Marching right along with the special Black History Month celebration, here's an album that I got early in my record-collecting career and one that shows how musically diverse black Americans could be, even in one style of music like jazz. In other words, here's an album from a fellow Californian and musical innovator, Chico Hamilton. [...]
Revising a silly series I started two years ago, here's an album from an unlikely source that has some rather fantastic and refreshing music on it, music that's perfect for the last day of April, or the first day of May depending on where in the world you are. To the music! The Music The [...]
It's Tuesday, I have a rare day off, but I have a full week and some change of long days and short nights ahead. I'm pre-exhausted. When I'm pre-exhausted, there's nothing better than slipping into an easy chair, putting on a soothing record, and letting the music give me a back rub. As of late, [...]
Wrapping up the Brubeck Birthday series, I thought I'd finish with what I consider to be the Brubeck Quartet's best live album and one of the best live jazz albums of the 20th century. High praise, I know. Let's jump to the music then! À la musique! The Music The Tune: "Blue Rondo a la [...]
Back to the 'Better Than 'Time Out'' series of Brubeck albums, which is Raggy Waltz's (admittedly protracted) celebration of Dave Brubeck's December birthday. For this installment, here's an album that was recorded a year before 'Time Out' and like that album is all-original material. Music to the! The Music The Tune: "Nomad"Recorded: 25 July, 1958 [...]
On this day fifty years ago (well, it was the 13th when I wrote this), the Dave Brubeck Quartet played their last European concert. Luckily, the music made that night was recorded and pressed onto wax. The Music Tune: "These Foolish Things" Recorded: 13 November, 1967 in Paris, France Personnel: Paul Desmond- Alto Sax Dave [...]
Jazz fans like to know the musicians that most jazz fans don't know. It's almost like a secret rite of passage, being familiar with the jazz musicians that seemed to have slipped through the cracks of history and praise. Yeah, Miles was great, but what about Kenny Dorham? Oscar Peterson had chops, but so did [...]
The Music Tune: Don't Worry 'Bout Me Recorded: Early (March?) 1954; location dubious Personnel: Paul Desmond- Alto Sax Dave Brubeck- Piano Bob Bates- Bass Joe Dodge- Drums Another Brubeck rarity and oddity, with a mysterious background to match. This 7" 45rpm contains just one performance, a live recording of the Brubeck quartet playing 'Don't Worry [...]
Another album featuring music from the Newport Jazz Festival, this time from the year 1956, and another live album from the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Like most jazz records, particularly Brubeck's, this album has a mysterious backstory. The Music Tune: 'In Your Own Sweet Way' Recorded 6 July, 1956 at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode [...]
After a brief hiatus due to finals and end-of-the-year projects and assignments, I am back! What, you thought the 'college' in 'College Jazz Collector' was for decoration? The Music Tune: 'Tangerine' Recorded live 5 March, 1958 in Copenhagen, Denmark Personnel Dave Brubeck: Piano Paul Desmond: Alto Sax Eugene Wright: Bass Joe Morello: Drums This album [...]
It's A Raggy Waltz 