So picture us there with our headphones - he in Russia and me in Queensland - each illicitly listening to the other side's jazz 'n propaganda, and each, as Woody Herman would have said - "Diggin' it the most".
As you can see of course, I was thoroughly brainwashed, and regret it to this day.
And nice to hear 'Intermission Riff' again too. This scratchy version was clearly taped by a jazz buff from the VOA s/w transmission, somewhere behind that nasty old "iron curtain" the VOA used to talk about..
Nice to hear Willis Conover and his 'special English' again. I used to listen to his dulcet tones on the 'Voice of America Jazz Hour' program on Short Wave. VOA was a propaganda channel as was 'Radio Moscow World Service' which also had some excellent jazz from the various countries of the vast, multicultural, Soviet Union. Anyway, Willis was welcomed in Russia and Poland when he visited there. There's a brief Wikipedia entry on him.
Wow--wasthat Willis Conover doing the VOA introduction to this recording? Conover taught most of the world (including especially those behind the "Iron Curtain") to love American jazz through his broadcasts over VOA. Thanks for the memory!
So picture us there with our headphones - he in Russia and me in Queensland - each illicitly listening to the other side's jazz 'n propaganda, and each, as Woody Herman would have said - "Diggin' it the most".
As you can see of course, I was thoroughly brainwashed, and regret it to this day.
BINKIE2000 9 months ago
And nice to hear 'Intermission Riff' again too. This scratchy version was clearly taped by a jazz buff from the VOA s/w transmission, somewhere behind that nasty old "iron curtain" the VOA used to talk about..
.. must have played havoc with reception.
BINKIE2000 9 months ago
Nice to hear Willis Conover and his 'special English' again. I used to listen to his dulcet tones on the 'Voice of America Jazz Hour' program on Short Wave. VOA was a propaganda channel as was 'Radio Moscow World Service' which also had some excellent jazz from the various countries of the vast, multicultural, Soviet Union. Anyway, Willis was welcomed in Russia and Poland when he visited there. There's a brief Wikipedia entry on him.
BINKIE2000 9 months ago
Good cover, but I'd rather have the soloists really improvise, not just copy the solos on the 1956 "Kenton in Hi-Fi" albumn
pindaric 1 year ago
Wow--wasthat Willis Conover doing the VOA introduction to this recording? Conover taught most of the world (including especially those behind the "Iron Curtain") to love American jazz through his broadcasts over VOA. Thanks for the memory!
PoetryMan11 1 year ago
close but no cigar
jazzmusic1937 2 years ago
We play this in the Auburn Knights Orchestra.
jstnwrd2008 3 years ago