February 2025 - Paul – and some of that Jazz

From the Record Shelves #337 – A Monday Date – Earl Hines wrote the tune and recorded it the same year, 1928, with Louis Armstrong, and that’s an unbeatable version. But this is not bad either; there is a lot to enjoy: Earl’s own piano solo, the demonstration of impeccable clarinet technique by (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #81 – I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now – I had a friend; he’s gone a long time ago, but when I first met him, we went on a long tour. He didn’t go into details, but I understood that he was unlucky in love and his girlfriend had left him. So he insisted that we should play this tune (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #336 – Original Dixieland One-Step – Arranged Dixieland with the usual repertoire is normally not my cup of tea, but when it’s as here played by some veterans of a status like Frank Signorelli, Jimmy Lytell, Miff Mole, and Chauncey Morehouse on piano, clarinet, trombone, and drums (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #80 – Rhythm King – This particular “King” was immortalized through recordings by such icons as Bing Crosby with “The Rhythm Boys” and “Bix and his Gang”. It has a good major/minor feel and the verse and chorus goes very well together. In all a tune that should be played more often (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #335 – Yardbird Suite – A classic jazz record is, for me, one that you have played many times. You may know it by heart and just have to close your eyes to hear it within you; you don’t even have to put it on, but if you do, you’re happy. This is one of them, and it is one of the few (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #79 – Don’t Blame Me -With Valentine’s Day approaching, I give you a love song, one of the best. I first fell for it when I heard the great singer Ethel Water’s version from around 1930. Don’t blame Me for falling in love with you. I’m under your spell but how can I help it! Don’t Blame Me (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Record Shelves #334 -My Blue Heaven – As a person, Artie Shaw survived all of his competitors in the big band business, and at the end, he was rather critical of them, especially when it came to their choice of repertoire. But in a spoken interview that introduces the album, he is very proud of his (…) read more and listenread more and listen

From the Studio #78 – Fool Me Some More – Hearing a recording with the young Bing Crosby, when he had left Paul Whiteman and had a short engagement with Gus Arnheim’s orchestra on the West Coast, inspired me. I sing this lovely tune that I never heard by someone else and play some clarinet and cornet (…) read more and listenread more and listen