Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los AngelesClora Bryant "From Buddy Collette's brilliant ruminations on Paul Robeson to Horace Tapscott's extraordinary insights about artistic production and community life . . . this collection of oral testimony presents a unique and memorable portrait of the 'Avenue' and of the artists whose creativity nurtured and sustained its golden age."—George Lipsitz, author of Dangerous Crossroads "If ever the West Coast enjoyed its own equivalent of the Harlem Renaissance, it was here on Central Avenue. This too-often forgotten setting was nothing less than a center of cultural ferment and a showplace for artistic achievement. Finally its story has been told, with a richness of detail and vitality of expression, by those who helped make it happen."—Ted Gioia, author of West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California "What a wonderful, comprehensive volume, full of knowledge and insight about an important time and place in jazz history. This book is a needed and welcomed addition on the rich African-American musical heritage of Los Angeles. It is well written and edited by people who were actually involved in the creation of the music, along with others who have a deep concern for preserving that legacy. This work gives the reader a truly in-depth look at the musicians, the music, and the social and political climate during that important development in American culture."—Kenny Burrell, jazz guitarist and Director of the Jazz Studies Program and Professor of Music and Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles |
Contents
The Emergence of Central Avenue | 15 |
The Watts Scene89 | 89 |
The Eastside at High Tide | 195 |
Drawn by Centrals Magic New Faces | 305 |
Notes | 407 |
Bibliography415 | 415 |
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Common terms and phrases
after-hours alto amalgamation Angeles bass player bebop Benny Carter big band Big Jay black community black musicians blues Britt Buddy Collette California cats Central Avenue Charles Mingus City clarinet Clora Club Alabam Count Basie dance Dexter Gordon dollars Downbeat drummer drums Duke Ellington Dunbar Hotel Ernie everything father Gerald Wilson guess guys happened hear heard Hite Hollywood horn Jack jam sessions jazz Jefferson High School Jimmie Lunceford Johnny Otis joined kids kind knew laughter learned Les Hite Lincoln Theatre Lionel Hampton lived Lloyd Reese look Los Angeles loved Marl Young never night Oral History orchestra piano player record Red Callender rehearsal remember rhythm solo Sonny Criss stayed Street stuff talk Tatum teacher tell tenor there's thing told took town trombone trumpet player walked Watts week Yeah York