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Meet Ken Peplowski
by AAJ Staff
This article was first published on All About Jazz in August 1998. In numerous rave reviews, critics have exalted Ken Peplowski as the epitome of jazz traditionalism. But repeated listenings of his work reveals that Peplowski is perhaps more experimental and diverse than some have described him. It is worth noting that while Benny ...
Backgrounder: The Strolling Mr. Eldridge, 1953
In December 1953, trumpeter Roy Little Jazz" Eldridge recorded The Strolling Mr. Eldridge for Norman Granz's Clef label. Eldridge was a member of Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic tour and recording group of all stars. The album was released during the speed wars," when Columbia's 33 1/3 and RCA's 45 rpm formats were in fierce competition. ...
Perfection: Barney Kessel - Like Someone in Love
Soaring is one of Barney Kessel's finest albums of the 1970s. Recorded in August 1976 for Concord, the guitarist was backed by Monty Budwig on bass and Jake Hanna on drums. The entire record is perfect in every way. What I like most is how Kessel is isolated, allowing us to hear how gifted he was ...
My Conversation with John Fedchock
by AAJ Staff
This article was first published on All About Jazz in December 2000. Hit The Bricks, John Fedchock's first small-group record as a leader, has been eagerly awaited by old friends and long time fans who know him not only as the confident and competent leader of big bands, but as a lyrical, innovative soloist ...
Gene Ammons: The All-Star Sessions
Like many musicians who performed in Billy Eckstine's big band between 1944 and '46, tenor saxophonist Gene Jug" Ammons went on to jazz fame in the independent record label era of the late 1940s. He also did well in the blues 78 market (he was the first artist to record for Chess in Chicago) and the ...
My Conversation with Anthony Braxton
by AAJ Staff
This article first appeared on All About Jazz in September 2001. In Puccini's Tosca, the lead heroine sings Vissi d'arte" in the second act. It is with passion and anguish then that the audience understands the opera singer Floria Tosca is asking the heavens why she has suffered so much for her art when ...
Backgrounder: Gene Ammons - Boss Tenor, 1960
During the second half of the 1950s, tenor saxophonist recorded mostly jam session albums for Prestige. In June 1960, the label's founder and producer, Bob Weinstock, figured out that Ammons could also record with just a rhythm section behind him. The result was one of Ammons's finest albums—Boss Tenor. The LP featured Gene Ammons (ts), Tommy ...
Remembering All About Jazz's Dave Binder / John Kelman
by AAJ Staff
It is with great sadness that All About Jazz must announce the death of Dave Binder, better known to millions of readers as John Kelman. Dave died of a heart attack on August 10th, after a long bout of illness. For twenty years Dave was the most internationally renowned of all AAJ's contributors, penning over 2,700 ...
Perfection: Dexter Gordon's Society Red, 1961
In her memoir, Sophisticated Giant, Maxine Gordon writes this about her late husband, tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon: “Dexter Gordon was known as 'Society Red.' He got this name when he was with the Lionel Hampton band as a 17-year-old in 1940—just about the same time Malcolm X (then Malcolm Little) was being called Detroit Red. Dexter ...
Gino Paoli: 'Senza Fine,' 1961
Italian pop between the late 1950s and early '60s was unbeatable. Aimed at romantic single adults, many of the new love songs were composed with passion, sung with vulnerability and backed by large orchestration. One can only assume that Chet Baker's voice played a role in inspiring a wave of pale, aching voices and lyrical music. ...


