When I was a kid, perched on the floor in front of our old black and white TV, one of shows we regularly watched starred a rotund gentleman with a cocky manner and a loud, abrasive voice. At the beginning of every show, he'd roll his eyes and say, "and awa-a-aay we go!". That was … Continue reading The Romantic Side Of The Great One – Jackie Gleason
Category: Big Band
The Quintessential Italian Crooner
I've written about crooners before, but I wanted to expand on something. Is it just me, or do most of the crooners who have entertained us through the years just happen to be of Italian descent? I'm not basing this conclusion on any type of scientific evidence, but it's just one of those things that … Continue reading The Quintessential Italian Crooner
When Lawrence Welk Became Cool
If you've been brave enough (or open-minded enough) to pursue reading this article in spite of your conventional mental image of Lawrence Welk, then I congratulate you. I certainly have little room to criticize those who haven't looked at it, because my memories of him are probably similar to theirs -- that is, I considered … Continue reading When Lawrence Welk Became Cool
Benny Goodman Conquers Carnegie Hall
I've written about Benny Goodman before, at least in passing, and have even featured him prominently in some articles. (Including the one in which I wondered if he was my doppelganger.) However, I thought it was time to write in more detail about an event connected to him that had a profound effect on my … Continue reading Benny Goodman Conquers Carnegie Hall
Harry James – More Than Just Betty Grable’s Hubby
It's pretty difficult to talk about Harry James without mentioning his famous wife, Betty Grable, and indeed they were a well-known couple for over twenty years, a union that also produced two children. But this is a place for musical discussions, and although Betty did make a number of movies that included lots of singing … Continue reading Harry James – More Than Just Betty Grable’s Hubby
One More Toast To Anita O’Day – And To Her Mentor
A lot of music lovers mourned the loss of Anita O'Day a while back, and rightfully so. When she died at age 87 it marked the end of a legendary career that reached from her early days as a big band singer (or songbird, a subject I covered in a previous article) through her many … Continue reading One More Toast To Anita O’Day – And To Her Mentor
Los Indios Tabajaras – Mystery From The Amazon
There are certain songs that are so familiar that they seem to have always been around. A good example is a little something called "Maria Elena" -- especially the version performed by Los Índios Tabajaras. I can't remember a time that it didn't sound like an old standard to me. Of course, it goes without … Continue reading Los Indios Tabajaras – Mystery From The Amazon
Tony Bennett – Before He Was A Legend
A while back I posted an article called The Crooner Conundrum, which discussed the state of crooner-hood in general and included a couple of contradictory quotes about Tony Bennett -- “One of the world’s favorite crooners” and “Bennett is a belter, not a crooner”. I guess when it comes to Tony it depends on how … Continue reading Tony Bennett – Before He Was A Legend
Remembering The Music Of The Cotton Club
It was a popular Harlem night club that featured black performers but was restricted to an all-white clientele, which might seem to be a paradox but was a product of the casual racism of the time. The decor, the costumes - even the name Cotton Club - reflected an attitude that's disquieting to us now, … Continue reading Remembering The Music Of The Cotton Club
My Guilty Secret – Ferrante & Teicher
In the 1950s I had two separate and very different musical preferences. First of all, even though I wasn't quite as hooked on early rock and roll as some members of my generation, I was beginning to find some of it pretty interesting -- and especially captivating when playing on a jukebox surrounded by cute … Continue reading My Guilty Secret – Ferrante & Teicher
Geezer Music Club 