Jazzin’Around Giant Steps

Louis Prima: Thus, a whole new era of music began, with Louis coining such expressions as “swing” and other “hep” sayings like “solid jack,” “crazy man,” and many more. Later, it was decided to name Benny Goodman the King of Swing, but only as a result of a big hit on the song “Sing Sing Sing,” written by Louis Prima – so what does that tell you?

Ella Fitzgerald : “I know I’m no glamour girl, and it’s not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I’ve got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing.”

Jeff Beck : Music may have been one of Beck’s earliest passions but it has always shared space with a love of hot rods that began as soon as he could see over the dashboard. After the success “Blow By Blow” and “Wired,” Beck began devoting more time to his fleet of hot rods.

Chet Baker Tribute : In the early 1970’s, Chet Baker began to learn how to play with dentures. Beginning in 1974, Chet recorded and toured regularly, mostly in Europe. Despite the effects of age, drugs and false teeth, he actually improved in those later years. Chet’s performances in the eighties were unpredictable. Sometimes he would show up and perform the best gig of his career. Sometimes he would show up and perform poorly. Sometimes he wouldn’t even show up.

King Oliver & His Dixie Syncopators @redhotjazz : After the breakup of King Oliver’s great Creole Jazz Band, Oliver rebounded with the Dixie Syncopators after a brief stint with the Dave Peyton Orchestra at the Plantation Cafe. The Syncopators would never achieve the creative or financial success of his earlier band, but it was still was one of the great bands of the 1920s.

Remember Eddie Cochran : At 4:10 pm on Sunday 17th April, 1960 Edward Ray Cochran of 5339, Priory Street, Bell Gardens, California, USA passed away at St Martin’s Hospital, Bath. The later autopsy at the hospital carried out by Dr C. D. Cross found that the injuries found were consistent with having been involved in a traffic accident

Aretha Franklin : Legend has it that Louise Bishop, a Philadelphia disc-jockey called Aretha to advise her thatAtlantic Records was interested in signing her. By January of 1967, she was in MuscleShoals, Alabama, seated at the piano, recording the first of fourteen million-selling singlesfor the label. “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” was a benchmark recording notjust for Aretha but for female recording artists everywhere.

Stan Getz – The sound : Thirty-three year old bandleader Stan Kenton hired Getz for $125.00 a week. Kenton worked with Bob Hope on his popular radio show, which reached 20 million listeners each Tuesday night. The Kenton band followed Hope around California playing at wartime troop bases. Kenton also had a steady gig at the Palladium Ballroom in Hollywood. On July 20, 1944, Stan played his first recording date with the band, and the first song they record became a big hit, “And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine”, sung by Anita O’Day. It sold 400,000 copies and reached #4 on the charts.

The Gaylords : Contrary to popular opinion, The Gaylords have not been around “since the earth was cooling off”. But they’ve been around long enough that their “Who’s Who” credits look like the Congressional Record. So it’s faster to list what they’ve not done than vise-versa

The Gaylords : Contrary to popular opinion, The Gaylords have not been around “since the earth was cooling off”. But they’ve been around long enough that their “Who’s Who” credits look like the Congressional Record. So it’s faster to list what they’ve not done than vise-versa

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