[Dixielandjazz] Bob Byler -- preserving video; missing Chuck Hedges

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML and Musicians and Jazzfans list
From:  Norman Vickers

This long message from veteran photojournalist Bob Byler.  I have permission
to pass this along.  Many of you know him from his articles in Mississippi
Rag or his membership in Jazz Photographers Association or Jazz Journalists
Association.  Likely, you've seen his photo exhibits or seen him in action
at jazz festivals.

_______________________________________
From: ruth byler [mailto:jazzbug2002 at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 9:09 PM

Bob Byler wrote:   
I mourn the loss of Chuck Hedges, but celebrate the great music he gave us. 
He was my favorite, since first hearing him in 1977 at the Bix fest in
Davenport.  What great tone and swing and creativity!!!  And he was such a
joy to be with also.    Thanks to Al Vache for first notice of his final
days.  Al and Chuck hooked up in duets at the 1982 Memphis fest that were
perhaps the best of all time, the hit of the festival!  Fortunately, those
are on George Buck's Memphis LPs.   I also have a cassette recording of
them, but wasn't doing videotape then, got my first camcorder in 1984 and
was compulsive about videotaping jazz festivals and concerts from then on. 
I also want to pay tribute to another great, cornetist Tommy Saunders, who
died too young.  He and I were longtime close friends, and I wrote most of
the script for the 90-minute Wild Bill Davison documentary he produced with
Tim Rocha in 1991.  He and Hedges were together often in
 bands, of course.  Fortunately some of those memories are preserved in my
videotapes at several festivals and other events.  I made some dubs for them
and can provide video for any memorials that are planned.

Seeing and hearing video is, for me, like experiencing the events again, and
I've spent about 5,000 hours putting live jazz video from tapes onto DVD's
in the past five years.  I've also made many CD's from reel-to-reel and
cassette tapes going back to the late 1950s.  All will be preserved in an
archive.  I tried to create the appropriate archive in the Venice area,
because we have none and many outstanding musicians live and preform here
here, some fulltime and some "snowbirds."  But no suitable building was
found, nor a grant to fund archiving.  My vision is for an archive that
shares the music with researchers and fans and builds support and
appreciation for it perpetually.

I will probably donate all to the outstanding Marr Sound Archive and its
related library collections at the University of Missouri in Kansas City,
MO.  I toured it and met Archivist Chuck Haddix in 1994 (at the AFJS
convention you chaired), respect him and his dedication to the music and the
scope and capabilities of the archive.  We communicate regularly, and I've
already sent him some of my edited DVD's from jazz festivals and a composite
of Spiegle Willcox with 10 different bands.  I'm also a Mizzou grad (M.A. in
journalism, 1954) and have high regard for the university.

I'll write up a concise summary of my archives and plans later for you to
share with your list.  I can put indexes, a page of over 100 festivals
and events covered in 60+ locations,  20 pages of video on DVD, about 17
pages of my jazz photographs, Mississippi Rag articles from 1974 to 2008,
etc. if
any are interested.    I was 80 yesterday, still relatively healthy and
active, but realize I should put priority on organizing and arranging to
preserve and share my collections.  The music has given me so much
pleasure that I don't regret myexpenditures or time spent and want to assure
that others can share that inspiration.

I don't write very well at this emailing computer, so will write a more
cohesive summary soon at my archiving computer.  Episodes of visual migraine
blur my vision sometimes and limit my looking at computer monitors.  My
doctor has diagnosed that condition in about 8,000 people in this area. 
Causes not known for sure, no cure except waiting 15 or 20 minutes until it
subsides, but I suspect increasing use of computers for emailing and website
use is one cause.   However, I have put about 350 of my jazz photos in five
slide shows on You Tube.  Type Bob Byler and Search to get to them.  These
are up to 8 minutes each, with creative transitions and music added in
ProShow Gold, l from New Orleans, 2 from Sacramento Jubilees, and 2 from
multiple festivals & locations.

I may see you in October, when we plan a trip for multiple purposes,
including first time back to New Orleans since 1999, seeing two new great
grandsons in Dallas, checking archives in Kansas City & St. Louis and family
& friends in Illinois, Indiana & Kentucky along the way.  We skipped any
trips last year after my triple bypass surgery, but I'm well recovered
now.     Share whatever you want.  I should rewrite, but it's late and I'm
tired now.   


Cheers, Bob Byler  

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