NAMES! One of the things I loved to do as a kid is to scour over my Baseball Encyclopedia and learn the names and nicknames of baseball players. Why would I do that, and what did I learn? Well, different…
Category: No One Asked My Opinion, But…
The Virtues of Jazz
(Here’s a piece by a new contributor, Douglas Groothuis) Any jazz aficionado knows the musical virtues of jazz, whether they are a musician, a jazz writer, or simply a committed jazz listener. In classical Western thought (that is, in the…
A BOWLFUL OF BLESSINGS
Does anything exemplify Los Angeles more than the Hollywood Bowl? OK, maybe Dodger Stadium, Pinks Hot Dogs and Tommy’s Burgers (let’s not go there with In ‘N Out). But still, a summer night taking in the sounds of the LA…
Render unto Caesar…
Yes, it’s that time of the year. If I ruled the world, I would make Election Day April 16th, as people would vote MUCH differently if they had just finished paying their taxes. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but it…
BEST “LOVE” ALBUMS
When you think about “love” albums, you first have to decide if these are albums that were recorded to convey thoughts about “love,” or to get you into the mood to be wooed. Generally speaking, instrumental albums were for the…
IT’S TOP TEN TIME!!!
Those wonderful words “It’s Top Ten Time” take me back to the 70s when that would be the clarion call for all fans of Dr. Demento on KMET. Every Sunday night (so much for a social life!) I’d stay at…
‘TIS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY…
Yes, it can be commercialized, but SO WHAT?!? There’s something about the Christmas season that is special. Yes, you have Chanukah, Kwaanza and a bunch of other holidays that vie for attention, but the Big Cheese of holidays is on…
A Month of Thanks
Yeah, I know. The world is filled with problems. YOUR LIFE is filled with problems. On a global scale, it looks like Europe is imploding, the Middle East is exploding, Africa is stuck in first gear or reverse, and South/Central…
We’ll Always Have Paris…
I just got back from a trip in France, and was simply amazed at how much jazz is truly adored there. Every town has access to a radio station which plays music ranging from Nat “King” Cole to Ornette Coleman,…
HOT SUMMER SOUNDS
One of the real ways I knew that I was a grown up was when I didn’t have summers off from school anymore. What do you mean I have to work?!? Those three months of sleeping in late, staying up…