The subject of musical siblings has always fascinated me, although I suppose it's actually a pretty common occurrence. Growing up in a musical household would subject all the kids in the family to the same influences, so it's only logical that more than one might follow the same muse. Still, it's got to be a … Continue reading The Candoli Brothers – Doubling Trumpets
Tag: Big Band
Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?
It might surprise you to learn that Lawrence Welk wasn't the first bandleader to have a 'bubbling' theme. Although Welk's champagne bubbles eventually became a famous part of his image, Shep Fields preceded him with his Rippling Rhythm orchestra in the Thirties. His group -- one of the 'sweet' bands of the big band era … Continue reading Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?
Spring Is For Slithering
Spring is -- er -- springing to life all over the place. On my lawn, the first fresh green tendrils of crabgrass are beginning to bravely peek through the dead leftover leaves. Cracks in the driveway are starting to sprout with joyful weeds that look so healthy they might eventually grow legs and walk around. … Continue reading Spring Is For Slithering
Happy Bunny Day
Like most holidays, Easter has evolved into a day with various meanings for a lot of different people. To keep it simple, I thought I'd just focus on cute little bunny rabbits. Buddy Rich - "Cotton Tail"
Remembering The Liltin’ Miss Tilton
Although I've often written about various Songbirds -- the ladies who sang with the big bands -- in no way should it be assumed that I've done so with any kind of priority or ranking. In fact, their stories are all equally fascinating to me, even though some ladies might have found more lasting fame … Continue reading Remembering The Liltin’ Miss Tilton
Bop For The People – Charlie Ventura
Bop -- or bebop, to use its full name -- has never been my favorite kind of jazz, but I do enjoy it more now than I once did. I came to big band music long after its heyday anyway, so my acceptance of bop was delayed but it did eventually occur. Part of the … Continue reading Bop For The People – Charlie Ventura
Johnny Desmond – The Forgotten Italian Crooner
I probably should start with an apology about the title of this piece, because implying that Johnny Desmond is forgotten is a little misleading. Even though his name might not be as familiar as some singers from the past, he is still fondly remembered by many fans. But that being said, I did forget to … Continue reading Johnny Desmond – The Forgotten Italian Crooner
In Memory Of Platters Long Gone
I've probably written about this before, but I was thinking today about all the good records that have passed through my hands and moved on, maybe even ending up in platter heaven. (Which creates the question; do bad records go in the other direction?) I guess it started when I ran into a 50-year-old picture … Continue reading In Memory Of Platters Long Gone
Groundhog Day And Dad’s Polkas
This time of year it's impossible to miss all the news stories about Groundhog Day, speculating about whether Punxsutawney Phil (the resident rodent) will see his shadow and what comes next. Most also mention the 1993 Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, but when I see anything that spotlights one of the most memorable songs on … Continue reading Groundhog Day And Dad’s Polkas
The Kitty Who Became A Songbird – Kitty Kallen
A while back I was listening to a song on an outstanding blog, Days Of Transition, and it got me to thinking -- always a perilous undertaking, but one that I keep attempting in spite of the danger. Anyhow, the song -- "We'll Meet Again," performed by British songbird Vera Lynn -- was so perfectly … Continue reading The Kitty Who Became A Songbird – Kitty Kallen
Geezer Music Club 