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UNIVERSITYOF NEWHAMPSHIRE OURNINETY-FIRST PROGRAM EDPOLCER & the cONDON cONNECTION
SPONSOREDBY THEDEPARTMENT OF MUSIC ANDTHE NEW HAMPSHIRE LIBRARYOF TRADITIONAL JAZZ
8 PM MONDAY MAY3, 1993 STRAFFORDROOM MEMORIALUNION BUILDING DURHAM,NEW HAMPSHIRE TH€ ARTISTS
ED POLCEB& THECONDON CONNECTION "What's Questionlrom a sludent: a Condon?".Comment from a bystander: "There's a word spelledwrong on this poster!". Ah, the ravagesof time on cultural mernory.The writerof this pagerecalls his highschool days in the mid-1940'swhen he took a bus trom Doverto Porlsnbuthonce a week tor a piano lesson,and fortuitous schedulingpermitted a visitto SessionsRecord Shop on DanielsStfeet and a perusalof the Commodore78rpm inventory, with its multifariousgroups led by a saltyChicago - style guitaristol ostensiblymodest musical skills but with a remarkablyentrepreneurial approach to the so-calledDixieland idiom. Dippingturlher into seldom-tappedresidual recollection, it emerges that our once innoceni youlhful ears were lirst seduced by the aural elegance,excitement, and individualityof BobbyHackett, Wild Eill Davison, Pee-Wee Russell, Ed Halt,Bud Freeman, Vic Dickenson,George Brunis, Sid Catlett,George Wenling and numerousothers from "led" performancesorganized and bythis non-soloingrhythm player named Eddie Condon. And not only did he spreadthe goodword lo the provincesvia recordings,but he actually "classical" invadedsuch bastionsas Town Hall and CarnegieHall, the formeron a quite regularbasis, and was utilizingtelevision as earlyas 1948. Condon'slazz was not the structuredbig band stylizationof the Goodman- Ellingtonaxis, or the oflen esotericpost-World War ll searchfor new directions.Rather is was essentiallywhat we would now call 'lrad" jazz,bul minusany quasi - scholarly historicism;the music simply conlinuedwith unabashedconviclion and pride the improvisatoryidiom which had lirst flourishedin New Orleansand then reneweditsell geographicallyand generationally with regularity. EddieCondon was born in Indianain 1905,musica y nurturedin tertileChicago in the 20's, and laler centeredin NewYork, where along with his pertormingactivities he openeda famousclub in GreenwichVillage in 1945;it laler moveduptown, and in .1985 becameanolher one ol the dozensol smalljazz roomsto be squeezedout ol the city by lhe torcesof economicprogress. (lronically, visitors ollen comment on how portsrnouth's PressRoom reminds them of treasuredtimes past in Manhattan.)Condon himself passed awayin 1973,and one of thosewho strovelo maintainbolh the musicand the clubin substanceand spiritwas an alumnusol the BennyGoodman orchestra and princeton Universitynamed Ed Polcer. From1975 lo 1985Ed managed Eddie Condon's, and now he continuesto keep the musicallegacy alive with groupsof playersfrom severalgenerations who are drawn to the cenlrality,renewability and pure joy ol the idiom,and whose quality of perlormance is recognizedon an inlernationalscale. Fortyyears ago somein the jazzintelligentsia "rnoldy wouldhave derided them as ligs" attachedto a dyingarl; todayUNH warmly welcomesthem as keepersof a living,precious and eternal flame. TtoNAL (fr=R'|ES THE CONDON CONNECTION
ED POLCER- cornet ALLANVACHE . clarinet TOMARTIN - trombone JEREMYKAHN - piano FRANKTATE - bass JOEASCIONE - drums
Taperecorders and camensarc notWrm ed due to contractualarnngements. Yourcoopention is rcquested. TheUNH Traditional Jazz Series began in 1979.lt promotesthe enjoyment and understandingof the art throughconcerts featuring musicians of regional,national, and international prominence. The program represents a uniqueendeavor to expandinterest and honor outstanding talent and achievement.
Musicianswishing to doso are encouraged to ofter their recordings for sale or mailorder during intermission; a brief announcement may be made. The sponsorshave no financial interest in such sales beyond otfering a courtesy serviceto theartists and the public.
ProgramNotes - PaulVerrette Production- David Seiler
THESCHEDULE
October5 SummitReunionr Bob Wilber and KennyDavern November2 MikeMarkaverich
November30 HaroldAshby
February1 ParadiseCity JazzBand
March8 DonnaByrne Quintet
April5 JimmyMazzy, Eli Newbergerand Friends
May 3 CondonConnection: Ed Polcerand RedBalaban