100 Years – A Bountiful Harvest

Jazz Appreciation Month is a great time to remind the country of the contributions made by jazz artists.  The Smithsonian says April was selected in part because there are so many luminaries born this month.

But 2017 is extra special.  There were an unusually high number of significant jazz figures born in 1917.  That makes this centennial year worth noting.  Consider the list: Tadd Dameron (Feb. 21), Mongo Santamaria (Apr. 7), Ella Fitzgerald (Apr. 25), Lena Horne (June 30), Buddy Rich (Sept. 30), Thelonious Monk (Oct. 10), Dizzy Gillespie (Oct. 21), Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson (Dec. 18).

“I look at these remarkable figures, and I want to make the connections,” says Rodney Franks, host of KUVO’s “Into the Evening” program, weeknights from 6:00 – 8:00pm.  “We will explore who these giants have influenced in more modern jazz times.”

Tuning in to Rodney’s nighttime sessions will be the most enjoyable jazz appreciation “class” you’ve ever attended.