It goes without saying that it's a tragedy when an artist loses his ability to freely exercise his talent, but it's kind of inspirational to see one who finds ways around his difficulties. Legendary jazz pianist Jimmy Amadie has struggled for years with severe tendonitis but his new album, The Jimmy Amadie Trio - The … Continue reading REVIEW: The Jimmy Amadie Trio – The Philadelphia Story: The Gospel As We Know It
Category: Nostalgia
Transistors, Rock & Roll, And — Polkas?
I just read somewhere that it's the 60th anniversary of the invention of the transistor, and thinking about that while scanning through tunes on my little MP3 player made me ponder how far we've come in handling portable music. It also took me back to a time in the 1950's when my Dad bought our … Continue reading Transistors, Rock & Roll, And — Polkas?
Mule Skinners – From Jimmie Rodgers To Van Morrison
Sometimes you hear a song that seems to be sort of a lightweight - or even silly - but it just grabs you and hangs on in a way that other tunes can't match. "Mule Skinner Blues" by the Fendermen is exactly that for me. It tickles my fancy every time I hear it (and … Continue reading Mule Skinners – From Jimmie Rodgers To Van Morrison
REVIEW: Le Band Passe Partout – Louisiana Cajun Music
For reasons I'll get to later, I thought I'd revisit the world of Cajun music for this review, spotlighting a newly released album on the Swallow label (Flat Town Music). It's actually a reissue of the debut album for Le Band Passe Partout, an authentic group straight from the bayou, and it's simply titled Louisiana … Continue reading REVIEW: Le Band Passe Partout – Louisiana Cajun Music
Dodging The Doofus Preceded Dancing With The Stars
Although I have never watched Dancing With The Stars, the media barrage about the show has stirred my own memories of misadventures on the dance floor, which leads me to make an embarrassing confession. When I was very young - maybe 8 or so - I took dancing lessons. There -- I've said it and … Continue reading Dodging The Doofus Preceded Dancing With The Stars
REVIEW: Merle Haggard – The Bluegrass Sessions
I would guess that legendary musicians - or artists of any kind, for that matter - are sometimes tempted to sit back and rest on their laurels. However, I would also guess that part of what makes them a legend is that they're continuously striving to stretch themselves, and that's certainly Merle Haggard's intent on … Continue reading REVIEW: Merle Haggard – The Bluegrass Sessions
Lee Dorsey And The Monday Morning Song
Sometimes you first become aware of a song at a perfectly appropriate moment in your life, and if the connection is strong enough you'll remember it for a long time. That just might be the case for me, because there was a time in the 1960's when my job made for many a depressing Monday … Continue reading Lee Dorsey And The Monday Morning Song
REVIEW: Mr. Groove – Little Things
You might be new to the music of a diverse jazz group called Mr. Groove, but in addition to possessing an interesting name they've been performing at a consistently high level for two decades, often as the band behind stars like Boots Randolph and vocalist Bonnie Bramlett. They're also no strangers to the recording studio, … Continue reading REVIEW: Mr. Groove – Little Things
Turkey, Trimmings — And Straw?
When I was young, it wasn't unusual for a huge group of family members to assemble for holiday dinners at my maternal Grandparents' home. It was a small house outside a rural village, and they'd moved from their tenant farm because my Granddad was into middle-age, and had given up farming for the less physically … Continue reading Turkey, Trimmings — And Straw?
Claude King – Still Climbing That Mountain
In the early 1960's I had a brief career as a small-town radio DJ, which might sound a little glamorous but I have to confess that I fell short of the ideal in several ways. Among my shortcomings was the fact that mine wasn't the smoothest voice in broadcasting history, and I also sounded like … Continue reading Claude King – Still Climbing That Mountain
Geezer Music Club 