John Cooper

One of the early influential clarinetists in the New Orleans tradition was Sydney Bechet.  He was from a middle class family raised in New Orleans in the early decades of the 20th century.  Several of his immediate family members were…

In the earliest days of jazz, a musical texture emerged that utilized the creative prowess of jazz pioneers to improvise an arrangement of a song.  This texture is known as collective improvisation.  In this musical setting, the three wind instruments…

One of the most important resources for all Trad Lovers is a good set of the recordings Louis Armstrong made near the beginning of his career under his band called The Hot Five and Hot Seven.  Recorded between 1925 and…