I think we're due for another Fantastic Foursome and I've picked one of my favorite songs, offering four versions of it and giving folks the chance to vote. (Wouldn't be much point in choosing one I didn't like.) The incredibly prolific Victor Young wrote it for a spooky 1944 movie called The Uninvited, which starred … Continue reading A Fantastic Foursome For Stella
Tag: Big Band
West Coast Jazz Pioneer Abe Lyman
The recent death of jazz icon Dave Brubeck was marked by a ton of articles (including one on the GMC) and many of them mentioned that he was part of the West Coast jazz movement. Although I think he transcended any kind of label, I thought I'd dig a little deeper into that style of … Continue reading West Coast Jazz Pioneer Abe Lyman
Leo Watson – Something Different In Holiday Music
For some reason, Christmas seems to have really taken the ol' GMC by surprise this year. Usually I post one or two holiday-themed pieces in the days leading up to the big day, but I guess I've just fallen asleep this time around. Maybe I can remedy that by featuring something really different -- scat-singing … Continue reading Leo Watson – Something Different In Holiday Music
Dorothy Shay – The Park Avenue Hillbilly
If you were a dedicated fan of The Waltons, the iconic 1970s TV show that was a huge hit for many years, you might remember that one of the teens - Jason - was musically inclined, and that he sometimes risked his mother's wrath by entertaining in an area roadhouse, the venerable Dew Drop Inn. … Continue reading Dorothy Shay – The Park Avenue Hillbilly
Fantastic Foursome Inspired By Amy Winehouse
I would guess that most folks of my generation think that a big percentage of modern music stars seem to be a big deal today but are forgotten tomorrow, often because of a lack of talent. But there are exceptions, even if it takes a while for a geezer like me to catch on -- … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome Inspired By Amy Winehouse
Another Side Of Buddy Rich
Although he was the main subject of a GMC piece five years ago, jazz legend Bernard 'Buddy' Rich is making another appearance today. But the famously fiery drummer, who died at age 69 in 1987, is not showing up here because of his drumsticks. He's here because I thought I'd expose a secret about him … Continue reading Another Side Of Buddy Rich
The Clarinet Wizardry Of Johnny Dodds
I've always been pretty upfront about my appreciation for legendary clarinetist Benny Goodman -- even kiddingly comparing myself to him in an earlier post -- but there were lots of guys in the early jazz age who played a mean licorice stick. In fact, some of them probably inspired Goodman when he was first starting … Continue reading The Clarinet Wizardry Of Johnny Dodds
Frances Wayne – Songbird And Supportive Spouse
It was not unusual for big-band era songbirds to find a romantic connection with a member of the band and sometimes even marry them, but not many helped their new husband become a successful bandleader and composer. Frances Wayne did just that, marrying trumpeter Neal Hefti in 1944 and then helping him build his career, … Continue reading Frances Wayne – Songbird And Supportive Spouse
Sometimes Simple Memories Are The Best
My last surviving uncle passed away yesterday. An easy-going, down to earth guy, he enjoyed a long life as a proud family man. He was also a World War II Navy veteran who'd served in the South Pacific, and a skilled woodworker. Among his many interests were outdoor activities and all things Western, and I … Continue reading Sometimes Simple Memories Are The Best
Don Byas – What Might Have Been
Many of the best instrumentalists of the big band era, guys who were admired and emulated by their contemporaries, later became stars in bebop and the progressive jazz movement. But one of the best -- tenor saxophonist Don Byas -- chose a different route. Although he was fully on board with cutting edge jazz, he … Continue reading Don Byas – What Might Have Been
Geezer Music Club 