Air -- broadcast tape from Chicago Jazz Festival, 1981

[Mark Stryker]

Threadgill, Hopkins, McCall at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the national WBEZ broadcast. I'm sure our Chicago board members like Larry Kart and Chuck Nessa were there. 

https://archive.org/details/air-trio-chicago-jazz-festival-1981-wbez/04-Air+Song.mp3

[Chuck Nessa]

I was on the programming committee in 1979 and programming chairman from 1980-1984. Larry was covering the arts/entertainment desk for the Tribune. Saw him every night of the fest as he dashed back to the office to file his reviews.

Edited June 12, 2021 by Chuck Nessa

[BFrank]

This is GREAT! Thanks!

[Jim Duckworth]

Thank you.

[Chuck Nessa]

A bunch more HERE

[BFrank]

5 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

A bunch more HERE

Thanks, Chuck!

[Larry Kart]

The Serrano-Johnson set is something else. Eddie is on fire.

[Dan Gould]

7 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

The Serrano-Johnson set is something else. Eddie is on fire.

Agreed though I can't figure out why there is so much interference if these are tapes from WBEZ. Shouldn't they have been recorded direct from the board? 

[Chuck Nessa]

4 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Agreed though I can't figure out why there is so much interference if these are tapes from WBEZ. Shouldn't they have been recorded direct from the board? 

They were direct recordings. These must be recorded from broadcasts.

The festival hired the sound crew and NPR / WBEZ / Jazz Alive took their feed.

Edited June 14, 2021 by Chuck Nessa

[JSngry]

On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2021 at 1:48 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

 Larry was covering the arts/entertainment desk for the Tribune. Saw him every night of the fest as he dashed back to the office to file his reviews.

Serious question, not knowing the layout of the area, was that dashing back to the office done on foot or by car?

[Chuck Nessa]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Serious question, not knowing the layout of the area, was that dashing back to the office done on foot or by car?

It's about a mile, so a vehicle would be needed to make the deadline.

[JSngry]

Cab, I'm thinking, right? The one time I was there, didn't seem like the parking would have lent itself to a quick exit.

Thinking about how obsolete that whole thing is now, what with laptops and wi-fi.

[Mark Stryker]

9 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

It's about a mile, so a vehicle would be needed to make the deadline.

I was lucky with the Detroit Jazz Festival all the years I was on the beat, because the footprint for the festival was a 5 to 15 minute walk from the newsroom depending on where exactly you were starting from. Those extra minutes were a godsend on deadline. Still, in later years, I'd take my laptop and often file from the festival grounds. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[Larry Kart]

On foot -- about five long city blocks, maybe ten or more minutes. Last sets were supposed to end at 10:30 -- my deadline, never missed, for a review of about 800-1,000  words was midnight. Adrenaline, plus the stimulus of the music, plus I was used to it all and found it kind of exciting to know that my thoughts would appear in the morning paper. Also, to be honest, some times I edged away before the last set was over when I felt fairly sure that what I'd heard so far was going to be followed by more of the same -- e.g. Miles in 1990. Finally, I soon learned that for me at least you couldn't /shouldn't write much of anything in your head on the way back to the paper. Maybe a key phrase or two, but I needed to just sit down and type, one thought leading to the next.

[JSngry]

A brisk walk is supposedly good for your health!

[Mark Stryker]

One set I've always heard about but the tape hasn't shown up in the archive is the 1982 (I think) appearance by the Archie Shepp Quartet. Drummer John Betsch was delayed for some reason and because the  set was being nationally broadcast it HAD to start on the button. My old friend Joel Spencer, who had just finished playing with a big band, was quickly recruited to  start the set, and by all accounts played his ass off. Betsch arrived after a tune or two but Shepp waved him off and Joel played the entire set. A young Kenny Werner was in that band too.

10 minutes ago, JSngry said:

A brisk walk is supposedly good for your health!

Not if you're stressing about deadline! That shit will take its toll -- if not the walk, then the post-filing alcohol (or whatever) to calm the adrenalin. YMMV. 

15 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

On foot -- about five long city blocks, maybe ten or more minutes. Last sets were supposed to end at 10:30 -- my deadline, never missed, for a review of about 800-1,000  words was midnight. Adrenaline, plus the stimulus of the music, plus I was used to it all and found it kind of exciting to know that my thoughts would appear in the morning paper. Also, to be honest, some times I edged away before the last set was over when I felt fairly sure that what I'd heard so far was going to be followed by more of the same -- e.g. Miles in 1990. Finally, I soon learned that for me at least you couldn't /shouldn't write much of anything in your head on the way back to the paper. Maybe a key phrase or two, but I needed to just sit down and type, one thought leading to the next.

I always tried to have at least my lede written in my head before I reached my computer, whether it was formed on the walk/drive back to the office or actually while sitting in my seat at the performance, where I would jot it down in my notebook. Made a big difference to me to get rid of the blank screen as soon as possible -- even if I eventually ended up rewriting the lede. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[Larry Kart]

23 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Cab, I'm thinking, right? The one time I was there, didn't seem like the parking would have lent itself to a quick exit.

Thinking about how obsolete that whole thing is now, what with laptops and wi-fi.

Parking was no problem -- I parked at or near Tribune Tower, where I probably had been working on something else during the day, then strolled to Grant Park and eventually hot footed it back. Didn't have a lap top -- did they exist back then?
So many memorable nights e.g. the big band tribute to  Dusable H.S.' famous teacher Capt. Walter Dyett, with many of his alumni in the band, fronted by Johnny Griffin. In the midst of the heartfelt set there was a huge downpour; the stage was sheltered by the bandshell but the good-sized audience was drenched. Almost nobody in the crowd left, though, which led Griffin to say, "You people NEED to be here."

 

15 minutes ago, JSngry said:

A brisk walk is supposedly good for your health!

 

[Chuck Nessa]

22 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

One set I've always heard about but the tape hasn't shown up in the archive is the 1982 (I think) appearance by the Archie Shepp Quartet. Drummer John Betsch was delayed for some reason and because the  set was being nationally broadcast it HAD to start on the button. My old friend Joel Spencer, who had just finished playing with a big band, was quickly recruited to  start the set, and by all accounts played his ass off. Betsch arrived after a tune or two but Shepp waved him off and Joel played the entire set. A young Kenny Werner was in that band too.

I  remember - Betsch was having dinner with friends and time got away from him. As the band walked on stage Shepp turned to Joel and said "First song, play as fast as you can".  Joel had just come off stage after playing with the Jazz Members Big Band.

Betsch was kicking stuff around back stage in frustration.

Edited June 14, 2021 by Chuck Nessa

[Mark Stryker]

Just now, Chuck Nessa said:

I  remember - Betsch was having dinner with friends and time got away from him. As the band walked on stage Shepp turned to Joel and said "First song, play as fast as you can".

Betsch was kicking stuff around back stage in frustration.

Right! What Shepp had no way of knowing is that Joel LOVES to play fast, so he took that instruction as both a challenge and license. The faster he goes the more comfortable he gets. Anyway, sounds like it was one of those memorable moments that always happen at the best festivals.  Would like to hear it.