Ella. Simply Ella. Her full name was Ella Jane Fitzgerald. She has been called the First Lady of Jazz, as well as the First Lady of Song. She has fronted… Read More »Her Voice as an Instrument…The Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me: Chapter 8…A Tisket, A Tasket by Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb and His Orchestra
Let me begin with a short personal note. Just yesterday I completed a post about the movie musical Singin’ in the Rain. In that post, I made reference to the… Read More »Takin’ It All In Stride: The Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me: Chapter #7: Carolina Shout by James P. Johnson
As I type these words, it is International Jazz Day as declared by the United Nations. I find it nice that a world body such as the U.N. would promote… Read More »Hi De Hi/Hi De Ho: The Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me: Chapter #6….Jumpin’ Jive by Cab Calloway from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of the Film Stormy Weather
Juke Box Love Song by Langston Hughes I could take the Harlem night And wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a crown, Take the Lenox Avenue busses,… Read More »The Lindy Hop: The Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me…Song #5: Stompin’ at the Savoy by Edgar Sampson and Chick Webb and his Orchestra
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899. He grew up in Washington, D.C. Both of his parents played the piano so, not surprisingly, young Edward grew up in a home… Read More »The Sultan of Swing: The Story of Jazz for Beginners like Me…Song #4: Creole Love Call by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra ft. Adelaide Hall
I don’t know about you but some styles of music evoke such concrete images in my mind. For example, whenever I listen to almost any song performed by Canadian Jazz… Read More »The Great Canadian Road Trip…Song #65/250: The Look of Love by Diana Krall
Thank you everyone who read last week’s introductory post in this series on Jazz and took the time to offer tidbits of wisdom and words of encouragement. Your support and… Read More »Rags to….Well, Rags: The Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me…Song #2/25: The Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin
Today marks my first foray into a genre of music that, admittedly, I know very little about: Jazz! Oh, I know some of the basic aspects of where the genre… Read More »Liquid Architecture: the Story of Jazz for Beginners Like Me…Song #1/25: West End Blues by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five
As many of you know, I was an elementary school teacher long before I ever became a blogger. For thirty years I spent a majority of my days in the… Read More »Reader’s Choice/Tom’s Top Tunes…Song #50/250: Not An Addict by K’s Choice