Archives for July 2012

An outfit called Find The Best has established an online guide to jazz clubs. It could be useful to Rifftides readers planning to travel or, for that matter, who are looking for places to listen in their hometowns. The site lists location, meal policy and cover charges, which range from … [Read more...]

Monarch butterflies are passing through on their migration south. This morning, one rested on a maple leaf outside our window. His or her majesty was no object of pity, but it seemed to call for a performance of that most famous of all butterfly tunes (are there others?). Here’s the late Dave … [Read more...]

If you live in or near Portland, Oregon, this is your lucky week. I am not at all reluctant to plug Ivories Jazz Lounge or this group of elite Portland players. Here’s the announcement from Ivories. Thursday July 12 The Two Tenors & Dave Frishberg play the music of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, … [Read more...]

Rifftides reader Don Emanuel scanned this listing in the "What's On" section of a recent edition of his local newspaper, The Medway Messenger in Kent, UK. … [Read more...]

A long-running discussion (or argument) about the authorship of a major jazz tune may have been resolved once and for all. The tune is “Solar,” copyrighted in 1963 with the name of Miles Davis as composer, nearly a decade after he recorded it. It is a 12-bar minor blues based, with certain … [Read more...]

After he heard the Eddie Higgins solo on “America The Beautiful” (one exhibit below), Rifftides reader Terence Smith wrote to suggest: Sometime on the 4th let's all listen to the Ray Charles version. That’s a fine idea. There are several versions of the song by Charles, some more … [Read more...]

Two years ago on July 4, we presented this performance by the late Eddie Higgins. When it didn't appear in 2011, we heard from disappointed Rifftides readers. Perhaps we should establish it as an Independence Day tradition. We'll make up for last year's oversight by bringing on Mr. Higgins a day … [Read more...]

Late notice—apologies—but this will be worth hearing: Monday, July 2nd On the Noontime Jamboree Record collector/musician/record producer Tony Baldwin visits the show. Tony is bringing in a mixed sample from his extensive collection of 78s. Join me, host Retta Christie, … [Read more...]

One thing leads to another, if you're lucky. Bear with me; we’re backing into this. I was reading Thomas Vinciguerra’s Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition feature about the 50th anniversary of “The Girl From Ipanema.” When I saw a reference to “…the 1962 album Jazz Samba by Stan Getz and … [Read more...]