Randy L. Smith, Author at Jazz Journal

Tracking the mystery woman of jazz: Mama X Plus

Randy L. Smith — Mon, 05 May 2025 18:39:42 +0000

I first met Gale Madden at a record shop in Bellingham, Washington in the late 80s. As we stood digging a CD of vintage Roy Eldridge, Gale (1) regaled me with fantastic stories of her life with the modern jazz greats in the two main jazz centers of the 40s and 50s, New York City […]

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Terry Gibbs: bebop is my business /2

Randy L. Smith — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The 1950s brought Gibbs into contact with the intuitive pianist and vibist Terry Pollard and saw the formation of his showstopping Dream Band

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Terry Gibbs: bebop is my business /1

Randy L. Smith — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 12:36:24 +0000

Bird had flown the bebop scene by 1955 but his contemporary Terry Gibbs, 99, is still going and lives to tell the tales

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Bill Crow: journeyman bassist and master storyteller /2

Randy L. Smith — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 10:01:00 +0000

In the concluding part of this 2023 interview the veteran bassist recalls his time with Marian McPartland, Gerry Mulligan and Benny Goodman

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Bill Crow: journeyman bassist and master storyteller

Randy L. Smith — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:45:54 +0000

Bill Crow, now 95, is not only a talented musician but a lucid jazz chronicler, something evident in his books and this 2023 interview

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Red Rodney: drugs, crime and all that jazz /2

Randy L. Smith — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:02:10 +0000

From the 1950s to 70s the trumpeter was in an out of jail for drug and fraud offences but around the age of 50 the demons receded. Part two

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Red Rodney: drugs, crime and all that jazz /1

Randy L. Smith — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 09:16:33 +0000

He was the first white bebop trumpeter, evaded southern trouble as 'Albino Red' and impersonated a US general to steal thousands. Part one

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Brooks Tegler: Drum Crazy!

Randy L. Smith — Sat, 20 May 2023 12:10:23 +0000

Unlike many of his peers, the 50s-born US drummer didn't follow post-bop stickmen but idolised Krupa, playing with a host of swing veterans

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Joshua Breakstone: jazz guitar in the tradition

Randy L. Smith — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:27:20 +0000

The modern-mainstream specialist keeps his sound clean and close to the inspiration of his early models, Lee Morgan and Clifford Brown

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Charlie Musselwhite: blues to the bone

Randy L. Smith — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 12:45:58 +0000

Playing harmonica in a town full of guitar players and playing it for Muddy Waters got the Mississippi migrant his big break in the blues

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