What do Norma Deloris Egstrom, Frances Rose Shore, Eleanora Fagan Gough, and Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff have in common? You'd probably have an easier time guessing if I gave you their stage names: Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Billie Holiday, and Doris Day. By now you've figured out that they were all famous singers (and … Continue reading From Billie Holiday To Doris Day – The Songbirds
Category: Big Band
REVIEW: Ray Sings, Basie Swings – Virtually
Ray Sings - Basie Swings, a new album featuring Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra, is a sort of amalgam that's been put together by combining several sources. This certainly isn't the first time that deceased performers have shown up in a new album via the wonders of technology, and it's really up to … Continue reading REVIEW: Ray Sings, Basie Swings – Virtually
Brothers Who Swing — Musically
I've never had a brother, so although I've always wondered about the dynamics of the relationship, I've had to do it without an insider's knowledge. However, it always seemed to me that brothers could be each other's best friend - and worst enemy - and often at the same time. Brothers have been around the … Continue reading Brothers Who Swing — Musically
From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
A few weeks ago, I published a review of an Engelbert Humperdinck concert DVD, and while I was doing research for it I ran across something he once said and it sort of stuck with me. When someone commented about how a few critics had dismissed him as a mere "crooner", he frowned and answered, … Continue reading From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
For a long time, I had what I now realize was a built-in prejudice against "new" swing music. How, I asked myself, could modern groups be anything but pale imitations of the good old stuff? There was just no way that anyone could compare with Miller, Basie, Goodman...well, you get the idea. Of course, I … Continue reading REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
I don't think I normally have a smile on my face when I write a music review but in this case I do, because both the album and the artist are unusually named, and besides that, the music itself is pretty light-hearted. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was also called "Jaws" by friends (as if "Lockjaw" … Continue reading REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
Was Benny Goodman A Doppelganger?
Here's a test for you. If someone says "clarinet player", what's the first name that comes to mind? I'd bet the farm - if I had a farm - that you'd answer with the name of the guy who was known as the King of Swing. But he was also someone I once considered to … Continue reading Was Benny Goodman A Doppelganger?
Swing Music In The Movies — The MTV Of Its Day
I happened to spot an old black and white musical on one of the cable movie channels the other day, and it got me to thinking about how sometimes situations change but the basics don't. Modern movie-goers are accustomed to hearing music in their films, either in the background or featuring a currently hot musician … Continue reading Swing Music In The Movies — The MTV Of Its Day
Count Basie And The Aristocracy Of Swing Music
Way back in the early years of my burgeoning infatuation with swing music, I began to notice that there seemed to be a lot of musicians with nicknames that bestowed nobility -- even royalty. Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, King Oliver, Count Basie, and of course the King of Swing, just to mention a few. … Continue reading Count Basie And The Aristocracy Of Swing Music
Vinyl Isn’t Always Final
The other day I stumbled across a website that features old vinyl records, and it made me feel a little wistful about my departed collection...sort of how you'd feel about a long-gone but scruffy old hound dog, ticks and all. I got rid of my mutt - er, records - years ago and replaced most … Continue reading Vinyl Isn’t Always Final
Geezer Music Club 