Home » Jazz Musicians » John "Buddy" Conner
John "Buddy" Conner
Perfection: Buddy Childers - Sentimental Sam (1955)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Summer always reminds me of Los Angeles and the thick, humid heat. But it's not so much the heat as it is the mood. Because I'm a romantic, when I'm in L.A. in the summer, I always imagine it's 1955. A private detective with his tie loosened and light-colored suit jacket off is sitting in a black Buick Century staking out a tropical-themed, one-story apartment building. That's enough to get me thinking of Hollywood trumpet ballads. Here's one that always ...
read more
Grammy-Nominated Pianist Donald Vega Unveils New Single Featuring Jazz Masters Lewis Nash And John Patitucci
Source:
Donald Vega
Award winning pianist and composer Donald Vega releases his new single, Gather ‘Round on Friday, June 27, 2025. This single was captured during the recording session for Vega’s Grammy nominated album As I Travel at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio in Astoria, NY, and features John Patitucci on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. “When I wrote 'Gather 'Round,' I was thinking about all those joyful, noisy moments with family and friends—the kind where laughter fills the room and love is ...
read more
The Sicilia Jazz Festival Set For June 22 to July 6 with Cecile McLorin, Eliane Elias, Victor Wooten, Jazzmeia Horn, John Pizzarelli and more
Source:
All About Jazz
The Sicilia Jazz Festival 2025, now in its fifth edition, reaffirms its status as a major cultural event, showcasing an impressive lineup of 85 concerts: eight orchestral productions, 61 performances in the Village area, 14 regional concerts, and two in community-based venues. The festival engages 385 musicians, features five world premieres with artists like Village People, Nina Zilli, Piero Pelù, Jazzmeia Horn, and Victor Wooten, and presents three national exclusives with John Pizzarelli, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Eliane Elias. Representing ...
read more
John Cameron: Off Centre (1969)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
John Cameron has had some career. The British jazz pianist, arranger and composer of film, TV and stages scores came up at the height of Swinging London in the mid-1960s. He had been playing piano professionally since age 14 in his hometown of Croydon and he attended Cambridge University. One of his first pop jobs was arranging Donovan's Sunshine Superman on the album of the same name and the hit single in 1966. John brought in a range of jazz ...
read more
John Von Ohlen: The Baron (1973)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
The Fender Rhodes electric piano was most popular with jazz and soul musicians and groups from 1970 to 1978, when affordable synthesizers began to replace the warm, dreamy-sounding instrument. For me, the greatest concentration of top-notch Rhodes albums arrived between 1971 and 1973. As you might imagine, I'm a bit of a Rhodes nut and have a fairly large collection. No other instrument says the 1970s like this singular keyboard. Just hearing its ringing notes triggers thoughts of patchouli oil, ...
read more
Grammy-Nominated Pianist Donald Vega Announces Release Of New Single 'Two Words: Bud Powell,' March 28, 2025 Featuring John Patitucci And Lewis Nash
Source:
Donald Vega
Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Donald Vega is set to release his latest single, Two Words: Bud Powell. The track, recorded during the 2023 sessions for his acclaimed album As I Travel, is one of three never-before-released compositions from that session. This straight ahead mid tempo tune was composed by Donald Vega and inspired by Bud Powell—one of the first names in Jazz Vega learned after immigrating to the United States and settling in Los Angeles. The song reflects Vega’s deep ...
read more
Ralph Hepola: Tubist Extraordinaire and Winner of a 2024 John Stites Jazz Award
Source:
Ralph Hepola
Once upon a time the venerable tuba was the foundational time-keeping instrument of a jazz band, mainly because its deep bass register meant it could be heard (the upright bass was sometimes used for indoor gigs). An early proponent of the tuba as an integral part of jazz was Louis Armstrong, especially with his Hot Five group. But by the 1920s, particularly with microphone technology advances, the double bass replaced that big brass beauty in the lineup. Today, tubists form ...
read more
Backgrounder: Buddy Fite - Tasty (1975)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Unless you lived in western Oregon in the late 1960s and '70s or the 1990s, you probably have no idea who Buddy Fite was. I bumped into his jazz guitar playing by accident last week on YouTube and was astonished. So I did a little research in old newspapers. Born in Vancouver, Wash., in 1938, Ronald “Buddy" Fite weighed in at 285 pounds and stood more than 6 feet tall, He was introduced to the guitar when he was 9, ...
read more
Ralph Hepola, John Stites Jazz Awards Winner
Source:
Ralph Hepola
The winner of the John Stites Jazz Awards represents the epitome of artistic achievement in the world of jazz. Through their unparalleled talent, dedication, and creativity, past winners of the prestigious prize have earned their place among the genre’s leading performers, educators, and advocates. After months of anticipation, the winners of the prestigious John Stites Jazz Awards have been revealed. This year, amidst stiff competition and extraordinary performances, tubaist and bandleader Ralph Hepola emerged as one of only three winners ...
read more
Nashville Drummer John Alvey Makes His Leadership Debut With 'Loft Glow,' Set For August 23 Release On Jazz Music City Records
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
Drummer John Alvey announces his formidable presence to the jazz world with the August 23 release of Loft Glow on Jazz Music City Records. Alvey’s recording debut presents a remarkably assured, but also risk-taking set of straight-ahead post-bop jazz, joined by a killer sextet of stalwarts from the increasingly hot Nashville jazz scene: trombonist Roland Barber, tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm, alto saxophonist Jovan Quallo, pianist Matt Endahl, and bassist Jacob Jezioro. Alvey is a native of Nashville, the son of ...
read more
