The recent death of George Shearing was noted in a number of articles, and some of the more detailed pieces mentioned various performers who recorded with the legendary jazz pianist. Among them was a singer whose name might not be quite as familiar as Shearing's -- but his 1958 pairing with singer Dakota Staton on … Continue reading Dakota Staton – Beyond George Shearing
Tag: Nostalgia
It Might As Well Be Spring
In our area of the Midwest, daytime temperatures have been rising into the 60s. That's pretty amazing for mid-February, and even though I know there's bound to be lot of bad weather still to come, I can't help but wonder if Spring is at least not TOO far away. That being the case, I thought … Continue reading It Might As Well Be Spring
Happy Traum And The Origin Of Dylan Classics
I didn't watch the Grammy awards telecast, and really haven't paid that much attention to it other than reading that there were some surprising winners. I also noticed that Bob Dylan performed to mixed reviews, and it got me to thinking about the legendary singer/songwriter and his history. Although his singing is not for everybody, … Continue reading Happy Traum And The Origin Of Dylan Classics
In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
I've written before about musical artists who somehow fall short of super-stardom, even though they might be more talented than some of their more-famous contemporaries. Another good example would be jazz vocalist Sue Raney, a gorgeous lady with an even more beautiful voice, who over the course of her long career has been a favorite … Continue reading In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
Sinatra On My Kindle
I haven't written much about my Kindle lately, even though I'm as happy as can be with it. One reason I haven't mentioned it is that I mostly try to write about musical things, and even though it does play MP3 files I'm not sure if that counts as music related. But I do know … Continue reading Sinatra On My Kindle
Nothing Small About The Talent Of Little Jimmy Dickens
One of the longest running careers in country music belongs to a guy who also has one of the most unusual signature songs in any genre. 'Little' Jimmy Dickens, who has been entertaining folks for over 70 years, will always be best known for his number-one hit, "May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your … Continue reading Nothing Small About The Talent Of Little Jimmy Dickens
Ben Pollack Was The Real Thing
I've written before about a couple of movies that told the Hollywood version of the lives of two stars from the big band era -- The Benny Goodman Story and The Glenn Miller Story (video below) -- but something occurred to me today. Each film included a number of real musicians from the era appearing … Continue reading Ben Pollack Was The Real Thing
Bringing Nostalgia To Life
I love to look at old pictures, but most photos taken prior to the midpoint of the twentieth century are in black and white. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I do like the realism of color and I don't think I'm alone in that feeling. That's probably the main reason why the … Continue reading Bringing Nostalgia To Life
Lionel Hampton And Illinois Jacquet Shared Signature Song
Signature songs are a long-time tradition in the world of music. Almost every musician or group that has ever managed to attain a measure of fame can point to one special song that became their best known and most loved by fans. But in at least one instance, a song became the signature for two … Continue reading Lionel Hampton And Illinois Jacquet Shared Signature Song
Reporting From The Frozen Midwest
Apparently there's an honest difference of opinion revolving around the question of whether it is worse to be visited by a big load of snow or fall victim to an ice storm. As someone who resides in an area that is currently experiencing the latter, I'm leaning toward ice as the scariest problem. Please don't … Continue reading Reporting From The Frozen Midwest
Geezer Music Club 