From the Secretary: Swingin’ with the Smithsonian
When Smithsonian Fellow Walter van de Leur from the Dutch Jazz Orchestra visited our American History Museum’s Archives Center in 1994 to research jazz legend Billy Strayhorn—a famous composer who wrote songs for artists such as Duke Ellington—van de Leur made an incredible discovery: Tucked away in our extensive archives, he found several pieces written by Strayhorn that had never before been recorded. This discovery enriched van de Leur’s book Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn, and it inspired the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra to record these pieces, including “Cashmere Cutie.”
Artistic Director Kenneth Slowik shares the decorations on the 1688 Stradivarius cello with some young audience members.
With our music collections, scholarly work, oral histories and many live performances, we touch people through music in ways all too often underappreciated. One of my first encounters with Smithsonian music came the day before I officially started as Secretary, when, at the annual staff picnic, I had the pleasure of introducing some of the talented musicians in the band, the B-Sides, led by NMAH Curator of Political History Larry Bird. Since then, Smithsonian music has continued to enrich my life.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Italy, Dr. Clough attended a dinner at Ambassador Terzi’s residence, where Ken Slowik, artistic director of the Smithsonian Chamber Music society, gave a performance using the 1688 “Marylebone” Stradivarius cello from the American History Museum’s musical instrument collection. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Italy)
For example, in the past few weeks, I watched with pride as the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Trio entertained guests at the Awards Ceremony for the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and again, as Kenneth Slowik, artistic director of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society and curator of musical instruments, wowed dinner guests at the Italian Embassy with a solo cello performance on the famous 1688 “Marylebone” Stradivarius cello. Smithsonian music keeps on giving with the many upcoming performances across the Institution, an exciting music program for this year’s Folklife Festival and the Grammy award-winning recordings offered by Smithsonian Folkways.
Because jazz is such an important part of the American identity, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra travels to share America’s culture and core values through jazz performances in countries around the globe. In 2008 SJMO traveled to Egypt and visited communities that otherwise would not have had much opportunity to hear live jazz or learn about American culture. Thanks to sponsorship by the State Department and the Embassy of Moscow, SJMO will continue this successful cultural exchange when they travel to Russia in May.
This Joint is Jumpin’
International Sweethearts of Rhythm in USO uniforms, New York, 1945, prior to tour of France and occupied Germany, July 1945 – January 1946 (Photo credit: International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection, courtesy of the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution)
This year marks the 21st anniversary of Congress’ recognition of the importance of jazz in American culture by approving the creation of SJMO. This April also marks the 10th anniversary of the American History Museum’s launch of Jazz Appreciation Month. This year, the month is dedicated to celebrating the legacy of women in jazz and paying tribute to the first integrated, female big band—the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. This 16-piece, multi-racial band of women overcame sexism and the racism of Jim Crow to play jazz every bit as swinging and boisterous as that of male musicians.
The Smithsonian preserves these important stories through the Jazz Oral History Program, directed by Executive Producer Kennith Kimery. We have recordings and transcriptions from Sonny Rollins, Hubert Laws, Annie Ross and many others in our collections, and will soon include Cecil Taylor, George Benson and Tony Bennett. Rich in history, these archives are available free of charge at the program’s website.
Focusing on artists rather than tracks, the JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology box set includes more than 600 artists and 111 recordings and offers a panoramic overview of jazz.
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has been nominated for 31 Grammy Awards ands has won 16. Last month, we released the definitive JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology, a huge six-CD set with 111 tracks and a 200-page booklet of notes written by top authorities in the field, including NMAH Curator of American Music John Edward Hasse, Producer and Project Director Richard James Burgess, and Director of the Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage Daniel Sheehy. You can test your jazz knowledge with Folkways’ online quiz.
The Smithsonian has one of the world’s most comprehensive jazz collections and recordings. Our jazz collections at NMAH include 100,000 pages of Duke Ellington’s unpublished music and such objects as Ella Fitzgerald’s famous red dress, Dizzy Gillespie’s angled trumpet and John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme manuscript—but that is only fraction of what we have to offer on music throughout our Institution.
Throughout the years, many jazz musicians and enthusiasts have donated remarkable pieces of jazz history to our Institution. In 2008 Tony Bennett donated his watercolor painting of Duke Ellington to the Portrait Gallery, and I had the great pleasure of talking with Mr. Bennett about his life-long relationship with the Duke.
The National Portrait Gallery has a variety of musical portraits, including “DUKE ELLINGTON” by Tony Bennett. Bennett has been a serious artist as long as he has been a singer, and he donated this watercolor and graphite on paper portrait of Ellington to NPG in April 2009.
Music Around the Mall
Our musical instrument collection is one of the world’s largest—totaling nearly 8,000 items (about 5,000 of which are housed at NMAH), and its Archives Center houses famous objects like William Steinway’s recently digitized diaries. As part of its Steinway Series, the American Art Museum regularly holds free classical concerts featuring the museum’s Steinway grand piano.
The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
In coordination with The Smithsonian Associates and funded by Friends of Music, the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society offers nearly two dozen live, classical performances annually, using historic instruments from our collections. These instruments continue to enrich our understanding of our musical heritage just as they did for previous generations.
Throughout April, we offer a variety of musical performances for every taste. The SJMO will perform “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald” on April 16 at the Musical Instrument Museum. The SJMO Trio will perform at the Old Post Office Pavilion on April 20, and several Big Band Jazz Appreciation Month performances for “Jazz on the Mall” will occur from April 20-23.
The Smithsonian Latino Center has invited Grammy-nominee and Latin jazz artist John Santos to lead a free percussion master class and evening concert featuring the John Santos Sextet on April 15.
John Santos, renowned jazz percussionist, is an expert of Afro-Latino music and is known for his innovative use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music. He has performed, recorded and studied with some of the masters of Afro-Latin Jazz such as Cachao, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Bebo Valdés, Lázaro Ros, Armando Peraza and Eddie Palmieri. (Photo by Tom Ehrlich, courtesy of John Santos)
This summer, the American Indian Museum will be offering a variety of musical events. On June 11, NMAI will host the Indian Summer Showcase, with a free evening concert series on the museum’s Welcome Plaza, opening with country singer Victoria Blackie (Navajo). From June 22 through June 25 at the Potomac Atrium, the Choctaw Festival will feature performances, Native dancers, singers, storytellers, stickball games, tribal cooking and more.
The Smithsonian Associates’ Discovery Theater plans several interactive musical events for kids. Junkyard Pirates, April 19, will give a musical lesson in ecology and recycling aimed at ages 3 to 10, and for kids ages 2 to 7, Yosi Rocks, June 10, will inspire dancing and fun with “tot rock.”
After Hours at the Hirshhorn (Photo by Matthew Worden)
At the Hirshhorn’s After Hours events, DJs play dance music; on April 29, DJ Shea van Horn, who’s hot on the D.C. dance party scene, will be joined by Jacob Ciocci and David Wightman, known for their eclectic mash-ups of live music, videos and cartoons.
On May 14 the Freer and Sackler Galleries’ Asia After Dark showcases DJs Cassidy Karakorn and Steve Aoki. The evening will include sake cocktails, sushi and art activities exploring the culture of the Haraiuku district in Tokyo.
Our incredible music collections of instruments, resources, knowledge, events and performances have encouraged countless musicians, composers, scholars and enthusiasts from around the world to visit the Smithsonian to research, test-drive our instruments, and join us for live performances. I hope you will, too.
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Posted: 11 April 2011
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