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
Category: Seniors
A Music Contrarian Warms To The Beatles
Let me get the following statement out of the way first. Believe me, I completely understand that the Beatles don't need me to validate them, and I realize that they've already carved out their place in musical history without any help from me. I also understand that Paul McCartney has a lot of other things … Continue reading A Music Contrarian Warms To The Beatles
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
Saturday Nights At My Cousin’s Honky-Tonk Joint
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about the beginnings of rockabilly. Yesterday I was surprised to see a PBS show that covered the same subject. I think the show was actually a few years old, and it's just a coincidence that I wrote about the same subject (unless I have suddenly acquired … Continue reading Saturday Nights At My Cousin’s Honky-Tonk Joint
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
REVIEW: John Coltrane/Red Garland Trio – Traneing In
This is my fourth review (1, 2, 3) in a series of releases from Prestige Records that feature remastered versions of his own originals by legendary sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder, and in this instance we're listening to tenor sax immortal John Coltrane teamed with the Red Garland Trio. The title of the album is … Continue reading REVIEW: John Coltrane/Red Garland Trio – Traneing In
REVIEW: Stryker-Slagle Band – Latest Outlook
The Stryker-Slagle Band's new release, Latest Outlook, due out soon on the Zoho label, is the real thing, folks. Talented jazz musicians at the top of their game, playing together with a confidence gained by long-time collaboration, and offering an outstanding mix of music that should appeal to every fan of good jazz. Guitarist Dave … Continue reading REVIEW: Stryker-Slagle Band – Latest Outlook
Elvis Presley And The Genesis Of Rockabilly
Here's an amazing fact -- in August of this year, it will have been thirty years since Elvis died. Of course, it might not be as amazing to you as it is to me, but I'm willing to bet that most of us wouldn't have guessed that it had been that long since he took … Continue reading Elvis Presley And The Genesis Of Rockabilly
Geezer Music Club 