“Funeral,” by Tigercub

This might seem an odd admission, but I pay too little attention to song lyrics or song titles, until I finally do, which often...

Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, et al (Part Two)

You'll notice I reversed their names in the title for the second installment. This 2007 film by Robert Levi helps provide context to the...

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, et al (Part One)

 A Duke Named Ellington was a two-part "American Masters" film on PBS in 1988. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899-1974) was a musician and orchestra leader...

Van Morrison, “the only gazillionaire rock star to be a pandemic-denier besides Eric Clapton”

The pandemic seems to have deprived Van Morrison of his karma. Or maybe he already was running low. Musically, the new album isn't unpleasant at...

My year in music, at least so far

I remain wedded to the CD format, but these days I stream music first, then purchase the physical discs of those new releases that...

On the late James Levine

The conductor and pianist James Levine died earlier this month, and yesterday's obituary in the The New York Times is here. Levine was renowned,...

A pint of bitter, please, because it’s The Dubliners at the The Wheeltappers and...

In which three fascinating Anglo-Irish topics collide amid my frequent references to the adjective "elegiac." It's the mid-1970s lineup of the Irish folk band The...

Big bands: A book about Bunny Berigan, his life and times

Originally this was an "ON THE AVENUES" column from July 25, 2017. It has been lightly updated.  I was born in 1960, and grew up...

Latest article

The Songs for a (P&u) Departure (4): “Once upon a time I stood for...

We're told that Nov. 15 will be the last day for Pints&union in New Albany prior to the pub's inglorious "Hail Mary" flight to...

40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 65: Smoky treats, a 9-hour, 9-brewery, 9-beer...

Previously: 40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 64: The 2,301 day McOldenberg Brewmall 1990s vigil. Faithful “40 Years” readers will recall my first-ever visit to...

The Songs for a (P&u) Departure (3): “Don’t go away mad, just go away”

We're told that Nov. 15 will be the last day for Pints&union in New Albany prior to the pub's inglorious "Hail Mary" flight to...