His numerous labels (Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, Pablo) played a crucial role in documenting swing era musicians at a time when their music was relegated to the dustbin by major record labels. His 1940s “Jazz At The Philharmonic” (JATP) tours cultivated the then-new “jazz concert” audience and brought the finest jazz musicians in the world to venues around the world. He developed the art of advance publicity to an effective publicity machine.

Hershorn paints a rich and detailed portrait of his subject. Granz lived in Detroit in the late 1940’s, one of a thousand fascinating facts Tad dug up during his years of research. He manages to keep his narrative flowing, coping well with the large amount of information.

Hershorn carefully follows Granz from his college days at UCLA to his final days in Switzerland, when he’d withdrawn from most of the world. There had been attempts to document Granz’ life, but each attempt (including Hershorn’s first effort) was ignored. Hershorn struck pay dirt after Granz read and approved of his Master’s thesis. This led to numerous phone interviews and culminated in a face-to-face meeting at Granz’ home. Hershorn took full advantage of that help. He brings to the table two critical qualities: His passion for the music, and an obsession with all things Granz. He was a larger than life character and it’s doubtful if any music besides jazz had the necessary depth for his strongly held beliefs and passion for music. At one concert, hecklers went after Ella full speed ahead, which prompted Granz, Benny Carter and Peterson to march to the offenders and assault them. That was Granz’ story – he talked the talk, and walked the walk. He was convinced that racial discrimination was the cause of America’s social ills, and his belief never wavered.

Despite his aversion to would-be biographers, Granz got a lot of press during his fifty years on the scene, and Hershorn makes good use of it. We quickly learn that he wasn’t one to keep quiet – about anything. He had little use for jazz critics, and wasn’t afraid to sue (or threaten to sue) those whom he felt slandered him or his undertakings. Some folks thought JATP pandered to the lowest common denominator of jazz fans, but people loved his concerts, honking saxophones and all. Where else could you hear the likes of Pres, Bird, Billie Holiday and Oscar Peterson jamming?

Even Granz’ projects which didn’t happen sound fantastic: A duet recording with Bird and Art Tatum, or a full-length biographical film about Duke Ellington. Granz didn’t lack ideas, or the chutzpah to champion them. Despite his sometimes abrasive manner, his heart was in the right place, a summary which is reinforced many times in this book.

His “songbooks” featuring Ella Fitzgerald remain high-water marks of American music, and those dozens of solo recordings and small groups featuring Art Tatum contain brilliant jazz. He also launched Oscar Peterson’s American career, recorded Bird with Strings, and captured some beautiful Lester Young sides, to cite only a few of his accomplishments. He was prescient enough to record JATP concerts and issue them – another first.

As his musical heroes died, Granz found himself less interested in contemporary American music and “retired” to Switzerland, but he still remained involved with jazz. Pablo Records, named for his pal Pablo Picasso, continued Granz’ recording mission and ensured great jazz musicians got their due. He destroyed a large number of documents detailing his business dealings, and became more reclusive as he aged.

This is one of the better jazz biographies I’ve read. Chapters flew by, and the wealth of stories and events contained therein kept me engrossed. Hershorn has a solid knowledge of jazz history which benefits his subject and his readers.

It’s an honor to have Tad Hershorn at our festival. He will use many rare and unpublished images, video clips, and music excerpts to flesh out the big-screen story of Norman Granz. This is the first public event marking the publication of his Granz biography. The book will be available for purchase.
Tad Hershorn is Archivist at the Institute Of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.

Norman Granz: Taking Jazz To The World
St. John Providence Health System Jazz Talk Tent
Monday, September 5, 3:00 – 3:45 pm

Hershorn struck pay dirt after Granz read and approved of Hershorn’s Master Thesis.

Book review by Jim Gallert

JazzPlanet.tv is proud to be a part of a new chapter in the legacy of music in Detroit.

Yusef Lateef at the Detroit Jazz Fest 2007

Guest post by: 
Terri Pontremoli, Artistic Director

In our country, jazz can often be dismissed as a “niche” art form.  It can be perceived as being not enough in the mainstream and sometimes too far out and retrospective.  Every now and then, we need to remind ourselves about its impact on the world and how it shines as a symbol of freedom and democracy to people everywhere.  My intent in “bringing you the world” this year at the Detroit Jazz Festival was not to present “world music,” but instead to share global interpretations of jazz and to experience the influence it has had on musicians from other cultures.

What better place to do that than inDetroiton Labor Day Weekend? Detroitis a city whose musicians have wielded such influence that it has been a formidable world stage for jazz through the clubs, radio stations and this festival. And we’re proud that Detroit Jazz Festival was named one of the top three jazz festivals inNorth Americain JazzTimes’ Reader’s and Critic’s polls in 2010.

My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who helped make it possible, including the Detroit Jazz Festival staff, board and volunteers, corporate, media and cultural partners and especially Gretchen Valade.  I invite you to celebrate with me as we listen to Artist in Residence, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dianne Reeves, Angelique Kidjo, Lizz Wright, Toots Thielemans, Ivan Lins, Dave Holland, Anat Cohen, Amina Figarova, Paquito D’Rivera and the hundreds of musicians from around the globe – and even other planets, like the Sun Ra Arkestra!  Labor Day Weekend will offer numerous opportunities to experience music both familiar and exotic at HartPlaza and Campus Martius inDetroit,Michigan.

Join us for special programming including conversations with musicians and radio personalities at the official jam session in the Marriott Hotel on “Planet After Hours” with festival Artistic Director, Terri Pontremoli.  The “Downbeat Blindfold Test Live” will challenge festival artists to identify and discuss music and musicians on selected recordings.  The “Red Carpet Show” will be hosted by Terri Pontremoli and bassist extraodinaire, composer, arranger, educator, curator and administrator, Christian McBride.   They will interview special guests including Vertical Engine, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Luciana Souza, Sean Jones and more.

There were over 700,000 viewers in 157 countries over four days during last year’s festival.  Join us at JazzPlanet.tv to experience the Detroit Jazz Festival.

The 32nd Annual Detroit Jazz Festival will be held this Labor Day weekend September 2-5 in downtown Detroit.

JazzPlanet.tv is an interactive web experience that streams live and taped performances, news flashes, interviews and behind-the-scenes commentary. Last year, fans in 157 countries visited the JazzPlanet.tv site.

“Streaming JazzPlanet.tv over the Internet brought the Detroit Jazz Festival to jazz fans all over the world, which was wonderful, but people without laptops had to watch the programming from their homes or offices,” said Sheldon Nueman, CEO of Joseph Productions, Inc. and founder of PlanetNetworks.tv, the home of JazzPlanet.tv

“Now, with the ability to watch JazzPlanet.tv from a smart phone, we are truly bringing the sights and sounds of the Detroit Jazz Festival to a global, mobile audience. People can literally watch it anywhere now,” he added.

The mission of JazzPlanet.tv is to showcase Detroit as an important center for American music, to provide a unique platform for musicians to showcase to the world and to reacquaint the mainstream with jazz through social media.

In partnership with PlanetNetworks.tv, Livestream.com and Detroit Public Television, the JazzPlanet.tv stage at Hart Plaza will stream via the web what is cool about the Detroit Jazz Festival and the city, in real time. Users around the globe – artists as well as fans – will be able to Skype, tweet and Facebook messages to fans, artists and media hosts in Detroit through JazzPlanet.tv, detroitjazzfest.com and the social media networks of Detroit Jazz Festival and JazzPlanet.tv.

JazzPlanet.tv adds several new features this year including “Planet Afterhours” where viewers can enjoy a “virtual hang” at the jam sessions with world renowned musicians at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, the official festival hotel and “JazzPlanet University,” which focuses on jazz education. For 2011, Jazz Planet will feature a larger, more prominently located stage on Hart Plaza, with seating for a live studio audience.

In addition to streaming live performances and interviews from the festival, JazzPlanet.tv will present the first-ever live video stream of the infamous Downbeat Blindfold Test. The Blindfold Test challenges an artist to identify and discuss the music and musicians on selected recordings. Hosted by Dan Ouellette, it will feature 2011 Detroit Jazz Festival artist in residence Jeff “Tain” Watts in the hot seat.

“Viewers all over the world will experience the ‘hipness’ of the world’s largest free jazz festival, how it blends urban chic and an informed and diverse audience with some of the best music on the planet,” says festival director Terri Pontremoli.

“For the artists, JazzPlanet.tv allows them to share some of their special projects – not only their performances – but what inspired them and what went into their works, with hundreds of thousands of people on the web,” Nueman added.

Detroit Jazz Festival organizers are expecting a big turn-out for this year’s event, according to Pontremoli. With the theme “We Bring You the World,” this year’s event will honor the global melting pot in jazz, showcasing cross-cultural influences and artists from Japan, West Africa, Cuba, Israel, Brazil and northern Europe, as well as from the United States.

Artists include Dianne Reeves, Angelique Kidjo, Regina Carter, Gary Burton, Kevin Eubanks, Chuck Jackson, Dave Holland, Ivan Lins, Paquito D’Rivera, Luciana Souza, Karriem Riggins Ensemble with Common and more. For a complete listing of artists, visit www.detroitjazzfest.com.

A complete online and smart phone schedule will be announced late August.

Visit http://www.jazzplanet.tv for a sneak preview of what to expect Labor Day weekend.

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Scott Peterson died Saturday, August 13, after battling an infection related to Cystic Fibrosis, which he’d overcome for 55 years. Born in Cleveland in 1956, Peterson took up the clarinet while in elementary school. He grew up in Cleveland and moved to Detroit in 1976 and matriculated at Oakland University in company with Walt Szymanski, among others, and performing with Sam Sanders. Oakland was a happening place in the 70’s with teachers like saxophonists Marvin “Doc” Holladay and Sam Sanders, pianist Charles Boles, and trumpeter Herbie Williams.

Scott was a real jazzman. He was a fine bluesman, too, and he impressed legendary drummer/bandleader J.C. Heard, who hired Peterson after hearing him play on Mackinac Island. Scott regarded playing in Heard’s orchestra as the best gig of his career, and he really added some fire to that band. We were all looking forward to hearing Scott in the J.C. Heard orchestra reunion this year.
Scott was convinced that music kept him alive, that playing his saxophone strengthened his lungs, and his spirit. He underwent a double lung transplant in 2009 and had to re-develop his sound into a strong, swinging presence, and he succeeded.
Scott was a positive person, always upbeat and strong and his music was filled with joy. He touched many folks, musically and personally, and I’m sure he left a large number of friends in San Francisco, just like here in Detroit.

Jim Gallert
www.detroitmusichistory.com
www.jazzstage.us

Jeff "Tain" Watts, Detroit Jazz Festival 2011 Artist in residence

After only two months into his role as artist in residence, Jeff “Tain” Watts has already made an indelible impression on the City of Detroit.

Freedom 2011

“Tain” was introduced to this community in February for Freedom 2011, his curated celebration of inspirational music from the Civil Rights Movement, at the Charles H. Wright MAAH. He led an all-star group featuring Geri Allen, Bob Hurst, Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Nicholas Payton and Mavis SWAN Poole. Prior to this performance, he and vocalist Mavis SWAN Poole conducted master classes with students at the Detroit School of the Arts. The “new and improved” DSA Jazz Ensemble, led by Dennis Wilson (as part of DJF’s Jazz Infusion project funded by the Erb Foundation), performed several pieces for “Tain” who critiqued the group and provided invaluable information to the students. He also held a Q&A and performed with them.

Tain performing with the Wayne State University Jazztet

“Tain” returned in April, national jazz appreciation month, to work with students from Warren Mott, Sterling Heights and Cousino high schools. He also appeared on Fox 2, participated at the festival’s annual press conference, and played at Cliff Bells with Chris Collins and the Wayne State University Big Band.

“Tain” will continue to work with students and perform in unique settings during the summer months leading up to the 32nd annual Detroit Jazz Festival on Labor Day weekend.

The dynamic drummer will heat things up on opening night, Friday September 2, with a star-studded “Drum Club” featuring Joe Locke, Susie Ibarra, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez and Pedro Martinez. Throughout the weekend, “Tain” will be seen on several stages – with his own band, with Michigan State University’s Jazz Orchestra, and in the Jazz Talk Tent presented by St. John Providence Health System, telling stories and being in the hot seat for DownBeat’s Blindfold Test.

Stay tuned for “Planet” interviews with Tain.

"Tain" performing with the DSA Jazz Ensemble

DJF’s Jazz Planet is getting ready to “Bring You the World” when the 32nd DJF presents musicians from all over the planet. Slated for 2011 – Brazilian vocalist Ivan Lins, bassist Dave Holland, pianists Vijay Iyer and Amina Figarova, guitarist Kevin Eubanks and Angélique Kidjo. Planetarians can look forward to exclusive interviews with these musicians and additional artists as they’re announced in the coming months.

We’ve received tons of feedback from you regarding the Planet, and based on the input, we’re implementing changes to enhance your planet experience. By popular demand, we are pleased to share two NEW JazzPlanet videos with you:

Gerald Wilson talks about his move to Detroit to attend Cass Tech H.S. and how that experience impacted his life and career.

Former Detroit Lion and Football Hall-of-Famer Lem Barney discusses his early years as a musician, meeting and working with the legendary Marvin Gaye.

Esperanza Spalding performing at the 2008 Detroit Jazz Fest | Photo Credit: Jeff Forman

How cool is it that a young woman in jazz won Best New Artist, and that veteran Dee Dee Bridgewater’s tribute to the legendary Billie Holiday won best jazz vocal album in the same year? It was great to see James Moody and Roy Haynes recognized as well! It goes to show you that jazz is something that can look back and look forward and always be in the NOW – always relevant. Congrats to all the 2011 GRAMMY winners! Especially the JAZZ recipients  For a complete list of winners visit the Grammy website.

Dee Dee Bridgewater performing with the MSU Big Band at the 2009 Detroit Jazz Festival | Photo Credit: Jeff Forman

“We are honored to be in the company of such venerable institutions, including Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and Montreal International Jazz Festival,” said Terri Pontremoli, DJF, festival director, “but it is important to note that of the top four, Detroit is the only one that remains free of charge.”

The news of this recognition comes on the heels of a recent national study conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) on the importance of outdoor arts festivals. As documented in this national survey, outdoor arts festivals contribute significantly to their community’s identity, economy, civic engagement and cultural vitality. They also depend on their local governments in important ways, and are currently experiencing financial shortfalls.

Since DJF became an independent non-profit organization in 2006, the festival has enjoyed a growing international reputation for its artistic excellence. For the City of Detroit, it has garnered a $90 million impact and attracted tourism from all over the world – 23 percent of the festival audience comes from out of state.

“Many cities have festivals. Fewer have world-class music festivals. Fewer still have world-class music festivals that are free,” said Gretchen Valade, DJF Foundation, chair. “While the sagging economy over the past few years affected all of us in the arts – here and throughout the country – things are improving, but it takes continued support from our community to help keep this festival free.”

Music fans are not the only segment that has taken note of the festival, although they are beginning to show their support through memberships and individual gifts. The festival has received several awards from foundations, such as John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, and The Kresge Foundation, along with government agencies such as NEA.

“Detroit Jazz Fest does so much for the image of the city,” says Dr. Stan Berry, festival board chair, DJF. “It puts us on the map, unifies our citizens and shows Detroit as an important hub for music, and this couldn’t be possible without our community and corporate sponsors.”

Click here to check out our exciting 32nd season as we bring you the world in 2011.