Willis Conover, the Voice of Jazz, Is Now Online

Willis Conover, the Voice of Jazz, Is Now Online

Saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen said this about jazz music. 

"Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but is a gift that America has given the world." 

The late Willis Conover -- an internationally-known jazz producer and broadcaster -- delivered that gift of jazz music from the studios at the Voice of America for more than 40 years. People still write to VOA fondly about Conover, who died in 1996.

Imagine tuning¹ the dial of a shortwave radio through static that crackled and popped. Finally, the dial finds the musical notes of “The A Train,” a popular song written by the great Duke Ellington. Next comes Conover’s voice saying ...

For more than 40 years, Willis Conover’s long-running “Jazz Hour” introduced millions of people in Europe and the former Soviet² Union to American jazz. 

He produced jazz concerts at the White House, the Newport Jazz Festival, and for movies and television. He was the voice of jazz around the world. ...

But, at home in America, few people knew him or his work.

Maristella Feustle is the Music Special Collections Librarian at the University of North Texas, UNT. She says a big chapter in jazz history is now being told.

“It’s a gigantic untold³ chapter in jazz history because all of these interviews have been hidden so long. Willis's role overseas in propagating jazz and its effect and presenting the best of America in actions rather than words. All of these things are untold, hidden history stateside because the VOA wasn’t able to broadcast stateside.

"So I see a treasure trove⁴ of research, of history, of connections, because Willis had so  many connections with so many jazz musicians around the world and that’s finally going to be unhidden.”

Now, under the music program at UNT, the Willis Conover archive of jazz recordings⁵ are being made available online.

Maristella Feustle says they received the music collection as a gift from the the Willis Conover Jazz Preservation⁶ Foundation in 1997.

She says the collection came with thousands of music recordings, interviews, program notes and other personal items.

 “Because it came with thousands of sound recordings, we've cataloged and added almost 20,000 CDs alone, just from Conover’s collection. The process collection, which includes his collection of reel-to-reels tapes that being just under twenty-one hundred reel-to-reel tapes spanning the early 1950s through 1996. Personal papers, writings, and correspondences you name it.”

After applying to several grants to help with the preservation of the collection, UNT was awarded funding by the Grammy foundation.

“We found out from the Grammy foundation in March that we had indeed gotten the grant and sent up the first batch⁷ this summer of Conover reels. So these 10 tapes are that first shot, and it went beautifully. We were thrilled the moment we were able to hear the tapes.”

Maristella adds that when using the online archive, listeners and users will grasp the significance of Willis Conover in waves.

"First, is just the idea that yes, this guy is important. And then actually going though and seeing the interviews he’s done and going through his correspondence, the playlist for his broadcasts, that’s when it starts to really hit you.”

There are 10 digital jazz recordings online. There’s Willis Conover featuring Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard, an interview with American jazz pianist Art Tatum, and a live performance of the “Orchestra of Washington, D.C." to name a few. Many other handwritten program notes also have been added.

The online archive are free and open to the public. So far, it is being well-received, Feustle said. There is a following on social media, too, like Facebook and Twitter.  Again, Maristella Feustle,

“It’s been received very enthusiastically. I’m one of the administrators⁸ of the Willis Conover Facebook page, and we have just over 700 ‘Likes’ and Willis still has a tremendous following not only overseas but with shortwave listeners in the (U.S.) States and people are elated. We have gotten a great response on Twitter, and one of the emails I got following the posting of this collection was a very short, but sweet email. It was from somewhere overseas…

‘respected librarian thank you for providing the link to access my favorite music’.    

In honor of his memory, a petition has been sent to persuade the Postal⁹ Services Stamp Advisory¹⁰ Committee to put Willis Conover on a U.S. postage stamp. The campaign received over 7,000 signatures. If it’s approved, it will send the face of the voice -- who brought jazz to many listeners during the Cold War -- around the world again.

Words in This Story

fondly - adv. in a loving way

batch -n. an amount of something that is made at one time

playlist - n. a list of songs to be played by a radio station

elated -  adj. very happy and excited

petition - n. a written document that people sign to show that they want a person or organization to do or change something

1 tuning   

n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

3 untold   

adj.数不清的，无数的

参考例句：

• She has done untold damage to our chances.她给我们的机遇造成了不可估量的损害。
• They suffered untold terrors in the dark and huddled together for comfort.他们遭受着黑暗中的难以言传的种种恐怖，因而只好挤在一堆互相壮胆。

4 trove   

n.被发现的东西，收藏的东西

参考例句：

• He assembled a rich trove of Chinese porcelain.他收集了一批中国瓷器。
• The gallery is a treasure trove of medieval art.这个画廊是中世纪艺术的宝库。

5 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

6 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

7 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

8 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

9 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

10 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。