Such was the appropriate title of the classic song by pianist Dave Frishberg back in 1998. The humorous ditty captured the joy and attitude of the unsung professional musician who puts in a career supporting the stars of the recordings…
Category: No One Asked My Opinion, But…
WHY I GET EXCITED OVER LENT, PURIM, SPRING AND EASTER
March is one of my favorite months as we celebrate Lent, Purim and the first day of spring. We’ve got a lot to celebrate this year! And, while I’m not of the Jewish faith (although there is rumored to be…
GREAT GROOVES
This month we have interviews with drummers who have mastered that intangible thing called “the groove”. In light of that, we thought a list of some classic pulses will give you a chance to see what we’re talking about. Art…
IT’S TOP TEN TIME AGAIN!!!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR ACTUALLY STARTS BY LOOKING BACKWARDS. WHAT WERE THE MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR? OH, YES, WE CAN TALK ABOUT “THE BEST” ALBUMS OF THE YEAR, BUT WHICH ONES ARE WE GOING TO…
THE REASONS FOR THE SEASON!
Yes, it can be commercialized, but SO WHAT?!? Yes, the world sometimes seems like it’s spinning out of control. World protests, world wars, cultural wars on what even constitutes a man and a woman. But you know what? It’s ALWAYS…
A MONTH OF GIVING THANKS
Yes, I agree with you…THIS YEAR WAS TOUGH! Everyone is angry at everyone! The election is nasty, and no matter who wins, half the country will be angry. Everything cost more. Travel is still tough. You can’t trust the media. …
FAMOUSLY SWINGING BROTHERS (AND MAYBE SOME SISTERS)
A number of months ago, I was intrigued by a gig at The Baked Potato featuring “The Band Of Brothers”. Who were these guys? Ex veterans of WWII? Much to my pleasant surprise, the quartet consisted of a pair of…
‘TIS AUTUMN…
One of the best times of the year is when Autumn takes hold. A nice nip in the air, a gentle breeze, leaves turning color, and a man’s heart turns to the best time of the year for sports. Pro…
CLASSIC DRUM SIGNATURES
One of the joys of jazz is to be able to identify the specific sound, or “voice” of a musician. For some reasons, drummers have a special appeal to me. Maybe because I first noticed drummers with Gene Krupa’s famous…
IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?!?
Yeah, I know! The government, the leaders, and the whole system seems like a total joke lately. Our president is barely coherent, you can’t trust the CIA or FBI, and the media is in the on the fix. But, I…