Jazz Studio 1 & 2 on Night Lights

[graaspiano]

Hello,

I'm a new member. I have great interest in the show on Night Lights tomorrow night because my uncle was John Graas. He died when I was 12 years old. I went on to become a classical pianist. I have collected just about everything he played on and it's getting to be a big collection. I enjoyed the archive audio of the "The Wild One" on the Night Lights website and have listened to a lot of the other programs. Some people pronounce Graas "Grass" but it's pronounced like the first syllable of "Gracias". Also, growing up it was constantly misspelled as Grass. Verle Ormsby, Jr. wrote his doctoral dissertation on John and I got a copy and found it very fascinating. Dr. Ormsby is now on the faculty of UW-Eau Claire. I teach at UW-Parkside (Wisconsin system). I am not a jazz pianist but I love jazz and enjoy reading about it and listening to it.

[neveronfriday]

Welcome!

I have to admit I just got into your uncle's music lately, but I love it.

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...&hl=jazz+studio

Edited June 10, 2005 by neveronfriday

[graaspiano]

Thanks for the welcome neveronfriday! It's hard for me to be objective about my uncle, but I think he accomplished a lot in a short life. The release of "The John Graas Project" is reviving some interest in him.

[neveronfriday]

Well, it certainly revived mine. There's so much stuff coming out all the time, re-issues right and left, but some people on this board made sure that I take notice. I find myself relying more and more on recommendations here, and these releases of the Jazz Studio and Jazz Lab "series" came highly recommended. I think I might have just missed them, hadn't it been for this board.

Sniff around ... there's tons of knowledge here, and a huge group of very knowledgable fans, musicians, writers, etc.

[sheldonm]

Welcome aboard! There have been many recordings released or re-released in the past few months; Great to see them on the market; hellava musician!!!

Mark

[ghost of miles]

graaspiano, you beat me to the punch! I was about to post a topic for the show tonight... You'll be happy to know that I pronounced your uncle's name correctly. I didn't talk very much about your uncle in tonight's show, as I was trying to fit in as much music as possible from the JAZZ 2 album; I plan to talk about him more on next month's "Jazz Studio 3 & 4" program. I've also put his name down on my "possible-future-shows," which would delve into the JAZZ LAB albums and some of his other projects.

How did you find out about tonight's show? I think I mentioned it in one of the Jazz Studio threads, but hadn't publicized it yet... There is an extremely long piece from JAZZ STUDIO 1 that takes up most of the first half of the program (after starting off w/one track from JAZZ STUDIO 2); after that, it's all JAZZ STUDIO 2. Anyway, very happy that you've been checking it out, and very happy to have you aboard here.

[graaspiano]

Ghost of Miles,

I have been periodically checking out what will be on this week for Night Lights and yesterday morning the info page was there. I know there's lots more on the CD than my uncle and I'm sure it will be an interesting program. I listen to these CDs frequently. I probably have about 25 CDs that John played on (Kenton, Tex Beneke, Shorty Rogers, Gerry Mulligan, his own groups, etc.) and all the videos of the Liberace TV show where John was frequently featured. Since Liberace's father was a french horn player, I think Liberace really loved the instrument. It seems like there have been a lot of re-releases coming out. Whatever you decided to do on the shows, I'll be listening with interest.

[ghost of miles]

Ghost of Miles,

I have been periodically checking out what will be on this week for Night Lights and yesterday morning the info page was there.  I know there's lots more on the CD than my uncle and I'm sure it will be an interesting program.  I listen to these CDs frequently.  I probably have about 25 CDs that John played on (Kenton, Tex Beneke, Shorty Rogers, Gerry Mulligan, his own groups, etc.)  and all the videos of the Liberace TV show where John was frequently featured.  Since Liberace's father was a french horn player, I think Liberace really loved the instrument.  It seems like there have been a lot of re-releases coming out.  Whatever you decided to do on the shows, I'll be listening with interest.

←

Can't remember whether or not I mentioned the Liberace connection on tonight's program, but I didn't realize that his father (Liberace's) was a French horn player. I'll certainly let you know the date well in advance if I schedule a program devoted entirely to your uncle (quite possibly either very late this year or very early next year, just so that it's not too close to the Jazz Studio shows).

[ghost of miles]

BTW, the show airs at the usual time: 11:05 p.m. (9:05 California, 11:05 Central Time, 12:05 a.m. NYC time) on WFIU. It will be posted by Monday afternoon in the Night Lights archives.

I'll be doing a program on JAZZ STUDIO 3 & 4 on the first Saturday of July, and a program on 5 & 6 on the first Saturday of August. Next week: "Juneteenth Jamboree," a program in celebration of the holiday, with music from Louis Jordan, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Count Basie (the "King Joe" track--thanks much to EKE BBB!), Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, and others.

[ghost of miles]

"Jazz Studio 1 & 2" is now archived.

[sheldonm]

"Jazz Studio 1 & 2" is now archived.

←

David,

Caught the show; one of my favorites! Keep up the good work!

Mark

[ghost of miles]

Thanks, man! Getting ready to tape "Jazz Studio 3 & 4" next week (should air the first Saturday of July). If I don't make it up to Indy Jazz Fest, enjoy the nice weather and good music...