Episode 1: Introduction

In this episode, thanks to W. Eugene Smith's tape recorders, we get to experience something audiences rarely hear - the unrehearsed, imperfect, open-ended, overlong, rough-around-the-edges music that jazz players made when they got together to jam at 821 Sixth Avenue. No audience ...  Show more

Before photographer W. Eugene Smith lived in a rundown loft in the thick of New York’s jazz scene, he lived in another world. A native Kansan who earned a scholarship to Notre Dame, Smith was a staff photographer for LIFE magazine -- considered photojournalism's top job in an era ...  Show more

Brad Gowans was better known as a valve trombonist and arranger, but he was an adept clarinetist who was initially inspired by the first jazz records by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. He brought trombonist Eddie Edwards, pianist Frank Signorelli and drummer/kazoo player Tony S ...  Show more

The Scots-born trumpeter Jimmy Deucher was a force on the British jazz scene from the late 1940's until the 1980's, playing in big bands, arranging and composing. Here are two early (1955, 56) sessions for Tempo featuring his arrangements and playing with trombonist Ken W ...  Show more

Bob Crosby and His Orchestra carved a pretty unique career for itself in the Swing Era - specializing in tunes from the previous decade done up in swing clothes, the chief arrangers were clarinetist Matty Matlock and bassist Bob Haggart. Here is a selection of Haggart's arrangeme ...  Show more

Some of the first records under Turk Murphy's name done for Good Time Jazz in 1950 and 51 . . featuring at various times Bob Scobey, Don Kinch, Bill Napier, Bob Helm. Skippy Anderson, Wally Rose, Burt Bales, Pat Patton, George Bruns, Squire Girshback and others, these were hi ...  Show more