Author name: Thomas Cunniffe

Sonny Rollins: “There Will Never Be Another You” (LP: Impulse 9349; CD: Impulse 5334723)

Retro Reviews /

When Sonny Rollins signed with Impulse Records in 1965, his first recording project was a live outdoor concert at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. During the concert, Rollins wandered all around the performing space as he improvised, and the off-mike recording was shelved for 13 years, when it was issued as There Will Never Be Another You. While the album reflects an important milestone in Rollins’ live recordings, it is frequently misunderstood. Thomas Cunniffe examines the recording and the music in this Retro Review.

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Sonny Rollins: “Road Shows” (Vol. 2) (Doxy/EmArcy 15949)

CD Reviews /

Sonny Rollins has released another spectacular collection of live performances, this time covering a month-long period in September and October of 2010. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the CD, noting that in the mere ordering of tracks, Rollins the producer has enhanced the performance of Rollins the saxophonist.

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Dizzy Gillespie: “Sonny Side Up” (Verve 314 521 426)/”Duets” (Verve 835 253)

Retro Reviews /

There are all-star sessions, and then there’s Dizzy Gillespie’s Sonny Side Up. This album, featuring the twin tenors of Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt, contains one of the greatest tenor sax battles ever recorded. In this Retro Review, Thomas Cunniffe explores both Sonny Side Up and its companion album Duets.

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48 versions of “St. Louis Blues”

Historical Essays /

W.C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues was written nearly 100 years ago, and it has inspired thousands of recorded versions. Thomas Cunniffe examines four dozen jazz versions in this month’s Historical Essay. A playlist is available for readers who want to listen along.

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Stan Getz: “The Dolphin” (Concord Jazz 4158)

Retro Reviews /

One of Stan Getz’ last masterpieces was The Dolphin, a quartet recording made at San Francisco’s Keystone Korner. New JHO contributor Chris Coulter offers his thoughts on the album and its companion disc, Spring Is Here.

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Storytellers

CD Reviews /

For some jazz singers, telling a story through a song’s lyrics is a primary goal. The three vocalists covered in this month’s vocal reviews, newcomer Cécile McLorin Salvant , and veterans Carline Ray and Marlene VerPlanck, all share this ideal. Their latest discs are evaluated by Thomas Cunniffe.

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Straight Ahead!

CD Reviews /

Swing is a less important factor in the jazz of today, but that doesn’t mean that swing is dead. In this month’s instrumental CD reviews, Thomas Cunniffe examines a quartet of new discs by musicians of several generations that shows the validity of straight-ahead jazz.

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A Midsummer Night’s Stream

Sidetracks /

In recent years, many jazz venues have added live video streaming as a way to add to their revenue and recognition. Theoretically, a live feed should be the next best thing to being there, but in this month’s Sidetracks, Thomas Cunniffe discusses the highs and lows of video streaming, and spotlights a club that’s trying to set the bar higher.

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The Summation 2012

Sidetracks /

Jazz History Online marks the new year with a summation of the year just passed. Thomas Cunniffe’s Sidetracks essay discusses the highlights of concerts, books, DVDs, films, and CDs of 2012, and bids farewell to many great musicians who left our world in the past 12 months.

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The Summation 2013

Sidetracks /

Jazz History Online marks the new year with a summation of the year just passed. Thomas Cunniffe’s Sidetracks essay discusses the highlights of concerts, books, DVDs, films, and CDs of 2013, and bids farewell to many great musicians who left our world in the past 12 months.

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The Summation 2017

Sidetracks /

As 2017 comes to a close, Jazz History Online recognizes the best new and reissued CDs, DVDs, concerts 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 2017.

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The Swingle Singers at King Center, Denver (October 12, 2012)

Concert Reviews /

In a dazzling concert at the King Center, the Swingle Singers made their first appearance in Denver in three years. They brought with them a new bass singer named Edward Randell, and Thomas Cunniffe reports that Randell is not only carrying on the tradition of his predecessors but adding his own distinctive mark to the group.

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Solo Flights

CD Reviews /

Performing solo can be both liberating and challenging for a jazz musician. Yet solo performances tend to expose new dimensions of a player’s identity. This month, Ben Markley focuses his attention on new solo releases by guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and pianists John Medeski and Frederick Moyer.

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From the Editor 12-13

From the Editor /

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

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