Jazz Articles
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Albert Burbank: Burgundy Street Blues
by Dave Nathan
Typically my reviews of Big Bill Bissonnette's releases on his Jazz Crusade label have been positive and affirmative. But on Burgundy Street Blues, Albert Burbank and his fellow players somehow get off track on several of the tracks. Despite the fluid clarinet playing of the leader and some fine individual efforts by some of the soloists, e.g. George Edward Stevenson (trombone) and Jack Fine (trumpet), the music seems to lose some of its juice by the time you get to ...
read moreBrain Carrick & His Algiers Stompers: Everywhere You Go
by Dave Nathan
English clarinetist Brian Carrick and his countrymen pay tribute to New Orleans jazz legend Kid Thomas Valentine by borrowing the name of Valentine's group, the Algiers Stompers for 70 minutes of traditional New Orleans jazz. Algiers, now absorbed into New Orleans, was once a separate city with its own tradition and Kid Thomas Valentine was an integral part of it. Alternating between exuberance and poignancy Carrick's group lends their talents to 17 tunes running the spectrum from familiar New Orleans ...
read moreKid Thomas Valentine: The Thomas Band at Moose Hall, 1968 Vol. 1
by Dave Nathan
Kid Thomas was72 when he took his Algiers Band into Moose Hall in Stamford, CT. The performance was recorded but languished in the vaults of the Connecticut Jazz Club for more than 32 years. Shame on somebody. But happily Bill Bissonnette's enterprising Jazz Crusade label found them and this CD is the first of a multi volume release. Thomas was a master of lyricism and could create novel sounds from the instrument. Listen to his work on “Kid Thomas Boogie ...
read moreGregg Stafford & Dr. Michael White: Praying & Swaying - Vol. 1 "At the Cross"
by Dave Nathan
The lines between blues, jazz and old time gospel sometimes get blurred when traditional jazz players get together. The three genres are honored on this meeting between Gregg Stafford and Dr. Michael White, both members of a generation when the traditional music no longer held the same place in the hearts and minds of jazz fans it once had. But these two keepers of the flame are New Orleans natives and for them, the music is in their blood. For ...
read morePat Hawes: That Salty Dog
by Dave Nathan
Unlike many of the traditional jazz revival bands focus on the New Orleans style, especially those located in Europe, Pat Hawes and his group explore traditional jazz from other jazz citadels, like Chicago. Thus there is a large tray of colors on this album not found on those that deal exclusively with just one style of trad jazz. It's a credit to the performers that they are at ease with and can play the different varieties of traditional jazz represented ...
read moreGregg Stafford/Brian Carrick: Streets of the City
by Dave Nathan
Big Bill Bissonnette's quest to keep the flame of New Orleans jazz burning bright with Jazz Crusade label continues. Not only is he successful in making this important music available, but he is equally successful in garnering some of the best players in the world to perform it. And “world" is what we're taking about here. Of the two front line stars of this album, Gregg Stafford is from New Orleans and born into the tradition. The second, Brian Carrick, ...
read moreGeorge Lewis: Jammin' New Orleans Style in the 50s
by Dave Nathan
Bunk Johnson, the leader of the New Orleans traditional jazz revivalist movement passed away in 1949. With its leader gone along with many of the big bands and the emergence of bop, traditional jazz was pretty much hanging on by a thread and may have gone off the radar screen of the jazz loving public if it were not for the likes of George Lewis and those who appear with him on this album. This CD is made up of ...
read moreSammy Rimington & the Mouldy 5: Reed My Lips
by Dave Nathan
Jazz Crusade, as the name suggests, continues its quest to put to CD New Orleans jazz performed by a roster of memorable practitioners of this music, which is an important keystone of jazz. The title implies with the word return, that the Mouldy 5 was somewhere and is now back. And that's exactly the case. Big Bill Bissonnette, the leader of Jazz Crusade, is bringing back the group he once headed during the 1960's. There's been a few personnel changes ...
read moreDr. Michael White: In a Tribute to Mr. Johnny Dodds
by Dave Nathan
Dr. Michael White is a professor of Spanish and Afro-American music at Xavier University. But his real job is working hard to make sure that the New Orleans jazz tradition stays alive and well through writings, lectures and performing. Selecting soul mate fellow clarinetist Johnny Dodds as the subject for this CD, White replicates tunes Dodds played with either his own group or with one of the many he was a member of during his performing years. The older brother ...
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