Author name: Thomas Cunniffe

Frankie Newton: The Forgotten Trumpeter (part I)

Best of JHO, Historical Essays /

Despite appearing on some of the greatest jazz records of the 1930s, and possessing one of the most personal sounds in jazz history, trumpeter Frankie Newton is barely remembered today. His biography is filled with contradictory information, and his discography has several mysterious gaps. Thomas Cunniffe sorts out the conflicting details and discusses all of Newton’s recordings in this special 2-part Historical Essay.

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Frankie Newton: The Forgotten Trumpeter (Part I)

Uncategorized /

Despite appearing on some of the greatest jazz records of the 1930s, and possessing one of the most personal sounds in jazz history, trumpeter Frankie Newton is barely remembered today. His biography is filled with contradictory information, and his discography has several mysterious gaps. Thomas Cunniffe sorts out the conflicting details and discusses all of Newton’s recordings in this special 2-part Historical Essay.

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Frankie Newton: The Forgotten Trumpeter (part II)

Historical Essays /

In the second part of this extended Historical Essay, Thomas Cunniffe explores Frankie Newton’s life and music from 1938 through his death in 1954. In addition to examining Newton’s recordings, Cunniffe also discusses the likely reasons for Newton’s absence in the studios from 1939-1943 and 1946-1954.

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Good Things Come Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz (by Fred Hersch)

Book Reviews /

Like most autobiographies, “Good Things Happen Slowly” is a story of discovery and identity. However, as the subject is Fred Hersch, this book tells of the more-or-less simultaneous emergence of two distinct (and for some, incongruous) character traits, that of a gay man and of a jazz pianist. Thomas Cunniffe reviews this touching memoir, notable for its candor and understated tone.

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Fred Hersch: “My Coma Dreams” (Palmetto)

DVD Reviews /

Like most people, Fred Hersch doesn’t remember his dreams. But the dreams he envisioned while in a medically-induced coma were so vivid, he described them in detail after he regained consciousness. Those dreams, and the story of his illness, are part a of a hybrid jazz/theatre work called My Coma Dreams. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the newly released DVD of a performance at Columbia University.

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Fred Hersch Trio: “Sunday Night at the Vanguard” (Palmetto 2183)

CD Reviews /

The live recording sessions for the new Fred Hersch Trio CD Sunday Night at the Vanguard were nearly canceled, until Hersch changed his mind at the group’s initial sound check earlier in the week. It’s a good thing that he did. The album features the astounding music primarily created during a single set at the storied Greenwich Village club. Thomas Cunniffe’s feature review focuses on the ensemble work of this extraordinary trio.

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Fred Hersch: “Alone at the Vanguard” (Palmetto 2147)

CD Reviews /

After Fred Hersch lapsed into an AIDS-related coma in 2009, many in the jazz community feared he would not survive it. Thankfully, he emerged with renewed strength and creative spirit. His CD, Alone at the Vanguard was recorded shortly after his illness and reviewer Thomas Cunniffe calls it one of Hersch’s finest recordings.

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Freedom of Expression: Interviews with Women in Jazz (by Chris Becker)

Book Reviews /

When the sub-category of Women in Jazz first appeared in the 1970s, female jazz musicians were still a rarity. Today, women musicians represent a substantial part of the jazz scene, and the sub-category has started to lose its relevance. In this book review, Thomas Cunniffe notes that Freedom of Expression, a new collection of interviews with female jazz musicians, seems to be more about the struggles of self-marketing music and less about the unique qualities of jazz women.

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Friends and Family

CD Reviews /

This month–without planning it–all of our featured CDs share the theme of family and community. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan review five albums by the Clayton Brothers, Brandi Disterheft, Diego Figueiredo, Eric Person and Houston Person that feature or salute family members, reunite longtime friends, or share the communion of faith.

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From 1 to 11

CD Reviews /

The above title is not a reference to Spinal Tap’s amplifiers. Rather, it designates the size of the ensembles featured in this month’s Instrumental CD Reviews. Thomas Cunniffe reviews these fine new albums by Fred Hersch, Bill Charlap, Annie Booth, and Josh Nelson.

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From the Editor 03-13

From the Editor /

Jazz History Online: dedicated to the finest in jazz–past and present.

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From the Editor 02-17

From the Editor /

Jazz History Online: dedicated to the finest in jazz–past and present.

From the Editor 02-17 Read More »

From the Editor 03-12

From the Editor /

Jazz History Online: dedicated to the finest in jazz–past and present.

From the Editor 03-12 Read More »

From the Editor 02-16

From the Editor /

Jazz History Online: dedicated to the finest in jazz–past and present.

From the Editor 02-16 Read More »

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