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
Category: Jazz
Rediscover The Music Of James Bond
About forty-five years ago, I got hooked on a series of books that featured a British secret agent who was suave, sophisticated, deadly to his enemies, and irresistible to the ladies. (I was so fond of the books that I even tried vodka martinis - shaken, not stirred - but that experiment didn't last long.) … Continue reading Rediscover The Music Of James Bond
Swing Music: It’s About More Than Just Glenn Miller
EEEEK! The Big Geez is knocking Glenn Miller? No, I love him and his music. As a teenager, sitting in my pal Louie's basement while spinning records and reinforcing my newly-discovered fondness for Swing music, I realized he was one of my favorite bandleaders. But although the average listener is familiar with him, Goodman, and … Continue reading Swing Music: It’s About More Than Just Glenn Miller
A Musical Genius…Or An Acquired Taste?
I have to confess that...well...I'm not a big fan of this posting's subject, Miles Davis. In all fairness, I should mention that I came a little late to the party, in terms of having an appreciation of any trumpeters. In my early years of listening to jazz, I leaned more toward the reeds - especially … Continue reading A Musical Genius…Or An Acquired Taste?
An Elected Bandleader Turns Into a Star…
I figure that I owe my affection for Big Band music to Glen Gray -- or maybe it would be more accurate say that I owe it in equal parts to him and my old buddy Louie. He was a high school friend of mine -- Louie, not Glen -- and we would sometimes go … Continue reading An Elected Bandleader Turns Into a Star…
The Very Definition Of a Voice Smoother Than Silk…
If there has ever been a smoother voice than Nat King Cole's, then I can't imagine who it would be. Even his contemporaries - for example, Frank Sinatra - gave him full credit, and he was one of the biggest stars in the music world for many years. (And countless teenagers would always remember his … Continue reading The Very Definition Of a Voice Smoother Than Silk…
One Superstar Helps Create Another…
Well, it's been a while since our last Big Band posting, so let's try another one...but maybe we'll do a sort of combo thing, at least on the first of our two tunes. Tommy Dorsey was a virtuoso on the trombone, but was probably better known as one of the biggest of the big band … Continue reading One Superstar Helps Create Another…
God Just Walked Into This Club…
Fats Waller (who is not the subject of this posting) was once playing in a night club in Harlem, and another professional pianist dropped by. When he noticed the newcomer, Waller stopped playing, stood up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm a pretty good piano player...but God just walked into this club." He was talking … Continue reading God Just Walked Into This Club…
The Early Days Of Modern Jazz…
Proving that we will - as promised - feature music other than Big Band, we're going to change genres on this posting and venture into the world of early modern jazz. In 1960 The Dave Brubeck Quartet - anchored by Dave on piano and featuring Joe Morello on drums, Gene Wright on bass and the … Continue reading The Early Days Of Modern Jazz…
Grouchy But Talented, And One Of The First Pop Stars
For those who like all kinds of music, let me say that we will eventually get around to lots of different genres and won't lean too heavily on Big Band, but it is one of my favorite kinds of music and coupling that with the fact that someone wrote in and asked for Benny Goodman, … Continue reading Grouchy But Talented, And One Of The First Pop Stars
Geezer Music Club 