August 11, 1997
Contact:
Press contact: Helen Dalrymple (202) 707-1940
Public contact: Concert Line (202) 707-5502
Library of Congress Presents Fourth Annual Free Jazz Film Series
To kick off the Jazz Film Series on Sept. 9 and 10, the
Library will present the U.S. premiere of a new documentary
film by Don McGlynn and Leonard Malone, "DEXTER GORDON: More
Than You Know," about the acclaimed tenor saxophonist.
Called "one of the most important, enduring and captivating
voices of the 20th century," Dexter Gordon is the principal
narrator of this film about his own life and the world of
jazz that he inhabited. Other jazz greats such as Lionel
Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie
are also seen and heard. Rarely seen footage of Mr.
Gordon's 1976 "Homecoming" recording session and the screen
test for his 1986 Oscar-nominated appearance in the film
"Round Midnight" are highlights of the film, which was made
for Danish television. Rusty Hassan, who teaches jazz
history at American and Georgetown universities and hosts a
jazz program on WDCU-FM, will introduce the film on Sept. 9.
The Jazz Film Series will continue every Tuesday and
Friday evening through Oct. 3. Each of the free programs,
which will include three 30-minute television performances,
will be introduced by a noted musician, critic or
broadcaster. Some of the world's great jazz artists -- from
vibraphonists to guitarists to horn players -- will be
featured in these video programs presented by the Library's
Music and Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound
Divisions.
The basis for these presentations is the "Club Date"
and "Jazz Set West" programs that were produced and directed
by Paul Marshall and Crown Point Media for KPBS-TV, San
Diego, in the late 70s, 1980s and 1990s. Featuring some of
the most noted jazz ensembles and recording artists of our
time, the goal of the videos is to re-create for the
television audience the traditional jazz set -- a short
concert performed in an intimate nightclub setting -- using
stereo sound, intimate camera shots and a live audience. A
full set of the 41 programs was recently remastered by Paul
Marshall with the generous support of Andy and Tina Rathbone
and given to the Library of Congress for its permanent
collections. The gift, called the Paul Marshall/KPBS
Collection, also includes seven hourlong documentaries.
All of the video performances will be shown in the
Pickford Theater of the Madison Building, 101 Independence
Ave. S.E., beginning at 7 p.m. Seating in the small theater
is first come, first served, with no reservations required.
Doors to the theater will open at 6:30 p.m.
The programs in the 1997 Jazz Film Series were selected
by Larry Appelbaum, the curator for the series. He is
senior studio engineer in the Library's Recorded Sound
Section and is the longtime radio host of WPFW's Sunday
evening program "Sound of Surprise."
The full program for the series follows:
Sept. 9 and 10 - "DEXTER GORDON: More Than You Know"
The U. S. premiere of the new Don McGlynn and Leonard
Malone documentary biography of Dexter Gordon, whose tenor
saxophone sound, with its cavernous tone and characteristic
behind-the-beat phrasing, influenced several generations of
players -- from John Coltrane to Branford Marsalis to Joshua
Redman.
Sept. 12 - "Club Date": Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs and Cal
Tjader
Chuck Redd, drummer, vibraphonist and teacher, will
introduce this program about three of the leading post-swing
vibraphone stylists. The vibraphone was considered a
novelty instrument in jazz until Lionel Hampton demonstrated
the possibilities of the instrument in the 1930s.
Sept. 16 - "Club Date": Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis,
Laurindo Almeida, and Kenny Burrell
Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and Kenny Burrell all spent
time in Oscar Peterson's trio during the 1950s. Herb Ellis
has also worked extensively in television bands, and Kenny
Burrell has made hundreds of recordings with Billie Holiday,
John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Gil Evans. The late
guitarist Laurindo Almeida was already a major player in his
native Brazil before establishing his North American
reputation with Stan Kenton in the 1950s. Tom Cole, host of
"G-Strings" on WPFW-FM, will introduce tonight's program.
Sept. 19 - "Club Date": Hank Jones and Kenny Barron; "Jazz
Set West": Gene Harris
W. A. (Bill) Brower, staff assistant to Rep. John
Conyers Jr., who has been active as a jazz advocate, writer,
annotator, researcher and oral historian since 1975,
introduces tonight's program featuring the talents and
techniques of three of the top jazz pianists of the last
four decades.
Sept. 23 - "Club Date": Buddy Collette, Shorty Rogers and
Frank Morgan
Buddy Collette and Shorty Rogers are both accomplished
composers/arrangers who have worked in Hollywood film and
television studios in addition to making many recordings as
jazz leaders and sidemen. Saxophonist Frank Morgan's
career, begun in the 1950s, reemerged on the jazz music
scene in the mid-1980s with a series of successful
recordings and concerts. Patricia Willard, jazz historian
and the Library's Gershwin Consultant in Jazz and Popular
Music, will introduce the program.
Sept. 26 - "Club Date": Mose Allison, Hank Crawford and
Jimmy McGriff, Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham
Mose Allison is a Mississippi-born pianist and singer
whose original songs display both irony and wit.
Saxophonist Hank Crawford got his start with B.B. King and
Ray Charles. Teamed with organist Jimmy McGriff since 1986,
they perform a classic mix of jazz, jump and blues. Jeannie
and Jimmy Cheatham perform with their Sweet Baby Blues band.
Nap Turner, bassist, singer and actor whose radio program is
heard on WPFW-FM, introduces the program.
Sept. 30 - "Club Date": Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard,
Tribute to the Jazz Messengers
Jazz journalist Willard Jenkins introduces the program
about this group of jazz musicians, who worked with the
late drummer Art Blakey and his group the Jazz Messengers.
Oct. 3 - "Jazz Set West": James Newton; "Club Date": Ray
Anderson, Larry Vuckovich
Composer-flutist James Newton studied with Buddy
Collette in the 1970s and has since worked to expand the
vocabulary and technique for the flute in modern jazz. The
New York Times has called trombonist Ray Anderson "an
excellent performer who carries the more rough-and-tumble
sounds of Dixieland brass into experimental territory." And
San Francisco pianist Larry Vuckovich blends the Balkan folk
music of his native Yugoslavia with blues, bop and jazz.
This last program of the Jazz Film Series is introduced by
Suzan Jenkins, the executive director of America's Jazz
Heritage Program at the Smithsonian Institution.
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PR 97-128
8/11/97
ISSN 0731-3527