Irony runs rampant in my review of jazz singer Kurt Elling's Nightmoves, which is brand new on the Concord label, the first of his three record deal with them. The seven-time Grammy nominee was previously a long-standing part of Blue Note's stable of performers, and during his time with them pretty much became the top … Continue reading REVIEW: Kurt Elling – Nightmoves
Category: Jazz
Teresa Brewer And Her B-Side Million-Seller
I'm not one to brag about the reliability of my memory. In fact, just the opposite -- I'll be the first to admit that my memory is so full of holes that you could use it to make a chain-link fence. That's why a lot of the songs I remember from my childhood are a … Continue reading Teresa Brewer And Her B-Side Million-Seller
Bix, Bing, And The King Of Jazz
Jazz and I have been old friends for a long time, but as much as I enjoy my favorite kind of jazz - swing music - I'm not old enough to actually remember it during its heyday. Its golden age was probably the 1930's, and it was still pretty popular during the war years but … Continue reading Bix, Bing, And The King Of Jazz
Charlie Barnet – The Millionaire Bandleader
Early jazz musicians were a varied lot but were often drawn from the ranks of the less fortunate side of society. Many grew up in urban areas filled will poor blacks or immigrants and others came from the depressed rural areas that were home to many hard-scrabble folks. But there were exceptions to the rule … Continue reading Charlie Barnet – The Millionaire Bandleader
REVIEW: Miles Davis Quintet – Cookin’ (Van Gelder)
This is my fifth review (1, 2, 3, 4) in a series of releases from Prestige Records that feature legendary sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder's remastered versions of his own originals. In this outing, originally recorded in 1956, the title says it all: Cookin' With The Miles Davis Quintet. Joining Davis in the quintet were … Continue reading REVIEW: Miles Davis Quintet – Cookin’ (Van Gelder)
REVIEW: Bennie Wallace – Disorder At The Border
When making a tribute album, I would think that an artist would have to walk a fine line between truly saluting a legendary musician or being perceived as trading on the fame of the past master. That sounds like a tricky task, but I think it's been done the right way with this new release … Continue reading REVIEW: Bennie Wallace – Disorder At The Border
REVIEW: Benny Reid – Findings
Let me start by saying that my favorite jazz instrument is the saxophone - and to get even more specific, the alto sax - and I've spent a lot of time enjoying past and current masters. However, I'm afraid I'm not quite ready to include Benny Reid, the star of a new Concord release, Findings, … Continue reading REVIEW: Benny Reid – Findings
REVIEW: Joey DeFrancesco – Live – The Authorized Bootleg
Live albums are often a mixed bag, with the negative side encompassing the possibility of recording equipment problems, background noise, and the inability to have a "do-over", something that's always available in a studio. Offsetting that is the excitement and spontaneity that can only come from accomplished musicians performing for an appreciative and knowledgeable audience, … Continue reading REVIEW: Joey DeFrancesco – Live – The Authorized Bootleg
Dick Haymes – The Forgotten Crooner
I was going through some DVDs recently and ran across a favorite old movie of mine, one that triggered some fond memories. The movie was the 1945 version of State Fair, starring Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, and Dick Haymes. It was actually the second of four movies made from the original book, but was the … Continue reading Dick Haymes – The Forgotten Crooner
Getz, Gilberto, And The Birth Of Brazilian Jazz
I've been a fan of jazz for something like fifty years, starting with big band music and continuing into later variations, and for most of that time I've had two constants. First, I've always been partial to the reed section of a band, possibly because I played a reed instrument myself (badly). My instrument was … Continue reading Getz, Gilberto, And The Birth Of Brazilian Jazz
Geezer Music Club 