[Dixielandjazz] Re: George Avakian

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Bob Romans asked how he could get a hold of George Avakian.

I googled him & came up with this interesting e-mail:

E-Mail From George Avakian
Regarding the Album Liner Notes to Columbia Records Set C-57

The Net is truely a wonderous and expansive place. I found this out when I 
received
the following e-mail message regarding the "Cover Art Page" for the above 
album.
I had copied the liner notes off the album, and duplicated the credits, as 
displayed
on the original 78 album notes. Then to my surprise, the author of the 
original notes
contacted me to help set the historic record straight! Here is that message, 
as I
received it, with select personal data edited out:

Subject: Louis Armstrong Hot Five Album
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 21:01:49 -0500 (EST)
Dear Mr. Frederick,
This is George Avakian, I just saw the entry which says that the Armstrong 
album
was annotated by John Hammond and myself. Please eliminate Hammond's name, 
regardless
of what was on the original album. Hammond had nothing whatsoever to do with 
any
aspect of this album. He put his name on it out of sheer vanity and 
jealousy, which
he was able to do because he was an executive at that time of Columbia, and 
I was
a student at Yale University fifty-seven years ago, who had been hired by 
Edward
Wallerstein, President of the company to research, organize and produce a 
new line
of singles and albums called "Hot Jazz Classics" which were re-issues of 
out-of-print
historically important jazz recordings.
I was in no position at that time to protest. Nor did I bother to do 
anything other
than delete this and other similarly other miscredited albums with Hammonds 
name
on them after I returned from the army during World War II and became 
Director of
Popular Albums for Columbia, since everyone in the business at the time was 
aware
of what happened and all those albums were replace by the expanded LP 
releases.
I am sick and tired of seeing this lie live this long, and I would deeply 
appreciate
your making the request I have made above.
If there are other listings on your site of Hammond and myself having 
co-produced
any other recordings, or any other site that you know of, I would appreciate 
your
informing me, including addresses and phone numbers or url's where I can 
contact
them.
I am sending this to you via my daughter's internet account, but I would 
prefer to
be contacted by letter at:
[ADDRESS OMMITTED]
Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter, Sincerely yours,
George Avakian


--Bob Ringwald K6YBV
The Fulton Street Jazz Band
The Boondockers (Jazz and Comedy)
530/642-9551