Walter Schaap dies

[brownie]

Some of the people here already know about this...

From The New York Times today:

WALTER SCHAAP, 87, JAZZ FAN AND SCHOLAR, DIES

By The New York Times

Walter Schaap, a jazz fan who became one of the first jazz scholars, died in New York on May 28. He was 87 and lived in Hollis, Queens.

The cause was a heart attack, said his son, the jazz historian and broadcaster Phil Schaap.

Mr. Schaap studied French history at Columbia University and was doing postgraduate work at the Sorbonne in 1937 when he became friends with the pioneering French jazz researchers Charles Delaunay and Hughes Panassie.

He translated much of their work and that of other writers, including the Swiss conductor Ernst Ansermet, whose review of a 1919 performance by the soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet is widely regarded as the first published work of jazz criticism.

Mr. Schaap was soon writing about jazz for various publications, in both English and French, and working in the nascent field of jazz discography. He contributed to all editions of Delaunay's "Hot Discography," the first comprehensive reference book of jazz recordings, and helped edit the final edition, "New Hot Discography," in 1948.

From 1949 until he retired, in 1970, he was the vice president of a company that made filmstrips and other educational materials.

Mr. Schaap's wife, Marjorie, died in 1990. He is survived by his son.

[Christiern]

I never got to know Walter Schaap, but those who did have told me that he was a nice, gentle man with a true love for jazz.

They had a service for him at St. Peter's in NY. Sadly, his adopted son, Phil, tried to have George Avakian (who knew Walter S. for about 50 years) removed from it. George, to his credit, refused to leave.

RIP Walter Schaap.

[7/4]

Sadly, his adopted son, Phil, tried to have George Avakian (who knew Walter S. for about 50 years) removed from it. George, to his credit, refused to leave.

←

What in the world was that about?

[Christiern]

A cloud of animosity has separated George and Phil ever since the latter started distorting facts in connection with some of the former's work (Ellington at Newport being a particularly glaring example). Phil will never achieve the accomplishments of George. and I think that is a chink in his rather thick ego.

Clearly, Phil sending someone over to ask George to leave the memorial service of a long-standing friend and colleague was a vindictive move. It is in keeping with Phil's character flaws, as I have observed them. I also think it showed disrespect for the memory of his adoptive father.

That's how I see it, but if there can be justification for this, please enlighten me.

[7/4]

Thanks for explaining.