Regular visitors to the GMC might remember that I've always had a fondness for clarinetists, having been one myself (a bad one) and even claiming a sort of spiritual link to Benny Goodman. We've also featured a lot of masters of the licorice stick, but it's been a while since our last so I thought … Continue reading Buster Bailey Blew A Mean Licorice Stick
Tag: Jazz
A Hidden Treasure – Toots Mondello
As I've said before, the big musical stars have all had plenty of stuff written about them, but what about those who were just as talented -- maybe even more so -- but never got the recognition? Guys like saxophonist Toots Mondello, who was one of the best but remains relatively unknown to most music … Continue reading A Hidden Treasure – Toots Mondello
John Kirby And The Biggest Little Band In The Land
In spite of its name, the big band era always had room for smaller outfits. Sometimes they'd be formed from the members of a bigger band and become part of the show, as was the case with Benny Goodman's trio and quartet. But in other cases a smaller group would do just fine on its … Continue reading John Kirby And The Biggest Little Band In The Land
The Odyssey Of Mickey Baker
In an earlier post about the Bonnie Sisters, I mentioned that they'd been helped along by Mickey Baker, a talented guitarist who would later be part of the R&B duo Mickey & Sylvia. But even though he and his performing partner struck gold in 1957 with "Love Is Strange," Mickey Baker might have been a … Continue reading The Odyssey Of Mickey Baker
Fantastic Foursome – A Song For The Season
We haven't had a Fantastic Foursome for a while, so maybe I should explain the idea for those newer visitors who haven't run across it before. It's a recurring special feature that spotlights a particular song, and then offers the chance to listen to four different versions and vote for your favorite. The song we're … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome – A Song For The Season
The Music Of The Sopranos
Most know by now that James Gandofini has unexpectedly died in Rome from an apparent heart attack. Not surprisingly, there are countless articles exploding into the media stream about the 51-year-old actor, and even though he had a diverse career most are centered around his iconic gangster character, Tony Soprano. We're doing the same here … Continue reading The Music Of The Sopranos
Buddy And Ella Johnson – The Rest Of The Story
A while back, one of our Anatomy of a Song posts featured the Lenny Welch classic, "Since I Fell For You." It also mentioned that the song had been written by Buddy Johnson, and was first performed by his band with a vocal by his sister Ella. I thought we should dig a little deeper … Continue reading Buddy And Ella Johnson – The Rest Of The Story
The Bookended Career Of Joe Venuti
One of the legends of jazz, a violinist who pioneered improvisational play, Giuseppe 'Joe' Venuti had a career that lasted more than a half-century. In the 1920s and early 1930s he teamed up with his buddy, the equally talented guitarist Eddie Lang, to dazzle jazz fans of that era, and in the decade before his … Continue reading The Bookended Career Of Joe Venuti
Remembering The Girls In The Band
A familiar line that has been used in live shows for years is 'let's hear it for the boys in the band'. Additionally, Boys In The Band (albeit with a different meaning) has been the title of both a play and a movie, so it has become a familiar phrase. A new documentary takes advantage … Continue reading Remembering The Girls In The Band
The Musical Side Of Polly Bergen
I don't know about you, but even though I knew Polly Bergen could sing, I have always thought of her as an actress. In fact, I was doing just that -- thinking about her -- not too long ago when I read a story about the odds of Hillary Clinton becoming president, because one of … Continue reading The Musical Side Of Polly Bergen
Geezer Music Club 