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Dave Frishberg Is 86
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Today is Dave Frishberg’s birthday. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1933. Frishberg is a splendid pianist who has worked with Zoot Sims, Bill Berry, Ben Webster Carmen McRae and too many other leading musicians to list. His greatest fame, however, has come through his songs. Many of Frishberg’s pieces have become parts of the standard repertoire, among them “I’m Hip,” “Peel Me A Grape,” “Dodger Blue,” “Van Lingle Mungo,” and (with Johnny Mandel), “You Are There.” Preparing ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Ahmad Jamal
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, let's check out some videos featuring pianist Ahmad Jamal, who will be performing Saturday, March 30 at the annual benefit gala for the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries. Jamal, who's now 88 years old and plays only a select number of dates per year, is a native of Pittsburgh who began his musical career in the late 1940s, reaching international stardom a decade later with the release of his album Live at the Pershing. Recorded at a ...
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Perfect Album: Louisiana Slim
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
One of my favorite 1970s Hammond organists is Leon Spencer Jr. Along with Melvin Sparks (g) Idris Muhammad (d) and Buddy Caldwell (cga), Spencer was a virtual house organist for Prestige during that decade. In addition to recording behind Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons, Spencer was on several Blue Note albums by Lou Donaldson. In between, Spencer recorded a handful of leadership albums for Prestige. His finest album, Louisiana Slim, is perfect on every score. Recorded in 1971 and produced ...
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Meredith D'Ambrosio in 1981
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
One of my regrets about my college years in Boston during the 1970s is not going to see Meredith D'Ambrosio perform around town. Back then, I was either at the Harvard “Coop" buying jazz LPs, at Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop at night during the week and at discos on the weekends. Soon after I started JazzWax in 2007, I made up for lost time, and Meredith and I have been close pals ever since. Yesterday, I spent much ...
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Peterson + Dandridge, 1958
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Cast in the 1954 film Carmen Jones, Dorothy Dandridge became the first African-American actress to be nominated for an Oscar in a leading role. The attention was both a blessing and a curse. She earned a fortune from the film and was suddenly the toast of Hollywood. But her relationships with men ended in disaster, Confidential made mincemeat of her reputation before she successfully sued the Hollywood tabloid to cease publishing false scandalous stories, abusive husbands siphoned off her savings ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The eclectic artistry of Oliver Lake
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, StLJN's video spotlight shines on musician, painter, poet, and former St. Louisan Oliver Lake, who's coming to town to perform in a concert sponsored by the Nu-Art Series and St. Louis University next Friday, March 22 at Xavier Hall on the SLU campus. Lake will joined for the performance by pianist Greg Mills, trumpeter and Nu-Art Series impresario George Sams, and dancers Antonio Douthis-Boyd and Kirven Douthis-Boyd, and, in keeping with the “Jazz 'N Tongues" theme of Nu-Art's ...
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Bossa Nova in 1960s Film
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
It's Friday. I hope you packed your bags. To fully feel the beauty of the bossa nova, you must see the following three films—Rio de Janeiro, Bossa Nova do Brasil and Saravah. Each is sensual and enlightening for different reasons and each stars great Brazilian musicians of the day: Here's an edited Rio de Janeiro (1962). The ultimate beach movie celebrates the global popularity of the bossa nova in the early 1960s, before the 1964 coup. It includes a sandy ...
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Nat King Cole: Top 10 Albums
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
The 100th anniversary of Nat King Cole's birth is on March 17. Cole was one of America's most remarkable entertainers. His first jazz-pop career was with his celebrated trio in the 78-era of the 1940s. Then he triumphed in the 10-inch era from 1950 to 1954 with hits that included Unforgettable and Penthouse Serenade. Then came the 12-inch LP era, starting in 1955 and ending with his death in 1965. Many of these albums featured Cole illustrated in suburban settings ...
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