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Lockjaw Meets the Hawk
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Improvising trio Kuzu set for St. Louis debut
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
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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René Thomas in 7 Clips
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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Miff Mole: Miffology
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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Ivie Anderson: Early Jazz Voice
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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Mildred Bailey: Queen of Swing
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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Prez Day: Lester Young
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
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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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Sarah Hennies, Merche Blasco to perform at the Contemporary Art Museum
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Today, let's take a look at some videos featuring music by Sarah Hennies and Merche Blasco, two composer-performers who will be doing separate sets on a shared bill presented by New Music Circle on Friday, February 28 at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Hennies, who's currently a visiting professor of music at Bard College in upstate New York, is a percussionist and composer of concert music for soloists and small ensembles, and also is active in improvisation, film, performance ...
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