AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES 382 a-f OHV
George Avakian
With Olivia Mattis
November 28, 2007
Riverdale, N.Y.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side a pp. 1-35
Birth in Russia—arrival in U.S.—his family—how his father came to be in the U.S.—the Avakian business—his interest in jazz—listening to Benny Goodman’s radio show, “Let’s Dance” and other radio shows—music in his home—learning English—value for him of New York Public Library—high school: Horace Mann School for Boys—listening to Ellington and Count Basie—more on Goodman’s “Let’s Dance” show—as editor of Horace Mann Record, interviewing Benny Goodman—attending Goodman’s band rehearsals (End Track 1 p. 19) (Track 2) Attending Yale—being an English major—Duke Ellington—marriage to Anahid Ajemian (Track 3, p. 22) Ellington’s The Shakespeare Suite, final title Such Sweet Thunder written for his wife’s concert—deciding upon the title—his experience at Yale—atmosphere in New Haven—writer on jazz named Marshall Stearns—going to Marshall Stearns “open house” and visiting every Friday for the next two years—learning about jazz at Stearns’ house (End Track 3)—John Hammond of Columbia Records—Goodman’s Recording of “King Porter Stomp”—meeting with Mr. Wallerstein [sp] president of Brunswick—being hired to put out a series of jazz reissues—Lester Koenig—listening to Louis Armstrong.
Side b pp. 35-69
[Side b, Track 1] Delaunay jazz book—United Hot Clubs of America—Marshall Stearns [Side b, Track 2] listening to Stearns collection and learning about jazz—buying jazz recordings—Louis Armstrong—Duke Ellington at Timothy Dwight residential college—traveling across the country, visiting Chicago and Kansas City—hearing Art Tatum—writing for Tempo magazine—
Decca Records—sorting out the jazz recordings at the Columbia factory—finding a list of unreleased Armstrong recordings—alternate masters with different performances of the same jazz number—getting permission from Armstrong to release these things [End Side b, Track 2] [Track 3] John Hammond—Album “Chicago Jazz” for Decca—other recordings he initiated for Decca [Track 4] Hot Records Society—New York and Kansas City recordings—helping out at Disk and Asch (Folkways).
Side c pp. 69-104
[Track 1] Serving in the Army—hearing Gillespie and Parker—working at Columbia records starting in 1940—difficulty in obtaining shellac—launching of Columbia Records; early prices—writing for other magazines—working with Benny Goodman—78s issued for Columbia—advent of the LP—original release of LPs--[Track 2] the LP—constructing a pop LP—taking over the international dept.—great success with Marlin sisters recording—“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”—being in charge of two departments, international and popular—recording Spanish music—Anahid Ajemian—concert given by Maro Ajemian:Khachaturian concerto—meeting Anahid—pianist William Masselos—William Kappell—producing the music of John Cage—marriage to Anahid Ajemian—gatherings: composer’s birthday celebrations—William Saroyan.
Side d pp. 103-
[Track 1] Development of the popular record department—recording the Benny Goodman orchestra of the 1930s—recording Arthur Godfrey’s singers—the twelve-inch LP—jams sessions with Buck Clayton of the Count Basie band—baseball games against other jazz bands—working with Duke Ellington—Duke’s longer compositions—recording of Duke at the Newport jazz festival—“Jazz Red Hot and Cool” album—difficulty with riverboat recording—“Newport Jazz Festival Suite”—recording Eddie Conlon—[Track 2]—Recording a new composition with Duke at Newport—Gonsalves plays his solo into the wrong microphone—woman in black dress dances to Ellington—attempt to rerecord part of Gonsalves’ solo.
Side e PP.
[Track 1]—publicizing Duke—Joe Glaser—friendship between Glaser and Louis Armstrong—more on Armstrong—Avakian’s friendship with Armstrong—Armstrong signs with Avakian—“Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy record”—“Satch Plays Fats” record—musical Great Day—Waller’s Ain’t Misbehavin’—[Track 2]—more on Ain’t Misbehavin’—Cab Calloway—“Satch Plays Fats” album—“Mack the Knife”—Lotte Lenya—revival of Threepenny Opera—other recordings of Kurt Weill—Armstrong’s recording of “Mack the Knife”—album: “Ambassador Satch”—recording of Mack the Knife with Armstrong and Lenya singing it as a duet—[Track 3]—success of Armstrong recording of “Mack the Knife”—state of American pop music—desire to record Armstrong and Ellington together, but the record didn’t happen—album: “Ellington at Newport”—plans to record Richard Hyman—plans to reissue “Chicago Jazz”—Philip Schapp—Delauney’s Discography—Voice of America broadcasts.
Side f
[Track 1]—Voice of America broadcasts—Oleg Lundstrem’s orchestra—Ellington Newport Recording—European edition of it to be done in future—[Track 2]—meeting Miles Davis—jazz course Avakian gave at NYU—meeting Miles at a club on 52nd Street—hearing him at Newport—singing Miles—“Miles Ahead” album—Miles Davis Quintet—Sonny Rollins—“The Bridge” album—Miles Davis and Jack Whittemore—Cannonball Adderley—John Coltrane—Gunther Schuller—Birth of the Cool—meeting Keith Jarrett—hiring Teo Macero—Antibes music festival—Swedish jazz club Gyllene Cirkeln—Tallinn festival in Estonia—album: “Charles Lloyd in the USSR—more on Jarrett.
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