[Dixielandjazz] Book Review: Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML and Musicians and Jazzfans lists

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Here's a review of Tad Hirshorn's new book  published by U. of California
Press " Norman Granz: The Man Who used Jazz for Justice."

I post it here for your consideration.  There's an axiom in medical research
which might apply here as well.  It goes:  When you have done the work, get
the most mileage possible!"

 

Thanks.

 

 

BOOK REVIEW

By

Norman Vickers

 

NORMAN GRANZ; The Man Who Used Jazz For Justice

By Ted Hershorn; foreword by Oscar Peterson

University of California Press C 2011; pp. 470.

 

 

Norman Granz (August 6, 1918- November 22, 2001) is a name that many
jazz-fans may not immediately recognize.  However, that same person would
likely recognize "Jazz at the Philharmonic," record labels Clef, Norgran,
Down Home, Verve and Pablo-all of which he started.  And that jazz-fan would
surely recognize the names Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson, both
personally managed by him.

 

Tad Hershorn is an archivist at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers
University.  He has done an excellent piece of scholarly research in
documenting the life of this somewhat enigmatic man.  Hershorn relates that
his deep interest in Granz  began when he wrote a college thesis on the man.
Following up, Hershorn contacted Granz with the idea to write a biography.
He was turned down.  Subsequently, toward the end of Granz' life, Norman
contacted him and gave Hershorn full access to his papers and participated
in extensive interviews.  Interestingly, and consistent with the famous
Granz reserve, Hershorn says that they never became friends.

 

Granz was son of Russian immigrants and grew up in an ethnically mixed
neighborhood.  At age 25, Granz organized the first concert, entitled "A
Jazz Concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium." Advertising flyers shortened
it to "Jazz at the Philharmonic" and this was the subsequent title of those
events even when he toured.  Granz insisted that his players be paid the
same, whatever race, and that concerts be presented to non-segregated
audiences.

 

Granz was drafted in the Army and was associating with the Negro soldiers,
having discovered their accommodations in the service were nowhere equal to
that of the whites.  He would buy jazz records and bring back to the base
for them to play.  He was recommended for Officer's Candidate School but was
turned down for unstated reasons, presumably because of his liberal views on
racial equality. He then studied the Uniform Code of Military Justice and
found an obscure provision which stated that if one were turned down "for no
stated reason," that person could petition for discharge.  He petitioned and
discharge and, in the middle of WWII, it was granted.  So, he hitch-hiked
from Texas back to California and resumed promoting jazz concerts.

 

Hershorn details growth and popularity of the JATP concert concept, first in
the US and then in Europe. 

There are many examples of his relationship with his musicians, mostly good,
and his relationship with business associates and musical producer
colleagues-many times mixed and occasionally downright difficult.
Similarly, details of his recording businesses and their successes.  He was
an astute businessman and his successes in that area made him wealthy.

Granz discovered Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson and became Peterson's only
personal manager.  Similarly, Granz felt that Ella Fitzgerald's personal
manager and the record companies were not allowing her to reach her full
potential.  She subsequently signed on with Granz who made favorable
recording deals for her and expanded her vocal opportunities.
Interestingly, it would appear that she and Granz weren't particularly close
friends but that she trusted his business acumen.  Hence, it was a mutually
beneficial relationship. 

 

 

Granz gradually extricated himself from the burdens of touring, married for
the third time and lived in Switzerland.  The book also covers Granz'
interest in things epicurean-food, wine and art.  He became friends with
Pablo Picasso late in the artist's life.

 

This book is a valuable addition to the jazz literature.  I appreciated the
detail with which the author describes Granz' activities as well as personal
and business relationship.  Foreword is by Oscar Peterson. There is a
chronology of Granz' life, full end notes and bibliography.  On a personal
note, this is the first book I have read in which I read the entire end
notes, ascertaining the author's sources, before reading the text.

 

 
--End-