About BG (Big Geez)
I’m a retiree who is also a music lover, so I’ve sort of combined the two to make this blog. It started as an offshoot of my old website (GEEZERWEB — still around but most of my attention is here these days). Once I realized what a great job WordPress does with blog hosting, I migrated everything over here. Smartest thing I ever did.
I’m located in the Midwestern US, and before my retirement was a manager at a facility that was part of a middle-sized company…which was then swallowed up by a much bigger company. The end was in sight, and when our location was shut down I took early retirement.
At that time, I recognized the need for a way for former co-workers and friends to keep in touch, so I started a site on the web. It was a scrolling, regularly updated source of news, gossip, pictures and links — a blog, years before I’d even heard the word.
With the Geezer Music Club, I’ve entered the world of conventional blogging and I’m having a ball. I think there’s a real need for Seniors (or Geezers as I like to call us) to stay active in all ways, and that’s one of the reasons for some of the things I do on the internet. That…and to keep me out of Mrs. BG’s hair.
February 19, 2007 at 2:30 pm
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for writing about the Cotton Club, as an artist I decided to paint Loui Armstrong with the infamous Cotton Club sign behind him, and found that your article intriqued me even more so to paint it. Thanks so much.
Regards,
Lori Andrews
March 6, 2007 at 3:09 am
I enjoyed browsing through your site tonight, the first time I have done so. We have a few things in common. I retired in 2001 and have spent the past five-plus years working on my web sites and blogs, most of which pertain to jazz and big band music.
Two of my sites I think you will enjoy are:
Tuxedo Junction - http://www.tuxjunction.net
The Palomar - http://milliondreamsago.net
(The Palomar also is a WordPress blog.)
I have another site, Club Alibi, that features hard-driving rhyhtm n’blues and classic rock n’roll from the mid-1950s, when I was a teenager. Born in 1940, I am now 66.
I liked your comments about how big bands were featured in movies. I look forward to watching them whenever they are shown on Turner Classic Movies and Fox Movies.
PBS ran an interesting program on “Soundies” over the weekend. I’m now searching the Internet to find some “Soundies” I can download for free. YouTube, Google Video, and a few other sites have some. Do you have any suggestions where I should look?
Keep up the great work!
Cordially,
George Spink
Los Angeles
April 13, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for a great website! I just accidentally discovered this while trying to do a little research on my latest acquisition - a Selmer Modele 22 Tenor sax in silver plate. I still have my day job, but my first love is music performance. I was a musician in the Navy, and probably should have majored in music in college, but make more money as a civil engineer. I suspect we are about the same age - some of my earliest music memories were listening to my parent’s 78 rpm Glenn Miller, Bix Beiderbecke, and Billie Holiday records. I currently hold the bari sax chair with the Ches Kellam Orchestra, and am on the sub list for three or four big bands in the Baltimore/Washington region. Mostly, though, I am musical theater productions, ’cause that s where the demand is.
April 14, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Thanks, Dave - it does sound like we have a lot in common, although I wouldn’t know where to start if I were to pick up my old clarinet.
June 3, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Hey Big Geez
Love the site and information. I like others ran across it by accident… I have a website also for geezers I guess, I am 50 and promote my 75 year old fathers music! So ain’t none of us getting no younger. He has a CD of traditional country and old time fiddle tunes for your pleasure and enjoyment. The site has a great links page that even lists free music instruction links and such. I was looking for someone to review his CD, not an easy thing these days with all the new wave music and sites…
Come give us a visit, we are http://www.roycrawford.net
Will be adding a link to your Geezin on our site soon as I can.
Take care and God Bless
Roy Crawford Jr. (Fiddler’s Son)
September 1, 2007 at 8:22 am
Yo BG: Enjoyed your site….you have a very good ear. I am a huge Tommy Emmanuel fan. The Mystery Cd review is spot on. Look at the CD named Happy Hour, Tommy is playing with a fab swing guitarist by the name of Jim Nichols.
Actually all Tommy’s CD’s are great music….I particularly love the Only and Initiation CD’s and his 2 DVD’s St Lois and Australian concerts are amazing. I will also tell you that it is very easy to get his music from his web site. Gina and Tracy do a wonderfull job getting his music out. I will book mark this web site for future. All the best and happy retirement Cheers
September 1, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Thanks, David - nice to have you aboard.
November 28, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Big Geez,
I would like to publish your article “Retro Redux: Brainwashed (?) By Radio Moscow” in our organization’s newsletter May I have your permission to do so? We are a ham radio radio organization. Check out our web site http://www.omikradio.org.
Cornelius
December 24, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Hi, BG,
Great blog. Awesome! Fixed the link to the newer URL at http://www.thegeezerbrigade.com/daily.html
John Kernell
The Geezer in Chief (for now)
December 24, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Thanks, John