WWUH continued to play a major role
in the region’s jazz scene in 1998, even extending its reach to the global music
community thanks to a newfound presence on the World Wide Web. Jazz has been an integral
part of the 91.3 FM programming mix since the station’s inception in 1968.
One of UH’s 30th anniversary celebrations took place in
Hartford’s Bushnell Park on July 27 where The Mingus Big Band offered one of the
summer’s most exciting jazz performances; special thanks to Monday Night Jazz Series
director Paul Brown for his cooperation. Not only did the station broadcast the event
live, as is tradition on Mondays in July and August, but several UH jazz announcers also
emceed the concert and gave away a bundle of 30th anniversary T-shirts to grateful fans of
the station.
On a sad note, the jazz world lost a number of wonderful musicians last
year who had enlivened the Bushnell Park stage on many a sultry summer’s night:
Walter Bishop, Jr., Thomas Chapin, Ted Dunbar and C.I. Williams. We also said good-bye to
Betty Carter, Denis Charles, Dorothy Donegan, Tal Farlow, Kenny Kirkland, Frank Sinatra
and Attila Zoller in ’98; WWUH offered musical obituaries for each of these marvelous
artists.
In addition to the Bushnell broadcasts, WWUH maintained a booth at the
third annual Litchfield Jazz Festival August 8 and acted as a media sponsor of the
inaugural Liberty Bank Jazz Festival in Norwich on September 20. UH staff members also
helped to document on audio and audio tape--and in photographs--In Harmony: A Vision
Shared, the Thomas Chapin benefit concert held February 1 at Manchester’s Cheney
Hall.
The WWUH jazz staff wrapped up the year with a benefit concert for 91.3
featuring The Jim Cifelli New York Nonet. The event took place Friday, December 4th at
Wilde Auditorium, located down the hall from the UH studios in the Gray Center on the
University of Hartford campus. Merci beaucoups to the nine members of the Nonet, and to
all the volunteers who helped make the evening such a success.
UH Jazz announcers in 1998 carried on a time-honored practice of
including musician interviews during their programs. Ron Carter, Chick Corea and Doc
Severinsen were among the artists who shared their thoughts on the WWUH airwaves last
year. Connecticut musicians also got their due, through airplay of recordings, in-studio
interviews and concert announcements. The WWUH Jazzline (860-768-5267) remains one of the
most comprehensive concert listings available by telephone in the Northeast. As regular
listeners are aware, ticket and CD giveaways are a regular part of the station’s jazz
broadcasts.
In June, WWUH was accepted into a select group of radio stations which
submit weekly jazz playlists to The Gavin Report, an industry trade publication that
tracks airplay around the country. Consequently, the station’s record service has
increased greatly, which means that UH listeners now have greater access than ever before
to new jazz recordings. Stuart Feldman and Chuck Obuchowski represented WWUH at last
October’s annual JazzTimes convention, held in New York City; another windfall
of recordings and industry connections for the station resulted. And, lest you think
we’re all lining our pockets with your donations, keep in mind that WWUH announcers
are all volunteers. We’re crazy enough to do this simply for the love of the music!
Here’s wishing each and every one of our listeners another year of harmonious,
improvisational joys!
Copyright©WWUH: January/February Program Guide, 1999 |
