The NOTE Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania • Fall / Winter 2017 SPECIAL ISSUE! BOB DOROUGH INTERVIEW In This Issue... The NOTE The NOTE contains some content that may be considered offensive. Authors’ past recollections reflect attitudes of the times and remain uncensored. Vol. 27 - No. 1 - Issue 67 Fall / Winter 2017 3 A Note from the Collection Coordinator: The NOTE is published twice a year by the Al Cohn Jazz News and a Thank You List! Memorial Jazz Collection, East Stroudsburg -Dr. Matt Vashlishan University of Pennsylvania, as part of its educational outreach program. 4 From the Bridge: Hero’s Journey through the Düsseldorf Airport Editor: -Su Terry Matt Vashlishan, D.M.A. 6 From the ACMJC Oral History Project: Design/Layout: Interview with Bob Dorough Charles de Bourbon at BGAstudios.com -JD Walter ESU Office of University Relations ________________________________ 26 COTA Festival 2016 Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection 28 A Story from Jerry Dodgion Kemp Library East Stroudsburg University 29 Zoot Fest 2016 200 Prospect St. East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999 -T. Storm Heter [email protected] (570) 422-3828 34 Reader’s, please take NOTE www.esu.edu/alcohncollection East Stroudsburg University President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. The mission of the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection is to stimulate, enrich, and support research, teaching, From the Collection . learning, and appreciation of all forms of jazz. The ACMJC is a distinctive archive built upon a unique and symbiotic relationship between the Pocono Mountains jazz community and East Stroudsburg University. With the support of a world-wide network of jazz advo- cates, the ACMJC seeks to promote the local and global history of jazz by making its resources available and use- Cover Photo (front): ful to students, researchers, Bob Dorough in his NYC apartment in 1956. educators, musicians, historians, journalists and jazz Photo by Scott Hyde enthusiasts of all kinds, and to preserve its holdings for future generations. © 2017 Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection / East Stroudsburg University ________________________________ East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is committed to equal opportunity for its students, employees and applicants. The university is committed to providing equal educational and em- ployment rights to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran’s status. Each member of the university com- munity has a right to study and work in an environment free from any form of racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination including sexual harassment, sexual violence and sexual assault. (Further Cover Photo (back): information, including contact information, can be found on the Bob Dorough at the piano - 1956 university’s website at: esu.edu/titleix/.) In accordance with fed- Photo by Scott Hyde eral and state laws, the university will not tolerate discrimination. This policy is placed in this document in accordance with state and federal laws including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sec- tions 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991 as well as all applicable federal and state executive orders. 2 The NOTE • Fall / Winter 2017 A Note from the Collection Coordinator Jazz News and a Thank You List! Due to their relationship with one an- perform with and direct this group other, JD is able to dig a little deeper of some of the most loyal, passionate, to elicit responses from Bob that are and gifted musicians I have met. We much more personal. It is a rare gem will continue to expose the public that puts Bob’s importance in jazz to the most diverse sets of big band history into an even brighter light, jazz possible. I would like to thank and Larry’s photos are second to none the Deer Head Inn and everyone who and complement the interview as well puts the time in every month to make as balance Scott Hyde’s photos from these concerts happen. the 1950s! As is my usual custom for this Bob Weidner As you will see by the photos in column, I must acknowledge a pho- By Dr. Matt Vashlishan this issue, Zoot Fest 2016 was a phe- tographer left out of the last issue. nomenal time. The music could not The centerfold photograph was taken t is a somewhat regular occur- have been any better, and I send out at the Denver Jazz Party and was of rence these days where I sit down my sincerest thanks to: Lew Taback- Benny Carter, Phil Woods, and Zoot to write this column feeling in- in; what I call the “Bill Trio” (Bill Sims. This photo was donated to Icredibly excited to share the contents Dobbins, Bill Crow, and Bill Good- the Collection by Jim Eigo, and was of the issue with our loyal readers. win); the members of the newly titled taken by a photographer named Jay This issue is no different! There have Water Gap Jazz Orchestra for present- Anderson. It has come to my knowl- been a lot of things happening on the ing some truly incredible music. Bill edge that Jay often kept to himself, ESU campus as well as in the jazz Holman was gracious enough to send and you didn’t really get to know him community. This is an important us the original parts to the Zoot Sims unless you had a few mutual friends. time for us here in the Poconos, as we recording “Hawthorne Nights” that Thanks to our loyal and knowledge- reshape what was and envision what he arranged back in the mid 1970s. able readership for informing me of will be, not without the help of some Saxophonist Scott Silbert did a great anything I might miss! new faces and some rekindled rela- job handling the “Zoot chair” and Finally, I would like to inform tionships with those who have been made it a very special occasion for everyone of esu.edu/jazzatesu. This around to see it all. those involved. is the website dedicated to anything The first “thank you” I must You might still be thinking of jazz going on at East Stroudsburg give out is to vocalist JD Walter, Bob the previous paragraph, wondering University. There is information Dorough, and photographer Larry to yourself, “Water Gap Jazz Who??” about the Collection, the Univer- Fink for their work on an incredible Many of you know the band as The sity Jazz Ensemble, Zoot Fest, other piece for this issue. I am sure you COTA Festival Orchestra. We per- concerts, and most recently the Jazz will find that JD’s interview with form on the last Monday of every Lounge Lecture Series. There is a Bob Dorough is unlike any other. As month at the Deer Head Inn for Big new space in Kemp Library dedicated I was editing through it I could not Band Night. Those of you who have to the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Col- bring myself to split it up between been around the area long enough are lection, and part of this initiative two issues, so you will find it here in familiar with the various incarnations is to bring musician lectures to the its entirety. As I made my way down of the band: The Phil Woods Big public free of charge. The first lecture the Word document, I didn’t realize Band, Grandmas Soup, and others I’m will feature Su Terry, a saxophon- my mouth hanging open wider and sure. I am happy to announce that in ist, clarinetist, author and composer. wider as Bob told story after story of honor of not only Rick Chamberlain The focus will be area professional his experiences and relationships that and Phil Woods, but all of the talent- musicians and will occur on a some- (as JD mentions) is a “who’s who” of ed and inspiring musicians that have what regular basis, right now the jazz and entertainment history. This come through the Delaware Water last Wednesday of each month. Stay interview separates itself from the Gap over the years that we are now tuned to esu.edu/jazzatesu for up- usual School House Rock and Miles known as the Water Gap Jazz Orches- dates on the day, time, and lecturers Davis topics often covered by Bob. tra. It is a pleasure and an honor to in this series. U Fall / Winter 2017 • The NOTE 3 From the Bridge Hero’s Journey Through the Düsseldorf Airport James Richard By Su Terry • Suterry.com ’m an American. I admit it. Actually, I don’t even have fact, I believe anyone’s life is immeasurably enriched by to admit it because my attire, my accent, my attitude, recognizing it as one’s personal Hero’s Journey. Seeing all proclaim my Americanness to anyone with whom I one’s existence in this way adds a larger-than-life element Icome into contact. that, if nothing else, makes life a bit more bearable, and a As an American–of a certain age, I might add–por- lot more fun. tions of my personal aesthetic were formed by some iconic ORDINARY WORLD American things, one of which being The Wizard of Oz. Of course, it’s easy to contemplate your Hero’s Jour- The original book was authored by L. Frank Baum, who ney when you’re kicking back with a glass of Sauvignon unfortunately never lived to see the 1939 MGM adaptation Blanc on the deck at sunset at the end of a glorious sum- with its classic score by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.