The Jazz Mavericks of Fort Worth, TX
Ornette Coleman, Dewey Redman, Julius Hemphill, John Carter, King Curtis, Prince Lasha, Charles Moffett, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and many others were once all students at I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth, TX. The city's first black school opened in 1882 and closed in 1973 during racial integration of Fort Worth's schools. This week, we'll hear recordings from these select musicians who broke new ground and paved the way for extended freedoms and new innovations in jazz.
Feb 1-5: Julius Hemphill
Born in Fort Worth, TX, saxophonist Julius Hemphill was an artist and educator to some of today's leading jazz players in 1970's New York City, and his unique, fluid, and often disparate styles on multiple horns have earned him an underground following among jazz aficionados. Hemphill co-founded St Louis, MO's Black Artists Guild in 1968 after attending I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth, TX and studying with multi-instrumentalist John Carter. His 1972 debut Dogon A.D. is an historic achievement in adventurous music, and dozens of recordings to follow display his search for the unknown and unheard.
Join us this week for our first foray into the sound of the Jazz Mavericks of Fort Worth, TX with Julius Hemphill.
Feb 8-12: Dewey Redman
Senior to Hemphill, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Dewey Redman was also born in Fort Worth, TX and attended Terrell High School. Redman studied music under the tutelage of instructor G.A. Baxter in the late 1940's and early 1950's alongside Ornette Coleman, Prince Lasha and drummer Charles Moffett. His brash and rugged sound on the tenor saxophone set him apart from Coltrane copycats of any period. Baxter taught Redman encouragement to "push the boundaries of sound." We'll hear Dewey Redman this week on a variety of both Eastern and Western instruments from recordings with Charlie Haden, Ornette Coleman, Ed Blackwell, Keith Jarrett, Carla Bley, Elvin Jones, and others.
Feb 15-19: Ornette Coleman
The Pulitzer-Prize winning, groundbreaking icon of free jazz, Ornette Coleman, was also born in Fort Worth, TX and studied with G.A. Baxter at I.M. Terrell High School. His story and place in modern jazz is beyond any level of success measured by audience size or record sales. Although he was quite successful in those categories, his legacy is virtually beyond description, so let's just say you'll have the chance this week to hear from more than 50 years of recorded creations from Coleman. Some of the recordings come directly from former Jazz Record Mart owner and Chicago-based Delmark record label founder Bob Koester, so lots of surprises to share this week from those who've taken care of the music.
Feb 22-26: The Jazz Mavericks of Fort Worth, TX - Round Up
The finale for this month's Jazz Break at Noon presents music from some of the other artists, former students, future educators, and jazz mavericks of Terrell High. We'll hear music from multi-instrumentalist John Carter, saxophonist Prince Lasha, bop and soul sax belter King Curtis, and two drummers from different generations with Charles Moffett's distinct cymbal ride and free-wheeling percussionist Ronald Shannon Jackson.
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