Standards are part of every jazz vocalist’s repertoire, and the three women featured in this month’s vocal CD reviews all share deep love and knowledge of the standard repertoire. Thomas Cunniffe discusses an autobiographical CD by Cat Conner, a soulful recital with B3 organ by Nancy Kelly, and a direct-to-2-track recording by Melissa Stylianou.
Sophisticated Ladies Read More »
One of the reasons that jazz remains a lively art is that its traditions are both strong and flexible. In this month’s instrumental CD reviews, Thomas Cunniffe explores three artists who have adapted standard album formulas in their own ways without sacrificing either their own integrity or the spirit of the originals.
The Spirit of Discovery Read More »
In this month’s vocal CD reviews, Thomas Cunniffe discusses new albums by three supremely gifted young singers. Rose Ellis offers one of the most impressive debut CDs in recent memory with Like Songs, Like Moons, Alllegra Levy presents a light-hearted approach to relationship issues in Cities Between Us, and Rozina Patkai sings a stunning collection of songs in four languages on Paraiso na Terra.
Spreading Their Wings Read More »
While most vocal albums include a mix of standard and original compositions, this month’s CD reviews focus on how singers Peter Eldridge, Sara Gazarek and Clare Teal, found creative ways to enhance both types of songs. Thomas Cunniffe provides the commentary.
Balancing Standards and Originals Read More »
As 2018 comes to a close, Jazz History Online recognizes the best new and reissued CDs, DVDs and books that have appeared in our pages over the past 12 months. We also pay tribute to the great musicians and historians who left us in 2018.
The bright costumes and wild improvisations of Sun Ra and his Arkestra made them a natural for film. Although several documentaries (and one very strange feature film) were made of the group, no filmmaker found the essence of Ra and his sidemen as well as Robert Mugge in his documentary A Joyful Noise. Thomas Cunniffe reviews a beautifully restored DVD edition of the film in this month’s DVD review.
Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise (MVD Visual) Read More »
Few singers could discover the inner meaning of a lyric like Susannah McCorkle. A self-described hopeless romantic, she thoroughly researched the songs she performed, and sometimes added long-forgotten lyrics to her arrangements. McCorkle committed suicide in 2001, but her memory lives on through a newly-released live recording from Berlin. Thomas Cunniffe, who once interviewed McCorkle, discusses her life and artistry in this Sidetracks article.
Remembering Susannah Read More »
As they approach their 50th anniversary, the Swingle Singers are at the top of the a cappella world. Thomas Cunniffe offers this interactive history of the group with embedded video and audio performances and a gallery of group photos.
The Swingle Singers: Making the Music Dance Part 2 Read More »
As they approach their 50th anniversary, the Swingle Singers are at the top of the a cappella world. Thomas Cunniffe offers this interactive history of the group with embedded video and audio performances and a gallery of group photos.
Swingle Singers Gallery Read More »
The Swingle Singers are currently celebrating their golden anniversary with worldwide concerts and a pair of new recordings. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the first of these two albums, which captures the group in transition (with a change in the bass section) and offers recordings of the group’s current repertoire.
Swingle Singers: “Weather To Fly” (World Village 450025) Read More »
As they approach their 50th anniversary, the Swingle Singers are at the top of the a cappella world. Thomas Cunniffe offers this interactive history of the group with embedded video and audio performances and a gallery of group photos.
The Swingle Singers: Making the Music Dance Read More »
Jazz and the movies are America’s two greatest contributions to the arts, but Hollywood rarely gets it right when jazz musicians are portrayed on the silver screen. Syncopation, a 1942 film directed by William Dieterle has been issued on home video for the first time, and while it’s not the classic that the trailer claims, it is considerably better than most Hollywood jazz films. As a bonus, the DVD and Blu-Ray editions contain nine exquisitely restored jazz shorts featuring Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Cab Calloway, and reviewer Thomas Cunniffe states that these films are more entertaining than the feature.
Syncopation (Cohen Film Collection) Read More »
In celebration of Woody Herman’s upcoming centennial, Graham Carter has produced a 110-minute documentary chronicling the history of the famed bandleader. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the DVD, noting that the film has interviews with many distinguished Herman alumni and several rare film clips.
Woody Herman: “Blue Flame: Portrait of a Jazz Legend” (Jazzed Media) Read More »
While only one of the albums featured in this month’s vocal CD reviews is entirely devoted to the subject of love, all four discs touch upon the topic. Thomas Cunniffe comments on new albums by Camille Bertault, Alexis Cole, Kate McGarry and Norma Winstone.
Love…and Other Subjects Read More »