lesterperkins

In celebration of a man whose legacy is so vast it is difficult to even put into words. Miles touched millions of lives around the world in over 6 decades. 23 live video tribute http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/miles-davis/happy-birthday-miles-davis.html “I'll play it first and tell you what it is later.” – Miles Davis

We will miss you Hank! A legendary Jazz pianist and a true master. a 10 live video tribute/bio in of honor of Hank. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/hank-jones/in-memory-of-hank-jones.html

Such a beautiful, strong, inspiring woman. An incredible voice. A complete woman in every sense. We will miss you Ms. Horne. 14 live video tribute in her honor. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/lena-horne/in-memory-of-lena-horne.html I don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else. - Lena Horne

Anyone looking for the movie Space is the Place, look no further. Unedited version. Free. Cause we love you and Sun Ra. (Sun Ra more) http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/sun-ra---space-is-the-place.html The Differences Sometimes in the amazing ignorance I hear things and see things I never knew I saw and heard before Sometimes in the ignorance I feel the meaning Invincible invisible wisdom, And I commune with intuitive instinct With the force that made life be And since it made life be It is greater than life And since it let extinction be It is greater than extinction. I commune with feelings more than prayer For there is nothing else to ask for That companionship is And it is superior to any other is. Sometimes in my amazing ignorance Others see me only as they care to see I am to them as they think According the standard I should not be And that is the difference between I and them Because I see them as they are to is And not the seeming isness of the was. -Sun Ra

Happy Birthday Duke! 19 live video play list in his honor! Enjoy! http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/duke-ellington/happy-birthday-duke-ellington.html

Today we honor the "First Lady of Song" and man does she deserve it. No Jazz singer has done more than Ella to influence the modern perception of everything a Jazz singer should be. Hours of live video to show our love and admiration of Ella Fitzgerald. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/ella-fitzgerald/happy-birthday-ella-fitzgerald.html "A lot of singers think all they have to do is exercise their tonsils to get ahead. They refuse to look for new ideas and new outlets, so they fall by the wayside... I'm going to try to find out the new ideas before the others do."

Happy 70th Herbie! An amazing human being and Jazz master who never seems to age. 23 video play list. Enjoy! http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/herbie-hancock/happy-birthday-herbie-hancock.html “Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.” "Since time is a continuum, the moment is always different, so the music is always different.” – Herbie Hancock

Would have been Nat's birthday today. In honor a great man who blazed the trail for African-Americans on television in America and gave us such beautiful music. Enjoy! http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/nat-king-cole/happy-birthday-nat-king-cole.html

Happy Birthday Dexter! Here is a 15 video tribute in his honor. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/dexter-gordon/happy-birthday-dexter-gordon.html

Wow! I was hit by two bad snow storms this week so excuse me for not replying sooner. So there are some issues here, and lets be honest, not important ones. But they exist and I do appreciate any time and energy you all spend on this because frankly you could be off somewhere else, doing something else. But your here, putting your energy into this argument and I have to appreciate that on a few levels. Here is part of what your wondering. Jazz On The Tube was started in the beginning of 2009 and through that time has had several people work on the site. My name is Moose and I have been doing the work on the site since August of last year. I work full time doing data entry for $10- an hour and in my spare time I work on this site for peanuts. I am a jazz musician and I graduated from New School University in 2003 and since then have found it difficult to make a living playing music and this is one way I can be connected to what I love. Why the name Lester Perkins? Because it ain't about me, or the owner of the site. Its about Jazz. I'm not using this to get famous and I never would have told you who I am if not for these circumstances. Its about the masters and celebrating them and this is something small I can do for them and continue their legacies. I do the best I can. If some of the information I present isn't correct or accurate, as I said before please chime in with the correct information. I am not threatened by correct information, I seek it. So please, by all means help if you can. I make mistakes and like I said, this isn't a full time job. Something I do out of love. It doesn't make very much money. I am a decent person who loves Jazz more than anything else on the planet and so I do this. Once again, I appreciate you all putting your time and energy into this conversation when you could be doing infinity amount of things.

No worries, I'm here! Dizzy Gillespie For President Dizzy Gillespie wanted to change the course of America so badly he actually ran for President in 1964. Dizzy's campaign was run by Jean and Ralph Gleason. Here is Gillespie performing "Blues After Dark" on Gleason's show Jazz Casual in 1961 with more information on Gillespie's Presidential race below the video. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/dizzy-gillespie-for-president.html Rashaan Roland Kirk Rashaan Roland Kirk was one of the most outspoken Jazz musicians for social awareness throughout his life. Here's a performance of "I Say a Little Prayer" by Kirk and his band in 1969, shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and more information about Rashaan and the Jazz and the People's Movement. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/rashaan-roland-kirk.html

Celebrating the life and music of a true Goddess. No words for how much I love this woman. 20 video play list in her honor. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/nina-simone/happy-birthday-nina-simone.html

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free Written by Billy Taylor in 1954 and made famous in the 1960s by Nina Simone "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" was one of the most popular anthems of the Civil Rights Movement. Here are two live performances of the song; The first by Billy Taylor and the second by Nina Simone. http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/i-wish-i-knew-how-it-would-feel-to-be-free.html Heritage: If You Are Really Concerned Then Show It - Billy Taylor From the piece Peaceful Warrior, Billy Taylor's "Heritage: If You Are Really Concerned Then Show It" is a musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today's video features Taylor's music as well as live interviews with Dr. King followed by an interview with Taylor about his relationship with King. Hope you are enjoying! http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/heritage-if-you-are-really-concerned-then-show-it.html Allen - Check this out if you haven't already. I feel like you probably know about this already but if not, worth a look. No one gets left out http://www.blackjews.org/

Its amazing to me that anyone could hear Strange Fruit and not get it but after all, this is America. Black History Month - The Nat King Cole Show - The Power of Jazz http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/the-nat-king-cole-show.html In the 1950s Nat King Cole was in the the mainstream of American show business and had already produced several records that had sold millions of copies each. Cole was a regular guest star on many variety shows on national television including those of Perry Como, Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason. Nat was a natural on television he was offered his own show by NBC which premiered in 1956. Cole was nervous about being the first major black performer to host his own show on network television and at the time said "It could be a turning point, so that Negroes may be featured regularly on television. If I try to make a big thing out of being the first and stir up a lot of talk, it might work adversely." The show featured excellent music with orchestra leaders Nelson Riddle and Gordan Jenkins and guests that included Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Pearl Bailey, Mahailia Jackson, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Bennett, and Harry Belafonte. From the beginning The Nat King Cole show had a lot of trouble finding national sponsors and NBC even sponsored the show at first in hopes of sponsors emerging. Many companies were afraid to endorse a show with an African-American host out of fear that white, southern audiences would boycott their products. This made little sense to Cole and he was quoted as saying "And what about a corporation like the telephone company? A man sees a Negro on a television show. What's he going to do--call up the telephone company and tell them to take out the phone?" The show was able to find companies that would buy advertising in specific regions but no national sponsors would emerge. When Singer Sewing Company wanted to sponsor a cowboy show NBC gave them the time slot of Nat's show and while he was offered a less desirable time slot he declined. In Nat's own words "For 13 months I was the Jackie Robinson of television. I was the pioneer, the test case, the Negro first....On my show rode the hopes and tears and dreams of millions of people....Once a week for 64 consecutive weeks I went to bat for these people. I sacrificed and drove myself. I plowed part of my salary back into the show. I turned down $500,000 in dates in order to be on the scene. I did everything I could to make the show a success. And what happened? After a trailblazing year that shattered all the old bugaboos about Negroes on TV, I found myself standing there with the bat on my shoulder. The men who dictate what Americans see and hear didn't want to play ball." Ertha Kitt, one of the guests on The Nat King Cole Show, said "I think it was too early, to show ourselves off as intelligent people." Black History Month - Oscar Brown Jr. - The Power of Jazz http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/oscar-brown-jr.html Oscar Brown Jr. was born in Chicago in 1926. Brown's father was a lawyer and real estate agent and hoped Oscar would follow in his footsteps. Oscar found a different path for himself though and at fifteen years old had a role on a national radio series called 'Secret City'. Oscar would follow in his father's foot steps in other ways though as his father was the the leader of Chicago branch of the NAACP growing up. In 1947 Oscar got a broadcasting job with Chicago's first African-American news show called 'Negro News Front' and in his own words "That sort of pivoted me, it changed me around and made me not only an actor but also an activist." Also during this time Oscar was a member of the Civil Rights Congress, a organization that openly accused the U.S. Government of genocide against black people. In his early twenties Brown went into politics and and ran for Illinois State Representative with little success and tried again running for 1st District Congressman. As he became more politically active and aware his radio show began offending more and more white people and eventually was canceled in 1953 by the white radio station owners. Following service in the Army Brown began composing songs and performing in night clubs and continued fighting for Civil Rights through his music. Oscar says "The liberation of black people from the domination of racist whites can only be achieved by application of the necessary force. Can music provide this force? Yes, it can, due to its matchless ability to stir the human spirit." Oscar signed a record contract with Columbia and his first album "Sin and Soul" made him a national star. The album offered several songs with commentary on the struggle of African-Americans in America and his lyrical phrasing is considered the beginnings of Hip-Hop and a strong influence on Gil Scott-Heron. Brown also wrote lyrics for other artists including the lyrics on Max Roach's album 'We Insist! - Freedom Now Suite' as well as words to the famous songs "Afro Blue", "Work Song" and "Dat Dere". During this period Oscar was performing with the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. In 1962 Brown became the host of the television show Jazz Scene USA while continuing to write and focused on writing musicals. His musical Opportunity Please Knock was a huge success about gangs in this country and it resulted in the reduction of gang violence and brought awareness to the fact that kids in gangs and inner cities need to have better opportunities to express themselves and advance themselves in order to improve the situation. After his musical he was asked to launch a talent search in Gary, Indiana and discovered five brothers we know as the Jackson Five. Oscar Brown Jr. produced more social activist themed plays in the 1960s including Joy 66, Summer in the City and Buck White. Oscar continued making albums as well with 'In a New Mood', 'Between Heaven and Hell', 'Tells It Like It Is!' and 'Mr. Oscar Goes to Washington'. Brown continued in the 1970s and beyond writing and appearing on television shows spreading his message of racial equality and bringing awareness to the most troubling issues few would speak about openly. Some of his work from this period includes the musical drama Slave Song, the television special Oscar Brown is Back which won two Emmy awards, his play Great Nitty Gritty and hosted a thirteen week series on PBS called From Jump Street: The Story of Black Music. Oscar continued to perform and record albums two, some with his daughter and son, including his 1995 album 'Then and Now' and 'Live Every Minute' recorded a few years later. Oscar Brown Jr. never stopped fighting the evils of this world and continued to write, speak and perform until he passed in 2005.

Black History Month – Hazel Scott – The Power of Jazz http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/hazel-scott.html Hazel Scott was an amazing woman who fought for racial equality in her life and career and never compromised her dream despite the circumstances. Hazel was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1920 and moved to Harlem in 1924 with her mother and grandmother. Hazel’s mother, Alma, was a great musician herself and a classically trained pianist. In Harlem Alma struggled to make money to support her family so she taught herself saxophone and joined Lil Hardin Armstrong’s orchestra in the 1930s. Hazel’s home growing up was a hangout for jazz musicians and she benefitted from being around people like Art Tatum, Lester Young and Fats Waller. Hazel Scott was a musical prodigy and audition for enrollment at Julliard School of Music at the age of eight and by the time she was a teen she was hosting her radio show and gigging at night. Hazel was raised as a strong, independent black woman and fought for racial equality in every aspect of her life. Scott was one of the first black entertainers to refuse to play before segregated audiences and when her Hollywood career took off she refused to play any roles that might be perceived as demeaning to African-Americans. While filming the movie Heat’s On with Mae West, Hazel refused to wear a dirty apron as she was seeing her ‘sweetheart’ off to war as no woman would wear dirty clothes in those circumstances. Scott staged a strike for three days and the film producers caved and took the aprons out of the scene but her making that stand cost Hazel her film career. In her own words, “I’ve been brash all my life, and it’s gotten me into a lot of trouble. But at the same time, speaking out has sustained me and given meaning to my life.” Scott married Harlem politician Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the first black congressmen on the east coast, in 1945. In 1950 Hazel Scott became the first black entertainer to host her own television show and would play piano and sing songs in the seven languages she spoke. Not long after her show began Hazel’s name appeared in the unofficial list of suspected communists called Red Channels. Because Scott was active in the Civil Rights Movement and began her career at Café Society, the first integrated club in New York City, House Un-American Activities Committee investigated her and since she had done no wrong doing she voluntarily appeared before the committee. The committee claimed to have evidence of Hazel being tied to nine communist organizations that hired her to perform even though Hazel had not even heard of any of them. At the end of this ridiculous investigation Hazel told the committee “…may I end with one request—and that is that your committee protect those Americans who have honestly, wholesomely, and unselfishly tried to perfect this country and make the guarantees in our Constitution live. The actors, musicians, artists, composers, and all of the men and women of the arts are eager and anxious to help, to serve. Our country needs us more today than ever before. We should not be written off by the vicious slanders of little and petty men.” Though there was never anything close to actual evidence presented against her, Hazel Scott lost her show three weeks after the hearing. Her career would never reach the same levels again and Hazel spent some time in Paris before returning to America and ending her career playing small clubs around the country. One of her most notable albums is ‘Relaxed Piano Moods’ with Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Hazel leaves a legacy of what it means to be a strong, caring black women in America and to stand up for what you know is right.