Author name: Thomas Cunniffe

“THE REAL AMBASSADORS” (by Keith Hatschek)

Book Reviews /

It has taken 60 years, but the story of Dave and Iola Brubeck’s pioneering musical “The Real Ambassadors” has been told in a full-length book. Using vintage interviews and materials from the Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck archives, author Keith Hatschek examines the work in the larger scope of the civil rights movement, as well as the details of the creation, recording and sole performance of the work. There is talk of a film treatment, and reviewer Thomas Cunniffe explores that angle in this Book Review.

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CONCERT MARATHON (NYC; Philadelphia; Baltimore: Sept 7-16, 2022)

Concert Reviews /

The 2022 autumn concert season began with a rush of concerts. There were many fine concerts from which to choose, but Thomas Cunniffe focused his efforts on three concerts in 10 days. Cunniffe caught the Louis Armstrong Eternity Band and vocalist Aubrey Johnson in separate sets at Birdland in New York, Laura Anglade and Melody Gardot outside of Philadelphia, and Ryan Keberle’s Catharsis in Baltimore.

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CONCERT JOURNAL: SUMMER-FALL 2022

Concert Reviews /

Jazz History Online’s Concert Journal continues to cover the finest jazz concerts from the Eastern US. Thomas Cunniffe is your guide to the wide variety of jazz performed from Boston to DC.

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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR (07-22)

From the Editor /

All about our new articles, plus an editorial about the depreciation of our record collections.

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DEDICATION

CD Reviews /

The word “Dedication” is a synonym for commitment, as well as the act of honoring others. The double meaning applies to the recordings, as many of the honorees are lauded for their sense of commitment. Thomas Cunniffe reviews four new CDs by Lynne Arriale, Eli Degibri, Fred Hersch, and Martin Wind.

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REFLECTIONS

CD Reviews /

The word “reflection” has two distinct meanings: the image seen in a mirror, and the act of remembering. This set of Vocal CD Reviews includes instances of both definitions. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the albums of Alex Baird, Dawn Derow, Carol Sloane, Melissa Stylianou, Tierney Sutton and Mark Winkler.

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MARY LOU WILLIAMS: MUSIC FOR THE SOUL (by Deanna Witkowski)

Book Reviews /

Mary Lou Williams was not only the most important female musician in jazz history; she was a major force in the music’s development. For the past two decades, Deanna Witkowski has researched Williams’ life and music. Thomas Cunniffe reviews Witkowski’s new book on Williams’ life, and her new CD which features Williams’ music.

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DO YOU REMEMBER THE CONCERT WHEN…

Retro Reviews /

Of the hundreds of concerts we may attend in our lifetimes, the ones we remember best are the ones with stories attached. Usually, the stories are exaggerated over time…unless the concert was recorded. In this month’s Retro Review, Thomas Cunniffe reviews newly issued vintage concerts by Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Oscar Peterson, each attached to a unique story.

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“THE SPIRITS WITHIN”: THE COLLABORATIONS OF RED RODNEY AND IRA SULLIVAN (Part 2)

Historical Essays /

The Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan Quintet was one of the most exciting bands of the early 1980s. Trumpeter Rodney and multi-instrumentalist Sullivan co-lead the house band at Chicago’s Bee Hive in the mid-1950s. They reunited 25 years later and fronted a quintet with a young rhythm section that explored contemporary jazz from a bebop foundation. In this extended Historical Essay, Thomas Cunniffe explores the collaborations of Rodney and Sullivan, encompassing nine LPs and six newly-discovered live recordings.

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“THE SPIRITS WITHIN”: THE COLLABORATIONS OF RED RODNEY AND IRA SULLIVAN (Part 1)

Historical Essays /

The Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan Quintet was one of the most exciting bands of the early 1980s. Trumpeter Rodney and multi-instrumentalist Sullivan co-lead the house band at Chicago’s Bee Hive in the mid-1950s. They reunited 25 years later and fronted a quintet with a young rhythm section that explored contemporary jazz from a bebop foundation. In this extended Historical Essay, Thomas Cunniffe explores the collaborations of Rodney and Sullivan, encompassing nine LPs and six newly-discovered live recordings.

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CONCERT JOURNAL: Spring 2022

Concert Reviews /

Now appearing in abbreviated form due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Jazz History Online’s Concert Journal continues to cover the finest jazz concerts from the Eastern US. Thomas Cunniffe is your guide to the wide variety of jazz performed from Boston to DC.

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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR (12-21)

From the Editor /

Hello, everyone, I hope that you’ve all had a lovely holiday season. As we enter 2022, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect our lives. As usual, none of the experts can agree, so we’ll just have to take this year as it comes, and hope that it’s much better

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2021: THE SUMMATION

Sidetracks /

2021 was a roller coaster of a year, filled with contradictions and false starts. However, there was great music performed live and on disc, plus excellent historical reissues and books. We note these accomplishments, and say farewell to those who left us in this year’s Summation.

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NEW HOMETOWNS, FAMOUS HEROES

CD Reviews /

The tribute albums featured in this issue’s CD Reviews were created by artists living far away from the cultural centers of New York and Los Angeles. Jackie Allen and Hans Sturm salute musicians born in the Cornhusker State in “The Nebraska Project”, Anat Cohen and Marcello Goncalves explore the MPB songbook on “Reconvexo”, Cyrille Aimee, Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra join forces to examine the cultural connections between New Orleans and France, and David Sanford’s big band pays homage to Dizzy Gillespie and Lester Bowie on “Prayer for Lester Bowie”. Thomas Cunniffe offers his reactions to these superb albums.

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