Latin jazz has been one of my listening pleasures for years, but it was popular long before I came along. By the time I was into my teens and beginning to appreciate it, Latin music had been well-established in the US for decades. Bandleaders such as Pérez Prado, Xavier Cugat, and others had been familiar … Continue reading Virtuoso Steel Guitarist . . . And Faux Latino – Alvino Rey
Category: Nostalgia
REVIEW: Marsha Heydt – One Night
When reviewing music it's always a kick to discover something new, and an album coming out soon on the Blue Toucan label delivers a breath of fresh air in the person of Marsha Heydt. A talented saxophonist who is equally at home with the flute, hers might be an unfamiliar name to jazz lovers but … Continue reading REVIEW: Marsha Heydt – One Night
Kristofferson Gets Assist From Sammi Smith
At the risk of infuriating his many fans, I have to confess that I've never been able to really warm to the singing of Kris Kristofferson. I understand that his tortured vocal style might be appropriate to the angst-ridden songs he's written, but I really think that it's the songs themselves that will form the … Continue reading Kristofferson Gets Assist From Sammi Smith
REVIEW: Eric Marienthal – Just Around The Corner
If there exists somewhere in the world of jazz a region where smooth jazz and conventional jazz live side by side, a sort of middle kingdom (if you'll pardon the term), then Eric Marienthal might feel right at home there. On his new album from Peak Records, Just Around The Corner, the talented sax-man mostly … Continue reading REVIEW: Eric Marienthal – Just Around The Corner
Brainwashed(?) By Radio Moscow
I thought I wanted to be a ham. No, not the kind of ham that's a nickname for a bad actor. (Although I was once almost that too, but that's another story.) And also not the pink meat that goes perfectly with green eggs. Nope, this was a different kind of ham -- for a … Continue reading Brainwashed(?) By Radio Moscow
REVIEW: Dean Martin – Forever Cool
Coming your way from Capital Records, legendary crooner Dean Martin lives again in Forever Cool, an album of mostly familiar songs. But this time around the king of cool is matched up with some of today's stars, proving once again that the technology exists to magically create unlikely duets. This isn't my first time at … Continue reading REVIEW: Dean Martin – Forever Cool
Tinkering With Car Radios – Simpler Isn’t Always Better
A while back, the little display window on my car stereo suddenly went dark. Since I normally listen to CD's, and on those rare occasions when I do listen to the radio it's usually tuned to one station, I didn't really notice it much at first. But I eventually found myself missing it, so I … Continue reading Tinkering With Car Radios – Simpler Isn’t Always Better
The Little Rascals And A Shot At Movie Stardom
I was once almost a movie star. Well, maybe not a star but at least a real actor. Hmmm. . .actually, that's not quite right either. The truth is that once - as a child - I appeared in a movie, and I'm not sure but I think it might have just been part of … Continue reading The Little Rascals And A Shot At Movie Stardom
REVIEW: David Rogers Sextet – The World Is Not Your Home
I guess it might be a misnomer to call this cutting-edge music since it was actually recorded over a decade ago, but if you're interested in experiencing something a little different in jazz, you might want to sit up and take notice. A new release from Jumbie Records, The World Is Not Your Home, provides … Continue reading REVIEW: David Rogers Sextet – The World Is Not Your Home
Jimmie Driftwood – A Teacher Who Became A Musical Treasure
He's seldom mentioned these days, and even at his peak never experienced huge record sales. He also didn't have the passionate following of other, more politically-minded folk music artists, but Jimmie Driftwood still left his mark on American music. Born James Corbett Morris in rural Arkansas, he was brought up in an family that included … Continue reading Jimmie Driftwood – A Teacher Who Became A Musical Treasure
Geezer Music Club 