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this is a thread on Chuck Nessa


AllenLowe

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Well, yeah, Chuck Nessa, man: No Chuck, no Chicago Jazz Festival. OK, maybe not that black and white, but if it weren't for his take no bullshit from people in power, i.e. City Hall Chicago, chances are The Jazz Institute of Chicago might not have prevailed. Before "Taste of Chicago," the jazz fest. was using Grant Park for cultural events. And it was just "any" jazz festival in those days, it was one of the last bastions, and strongest bastions, of a multiplicity of musical styles from the historical continuum, nearly anti-corporate at every turn.

As a student radio announcer/jazz director at Michigan State University in the early 80's I was calling the Steeplechase Records office in Chicago requesting promo copies of their latest releases (several of which I still have in my possession) - and it was Chuck on the other end, asking me if I was familiar with the Basie band's men Buck Clayton and Dickie Wells. Buck's double lp with Buddy Tate, Dickie Wells and Jimmy Rushing was one great concert recording. Just recently, with their firesale, I picked up Mosaic's Complete Columbia Small Band Swing Sessions and low and behold, there was the studio album that preceded the 1959 tour that led to the concert in Denmark Steeplechase released. Some lessons never stop.

Shortly after moving into a cabin in Faculty Village in the Manistee National Forest here at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (March 1st, 1983), I was doing the Saturday morning show live. I looked up from back announcing an Air recording on Antilles Records (maybe "Chicago Breakdown,") and this girl's smiling face was in the window between studios, and when I looked at the small square window in the studio door, some dude's grinning face was filling it up. I opened the door like, "Wat the" and there's a hand sent forward with "Hi, I'm Chuck Nessa." Then it was really, What the? His daughter Carla is now the graphic designer on those unfussy CD presentations.

Chuck, the convergence of jazz forces in Whitehall, Michigan, of all places, in the 1980's was better than any graduate school a 20 something could have ever. And there was Augsburger!

Having had the chance to produce or at least lend a hand in producing concerts here in Michigan by Von Freeman, Ira Sullivan (who's date on Flying Fish Chuck produced), Roscoe Mitchell and Fred Anderson, all after having been exposed to their music through Chuck, is an honor.

There's no way to describe, too, how important Chuck's vast library and early dedication to serious discographical study were in assembling retrospective radio programs before the Internet.

From pulling a half water sogged Bob Koester out of Lake Michigan during one of his visits to Whitehall, to sitting in the press section at the Chicago Jazz Festival throughout much of the 1990's, to being invited to after parties at the old Blackstone Hotel, to sitting in on a mixing session for "Procession" with Leo Smith, there are just so many great memories in jazz that are associated personally with Mr. Nessa.

And it is always good to see his hard work recognized world wide. He won't talk about it, but the Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie Uptown release: thank goodness Chuck was there to shepherd it. You have no idea.

The integrity he's brought to work he does has earned him a level of trust among musicians anyone in the music industry would be proud to have achieved.

So raise a glass to Mr. Nessa. "Tenors and turmoil" could sum up his catalogue in a cheeky way.

When I was 19 one of the coolest records I owned featured three harps and the trumpet of Leo Smith. Can't wait for the world to hear that one again in digital sound.

Hopefully we'll see you Sunday, Chuck, for Adam Rudolph "Live From Blue Lake." Adam said he wants to tell you about a concert he just did with Roscoe and Yusef Lateef.

Edited by Lazaro Vega
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Chuck really is the coolest guy on this board. He never seems to lose his head, and always seems to have the right thing to say to put things in perspective. I remember how his "stop defending the idiots" comment in one of our countless ME conflict threads just shut everybody up and got them to thinking. And of course, there are his cool stories about everyone from the AEC guys to Mike Bloomfield. Woh!

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Chuck Nessa has eaten my barbeque & played music on my cassette deck.

Hey - life is good.

Yes, but you haven't lived until you've been down to the basement. ;)

Had the pleasure once of being invited to Chuck's home where I enjoyed a fine meal and beer with a group of real good people. It was the highlight of a cross counry trip back in 05. :tup

I don't think this is a thread Chuck really wanted, but what the hell, he's a good guy and deserves some praise now and then. Salute! cheers.gif

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