'm pretty sure that I didn't catch on to the fact that a revolution was occurring in popular music. (Come to think of it, I missed a lot of things in those days -- but that's another … Continue reading Kay Starr’s Answer To Rock And Roll
Uncle John And The Deep-Freeze
I was listening to some World War II era music recently, and a tune by Harry James and his orchestra triggered some thoughts from childhood. The song was "Waiting For The Train To Come In," and it brought back a memory of my Uncle John coming to visit us and arriving on the train. I've … Continue reading Uncle John And The Deep-Freeze
REVIEW: Louie Bellson/Clark Terry – Louie & Clark Expedition 2
If you remember the Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson years, you might also recall that it was well-known as a place to hear good jazz, especially that played by a big band. Johnny was a fan himself, and he always made sure that the show's band was fully supported. That made it a really … Continue reading REVIEW: Louie Bellson/Clark Terry – Louie & Clark Expedition 2
Xavier Cugat – The Godfather Of Latin Pop Music
I was thumbing the TV remote control the other day and happened to land on an old I Love Lucy rerun, and although I'm not a huge fan of those shows I noticed that Ricky (Desi Arnaz) was talking about someone threatening to replace him and his band with Xavier Cugat's outfit. I would guess … Continue reading Xavier Cugat – The Godfather Of Latin Pop Music
BOOK REVIEW: The Lucky Strike Papers by Andrew Lee Fielding
A little over a year ago, I wrote a piece about the early days of television that I titled Did Rock and Roll Kill Your Hit Parade? I'm not sure I actually provided much of an answer at that time, but that's just one of many questions that are covered in an outstanding new book … Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: The Lucky Strike Papers by Andrew Lee Fielding
Arranging As An Art – Fletcher Henderson
The first time I became aware of jazz legend Fletcher Henderson was - surprisingly enough - in a movie. But it was definitely a very musically-oriented one, 1955's The Benny Goodman Story. And even though Henderson's character appeared in the movie, he had actually died a few years earlier and was played by Sammy Davis … Continue reading Arranging As An Art – Fletcher Henderson
Geezer Music Club 