Re: [HCDX]: Willis Connover ?

["Marie A. Lamb" <malamb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 18 Jun 1999, Joachim Stiller wrote:

> Hi Karel:
> 
> > Does anybody know the names of Willis Connover's shows on VOA -
> > Jazz USA, Music USA - or both?
> > And what was a title tune of the show?
>  It was Jazz Hour as far as I remember, another programme was Music  
> USA but the was not Willis. Maybe I find some old programme schedule  
> somewhere in my rubbish and can tell you again then.
> 
> 73's de JOACHIM
> --
> Joachim Stiller in Central Germany
> editor of DSWCI's ute-shack
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

This thread was up a few days ago, and I answered Karel Honzik by e-mail.
However, for those who are curious, Willis Conover's program was known
officially as "Music USA Jazz" in VOA schedules from recent years, but on
the air, he usually referred to it as the "Voice of America Jazz Hour."
There was also a weekly program called "Music USA Standards" in which
Conover concentrated on singers, mostly of American jazz/pop standards
and of musicals.  Willis Conover was host of both programs.  

As for a VOA jazz program that Willis Conover did not host, I believe
you may be thinking of the "Jazz Club USA" program from the 1950s, in
which noted jazz critic Leonard Feather hosted broadcasts of live jazz
performances.  For example, I seem to recall that most of the music on
the Billie Holiday CD "Billie's Blues," on Blue Note Records, comes from
one of these broadcasts, and Feather's live introduction is included on
the recording.  Although I am not sure, I think most of these broadcasts
come from the 1950s, in the period before Willis Conover's regular jazz
broadcasts; perhaps there was some overlap, since "Jazz Club USA" had
live performances while most Conover broadcasts featured recordings.

BTW, although I forget the name of the person, I recently read on the
Web site of the Jazz Journalists' Association that a British author is
working on a biography of Willis Conover.  Also, it may interest you to
know that the JJA's annual award for excellence in jazz broadcasting is
called the Willis Conover Award; it couldn't be named after a better
person, IMHO.

Marie Lamb
WAER Jazz 88
Syracuse University
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