You may be wondering if we discovered a new species of grasshopper while poring through the Foundation archive. Well, the truth is not quite that exciting, but the term “Frisco Cricket” does have its origins in the world of traditional jazz.

Tradition has it that pioneer New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden, besides operating a barbershop and being a leader in the development of jazz, also published a neighborhood newspaper called The Cricket. Though this is by no means an established fact, the legend alone is strong enough that the name came to mind when we were trying to come up with a name for our own newsletter. We wanted a name that would illustrate our commitment to traditional jazz. What better way than with a title associated with the music’s very origins?

As for the “Frisco” part of the name, its long history of use in West Coast jazz band names made it a natural for our consideration. The way it sounds with the word “Cricket” pretty much decided the issue.

We use our “Cricket” to let you know what we have been able to accomplish with your support, to inform you of jazz-related events and products (many available only to our members), and to present articles about traditional jazz. Unfortunately we will not be reprinting any of Bolden’s articles.