Manuscripts Finding Aid (PDF)
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University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Biographical Sketch ………………………………………………………………… 2 Scope and Content ………………………………………………………………… 3 Series Notes ………………………………………………………………………… 4 Container List ………………………………………………………………………… 8 SERIES I: PERSONAL ………………………………………………… 8 A: Correspondences ………………………………………………… 8 B: Clifford Brown Research Materials ………………………… 8 C: Charlie Parker Research Materials ………………………… 9 D: Research Clippings ………………………………………… 10 E: Contracts ………………………………………………………… 10 F: Interviews and Oral Histories ………………………………… 10 G: Film ………………………………………………………… 11 H: Miscellaneous ………………………………………………… 11 SERIES II: PUBLICATIONS ………………………………………… 12 A: Published Promotional Materials ………………………………… 12 B: Festival and Concert Season Promotion ………………………… 13 C: Published Programs ………………………………………… 15 D: Catalogues ………………………………………………………… 16 E: Discographies ………………………………………………… 17 F: Directories ………………………………………………………… 19 G: Record Inserts ………………………………………………… 20 H: Calendars ………………………………………………………… 20 I: Miscellaneous Publications ………………………………… 21 J: Periodicals ………………………………………………………… 22 SERIES III: STAMPS ………………………………………………… 34 A: American First Day of Issue Stamps ………………………… 34 B: International First Day of Issue Stamps ………………………… 40 C: American Meter Stamps ………………………………………… 41 D: International Envelopes ………………………………………… 42 E: Postal Commemorative Society ………………………………… 44 F: Misc. Cachets ………………………………………………… 44 SERIES IV: COLLECTABLES & MEMORABILLIA ………………… 45 SERIES V: IMAGES ………………………………………………………… 46 A: Photographs ………………………………………………… 46 B: Nightclub Photo Holders ………………………………………… 47 C: Commercially Produced Images ………………………………… 48 D: Oversize Images ………………………………………………… 49 E: Framed Original Artwork ………………………………………… 49 MS255-Norman Saks Collection 1 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Norman Saks is a world class representative of the jazz collector, and endangered species whose world is disappearing. A new generation and a new system of jazz collecting have emerged. Its members consider anonymous and unverified postings on the Internet as discographical gospel. They store this information and the music they attach to it in small, often extremely small, boxes; and believe they own and know it all. Their new world, from the perspectives of jazz scholarship and jazz listening, is an inferior one and makes the publication of the artifacts and documents in Saks’ collection, at this moment, an important, even vital, issue. The illustration that someone, currently living, can go out and find – I mean discover! – originals: documents that demonstrate truth and can expand jazz knowledge and enjoyment is a profound lesson. That Norman Saks, in assembling his collection, can teach that lesson is a tribute to the science of discography, a superior methodology of music research that started with jazz, and Saks’ expertise in that science. Norman Saks has gone past the sequences of dates and master numbers to the documents that are the roots of such lists. Behold. Source: Schaap, Phil. “Appreciation.” The Norman R. Saks Collection: Charlie Parker & jazz club memorabilia. Documented and designed by Ken Vail. New York: Phil Schaap, Curator of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Library Editions, 2007. MS255-Norman Saks Collection 2 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION SCOPE AND CONTENT The Norman Saks Collection was donated by Saks to LaBudde Special Collections in the summer of 2014. The expansive nature of this collection is a reflection of Mr. Saks’ dedication to all aspects of Jazz music. A series of personal documents feature Saks ’correspondences as well as research materials specifically related to jazz artists, including: newspaper clippings, interviews, and artist contracts. Included with this series is a copy of The Charlie Parker Discography, completed by Saks, Leonard J. Bukowski, and Robert Bregman. These research material are complemented by a series of publications that features commercially produced promotional materials, discographies, directories, calendars, record inserts, and an extensive collection of periodicals. A stamp series includes hundreds of first day covers from 18 different countries, envelopes collected specifically for their meter stamps, and many decorative cachets featuring original artwork related to the jazz artists born on the faces of the stamps they accompany. Several paintings, photographs, and artist proofs feature the autographs of their creators, while several others feature the autographs of their subjects. Norman Saks’ love of Charlie Parker is perhaps best represented by a piece of foundation and a single brick from the artists birth place, 852 Freeman Kansas City. MS255-Norman Saks Collection 3 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION SERIES NOTES SERIES I: PERSONAL (box 1, folder 1 – box 2, folder 10) contains items personally related to Norman Saks, specifically his correspondences and research. Subseries A (box 1, folders 1-4) contains both personal and business correspondences that took place between 1983 and 2007. These correspondences are arranged chronologically when possible. Also contained in this subseries are correspondences not specifically related to Norman Saks, but instead collected for their content. Folder 1 contains a business card of Norman Saks autographed by Clora Bryant. Subseries B through F contain documents directly related Norman Saks’ research into specific jazz artists. The largest amount of research was focused on Clifford Brown, subseries B, and Charlie Parker, subseries C. Subseries B (box 1, folders 5-10) contains an annotated bibliography of Clifford Brown as well as photocopies of several of the articles listed therein. These articles are arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. This subseries also contains Bob Weir’s discography of Clifford Brown as well as several of Weir’s correspondences. Of special interest in this subseries are correspondences between Don Manning, The Pennsylvania State Police, and The Bedford, PA, police concerning Clifford Brown’s fatal automobile accident. Subseries C (box 1, folders 1-18) contains several photocopies of articles related to Charlie Parker, arranged categorically. This subseries also contains many of Norman Saks’ handwritten notes pertaining to the completion of his discography of Charlie Parker, a final draft of said discography, a complete copy of Stanley Crouch’s Kansas City Lightning, and photocopies of Charlie Parker contracts. The miscellaneous folder of subseries C contains a photocopy of a correspondence between Parker and the Gale Agency, as well as correspondences of Addie and Chan Parker. A single poster advertisement for Northern Trust Bank, which refers to Charlie Parker as a metaphor for the banks performance, is contained in Map Drawer 54, folder 1. Subseries D (box 1, folders 19 and 20) contains several photocopies of articles and newspaper clippings of jazz artists. Folder 19 contains all artists who have at least three related articles. These articles have been grouped together and arranged alphabetically by artists’ last name. Folder 20 contains all other articles and clippings related to jazz. These articles are first divided categorically and then arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. Subseries E (box 1, folder 21) collects the employment contracts of jazz artists. This series contains Billie Holiday’s contract for employment at Delmonte Garden in Monterey, CA, on March 4, 1952. This contract is signed by the artist. Subseries F (box 1, folder 22 – box 2, folder 4) contains three oral histories, photocopies of interviews collected from magazines, as well as the complete transcriptions of ten separate interviews conducted by Stanley Crouch. The focus of these interviews was for each subject to answer the question: “When did you first meet Charlie Parker?” Subseries G (box 2, folders 5-9) contains research materials related to film. All film posters are located in map drawer 54, folder 1. The majority of this subseries contains materials related to Clint Eastwood’s film, Bird. These materials include the script for the film, several publicity booklets, as well as several articles and newspaper clippings related to the film. This subseries also contains the promotional book for Ken Burn’s documentary, Jazz. Several oversized images related to film have been collected in map drawer 54. Subseries H (box 2, folder 10) contains miscellaneous personal items including an annotated list of Norman Saks’ tape collection. SERIES II: PUBLICATIONS (box 2, folder 11 – box 17, folder 5) contains all published materials collected by Saks. All published posters contained in series II are located in the map MS255-Norman Saks Collection 4 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION drawers. Subseries A (box 2, folders 11-18) contains published promotional materials taking the form of flyers, magazine and newspaper clippings, pamphlets, etc. The series begins with club promotional materials. Folder 11 contains only promotional flyers for the Blue Note, arranged chronologically when year is indicated, and alphabetically by performers last name when no date could be found.