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Video / DVD

Bull Moose Jackson: Jazz Jump

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 28, 2020

A careful look at a jazz discography always yields an interesting historical story. Back in the late 1940s, many jazz artists had their start in R&B and jump blues bands. The groups were often smartly organized jazz-blues hybrids that played tightly arranged charts and regularly toured, ensuring they'd be well-oiled recording artists. Bull Moose Jackson led one of those bands. A veteran of the Lucky Millinder Orchestra in the mid 1940s, Jackson formed his own band in 1947. A glance ...

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Video / DVD

Lockjaw Meets the Hawk

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 27, 2020

To the best of my knowledge, tenor saxophonists Eddie “Lockjaw" Davis and Coleman Hawkins recorded together as a duo only once (Very Saxy was a group session with saxophonists Buddy Tate and Arnett Cobb). Davis—like Sonny Rollins, Don Byas, Lucky Thompson and others— was deeply influenced by Hawkins's gruff, boastful attack. So teaming up with his mentor put him on the spot, and Davis went all out for the session. The album we're talking about is Night Hawk, recorded in ...

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Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Improvising trio Kuzu set for St. Louis debut

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
February 23, 2020

This week, let's take a look at some videos featuring the musicians in Kuzu, an improvising trio who will be coming to St. Louis to perform in a concert presented by New Music Circle on Wednesday, March 11 at Joe's Cafe. Saxophonist Dave Rempis, guitarist Tashi Dorji and drummer Tyler Damon all are veterans of the improvised music scene, with Rempis and Damon based in Chicago and Dorji living in Asheville, NC. They formed Kuzu in the fall of 2017, ...

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Video / DVD

René Thomas in 7 Clips

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 22, 2020

For some strange reason yesterday, I had a craving for guitarist René Thomas. I love the way he swings unevenly and the hip quality of his picking and sound of his guitar. Born in Belgium in 1927, Thomas moved to Paris and was deeply influenced by guitarist Jimmy Raney. In the 1960s, he often was featured as part of a trio with organist Eddy Louiss and Kenny Clarke. René Thomas died in 1975. Here are seven Thomas video and audio ...

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Video / DVD

Miff Mole: Miffology

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 21, 2020

The jazz trumpet dates back to Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke. The saxophone can be traced to Sidney Bechet and Frankie Trumbauer. And the piano dates back to Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. As for the jazz trombone, it starts with Miff Mole. Mole is arguably the pioneer of the solo jazz trombone style. Born in New York in 1898, Mole began on the piano and switched to trombone at age 15. A member of the Original Memphis Five ...

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Video / DVD

Ivie Anderson: Early Jazz Voice

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 20, 2020

Like Mildred Bailey, Ivie Anderson was an early female vocalist who pioneered the jazz idiom in dance bands. She joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1931and for the next 12 years she toured and recorded with the band. Anderson's voice was more pointed and huskier than Bailey's and featured a mild tremolo. She also had a slinkier quality, especially on mid-tempo numbers such as I'm Satisfied and Did Anyone Ever Tell You. One can hear a quite a bit of Anderson ...

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Video / DVD

Mildred Bailey: Queen of Swing

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 19, 2020

In the 1930s, as the country struggled through the Depression, households buckled under the strain of poverty and the creeping fear of darkening world events. What kept most people from being swallowed by nagging pessimism and despair was the radio. The dramas and music that came over the airwaves provided much-needed relief from anxiety and worry. The first and finest female singing voice during these bleak years was Mildred Bailey. A warm and upbeat swing-era beacon, she not only forged ...

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Video / DVD

Prez Day: Lester Young

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 18, 2020

Today in the U.S. we are celebrating a national holiday honoring Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Originally conceived in the 1880s as a day of tribute to George Washington on his birthday, February 22, the holiday was moved to the month's third Monday in 1968 when Congress shifted most holidays to Mondays and decided to use this one to honor two presidents instead of one. Here at JazzWax, President's Day has a different purpose. On this day, we celebrate ...

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