Articles on jazz & drug addiction in post-WWII era

[ghost of miles]

I'm preparing a Night Lights program for New Year's Night entitled "Resolution: Jazz From Rehab" that will focus on Joe Pass' SOUNDS FROM SYNANON and Elmo Hope & co.'s SOUNDS FROM RIKER'S ISLAND. Any articles about or from that time concerning jazz musicians and drug use that those here might be familiar with? I'm going to mention Art Pepper's time in Synanon, and Morgenstern's LIVING WITH JAZZ hipped me to Charlie Haden's spell there as well (knew about Haden's early-60s fight against addiction, but had no idea he'd been through the Synanon program).

Also didn't know till I read Hentoff's liner notes that Walt Dickerson was behind the RIKER'S ISLAND session.

[brownie]

The James Gavin biography of Chet Baker 'Deep In A Dream' delves with several of Baker's demons. An interesting read which might be of interest for your program.

[AllenLowe]

Don't forget all the guys who did time in Lexington - that's a prison deserving of wider recognition -

[ghost of miles]

The James Gavin biography of Chet Baker 'Deep In A Dream' delves with several of Baker's demons. An interesting read which might be of interest for your program.

Ironically enough, Chet's on tap for Jan. 8, but it's actually a program that deals with his pre-addict recordings (the recent EMI reissues). Yes, I've read the Gavin, and it's indeed harrowing (also some material there about Twardzik, whom I'm featuring Jan. 29--I understand the Chambers bio is finally out, though I have yet to see it).

Seems as though a common narrative in the 1950s and into the early 60s (thinking of both Baker and Art Pepper here, as well as Billie Holiday) was to publish a confessional-style piece in which the musician rues his or her descent into hell, etc., and then gives thanks for having conquered his/her demons, etc. I'm sure that much of this stemmed from societal attitudes towards addiction at the time, seemingly underlined by the notion that addiction was something one simply overcame in a single blow. The Synanon/Riker's Island albums intrigue me in part because of the music (particularly on Riker's Island) and in part because of the more liberal/social-worker approach they advocate when it comes to treating addicted musicians. They seem to represent a first step (as it were) towards moving away from the "weak/sinful/character flaw" line of thought.

[ghost of miles]

Don't forget all the guys who did time in Lexington - that's a prison deserving of wider recognition -

Thanks, Allen, that's a good point. Not all that far from my neck of the woods either.

Who was off the scene for long periods owing to drug-related prison sentences? Dexter in the 1950s... Ammons in the 1960s, as well as Hawes...

Edited December 23, 2004 by ghost of miles

[brownie]

Ironically enough, Chet's on tap for Jan. 8, but it's actually a program that deals with his pre-addict recordings (the recent EMI reissues). Yes, I've read the Gavin, and it's indeed harrowing (also some material there about Twardzik, whom I'm featuring Jan. 29--I understand the Chambers bio is finally out, though I have yet to see it).

If you're going to do something on Twardzick, may I recommend the Vladimir Simosko book on Serge Chaloff. Quite a character for what you seem to be looking for!

[ghost of miles]

Ironically enough, Chet's on tap for Jan. 8, but it's actually a program that deals with his pre-addict recordings (the recent EMI reissues).  Yes, I've read the Gavin, and it's indeed harrowing (also some material there about Twardzik, whom I'm featuring Jan. 29--I understand the Chambers bio is finally out, though I have yet to see it). 

If you're going to do something on Twardzick, may I recommend the Vladimir Simosko book on Serge Chaloff. Quite a character for what you seem to be looking for!

Thanks, Brownie, I'll try to hunt that one down. Have heard of it but never seen it--did Simosko do some of the writing for the Mosaic liners?

[pryan]

I recently read the liner notes to Mobley's A SLICE OF THE TOP and John Litweiler commented that Hank wrote the tunes for that album when he was behind bars. Perhaps a little Hank could sneak in to that show...

[AllenLowe]

I think Tad Dameron did time in Lexington - and I seem to recall, but I may be way off, that Sonny Rolllins did, as well -

[AllenLowe]

Got this from the Fantasy website:

"The year 1955 was a most critical time in Sonny Rollins’s life. He began it kicking his heroin habit at the Federal drug treatment facility in Lexington, Kentucky, and then spent several months in Chicago preparing to reenter the jazz scene before returning to New York in December as a member of the Clifford Brown–Max Roach quintet"

Edited December 23, 2004 by AllenLowe

[brownie]

Thanks, Brownie, I'll try to hunt that one down. Have heard of it but never seen it--did Simosko do some of the writing for the Mosaic liners?

Simosko did write the liner notes for the Chaloff Mosaic box. Have not read those notes.

[ghost of miles]

Got this from the Fantasy website:

"The year 1955 was a most critical time in Sonny Rollins’s life. He began it kicking his heroin habit at the Federal drug treatment facility in Lexington, Kentucky, and then spent several months in Chicago preparing to reenter the jazz scene before returning to New York in December as a member of the Clifford Brown–Max Roach quintet"

I think he was working as a janitor and living at the YMCA.

According to the liner notes for SOUNDS FROM SYNANON, there was an article on Synanon in a July 1961 issue of Downbeat, so I'm going to go to the music library & look it up.

[garthsj]

Who was off the scene for long periods owing to drug-related prison sentences? Dexter in the 1950s... Ammons in the 1960s, as well as Hawes...

Don't forget Art Pepper .... almost 17 years!!! 1960-1977 ..

[Larry Kart]

The July 1959 issue of The Jazz Review has an informative article about Lexington, "Jazz at Narco," written by Rabbi Joseph Rosenblum, who was then a chaplain at Lexington.

[brownie]

I also remember the Frank Rehak interview which appeared in the August and September, 1984 issues of Cadence. Rehak gave a very interesting account of his drug-rehabilating stay at Synanon.

[ghost of miles]

The July 1959 issue of The Jazz Review has an informative article about Lexington, "Jazz at Narco," written by Rabbi Joseph Rosenblum, who was then a chaplain at Lexington.

Thanks, Larry. Pretty sure we have Jazz Review at the IU School of Music Library; I've gotten articles from it before (Gunther Schuller wrote a lengthy piece entitled "Jazz Renaissance in Indiana" that appeared in it around the same time).

[ghost of miles]

Who was off the scene for long periods owing to drug-related prison sentences?  Dexter in the 1950s... Ammons in the 1960s, as well as Hawes...

Don't forget Art Pepper .... almost 17 years!!! 1960-1977 ..

Garth,

I forgot that Pepper was in prison for much of the 1960s, but was he in at all during the 1970s? I'll have to go back to STRAIGHT LIFE, which also has lengthy ruminations on his stay at Synanon.

[ghost of miles]

Doing some online research about Synanon while I'm on the board this afternoon at WFIU, and came across this:

October 1977: Attorney Paul Morantz, who had just won a case against Synanon for $300,000, was bitten by a 4 1/2 foot diamond back rattlesnake found in his mailbox. Synanon members Lance Kenton, 20 (son of bandleader Stan Kenton), and Joseph Musico, 28, were booked for investigation into the incident. Dederich, along with two other community members, pleaded no contest to the charges. As a result of a plea bargin, Dederich must resign as Synanon's director and leader.

From this site.

[couw]

Doing some online research about Synanon while I'm on the board this afternoon at WFIU, and came across this:

October 1977: Attorney Paul Morantz, who had just won a case against Synanon for $300,000, was bitten by a 4 1/2 foot diamond back rattlesnake found in his mailbox. Synanon members Lance Kenton, 20 (son of bandleader Stan Kenton), and Joseph Musico, 28, were booked for investigation into the incident. Dederich, along with two other community members, pleaded no contest to the charges. As a result of a plea bargin, Dederich must resign as Synanon's director and leader.

From this site.

true life eh? not only in Hollywood?

amazing. or rather: surreal.

film at eleven.

[sheldonm]

Doing some online research about Synanon while I'm on the board this afternoon at WFIU, and came across this:

October 1977: Attorney Paul Morantz, who had just won a case against Synanon for $300,000, was bitten by a 4 1/2 foot diamond back rattlesnake found in his mailbox. Synanon members Lance Kenton, 20 (son of bandleader Stan Kenton), and Joseph Musico, 28, were booked for investigation into the incident. Dederich, along with two other community members, pleaded no contest to the charges. As a result of a plea bargin, Dederich must resign as Synanon's director and leader.

From this site.

....partner switching???

[garthsj]

Who was off the scene for long periods owing to drug-related prison sentences?  Dexter in the 1950s... Ammons in the 1960s, as well as Hawes...

Don't forget Art Pepper .... almost 17 years!!! 1960-1977 ..

Garth,

I forgot that Pepper was in prison for much of the 1960s, but was he in at all during the 1970s? I'll have to go back to STRAIGHT LIFE, which also has lengthy ruminations on his stay at Synanon.

I discussed some of this in the AOTW thread recently. I am not sure of the exact date of his release, but it was sometime in 1964. He was arrested again, and was released in 1968. The sad part is that he did not start recording again until the mid 70's ... he did a few gigs with Mike Vax's and Buddy Rich's big bands, but then Lester Koening relaunched his career with the "Living Legend" album on Contemporary, recorded on August 9th, 1975. That was fifteen years after his last recording as a leader, "Intensity" on November 23, 1960.

Garth.

[ghost of miles]

Garth,

I'm wondering if the title of his 1970s album THE TRIP is a reference to the Synanon "trip" detailed on the link I posted. Until now I just always assumed that it was a 60s drug-cliche title, but after reading about the Synanon trip--guess I should find & read the liners to the album and see if there's any reference there.

[ghost of miles]

The July 1959 issue of The Jazz Review has an informative article about Lexington, "Jazz at Narco," written by Rabbi Joseph Rosenblum, who was then a chaplain at Lexington.

Thanks, Larry. Pretty sure we have Jazz Review at the IU School of Music Library; I've gotten articles from it before (Gunther Schuller wrote a lengthy piece entitled "Jazz Renaissance in Indiana" that appeared in it around the same time).

Actually, we have a bound volume of JAZZ REVIEW just seven floors above me (man, it really helps to work in a big library sometimes). In the article, there's reference to a band of jazz musicians at Lexington:

The lead trumpet player is a musician who has spent most of his career in big bands, including those of Herman, Kenton, and Thornhill, and he now also writes arrangements for this band...

"As for the sound of the band, I think at times we reached the excitement of the old Dizzy Gillespie band, and also harmonically, it's just as interesting as anything arund today, with X's scores anyway, and naturally all Y's things are beautiful and swinging."  X and Y are two of the most creative musicians in the hospital...

One patient noted..."I also want to mention Y's influence, which all musicians are familiar with from the days of the Dizzy Gillespie band and the Billy Eckstine band." 

X or Y is probably Dameron, correct? Too bad this band appears to have never recorded.

[Larry Kart]

"X or Y is probably Dameron, correct?"

That's what I've always assumed. A list of of the musicians who were there are at any time during that era might be mind-boggling.

[garthsj]

For background to your project, I just wondered of you have ever read the novel "Quartet in H" by Evan Hunter (a.k.a. Ed McBain)?

See the following...

QUARTET IN "H" -- (original Title Was "Second Ending") -

Hunter, Evan. (aka McBain, Ed. )., Illustrated by Tom Dunn Painted Cover!

Price: US$ 10.00 [Convert Currency]

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Book Details

Book Description: USA.: Pocket Books (#C-236). 1957. Soft Cover. Good to Very Good. Second Edition. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. 384 pages. (We have many Evan Hunter & 200 old Ed McBain paperbacks in stock). Story of Andy's life; Golden Trumpet, JAZZ Band, Big-time Combos, now a JUNKIE on Benzedrine, Marijuana, then HEROIN, dope addict, with monkey on his back! Hardcover was titled "Second Ending"! SCARCER under this title! SCARCE in paperback! With an illustration of a HYPO Needle crossing the "H" in the title!. Bookseller Inventory #3179-5

Bookseller: Comic World (Steinbach, MB, Canada)

This was one of those seminal jazz books in my long lost youth .... and, of course, there is always "Man With The Golden Arm" ...

Garth.