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Sunday, May 11, 2025

Tommy Ellsworth and his Rockin' Jesters

The Hertz Sessions

(Self-issued)



These never-issued songs were put to tape in 1963. Tom Nazziola ("Tommy Ellsworth") led a combo through gracious turns that exemplied Rock'n'Roll in an evolutionary stage. Southern-spawned Rockabilly's rip-snorting defiance had by then conceded real-estate to more widely accessible tunefulness that bespoke the influence of Northern inclinations and lacquered crooning. As apparent here, such smooth gestures harbored their own especial magnetism. 

Endeavors benefiting from majestic harmonies and genteel instrumentation predominate. They cast shine on Tom's personable vocals, ones for which no note exceeds grasp. Sporadic inclusion of uptempo, somewhat sterner jaunts points up resourcefulness. 

Singer Nazziola's son Tom recently discovered the reel-to-reel masters in storage. And together with his brother Jay, Tom the younger has now made these available in CD and streaming formats.

Recommended: "Every Day I Have to Cry," "Raining in My Heart," "Little Town Flirt," "Charms," "Your Lips," "If I Had a Hammer," "Black and Blue," "The Right to Love," "True Love Ways," "If You Wanna Be Happy," "Take Good Care of My Baby," "Every Day I Have to Cry" (background vocals version)

Videos: "Every Day I Have to Cry"   "Your Lips"   "Take Good Care of My Baby"    "Little Town Flirt"


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FORMER staff writer for Rockabilly and Pin Up America magazines. FREELANCE credits include Daily Caller, American Thinker, Free Republic, Huffington Post, Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, Independent Political Report, USA Today, Des Moines Register, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Waterloo Courier, Cedar Falls Times, Marshalltown Times Republican, Cincinnati.com, IndyStar, Arizona Republic, No Depression, Goldmine, Blue Suede News, Rock and Rap Confidential, Crackerjack, Blues News, Wrecking Pit, Punk Globe, Prairie Sun, Music and Sound Output, BAM, New Music, and 1980s NYC fanzines Shake, Rattle, and Roll, Rebel Rouser, and Off the Wall. AUTHOR: Shake, Rattle and Rocket!, Ghost Saucers in the Sky!, Stratosphere Boogieman!, Flesh Made Music, That a Man Can Again Stand Up: American spirit vs, sedition during the incipient Trump Revolution, and Ideas Afoot: Political observations, social commentary, and media analyses. WORKED as 2004 Iowa coordinator for Ralph Nader independent presidential campaign; co-founded Iowa Green Party, also served as statewide media coordinator; press coordinator, 2002 Jay Robinson (Green) IA gubernatorial effort. Wrote extensively re Trump campaign..