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News: Video / DVD

Fania Boogaloo: It's a Good, Good Feeling

October 12, 2021

Back in the 1960s, there were the Billboard pop and R&B charts. Everything was rock and soul, Black and white, uptown and downtown. But if you lived in New York, as I did then, in Washington Heights, you knew there was a third stream—boogaloo. You could hear it coming out of the open windows of apartments ...

News: Video / DVD

John Dennis: Debut Sessions

October 11, 2021

Pianist John Dennis recorded only two albums, both for Debut Records on March 10, 1955. The first album was New Piano Expressions, featuring John Dennis (p), Charles Mingus (b) and Max Roach (d) with solo tracks by Dennis. The second album was Jazz Collaborations, with trumpeter Thad Jones added to the trio. Debut was launched by ...

News: Video / DVD

They're Not Walter Wanderley

October 8, 2021

It's been a long week, so I figured I'd feature organists playing in the style of Walter Wanderley. Why? Because, sadly, there's only one video up at YouTube of Wanderley and I've watched it a thousand times. Here are a few of his disciples: Here's Florian Hutter... Here's Florian Hutter again... Here's Mike Reed... Here's Daniel ...

News: Interview

Brigitte Berman on Bix Beiderbecke

October 7, 2021

Yesterday, I provided you with a link and password to watch Oscar-winning director Brigitte Berman's newly restored documentary, Bix: Ain't None of Them Play Like Him Yet (1981) for free. Brigitte generously made this possible. To recap, you can watch by going here and typing in this password: Solnicki. Don't forget to clear the existing password ...

News: Obituary

Dr. Lonnie Smith (1942-2021)

October 5, 2021

Lonnie Smith, who added a Dr. in front of his name to differentiate himself from organist Lonnie Liston Smith and whose funk-driven organ in the 1960s was a key ingredient in many different soul-jazz combos, died on September 28. He was 79. In addition to his invented moniker, Lonnie's turban, by his own admission, had no ...

News: Interview

Lady Gaga on Tony Bennett

October 4, 2021

At the end of September, I interviewed Lady Gaga for a half hour by phone for The Wall Street Journal. We talked about Love for Sale—her new duet album with Tony Bennett—as well as a range of other subjects. My resulting piece went up online on Friday and the print version is in the paper's arts ...

News: Video / DVD

Leon Russell: Homewood Session, 1970

October 1, 2021

Leon Russell was an interesting artist. Born in Oklahoma, he began playing piano at a very young age and was getting paid for it starting at 14 when he gigged in Tulsa. As Leon told me when I visited him at home in Nashville in 2014: “Whatever I heard I could remember and play. When I ...

News: Music Industry

Thelonious Monk: Brussels, 1963

September 30, 2021

I'm loving these newly colorized jazz videos on YouTube. The trend began earlier this year, and the number of videos being given the hue treatment keeps multiplying. I'm not sure how or why so many are getting this makeover, but they certainly are move exciting and lively than the black and white originals. Case in point: ...

Article: Interview

Interview with Tom Varner

by AAJ Staff
June 29, 1999

From the 1995-2003 archives. This article was first published at All About Jazz in June 1999,When I mentioned to a friend and fellow jazz fan that I had an upcoming opportunity to interview Tom Varner, I was met by his momentarily puzzled expression which suddenly gave way to a pleased recognition and an enthusiastic... ...

News: Recording

Mike LeDonne: It's All Your Fault

September 29, 2021

Mike LeDonne is one funky organist. Three cups of Charles Earland, two tablespoons of Jimmy McGriff with liberal dashes of Don Patterson. Then cook. Mike's Philly sound is always groovy and driving but not overdone. That's the thing about organ albums. You have to know when it's enough, and Mike knows. The beauty of his music ...