New Orleans, LA

Jeff Barnhart: Hal my friend, you’ve chosen a musician I know little about, but whose work I’ve heard—and very much enjoyed in the past. Since he’s not a household name like some previous greats we’ve discussed, I hope you won’t mind if I start with a few questions? We’re taking a close look at cornetist Johnny Wiggs’ life and recorded work. I know he was born and died in New Orleans (1899-1977) but I’m intrigued that his first recordings were as leader of a group called John Hyman’s Bayou Stompers. It appears he is Mr. Hyman, so why the name change (one way or the other)? Was the family name Wiggs or Hyman?

John Hyman, aka Johnny Wiggs, Part One

This is in all ways an astoundingly good album of timeless jazz. I am primarily impressed by the pure musicianship, but also the stylistic vision, arrangements, and a choice selection of titles that gives the album a broad appeal. Ricky Alexander knew what he was going for and brought it together.

Ricky Alexander • Just Found Joy

During much of the 1930s, Johnson devoted a lot of his time to writing extended orchestral works that unfortunately were not recorded and are now lost. By 1938 he was performing much more in public again although a stroke kept him out of action during part of 1940-42. He was quite active during the remainder of the 1940s until a major stroke in 1951 forced his retirement.

James P. Johnson • World Broadcast Recordings

Skonberg is joined by pianist Chris Pattishall, guitarist Don Vappie (who plays banjo on “Cornet Chop Suey”), bassist Grayson Brockamp, and drummer Herlin Riley with several guests, most notably tenor-saxophonist Rex Gregory and trombonist Ethan Santos on four numbers, and sousaphonist Ben Jaffe on two. The opening “Comes...

Bria Skonberg • What It Means

PopCulture

The Grammy-winner is remembered for his work with Snarky Puppy and Kirk Franklin.

Grammy Winning Musician Dies After Suffering Stroke in 2023: Shaun Martin Was 45

Barneveld, NY

Beloved teacher, clarinetist, and bandleader Don Cantwell celebrated his 100th birthday with 100 friends, family, and past and current students at Unity Hall in Barneveld, New York. His jazz band, the Clef Dwellers (a group including his alumni students and other prominent local musicians), accompanied Don on the clarinet as they performed traditional jazz tunes and other old favorites. Don was featured soloist on “Memories of You” and “When You’re Smiling.” He introduced “Memories of You” with a personal story about hearing Benny Goodman play the tune in New York in 1942. It was a life changing experience for him. Ever the teacher, Don couldn’t help giving those assembled a lesson in “Diaphragmatic Breathing,” his key to being a top musician and performer.

Musician Don Cantwell Plays Hot at his 100th Birthday Bash

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Herbie J Pilato

It's been eight years since former TV child star Sawyer Sweeten, best known from Everybody Loves Raymond, died tragically by suicide at only 19 years old. Sawyer Sweeten, his twin brother Sullivan Sweeten, and their older sister Madylin, played Ray Romano's TV children on Everybody Loves Raymond, the Emmy-winning sitcom that originally aired on CBS 1996 to 2005.

The Tragic Suicide of Former TV Child Star Sawyer Sweeten ('Everybody Loves Raymond'): 9 Years Later

Roswell, NM

The Roswell (New Mexico) Jazz Festival takes place throughout the town mid-October. The beloved festival draws visitors from all over the U.S. and from overseas. Musicians who usually appear on the larger stages in New York City, New Orleans, or Kansas City come to the small town in the middle of the high desert. How is that possible?

Roswell’s Jazz Festival: How it Started and How it Grew

Total Apex Sports & Entertainment

Lavender marriage is a term and practice that's been around for decades. The practice began in the early 20th century and was often associated with LGBTQ+ film stars of the time. The marriage is one of convenience between two people, often one or both of who are LGBTQ+.

Lavender Marriages Are Becoming More Popular

Louisiana State

Snapshots of Lana Del Rey with a Louisiana-based swamp tour guide have sparked speculation about the pair's relationship on social media. The iconic singer-songwriter and Jeremy Dufrene — a boat captain at Airboat Tours by Arthur Matherne in Des Allemands — were seen holding hands before she took the stage at the 2024 Reading & Leeds Festival in England. Shortly after the show, British tabloid Daily Mail reported that Del Rey and Dufrene were spotted at a local pub in London.

Lana Del Rey's rumored boyfriend is a Louisiana swamp tour guide. Who is Jeremy Dufrene?

Massachusetts State

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Dianna Carney

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue in Massachusetts, has recently introduced a tiny 8lb dog named Bingo who is looking for her forever home. Bingo is a 3-year-old Shih Tzu mix with an adorable appearance and a sweet disposition. However, she needs a patient and understanding owner who recognizes that "dogs are not toys, and not all dogs love to be picked up right away," explains Sandy Paws Rescue Inc. This little lady requires some decompression time upon arriving at her new home to settle in comfortably.

Meet The Sweet Little Lady Looking For Love

American Songwriter

Picking the best Beatles song ever is a task that even the staunchest Beatles fan would struggle to do. On top of their catalog being vast, a majority of it is stellar. You can see where ciphering through and ranking them would be difficult. Nevertheless, their legendary producer, George Martin, once discussed what he called the perfect mix of all four members’ talents. Find out which song that is, below.

The Best Beatles Song Ever, According to George Martin

Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis just released Lagos Paris London, his EP as Yannis & The Yaw which is a collaboration with the late afrobeat legend Tony Allen. The EP is a nice combination of Foals’ funkier side along with overt afrobeat touches, all powered by one of the greatest, most distinctive drummers of the last 50 years. You can listen to the whole thing, and watch the lyric video for EP standout “Clementine,” below.

Foals' Yannis Philippakis tells us about his favorite songs ft Tony Allen on drums

Los Angeles County, CA

It's been 33 years since actress Nancy Kulp died of cancer in 1991 at 69. Best known as Miss Jane Hathaway on TV's classic country comedy, The Beverly Hillbillies(CBS, 1962-1971, Kulp was a trailblazing political advocate. She was a Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania’s 9th congressional district. She later worked as an artist-in-residence at Juniata College and taught acting. And she was also gay. Long divorced, she came out of the closet at the age of 67 and acknowledged she was a lesbian. This is her story.

The Secret Gay Life of Nancy Kulp ('The Beverly Hillbillies'): 33 Years After Her Tragic Death

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue in Massachusetts, recently introduced an adorably tiny dog named Cha Cha who is looking for her forever home. Sandy Paws Rescue explains that she is 5 to 6 months old, and "our best guess on breed is chi/frenchie mix". Cha Cha may be small in size, but she's bursting with personality and love to give. This pint-sized pup is eagerly awaiting her chance to find her forever home, with her arrival in Massachusetts scheduled for Monday, August 26th.

Meet The Tiny 8lb Puppy Looking For Love

My professional baseball career happened entirely inside my head. What went on in there may or may not interest you, but for me it—both the career and the brain-picture of it—was marked by an unforgettable encounter with a retired pro and a great pianist. This will take some...

A Headful of Baseball and Keys: Encounters with Joe Robichaux

Bad Company is a British rock band formed in 1973, known for their bluesy, hard rock sound. The original lineup featured Paul Rodgers on vocals, Mick Ralphs on guitar, Boz Burrell on bass, and Simon Kirke on drums. The band gained fame with their self-titled debut album, *Bad Company* (1974), which included hits like “Can’t Get Enough” and “Bad Company.” Their music often combines elements of blues, rock, and hard rock, with Rodgers’ powerful vocals and Ralphs’ distinctive guitar work being key elements of their sound. Bad Company remains influential in rock music, known for their timeless hits and enduring legacy.

10 Best Bad Company Songs of All Time

Kansas City, MO

CJ Coombs

A well-liked Kansas City chef in the Brookside area was killed near his restaurant. Two suspects were arrested. The chef was 44-year-old Shaun Brady. He was just taking out the trash. Several people were loitering in the back around parked cars.

Another senseless shooting ended the life of a well-liked Kansas City chef

I’m a little too young to have experienced the philanthropic musical phenomenon that was Live Aid. Organized by Bob Geldof in 1985, the iconic charity concert raised over $100 million to help relieve a devastating famine in Ethiopia. One year earlier the pop supergroup Band Aid—composed of Boy George, Sting, George Michael, and other eighties idols—recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” which was, sadly, a staple of every single Christmas party I attended throughout my childhood.

The Reunion Jazz Band and The ‘Band Aid’ of Jazz

Thank you for featuring Arbors Records above the fold (“Rachel Domber and Arbors: A Great Jazz Legacy Continues,” TST, August 2024). During my 2007 interview with Mat Domber he offered two memorable quotes. “I’m not a musician. I decided I would leave the music to the musicians. Occasionally I might have an opinion, but I don’t know as much about music as Ruby Braff or Kenny Davern or any of these people. But a strange thing started to happen, they would ask me for my opinion. I was always very flattered when Kenny Davern would say, ‘Well which take did you prefer?’ And I’d think to myself, My God, you’re asking me?” And this gem: “Good music is good music. If you label something as Dixieland, people think of Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, of sleeve garters and striped shirts. They forget the musical importance of that style and the difficulty of creating it. It’s a kind of music that’s so easy to play poorly and so difficult to play well.” Mat and Rachel Domber = Jazz Heroes.

Letters September 2024

NewsBreak

Jazzology releases from Jon-Erik Kellso and Evan Christopher

Due to the instrumentation of the pianoless, drumless quartet, one may be reminded briefly of the classic Sidney Bechet session from 1940 with Muggsy Spanier. However...

Jazzology releases from Jon-Erik Kellso and Evan Christopher

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