I would think that an artist would encounter a lot of obstacles in generating a debut album. First of all, they're almost certainly not well-known, so even getting the album made is an accomplishment. But even beyond that, they still have to get the album exposed to music fans, who will hopefully find that the … Continue reading REVIEW: Kelley Suttenfield – Where Is Love?
Category: Jazz
Allan Jones – Father To The Son
I had intended to write a piece about crooner Jack Jones, who has had -- and continues to have -- a long and successful career as a jazz and pop singer. But I decided to save that for another day, and instead tell the story of his talented dad, Allan Jones, who paved the way … Continue reading Allan Jones – Father To The Son
REVIEW: Eddie Allen – Jazzy Brass For The Holidays
Eddie Allen is a busy man these days. Last month I reviewed the veteran jazz trumpeter's new album as the leader of a large band called the Aggregation. That effort was a solid collection of big-band music, and the band was -- well -- big, with something like 17 members. Now Eddie is fronting a … Continue reading REVIEW: Eddie Allen – Jazzy Brass For The Holidays
REVIEW: Angela Hagenbach – The Way They Make Me Feel
A number of years ago Angela Hagenbach became a fan of the sound of jazz legend Sarah Vaughan, and it inspired her to make an abrupt turn in her own musical career. Although the former model had already had some success as both an instrumentalist and a pop singer, she decided that she would dedicate … Continue reading REVIEW: Angela Hagenbach – The Way They Make Me Feel
The Song Of The Snowbird
A good friend of mine is a semi-snowbird. As I understand the term "snowbird", it applies to a Northerner who maintains a home in Florida and spends the entire Winter there soaking up the sun. My friend has the house but just uses it periodically, hence the "semi". In any case, I have to admit … Continue reading The Song Of The Snowbird
Joanie Sommers – Finding Her Musical Path
A lot of performers have had multi-layered careers with success in a wide variety of musical areas. One singer who successfully navigated her way through several would be Joanie Sommers, who has been everything from a teen idol to a familiar voice in TV commercials, but eventually became a respected jazz vocalist. Joanie Sommers (real … Continue reading Joanie Sommers – Finding Her Musical Path
Steve Allen – Modern Renaissance Man
'Multi-talented' is a term I've casually used when writing about various performers, but I can't imagine anyone better suited to the description than Steve Allen. He authored dozens of books, composed thousands of songs, was an accomplished musical performer -- and along the way became a TV pioneer, the forerunner to Carson, Leno, and Letterman. … Continue reading Steve Allen – Modern Renaissance Man
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
Bent Fabric Is For Real
Although his name might sound like a piece of clothing in dire need of ironing, Bent Fabric -- who had a huge Grammy-winning hit in the early Sixties with the annoyingly addictive "Alley Cat" -- is a real person. The Danish-born composer and pianist, whose actual name is the much trickier to remember Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, … Continue reading Bent Fabric Is For Real
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
Geezer Music Club 