Ray Sings - Basie Swings, a new album featuring Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra, is a sort of amalgam that's been put together by combining several sources. This certainly isn't the first time that deceased performers have shown up in a new album via the wonders of technology, and it's really up to … Continue reading REVIEW: Ray Sings, Basie Swings – Virtually
Category: Nostalgia
Brothers Who Swing — Musically
I've never had a brother, so although I've always wondered about the dynamics of the relationship, I've had to do it without an insider's knowledge. However, it always seemed to me that brothers could be each other's best friend - and worst enemy - and often at the same time. Brothers have been around the … Continue reading Brothers Who Swing — Musically
From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
A few weeks ago, I published a review of an Engelbert Humperdinck concert DVD, and while I was doing research for it I ran across something he once said and it sort of stuck with me. When someone commented about how a few critics had dismissed him as a mere "crooner", he frowned and answered, … Continue reading From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
For a long time, I had what I now realize was a built-in prejudice against "new" swing music. How, I asked myself, could modern groups be anything but pale imitations of the good old stuff? There was just no way that anyone could compare with Miller, Basie, Goodman...well, you get the idea. Of course, I … Continue reading REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
Pulp Fiction Leads To Discovery Of A Wizard
To me, one of the interesting things about the enjoyment of music is exploring how we came to appreciate a particular artist or even a genre, because it often turns on something that in retrospect seems almost trivial. A few years back, when I first watched Quentin Tarantino's landmark movie, Pulp Fiction, I was stunned … Continue reading Pulp Fiction Leads To Discovery Of A Wizard
REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
I don't think I normally have a smile on my face when I write a music review but in this case I do, because both the album and the artist are unusually named, and besides that, the music itself is pretty light-hearted. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was also called "Jaws" by friends (as if "Lockjaw" … Continue reading REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
Driving, Deja Vu, And The Lovin’ Spoonful
It's been unseasonably warm the last couple of days, and as I was driving through congested traffic yesterday I found a old song going through my head...and suddenly I realized that I'd been there before, and not just once but probably every time I'm stuck in heavy traffic in hot weather. It all started on … Continue reading Driving, Deja Vu, And The Lovin’ Spoonful
REVIEW: Harri Stojka Channels Django
It doesn't take a guest appearance by Mr. Obvious to state the simple truth that it's impossible to review an album called A Tribute To Gypsy Swing without mentioning Django Reinhardt, the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist. But this album's artist, Harri Stojka, makes it easier because he embraces the comparison and makes no secret of … Continue reading REVIEW: Harri Stojka Channels Django
REVIEW: Listeners Of All Ages Can Enjoy NEW AGE Music
I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure that it's not too smart to start a review by revealing your ignorance about a subject. Nevertheless, I have to confess to a certain lack of knowledge about the wider aspects of the whole New Age movement, including the spiritual foundation. But that being said, this is a … Continue reading REVIEW: Listeners Of All Ages Can Enjoy NEW AGE Music
Was Benny Goodman A Doppelganger?
Here's a test for you. If someone says "clarinet player", what's the first name that comes to mind? I'd bet the farm - if I had a farm - that you'd answer with the name of the guy who was known as the King of Swing. But he was also someone I once considered to … Continue reading Was Benny Goodman A Doppelganger?
Geezer Music Club 