Washington, DC saw an influx and outflux of some of Jazz's greatest talent. In the final episode the series, Taylor and Wess talk about the relative anonymity of some originators, including Billy Eckstine and others who enjoyed only a short-lived celebrity.

Jazz in DC

DC's Unsung Heroes of Jazz

The Crystal Caverns, the Howard Theatre, and other venues in Washington, DC allowed the teenage Wess and Taylor opportunities to see their idols in concert. In this episode, they discuss the great musicians who frequented these monuments of jazz history.

DC Jazz Neighborhoods

Teacher Mary Reese Europe was the sister of James Reese Europe, who brought jazz to France in WWI. In this episode, jazz legends Billy Taylor and Frank Wess expound upon the influence of the two siblings, and Mary Reese Europe's teachings about singer Roland Hayes in prejudiced Germany prove an inspiration to her students.

Bringing Jazz to Europe

Jazz legends Billy Taylor and Frank Wess talk about the upsides and down-sides of being African-American in the segregated Washington, DC of their childhood. Segregated theatres and restaurants, racist neighbors, and predujiced law-enforcement made life in Shaw difficult. Despite this, African American-owned establishments in DC afforded a respite from some of these hardships‚Äî one of these havens being the prestigious Dunbar High School.

Life in Segregated Washington, DC

Henry Grant was a music teacher who taught in Washington DC's black public high schools. Among his students count luminaries of Jazz history, including Duke Ellington‚ Billy Taylor and Frank Wess, who remember him here.

Jazz Teachers, Jazz Masters

Dr. Billy Taylor and Frank Wess share memories of growing up in music clubs around the region and reflect on the role DC had in the development of jazz.

Incubating Jazz in DC

Billy Taylor and Frank Wess share memories of Dunbar High School, long-gone DC clubs... and jazz legends Jelly Roll Morton and Lester Young.

Beginnings of Jazz in DC

From Fairmont Street to U Street, from the Howard Theater to the Crystal Caverns, take a tour through Washington, DC's jazz history with Billy Taylor and Frank Wess, who lead listeners through their hometown in this 6-part audio series created for middle and high school audiences.

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Jazz in DC

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