Morgenstern, who died Sept. 7, directed the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Research for 35 years, constructing a one-of-a-kind assortment of recordings, memorabilia and writings. Initially broadcast in 2004.
DAVE DAVIES, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. The revered jazz historian, archivist and critic Dan Morgenstern died earlier this month. He was 94. Morgenstern spent a lifetime as an enthusiastic advocate for jazz and for 35 years directed the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Research, constructing a group of jazz recordings, memorabilia and writings that is the biggest assortment of its sort on this planet. In his New York Instances obituary, Barry Singer famous that Morgenstern was, quote, “one of many final jazz students to have identified the giants of jazz he wrote about, each as pal and chronicler, a jazz author uniquely embraced by jazz musicians, a nonmusician who captured their sounds in unpretentious prose, amplified with sweeping and encyclopedic historic context, ” unquote.
In 2007, Morgenstern acquired the NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy. Dan Morgenstern was born to Jewish dad and mom in Munich in 1929. His father was the cultural correspondent for a German newspaper and had written critically of the Nazis. Because the strain mounted, his father escaped to France. Dan and his mom fled to Copenhagen, however when the Nazis reached the town, they have been smuggled out of Denmark by the Danish resistance and located security in Sweden. The household reunited in New York in 1947 after the conflict. When Terry Gross interviewed Dan Morgenstern – that was in 2004 – he instructed her about his introduction to jazz throughout the conflict. He was 8 years outdated.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
DAN MORGENSTERN: What obtained me – actually obtained me concerned was seeing Fat Waller in Copenhagen in September of 1938. And, you already know, that was an excellent expertise. I had by no means seen anyone like that earlier than. Nicely, there wasn’t anyone like Fat Waller, you already know? There by no means has been since. However he was so – you already know, so important and so overpowering, in a manner, you already know, however he was bodily very giant. I had not seen many Black folks in my life earlier than then, and he was, as he would say, mesmerizing.
TERRY GROSS: Would you select a file that you simply liked whenever you have been younger, throughout the conflict, whenever you have been fleeing from the Nazis – a file that also means so much to you?
MORGENSTERN: Nicely, I suppose, you already know, that is, after all, a youngsters’ file, however it’s additionally – looking back, it is a good jazz file. That was Chick Webb’s “Dipsy Doodle,” which featured a vocal by the then nonetheless very younger – about 19-year-old – Ella Fitzgerald. After which, after the vocal, it had an amazing trombone solo by Sandy Williams, whom I subsequently obtained to know after I got here to this nation. And that was only a file that I liked, and I significantly appreciated, you already know, the nonsense lyrics. I knew some English, however not likely so much, however it has type of foolish lyrics, you already know, after which that trombone solo afterwards. So, you already know, that is a file that I am nonetheless very keen on.
GROSS: Why do not we hear it?
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE DIPSY DOODLE”)
ELLA FITZGERALD: (Singing) The Dipsy Doodle is straightforward to seek out. It is virtually at all times at the back of your thoughts. You by no means comprehend it till it is too late. And then you definately’re in such a horrible state. Like, the moon jumped over the cow, hey diddle – that is the way in which the Dipsy Doodle works. Whenever you suppose that you simply’re loopy, you are the sufferer of the Dipsy Doodle. Nevertheless it’s not your thoughts that is hazy. It is your tongue that is at fault, not your noodle. (Scatting) Dip, dip, dip, dip, Dipsy Doodle. You suppose you are loopy, the issues that you simply say, like, rhythm obtained I and sizzling am I. That is the way in which the Dipsy Doodle works.
GROSS: That is Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald, “The Dipsy Doodle,” a file that meant so much to Dan Morgenstern when he was rising up. In 1947, after the conflict, you and your mom moved to New York, the place your father had already moved. What are a few of your earliest reminiscences of discovering jazz as a New Yorker and truly having the ability to, say, like, go to concert events and go to file shops?
MORGENSTERN: Nicely, I’ve this line that I’ve used so much. I used it in my very subliminal look on Ken Burns’ “Jazz,” which I had the pleasure of…
(LAUGHTER)
MORGENSTERN: I used to be an adviser to that, however on display, I solely appeared for about 10 seconds. However what I stated is one thing that I’ve typically stated, which is that once I got here to New York, you already know, what I wished was to not see the Empire State Constructing, however I wished to see 52nd Road. 52nd Road, in any case, was alive at evening, you already know? And I used to be nonetheless solely 17. However I managed to get there, and to me, it was – you already know, it was paradise. I imply, you would – one facet of the road, you would hear Sidney Bechet, and throughout the road, you would hear Charlie Parker, and Billie Vacation was subsequent door. You realize, I imply, it was simply an unimaginable place.
GROSS: You’ve got described your self as having been extra of a jazz journalist and jazz proselytizer than jazz critic. Would you select a file that you simply really feel you helped have an effect on the future of, or helped change the perspective towards – a file that you simply liked that you simply thought wasn’t actually – wasn’t getting enough consideration or wasn’t actually understood?
MORGENSTERN: Nicely, one of many issues that I discovered irksome was the perspective that then existed in direction of the work of Louis Armstrong. Individuals had a bent to take a look at it by way of the Sizzling 5 period – you already know, “Heebie Jeebies” – after which soar to the All-Stars and “Hey, Dolly!” And all the things in between was type of being ignored. And to me, and others, as effectively, that was, you already know, a number of the peak achievements of Mr. Armstrong. So particularly, I had an opportunity to do liner notes for a group of fantastic materials from the mid-’30s that had roughly been uncared for.
Specifically, one factor that was on there was a chunk by Armstrong himself known as “Swing That Music,” which is only a fantastic demonstration of his superior trumpet prowess, and in addition sort of jogged my memory – and the way in which he punches out 42 excessive C’s, you already know, after the vocal jogged my memory of the way in which Joe Louis punched out Max Schmeling. And I used to be in a position to deliver that into higher focus and sort of illuminate that side of Armstrong’s artistry, and I am completely satisfied about that.
GROSS: Why do not we hear that Armstrong recording of “Swing That Music”? And that is from 1936?
MORGENSTERN: Proper.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SWING THAT MUSIC”)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG: (Singing) And my coronary heart provides a chill. I really feel such a thrill. My ft will not hold nonetheless once they swing that music. Rhythm like that places me in a trance. Oh, you possibly can’t blame me for wanting to bounce. From what I perceive, it have to be simply grand to play in a band once they swing that music. I am simply completely satisfied as might be once they swing that music for me.
GROSS: My visitor is Dan Morgenstern. Since 1976, you have directed the Institute of Jazz Research at Rutgers College. And in that sense, you have develop into actually necessary as a collector of jazz historical past. I imply, the institute is – I do not know – maybe crucial assortment of jazz historical past within the nation, one of the necessary on this planet. What are one or two of the objects within the assortment of the Institute of Jazz Research that imply probably the most to you and which have an virtually, like, magical aura surrounding them?
MORGENSTERN: Nicely, I feel that may be the devices. We now have fairly a group of devices that belong to well-known and possibly even not-so-famous musicians, and a few of these persons are those that I felt very near. So these issues characterize a really tangible, you already know, side of my very own life with this music, akin to, you already know, Ben Webster’s tenor, Lester Younger’s tenor, the one he used when he was with Basie. And now we have odd issues like plastic gardenia of Billie Vacation’s. When she could not get an actual one, you already know, she used that. And Billie was anyone that I simply completely liked.
After which manuscript – now we have a beautiful manuscript by Louis Armstrong. And now we have – oh, I do not know if I can use the expression tchotchkes, however now we have issues like – now we have an Ella Fitzgerald – a bit sculpture made from spoons and forks which truly represents her, you already know, with a microphone in her hand. And that was sitting on her mantelpiece. She actually appreciated that. And people issues are particular. You realize, they’ve an aura.
GROSS: Nicely, Dan Morgenstern, thanks a lot for speaking with us.
MORGENSTERN: It has been an excellent pleasure, and thanks for having me.
DAVIES: Terry Gross spoke with Dan Morgenstern in 2004. The revered Jazz historian, creator and archivist died earlier this month on September 7. He was 94 years outdated. Developing, TV critic David Bianculli critiques HBO’s “The Penguin,” the newest spin-off of the Batman sequence. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET’S “UNSQUARE DANCE”)
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