For those who were looking for something a little more informational today, I can only confess that I'm in a slideshow frame of mind. This time around I'm again featuring pictures of unusual sculptures, specifically various critters from nature that have been made from an intriguing assortment of materials. And of course some appropriate music. … Continue reading Yes, It’s Another Slideshow
Tag: Jazz
Did Betty Roché Miss The Duke’s A-Train?
Although the legendary Duke Ellington is remembered for a number of his own compositions, Billy Strayhorn's "Take The A-Train" is considered by many to be the Duke's signature song. But it's a piece with an interesting history, one that includes a young singer who seems to have mis-timed the train's biggest moments. When Wilmington-born Mary … Continue reading Did Betty Roché Miss The Duke’s A-Train?
Life Is Like A Box Of Chiclets
Tabloid City, a new book by legendary New York writer Pete Hamill, has triggered my latest foray into the dim recesses of childhood memory. During a passage in which he's describing the sound made by an oldster who is softly snoring, he compares it to what you hear when you blow into an empty Chiclets … Continue reading Life Is Like A Box Of Chiclets
The Endlessly Inventive Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Blind for most of his life and slowed by a stroke in his later years, jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk still managed to make his mark in a big way before his death in 1977. He was the very definition of cutting-edge, playing a staggering number of different instruments -- sometimes several at once -- … Continue reading The Endlessly Inventive Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Sheila Jordan – Defying The Odds
You would have to assume that by the time we reach our 80s most of us would no longer be pursuing our normal vocation (if we're even still around), but it has always seemed to me that musical artists often defy the odds. Yet another example is jazz singer Sheila Jordan, who is still entertaining … Continue reading Sheila Jordan – Defying The Odds
Happy Un-Birthday To Louis Armstrong
During his lifetime, Louis Armstrong always said that he'd been born on July 4th, 1900. It became part of his legend and somehow always seemed appropriate for someone who was arguably the most important figure in the history of jazz, America's music. It wasn't until more than a decade after his 1971 death that his … Continue reading Happy Un-Birthday To Louis Armstrong
A Voice Stilled Too Soon – Irene Kral
Music history is filled with stories of performers who died much too young. And it seems especially cruel when it happens to one of the many female vocalists who early in their careers took time off to raise families. But in spite of all that, when Irene Kral died in 1978 at just age 46 … Continue reading A Voice Stilled Too Soon – Irene Kral
Mystery Sculptures
Once in a while, as a change of pace, I like to include one of those slideshow gizmos. Many of the shows I've featured in the past have consisted of pictures of sculptures that have been created by artists with some unusual ideas for materials. Just off the top of my head, I can remember … Continue reading Mystery Sculptures
Toots Thielemans Still Dazzling Fans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016) Although I've written about a lot of musical stars on the ol' GMC, I've always had a special fondness for those who have had long, successful careers and are still doing their thing and doing it well, even at an advanced age. One … Continue reading Toots Thielemans Still Dazzling Fans
The Crooning Eberly – Er – Eberle Brothers
In a recent piece about big band songbird Helen O'Connell I included a video of her performing with a guy who was her usual partner, crooner Bob Eberly. I also noted that the clip seemed to be mislabeled because it identified the singer as Ray Eberle, Bob's lookalike younger brother. I based my opinion on … Continue reading The Crooning Eberly – Er – Eberle Brothers
Geezer Music Club 