Phil Schaap: 40 years on the air!

[brownie]

WKCR's Phil Schaap celebrated 40 years of radio Tuesday night!

Schaap gala.

[J.A.W.]

He talks too much

[Christiern]

He talks too much

And distorts the truth too much.

[Dave James]

He talks too much

Many people do who love nothing more than the sound of their own voice. Anyone who can survive in the broadcasting business for 40 years is doing something right, but anyone who takes to focus away from the music and moves it to themselves is doing something wrong.

[BillF]

It often seems like 40 years when he's talking!

[Big Al]

40 years on the radio, of which he's played music for five of those years!

[alocispepraluger102]

i always tune out his blathering, for sanity's sake, but wkcr would have long ago abandoned jazz, were it not for phil's efforts.

[Christiern]

i always tune out his blathering, for sanity's sake, but wkcr would have long ago abandoned jazz, were it not for phil's efforts.

They started it without him.

[7/4]

It often seems like 40 years when he's talking!

Seems like a lot longer than 40 years...may be hundreds, perhaps.

[neveronfriday]

Snap. Crackle. Pop.

[brownie]

Some predictable reactions!

It seems that the mention of Schaap rubs a number of people the wrong way!

I must say that whenever I was in New York, I tuned in on WKCR for Schaap's ornithology lessons. Pretty often, there was a number of details that would catch my interest? Not sure however that listening to 'Bird Flight' would be a daily ritual if I were to live in NYC!

[sidewinder]

I usually try to listen to his show in the car when in NYC. Last time there I caught a five hour Elmo Hope special ! Anyone who can do a 5 hour Hope special can't be all bad (wish we had these in the UK ).

Edited February 5, 2010 by sidewinder

[Big Al]

I rib on the guy a lot, but I'll tell you that Schaap's broadcast/tribute to Max Roach after Roach passed was some of the most moving and heartfelt radio I've ever heard.

[MartyJazz]

He talks too much

Many people do who love nothing more than the sound of their own voice. Anyone who can survive in the broadcasting business for 40 years is doing something right, but anyone who takes to focus away from the music and moves it to themselves is doing something wrong.

A few years ago when I lived in northern New Jersey and would take a 20 mile drive to work in the morning, I would tune in WKCR as soon as I started the car in order to listen to Schaap's "Bird Flight" show. I can't recall exactly how many times I would make the drive and not hear a note from Bird whatsoever, rather I was subjected to Schaap's continual revisionism of a period of jazz during which, at best, he was in diapers, not having witnessed a moment of it. Finally, I wised up and would listen to cassettes of Bird (that dates me somewhat!) on my way to work.

Schaap truly loves the music but I don't know how a knowledgable jazz fan, as opposed to a neophyte anxious to learn, can listen to him.

[Christiern]

I am far more bothered by Phil's fantasies than I am by the fact that he talks way too much. In fact, I think I could put up with the latter if he didn't make things up.

[Shrdlu]

As soon as I saw the thread title, I thought, here come the sandbaggers. Sure enough ....

[brownie]

Stumbled on this...

Schaap's auctions

Looks like Wynton Marsalis added his signature on major items!

[Christiern]

Wynton's signature on some of these items can be seen as an insult rather than justification for the inflated asking price.

[Dan Gould]

I'm not surprised you'd call it an insult, I'd just call it a non-sequitor.

[Christiern]

It is that, too, but I say "insult" because Wynton's talent and own output pales by comparison to that of people whose work he so arrogantly autographs.

[Larry Kart]

The autographed by Wynton thing is kind of mind-boggling. How could anyone involved think this was a good idea?

[Dan Gould]

It would be great if people contacted Schaap and told him they'd pay half since its autographed by Wynton, or $250 more if he paid to have it removed.

It really is a mind-boggling approach to marketing collectibles.

[ejp626]

The autographed by Wynton thing is kind of mind-boggling. How could anyone involved think this was a good idea?

I don't have a dog in this fight - really - but Wynton sure makes it easy for people to justify their dislike of him.

[Brad]

He talks too much

Many people do who love nothing more than the sound of their own voice. Anyone who can survive in the broadcasting business for 40 years is doing something right, but anyone who takes to focus away from the music and moves it to themselves is doing something wrong.

A few years ago when I lived in northern New Jersey and would take a 20 mile drive to work in the morning, I would tune in WKCR as soon as I started the car in order to listen to Schaap's "Bird Flight" show. I can't recall exactly how many times I would make the drive and not hear a note from Bird whatsoever, rather I was subjected to Schaap's continual revisionism of a period of jazz during which, at best, he was in diapers, not having witnessed a moment of it. Finally, I wised up and would listen to cassettes of Bird (that dates me somewhat!) on my way to work.

Schaap truly loves the music but I don't know how a knowledgable jazz fan, as opposed to a neophyte anxious to learn, can listen to him.

Marty's experience paralleled mine: used to listen a lot early on but tuned him out later on. Just too much talking without getting to the music.

It sounded like he had a genuine connection with Max though and I used to enjoy those shows. The Thursday night host has him on sometimes and it sounds like they have a genuine rapport.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Who the hell would want to buy a 78 record from an artist like Bessie Smith with Wynton Marsalis's autograph on it? That is just so bizarre.