A.B. Spellman on Ira Gitler and Swing to Bop
SWING TO BEBOP WITH A.B. SPELLMAN [:60]
Excerpt of “Bluesville” composed by Samuel Nestico and performed by Count Basie and his Orchestra from the album 88 Basie Street, used courtesy of Concord Music Group and by permission of Fenwood Music Company c/o A Side Music dba Modern Works Music Publishing [ASCAP] and “Dizzy Atmosphere” composed by John Gillespie and performed by Charlie Parker, from the album Bird on 52nd St, used courtesy of Concord Music Group and by permission of Universal Music Corporation [ASCAP].
RUFFIN: NOW A JAZZ MOMENT
IN LINER NOTES, BOOKS, AND ARTICLES, NEA JAZZ MASTER IRA GITLER CAPTURED VITAL STORIES FROM JAZZ HISTORY, INCLUDING THE TRANSITION FROM SWING TO BEBOP. WRITER AND ADVOCATE, A.B. SPELLMAN.
AB Spellman: It was radical music, bebop, and it was intended to be, and Ira wrote really quite accurately about how—what bebop’s intentions were.
He talked about how the musicians had wanted to make a new music, wanted to make something that belonged to them, that is, speaking of these young black musicians, and something that couldn’t be so easily coopted and exploited and watered down for money.
THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH ABOUT ADVOCATE IRA GITLER WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.
