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News: Video / DVD

Louis Armstrong: 7 Clips

July 4, 2017

Today is Louis Armstrong's birthday—sort of. For years, the trumpeter had said he was born on the Fourth of July. In truth, he was born on Aug. 4. For the purpose of this post, let's go with Louis's recollection and celebrate today. Here are seven clips of Armstrong singing off-beat songs in the 1960s, proof that ...

News: Recording

Art Pepper: More West Coast

July 3, 2017

In February, I posted about two superb Art Pepper albums that have were remastered on the Omnivore label. The recordings were originally made for the Japanese Atlas label, with Pepper's featured guest as the leader so he could get around his contracts with Fantasy. One was with Pete Jolly and the other was with Sonny Stitt. ...

News: Video / DVD

Six Videos: Tony Bennett

June 30, 2017

On June 20, the Library of Congress announced that this year's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song will be awarded to Tony Bennett. He will accept the award in Washington, D.C., in November. Congratulations, Tony! Yesterday, I drilled down deep into the YouTube vaults for rare Tony video clips: Here's Tony recording The Trolley Song for his ...

News: Obituary

Geri Allen (1957-2017)

June 29, 2017

Geri Allen, a jazz pianist and composer with a deeply personal approach to standards and original works who explored a lyrical and tender side of the avant-garde, died on June 27 of cancer. She was 60. Early in her career in the 1980s, Geri recorded extensively with saxophonist Oliver Lake and with bassist Charlie Haden and ...

News: Recording

Dick Meldonian and Sonny Igoe

June 26, 2017

Saxophonist Dick Meldonian began his recording career in Charlie Barnet's band in 1950. He then moved on to Stan Kenton at the start of 1952. He remained with Kenton until the mid-1950s, when he left to record on 12-inch LPs with Pat Moran, Sam Most, Erroll Garner, Nat Pierce, Bill Russo, Marion Evans (he's on the ...

News: Recording

Chico Hamilton: Broadway, 1960

June 23, 2017

As a drummer and leader, Chico Hamilton was vastly important in the evolution of small-group jazz in the 1950s and '60s. Unfortunately, he is nearly forgotten today. A force on the West Coast, Hamilton was a member of the seminal Gerry Mulligan Quartet in the early 1950s, he formed his own unique avant-garde quintet in the ...

News: Video / DVD

Videos: Sue Raney, 1963

June 23, 2017

In August 1963, West Coast singer Sue Raney appeared on the Australian TV program Brian Henderson's Bandstand. Henderson was a newsreader on the country's Nine Network and hosted its music show from 1958 to 1972. Sue was likely in Australia to perform and promote one of her Capitol releases. These videos of her performances went up ...

News: Recording

Jay Cameron: Sax Band, 1955

June 21, 2017

Saxophone bands hold a special place among jazz fans. Reeds playing melody and harmony in unison is tremendously exciting, whether they are alone or as lead instruments in a band. As reeds, they assume a vocal harmony group feel, which engages the ear. That's why so many saxophone bands have been featured on recordings over the ...

News: Recording

Charles Mingus: Changes One

June 20, 2017

One of my favorite Charles Mingus albums is Changes One, recorded for Atlantic Records at the tail end of December 1974. There something about the recording that exceeds even Mingus's high composing standards and exotic vision. The album is moody, brooding and reminds me of New York in the mid-1970s more than any other. Yesterday, when ...

News: Recording

Sonny Rollins & Monk

June 19, 2017

Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins didn't record much with pianist Thelonious Monk, but what they did record together remains remarkable. It's a shame they weren't brought together for more albums, but the timing wasn't quite right. By the late 1950s both Sonny and Monk were towering leaders in their own right blazing paths on their own sessions. ...