[Dixielandjazz] Jazz on TV in the 50's

[Lowell Busching]

I have recently returned to the DJML and apparently missed all but the
following email concerning OKOM on TV in the 50's from Dave Richoux. It 
jogged my memory also.

  Quote:

> I remember your posting of those performances - thanks for the memory 
> jog! Were there other bands performances from that era that have been saved?
> 
> I have several DVDs of movies & short subjects from jazz bands from the 
> 30s and 40s but I have not seen anything from later years.
> 
> Dave Richoux


I have some of the same DVD's or videos mentioned above, but have never 
seen anywhere the short jazz clips that were shown here on TV in the 
early 50's when TV finally came to this area in the form of one channel 
from Fargo, N.D on WDAY.  Even with only one channel and "late" arrival 
of TV in this area, they had trouble getting sponsors for many shows, 
even the national ones! Thus they would show the program in its entirety 
without commercials (We did not realize how blessed we were!) and then 
fill in the final minutes with jazz clips.

It was probably my first real exposure to OKOM, as N.D. was not, and is 
not, a "hot bed" of jazz.  I particularly remember clips of Jack 
Teagarden.  Does anyone on the list know if these were clips produced 
specifically for that purpose at the time, or were these "Soundie" clips 
that someone at the station might have saved?  Has anyone seen such 
"solo" clips on a DVD or video by Jack?

I was probably intrigued not only by Jack's  playing style, but the fact 
that my uncle, LeRoy, had been a "jazz trombone" player in an Army band 
in the Pacific during WW II. I had heard about that, but never heard him 
play.  If available, I would like to get some of those Teagarden clips. 
Write me personally if you wish, rather then the list.

Lowell Busching