Author name: Thomas Cunniffe

ROY ELDRIDGE: “DALE’S WAIL” (Verve LP VE2-2531)

Retro Reviews /

Roy Eldridge and Norman Granz first met in 1942. Eldridge was already a star but Granz was still living on limited means. A few years later, Granz bolstered Eldridge’s stature by featuring him in concerts and recordings. In this Retro Review, Thomas Cunniffe examines a seminal collection of 4 collaborations between Eldridge and Oscar Peterson, produced by Granz, from a classic double-LP compilation, “Dale’s Wail”.

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DJANGO REINHARDT : DEVELOPING A UNIQUE SOLO STYLE

Historical Essays /

Django Reinhardt is widely acclaimed as the first non-American jazz musician to develop a unique solo style. Yet, his earliest recordings with the Quintette of the Hot Club of France show that the guitarist was still learning jazz licks and grasping the concept of solo construction. Within five years, Reinhardt was indeed a master soloist, working within the jazz language without sacrificing the sound of his Roma heritage. Thomas Cunniffe traces Reinhardt’s development through a 12-song embedded playlist in this Historical Essay.

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Music for a Cool Yule 2021

Sidetracks /

Happy Holidays from Jazz History Online! For our annual feature, Music for a Cool Yule, Thomas Cunniffe and Marti Mendenhall offer capsule reviews of the best in holiday jazz, both new and classic. We have received far less holiday discs for review this year, so we hope that you will look through the entire list to find a new holiday favorite, regardless of whether it is a new release, or one from years past.

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AUTUMN IN NEW YORK…AND OTHER PLACES (November 12-21, 2021)

Concert Reviews /

In mid-November 2021, Thomas Cunniffe and a long-time friend from Colorado attended a series of 7 concerts spread over 10 days. The experience illustrated the culture deeply embedded in the Northeastern US. In this extended Concert Review, Cunniffe discusses all of the concerts in the tour.

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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR 10-21

From the Editor /

Editor Thomas Cunniffe’s column, featuring notes and comments about this issue’s reviews and articles, plus updates on the website and ways to get involved!

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CONCERT JOURNAL Autumn, 2021

Concert Reviews /

Jazz History Online’s new feature, Concert Journal, offers capsule reviews of performances from various locations up and down the Atlantic seaboard. This regularly updated column is part of JHO’s new focus on live performance. Thomas Cunniffe acts as reviewer and guide.

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UNBURIED TREASURES

Retro Reviews /

This issue’s Retro Review covers three new discoveries, including a pair of highly interactive duo concerts by Roy Hargrove and Mulgrew Miller, three Seattle nightclub sets from the 1960s by Harold Land, and the recording debut of Sheila Jordan. Thomas Cunniffe reviews these instant classics.

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ODE TO A TENOR TITAN (by Bill Milkowski)

Book Reviews /

Idolized by fellow musicians but ignored by traditional jazz critics, Michael Brecker proved time and again that he was a worthy member of the great jazz tenor legacy. Bill Milkowski, who knew Brecker and understood his importance at the time, has written a new biography “Ode to a Tenor Titan” which documents Brecker’s astounding talent and achievements. Thomas Cunniffe offers his reactions in this month’s Book Review.

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NEW CONCEPTS

CD Reviews /

The concept album has been around since 1939, but the artists featured in this month’s vocal CD reviews have adapted the concept to fit their own needs. Thomas Cunniffe reviews albums by Patricia Barber, Stacey Kent, Kate McGarry and Roseanna Vitro.

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LARA SOLNICKI ON “THE ONE AND THE OTHER”

Interviews /

Following on the artistic successes of her previous album, Canadian vocalist, poet and composer Lara Solnicki has created a challenging new project, “The One and the Other” which mixes elements of progressive jazz, art song, poetry and symbolism. In this exclusive JHO interview, Solnicki and Thomas Cunniffe discuss the background and content of the album.

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OF PIANOS AND TENORS

CD Reviews /

This month’s instrumental jazz reviews focus on the two most popular instruments in jazz. Eliane Elias plays duets with Chick Corea and Chucho Valdés on “Mirror Mirror”; Joel Frahm interacts with his trio on “The Bright Side”; Renee Rosnes and Chris Potter are reunited on “Kinds of Love” and Helen Sung pays tribute to great female jazz composers on “Quartet Plus”. Thomas Cunniffe discusses these four outstanding albums.

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THE SOUNDS OF CHICAGO

Concert Reviews /

After a busy summer covering jazz concerts on the East Coast, Jazz History Online’s Thomas Cunniffe traveled to Chicago and caught performances by several of the Windy City’s finest local musicians…plus one notable alumni, Herbie Hancock. In this special essay review, Cunniffe discusses each concert, as well as a special memorial for the late Penny Tyler.

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JAZZ HISTORY ONLINE: 10 YEARS & COUNTING

Best of JHO, From the Editor /

Welcome to Jazz History Online’s 10th Anniversary issue! To celebrate the occasion, JHO’s principal writer tells the history of the site’s launch and spotlites his favorite articles from the site.

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CONCERT JOURNAL (Spring/Summer 2021)

Concert Reviews /

Jazz History Online’s new feature, Concert Journal, offers capsule reviews of performances from various locations up and down the Atlantic seaboard. This regularly updated column is part of JHO’s new focus on live performance. Thomas Cunniffe acts as reviewer and guide.

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