City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Publications and Research York College 2011 Al Sears' Saxophone at York Library John A. Drobnicki CUNY York College How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/yc_pubs/36 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] ACADEMIC AFFAIRS UPDATE Al Sears’ Saxophone at York Library by John A. Drobnicki On August 1, 2011, a question came in to Prof. Anamika Dasgupta through the Library’s email reference service. It was sent by Sally Ad- ams, a reporter with the McDonough County Voice (Macomb, Illi- nois), who requested a photograph of Al Sears’ tenor saxophone. Al Sears, who played with the likes of Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton, gave Ms. Adams contact then-President Josephine Duke Ellington, and information for the Mu- Davis was added to the Johnny Hodges, was sic History Archive’s Library website along born in Macomb on Feb. founder, Mr. Clarence with Prof. Su’s photos, 21, 1910, and in doing Irving, Sr. and reporter Sally Ad- Drobnicki also re- ams used both the ar- Al Sears research for the city’s annual Al Sears Jazz called seeing a photo of chival photo and infor- Festival, Ms. Adams Al Sears’ widow pre- mation from the Library came across the page on senting the saxophone to website (as well as her the Library’s website York College, and after interview with Mr. Ir- about the York College- some unsuccessful ving) for her article, “A Black American Herit- searching in the Li- Piece of Sears History age Foundation Music brary’s archive was able Sits at York College,” History Archive (http:// to obtain a copy of it which appeared in the www.york.cuny.edu/ from Prof. Robert Par- 2011 Al Sears Jazz Fes- library/about-the-library/ met. tival’s book (also availa- music-history-archive), The photo was one of ble online at http:// which mentions that the many that had been www.pbiprinting.com/ College has a tenor saxo- scanned a few years ago flash/ phone that belonged to by Mr. Eric Tyrer of the view_flipbook.php? Al Sears. Information Technology quote_id=3431). Although the web Department as part of a The 10th Annual Al page had a photo of the digitization project, and Sears Jazz Festival was saxophone in a glass Dr. Parmet had copies of scheduled to be held in case, Prof. Di Su took them in order to select Macomb, Illinois from some digital photographs some for his forthcom- September 23-25, 2011. to send to Ms. Adams, ing book. and Prof. John Drobnicki That photo of Mrs. Ruth Sears with York’s .