Jazz in the Garden, Episode One: “In the Beginning”

Our story begins on June 16, 1960, when George Wein and the Storyville Sextet played the first jazz concert in MoMA’s Sculpture Garden—and launched more than a decade of legendary performances and recordings from some of the leading lights of jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and Sonny Rollins. In this episode, you’ll hear about the first era of jazz at MoMA from some of the musicians who were there.

Writer/producers: Naeem Douglas, Alex Halberstadt, Jason Persse

Host: Naeem Douglas

Additional readings: Karen Chilton

Engineer, mixer, original music: Zubin Hensler

Special thanks: Prudence Peiffer, Arlette Hernandez, Ellen Levitt, Kelsey Head, Dore Murphy, Allison Knoll, Tina James, Michelle Harvey, Marc-Auguste Desert II, Omer Leibovitz, Peter Oleksik

Music:

“That’s a Plenty” (Live) (2014 remaster). Written by Lew Pollack. Performed by George Wein and the Storyville Sextet. Courtesy of Bethlehem Records. By arrangement with BMG Rights Management; “Soloscope.” Written and perfrormed by Sonny Rollins. Courtesy of Concord Records. By arrangement with Kobalt obo Son Rol Music Company; “Namesake.” Written and performed by Milt Jackson. Courtesy of Universal Music Group. Bt arrangement with Reecie Music; “September in the Rain.” Written by Al Dubin, Harry Warren. Performed by George Wein and the Storyville Sextet. Courtesy of BMG. By arrangement with WC Music Corp. (ASCAP); “Undecided.” Written by Charles Shavers. Performed by George Wein and the Storyville Sextet. Courtesy of BMG. By arrangement with Universal Music Publishing; “Novamo.” Written and performed by Milt Jackson. Courtesy of Universal Music Group. By arrangement with Hall Leonard; “Take the A Train.” Written by Billy Strayhorn. Performed by Clark Terry. Courtesy of The Orchard. By arrangement with Reservoir Media and WISE; “Take Three Parts Jazz.” Written by Teddy Charles. Performed by the Teddy Charles New Directions Quartet. Courtesy of 43 North Broadway LLC. By arrangement with Raybird Music; “A Night in Tunisia.” Written by John Gillespie, Frank Paparelli. Performed by the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet. Courtesy of Universal Music Group; “On Green Dolphin Street.” Written by Kaper Bronislaw, Ned Washington. Performed by Sonny Rollins. Courtesy of Universal Music Group. By arrangement with Reservoir Media, BRTS, and BMG; “The Quota.” Written by Jimmy Heath. Performed by Milt Jackson. Courtesy of Universal Music Group. By arrangement with Hall Leonard; “Now’s The Time.” Written by Charlie Parker. Performed by Clark Terry. Courtesy of The Orchard. By arrangement with Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing