Jazz on the West Coast: The LightHouse - A Ken Koenig Film

[(BB)]

Link to preview

Looks good from the clip.

Interesting write up here.

I did not know about the no blacks at the Lighthouse deal, I wonder if they gloss over, or dig into that in the movie. Hmm, I have to re-read Giola and see what he says.

[paul secor]

Thanks for posting this, (BB). From the clip, it looks like it might be a good one.

[brownie]

Hope we will be able to see this soon! Looks mighty interesting.

Is the director related to Lester Koenig by any chance?

[sidewinder]

Looks great ! I notice that there was a poster for an Anita O'Day gig on one of the clips. Must have been one of her last performances?

From those pictures it looks as if the area where the stage is at present day is where they must have had the bar in the old times. The old stage area must have been over towards the kitchen/washrooms.

Look forward to picking this up when it comes out.

[Dan Gould]

Hope we will be able to see this soon! Looks mighty interesting.

Look forward to picking this up when it comes out.

That website has two links to purchase: one for US and Canada, one for everyone else. The link sends you to paypal, or you can send a check or money order in US dollars.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I did not know about the no blacks at the Lighthouse deal,

I never heard of that either.

MG

[(BB)]

I did not know about the no blacks at the Lighthouse deal,

I never heard of that either.

MG

On page 201 of "West Coast Jazz", Giola says,

"Although he was a star attraction for almost two years, Edwards received two weeks' notice when a new group of musicians became available for the gig. Shorty Rogers had been invited to play at a New Year's Eve performance during his Christmas break from Kenton, and then was asked to join the band full-time. Along with other new additions Jimmy Giuffre and Shelly Manne, Rogers and Rumsey formed the nucleus of a new Lighthouse All-Stars – one much different from its Central Avenue – infused predecessor."

"This largely unnoticed shift in personnel marked a symbolic turning point distinguishing the new "movement" of the 1950's from the Central Avenue – dominated scene of the 1940's"

Hmmm, any other sources to look to on this? I have not read any of the books that focus on the Central Ave. scene, do any of those mention race being an issue for working at the Lighthouse?

Bill

Edited February 10, 2007 by (BB)

[sheldonm]

I was lucky enough to spend an hour or so alone with Howard this past Fall in LA. Very friendly guy and a blast to talk to about the "old days". He told me a lot about the Lighthouse that I didn't know as well as many stories about West Coast Jazz, musicians, the original owner of the Lighthouse and some things that I won't mention here. Howard was also signing copies of this DVD, which were/are for sale. He said he is trying to put a book out at some point but it's slow going at this time...hope it sees the light of day in the near future.

Here are a few images I made of Howard.

m~

[sheldonm]

...and

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT

WHAT IN THE HOLY ASS HELL OF ALL THINGS HOLY DO YOU MEAN NO BLACK PEOPLE ALLOWED @ THE LIGHTHOUSE. YOU MUST ELABORATE ON WHERE YOU GET THIS FROM

THE MOVIE PREMIRED HERE BUT I MISSED IT-- HOPE I CAN SEE DVD

[(BB)]

WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT

WHAT IN THE HOLY ASS HELL OF ALL THINGS HOLY DO YOU MEAN NO BLACK PEOPLE ALLOWED @ THE LIGHTHOUSE. YOU MUST ELABORATE ON WHERE YOU GET THIS FROM

THE MOVIE PREMIRED HERE BUT I MISSED IT-- HOPE I CAN SEE DVD

From the link provided above.

DVD Review

By Joe Lang

Jazz on the West Coast: The Lighthouse

A Film by Ken Koenig

78 Minutes, $25.00

Rose King Productions, 2006

"Over the years, many of the greats players of jazz graced the Lighthouse stage. Initially, Rumsey was able to present racially mixed groups with players like Teddy Edwards, Sonny Criss and Hampton Hawes sharing the stage with their white contemporaries. In fact, during a short period when Rumsey ended up incarcerated for a minor drug offense, Edwards filled his position as musical director of the Lighthouse. Within a few years, it became apparent that the black musicians were no longer welcome in Hermosa Beach. This was not a situation that set well with Rumsey and Levine, but they were realistic enough to understand that, in this case, it was best not to fight City Hall. There followed a ten-year period when black players were rarely among the players at the Lighthouse. There was a brief period of about six months, starting in September 1953 when this situation was eased. Max Roach was hired to replace Shelly Manne in the drum chair, and during Roach’s tenure players like Miles Davis suddenly started to appear at the Lighthouse. Max was like a magnet for the greatest stars in jazz, players who wanted to sit in with one of the masters of modern jazz drumming. Following the end of Roach’s contract with the club, Stan Levey was in on drums, and things returned to the way they were before Roach’s arrival, although this was not a reflection on Levey as a player or a person. There were still occasional players like saxophonist/flutist Buddy Collette and pianist Sonny Clark who broke the color line, but they were few and far between until the early 1960’s when the tensions eased, and racially mixed groups once again became the norm."

an quote from the review.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

Teddy Edwards's Lighthouse All-stars?!?!? oh fucking ass hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

ps- how do i sign up for this w.c.j. email list?