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Reading List
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- All Shook Up: How Rock 'N' Roll Changed America - Glenn C. Altshuler
- The Life and Music of Miss Peggy Lee, Peter Richmond
- The B-Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song - Ben Yadoga
- Singing From the Floor: A History of British Folk Clubs - JP Bean
- Playing Changes: Jazz for the New Century - Nate Chinen
- Lets Do It: The Birth of Pop - Bob Stanley
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Resources
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Roots Music Podcasts
Author Archives: Richard Barry
“Garbage Man Blues” – Pokey LaFarge (2013)
I have been enjoying Pokey LaFarge‘s music the past several years, once I discovered him, probably surfing the net late one night. It’s right in the sweet spot for me: old time blues, string band stuff, with a clarinet and … Continue reading
Posted in American Roots
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“On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe” – Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers (1945)
As a thought exercise, I was wondering what song topped the American charts on August 15, 1945, also known as Victory over Japan Day (VJ-Day), or the day hostilities ended for WWII (with hostilities having already ended in Europe on … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz, Jazz at the Movies
Tagged Johnny Mercer
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“Have You Met Miss Jones?” – Lucky Thompson (1959)
Eli “Lucky” Thompson (1924-2005) played tenor and soprano saxophone. He was one of the earlier musicians, along with Coltrane and Steve Lacy, to reintroduce the soprano sax as a jazz instrument. His career arc saw him starting out playing swing with the orchestras of … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz
Tagged Lucky Thompson
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“My Reverie” – Larry Clinton and His Orchestra with Bea Wain (1938)
Larry Clinton (1909-1985) was a trumpet player (among other things) and a well-known bandleader. Early in his career he was also an arranger for a number of dance orchestras including for bands led by Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Glen Gray, … Continue reading
Posted in Big Band Jazz
Tagged Bea Wain, Larry Clinton
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“Western Suite” – Jimmy Giuffre (1960)
Jimmy Giuffre’s album Western Suite was recorded on December 3, 1958 in NYC and Connecticut, produced by Nesuhi Ertegun, and released on the Atlantic label (LP1330) in 1960. Giuffre plays clarinet, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone with Jim Hall on … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz
Tagged Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, Jimmy Giuffre
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“All of Me” – Billie Holiday (1941)
Gerald Marks (1900-1997) and Seymour Simons (1896-1946) wrote the lyrics and music for “All of Me” in 1931. It has been recorded somewhere around 2000 times and is the song for which Marks and Simons are best known, and the … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz standards, Vocal jazz
Tagged Billy Holiday, Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons, Ted Gioia
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“The Theme from Mannix” – The WDR Big Band (2013)
Mannix was a television detective series that had a substantial run, from 1967 to 1975. It aired on CBS at a time when you only had a few choices each night. I recall watching it faithfully. The plot revolved around … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz on TV
Tagged Lalo Schiffin, Theme From Mannix, WDR Big Band
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“Green Dolphin Street” – Miles Davis (1958)
“On Green Dolphin Street” was the main theme of the 1947 MGM film Green Dolphin Street. The movie was based on a book by British novelist Elizabeth Goudge called Green Dolphin Country (1944), published in the United States as Green Dolphin Street. … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz at the Movies
Tagged Miles Davis
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“Boom Boom” – John Lee Hooker (1962)
“Boom Boom” was written by blues singer/guitarist John Lee Hooker, and released in 1962. It had success on U.S. R&B and pop charts when it was released. It is strongly identified with Hooker and widely covered by other artists. The … Continue reading
“It Never Entered My Mind” – Sarah Vaughan (1958)
“It Never Entered My Mind” is a 1940 show tune from a production called Higher and Higher – a Rodgers and Hart musical. It ran on Broadway for 108 performances, which rates it as a moderately successful show. In the production, Shirley … Continue reading
Posted in Show Tunes
Tagged Rodgers and Hart, Sarah Vaughan
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