Monday, February 5th, 7:00 p.m.
Join author and jazz historian Steven Harris for a stimulating review of the formative
years of recorded American jazz on Monday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m. in Crowell
Library’s Barth Community Room. This program will cover the first jazz
“waxings” made one hundred years ago in 1917, progressing to the 1930s swing
era. With fascinating photos and sounds from Satchmo and Duke, to the
Boswells and Bix, attendees will learn about the early musicians who made the
music, as well as how jazz served as a morale booster during WWI. Learn all about -- the surprising impact of
jazz had in the church, what some celebrities and world dignitaries
thought of the ‘new’ music, the recording advances that developed when
jazz went "electric," the effects jazz had on Great Britain and
beyond, how Prohibition and jazz worked in tandem and, the misconceptions
about jazz––then and now.
Steven D. Harris is a freelance writer, lecturer,
historian, producer, and emcee. He has presented programs at the Pasadena
Central Library, Atherton Retirement Village and the bi-annual L.A. Jazz
Institute festivals. He has also
presented a 10-part historical entertainment series, When Swing Was King.
Steven began his career in radio in 1984 at KPCC-FM,
leading into future stints at KGRB-AM and KSPA-AM/FM. He is the author
of the well-reviewed biography The Kenton Kronicles and has been a freelance
writer for San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group. He produced the summer
series Jazz at the Mansion at Pasadena Museum of History and co-produced
Jazz at the "A" Frame, a
monthly concert series in Hollywood.
This audio-visual presentation will incorporate historical photos from Steven’s private collection as well as
music clips. Come
early to take part in a jazz trivia contest and win a CD prize!
