5/9/2017 Jazz|EncyclopediaofAppalachia

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AuthorAjayKalra,EastTennesseeStateUniversity Published:March01,2011 Updated:March01,2011

JazzisnotoftenassociatedwithAppalachiainthepublicmind,
buttheregionboastsmorethanonecitysignicantinthe
developmentofthegenre.

JazzisnotoftenassociatedwithAppalachiainthepublicmind,buttheregionboastsmorethanonecitysignicantinthe
developmentofthegenre.Moreover,othermusicscommonlyidentiedwiththeregion,especiallycountryandbluegrass,have
beeninvigoratedbyjazzinuences,leadingtohybridstylesbearingappellationssuchasnewgrass,jazzgrass,newacoustic
music,countryjazz,andhillbillyjazz.DespiteitsorigininNewOrleans,jazzmusiciswidelyconsideredanorthernurban
phenomenon.SuchAppalachiancitiesasBirmingham,Alabama,andChattanoogaandKnoxville,Tennessee,areoften
unrecognizedascentersofjazzthoughPittsburghhaslongbeenknownasahotbedofthegenre.

ManyjazzlegendswerebornorrearedinthePittsburgharea,includingsingersBillyEckstineandMaxineSullivancomposer
BillyStrayhornpianistsEarlFathaHines,MaryLouWilliams,ErrollGarner,AhmadJamal,andHoraceParlandrummers
ArtBlakeyandKennyClarkebassistsRayBrown,PaulChambers,andJohnHeardguitaristGeorgeBensontrumpetersRoy
ElridgeandTommyTurrentineandsaxophonistsStanleyTurrentineandBobCooper.Thoughmostofthesemusiciansleftthe
regiontopursuetheircareersinlargercities,fromthe1930stothe1950sPittsburghsHillDistrictboastedavibrantnightclub
jazzscene.SuchclubsastheCrawfordGrillandtheHurricaneLoungenotonlyservedasspringboardsforthecareersoflocal
talent,butthesevenuesalsohostedtouringjazzluminaries.ThemusicalheydayoftheHillDistrictendedinthemid1950safter
thefederalgovernmentimplementedurbanredevelopmentinitiativesinthearea.Sincethe1970s,Pittsburghhasmade
signicanteffortstoreafrmitsplaceinthehistoryandfutureofjazz.SucheffortshaveincludedtheannualJazzattheHill
Housegathering,whichcelebratesPittsburghsroleintheevolutionofjazzbyshowcasinghometownheroessuchasBensonand
StanleyTurrentinealongsideotherregionaltalent.Since1992,theUniversityofPittsburghhasoffereditsannualJazzSeminar,
oneofthemajorjazzforumsinAppalachia.Meanwhile,PittsburghpublicradiostationWDUQhasreceivednationalrecognition
asapioneerandleaderinjazzradioprogramming.

PaulWinter,alsofromnorthernAppalachia(Altoona,Pennsylvania),playedapivotalroleinthefusionofjazzwithmusicsfrom
aroundtheworld,helpingtolaythefoundationfornewageandworldbeatmusicalstyles.Hislate1960sandearly1970s
groundbreakinginstrumentalensemble,thePaulWinterConsort,alsofeaturedoboistPaulMcCandless,ofIndiana,
Pennsylvania,wholatercofoundedtheworldfusionjazzgroupOregon.BirminghamisthebirthplaceofjazzinnovatorSunRaas
wellasofbigbandleadersErskineHawkinsandTeddyHill,amongothers.Chattanoogawastheearlyhomeforsuchpioneering
jazztalentassingersBessieSmithandValaidaSnow,pianistLovieAustin,andbassistJimmyBlanton,wholaterplayedwith

DukeEllingtonandBillyStrayhorn.TrumpeterCatAnderson,alongtimememberofEllingtonsband,wasborninGreenville,
SouthCarolina.

JazzisvaluedinmanyAppalachiancitiesaspartofthesecommunitiesculturalandartisticheritages,andnotableattempts
havebeenmadewithintheregiontofosterappreciationandfurtheranceoflocaljazztraditions.Afterbigbandsdeclinedin
popularityinthelate1940s,jazzwasgenerallysustainedwithinAppalachiabyelitepatronageinlargercities.Anincreasing
desiretofosterprideinjazzacrosstheregionhasledindividualsandorganizationstopromotejazztoyoungergenerations.
TrumpeterandveteranSunRasidemanJothanCallins,ofBirmingham,coordinatedtheBirminghamYouthJazzEnsembleto
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5/9/2017 Jazz|EncyclopediaofAppalachia
TrumpeterandveteranSunRasidemanJothanCallins,ofBirmingham,coordinatedtheBirminghamYouthJazzEnsembleto
providemiddleandhighschoolstudentswithopportunitiesforperformingjazzregionally,nationally,andinternationally.
Similarly,theAlabamaJazzHallofFamesponsorsjazzappreciationprogramsinBirminghamareaelementaryschools.Several
universitiesinAppalachiadisplayconsiderableinterestinjazz,offeringarangeofscholasticandperformanceopportunities
fromjazzensembleswithinclassicalmusicprogramstospecializeddepartmentsofferingbachelors(UniversityofAlabama
VirginiaTechandUniversityofNorthCarolinaatAsheville)andmasters(UniversityofTennesseeandWestVirginia
University)degreesinjazz.RecentliveradioshowsfromAppalachiasuchastheCharleston,WestVirginiabased,
internationallybroadcastshowMountainStage,whichfeaturesjazzorientedmusiciansinitshousebandhavechallenged
publicperceptionsofAppalachianmusicbymixingjazzwithmorerecognizedregionalmusics.

Jazzhasinuencedbothcountryandbluegrassmusic.Jazzpercolatedintocommercialcountrymusicearly,asevidencedby
LouisArmstrongsplayingonaJimmieRodgersrecording.Improvisatorylikejazz,westernswingmusic,asubgenreofcountry
musicgenerallyassociatedwithTexasandtheMidwest,hashadnotableAppalachianproponentssuchasHankPenny(whowas
bornandhadinitialsuccessinBirminghambeforemovingtoNashville)andsteelguitaristBillyBowmanofJohnsonCity,
Tennessee(whoplayedwithBobWillsinthe1950s).Thegroupmostresponsibleforthewesternswingrevivalintheearly
1970s,AsleepattheWheel,wasformedinPawPaw,WestVirginia.

AfterthecountrymusicindustrybecamepredominantlybasedinNashvilleinthelate1940s,manyskilledstudiomusicians
fromAppalachianbackgroundsintegratedjazzwithfolkandcountrymusicalstyles.Forinstance,beginningin1952,Hank
Garland(anativeofCowpens,SouthCarolina)recordednumerousjazzinuencedtracks,culminatinginhisacclaimed1961
albumJazzWindsfromaNewDirection.AmongotherAppalachianinstrumentalists,JethroBurns(borninConasauga,
Tennessee)isoftenacknowledgedasoneofthefathersofjazzmandolin,whileChetAtkins(fromLuttrell,Tennessee)recorded
manyjazzstandardsasasoloperformerandwithvariousotherinstrumentalists,includingguitaristLesPaul.

OtherAppalachianmusicians,suchasddlersVassarClements(ofKinard,SouthCarolina)andBuddySpicher(ofDubois,
Pennsylvania),haverecordedassidemenandleadersonswingandbluegrassrecordings,aswellasonvariousjazzandrock
inuencedmusicalblendssometimeslabeledcountryjazzorhillbillyjazz.EclecticmandolinistButchBaldassari(ofScranton,
Pennsylvania)hasoftenperformedjazz,ashasclassicallytrainedbassistEdgarMeyer(fromOakRidge,Tennessee).

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