W.E. A.L.L. B.E.: Lunceford Is Our Business On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio..

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Lunceford Is Our Business On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio..

August's Theme Was

"We Are The Renaissance..."

*Please listen to the actual interview by clicking here:
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/blogtalkradio/show_43772.wax

This Past Sunday August 26, 2007 on W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio proved to be a blessing and a historical one at that for faithful listeners and jazz fans...We all were treated to a fantastic helping of rich musical heritage which unfortunately has not been thoroughly explored or documented by mainstream outlets...We were able to talk to two living legends (Bro. Gerald Wilson and Sis. Kathyrn Perry Thomas) whom not only know of Jimmie Lunceford's amazing achievements and legacy, but also knew the man and his value as a jazz man, visionary, master teacher and community leader very well...They were also present for many of the most important turning points in Mr. Lunceford's life and career...

As a matter of fact the show was sort of a reunion get together for Wilson and Thomas...Wilson played with Mrs. Thomas' brother Andy who played saxophone in the high school band while they both attended Manassas High School...So they have been friends since the 1930s both still alive and strong doing the things that they love or that bring their lives definition and peace of mind everyday!!!

Also devout Memphis music fan and journalist, Bro. Preston Lauterbach, living up to the title of his profession asked very good questions and was able to help anchor such an ensemble cast of dignified characters along with Tha Artivist in a very fair and balanced matter...

Unfortunately Bro. Emerson Able wasn't able to join us on this episode, but I feel that adding that wonderful man to the mix would have made the dish too sweet for consumption...Please continue to listen and be on the look out for more Jimmie Lunceford specials as the time nears for the first annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival taking place 0ct. 19-21 in Memphis, Tn!!!!

Please Listen To Tha Artivist Presents...W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio Show Live Every Sunday @ 4PM CST/ 5PM EST By Accessing The Following Link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?host_id=1952

More Info On Last Sunday's Show Below:

"Jimmie Lunceford Has The Best Of All Bands. Duke [Ellington] Is Great, [Count] Basie Is Remarkable, But Lunceford Tops Them Both."

-- Legendary Swing Band Leader Glenn Miller

"Jimmy Lunceford Was Buried Here In Memphis. The Spot He Occupies Should Have Something Of A Special Significance. ...He Took A Group Of Relatively Unsophisticated Memphis Colored Boys And Welded Them Into An Organization Which Scaled The Heights Of Musical Eminence. ... He Presented Something New In The Way Of Musical Presentations By Negro Orchestras."

--Legendary Memphis Educator And Syndicated Columnist Nat D. Williams

Hear The Great Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra For Yourself To See Why He Is Considered By Many In The Know To Be The Greatest Of Them All:
http://www.rhapsody.com/jimmielunceford/jimmielunceford

Please Join Us As We Remember Forgotten Musical Giant Jimmie Lunceford...

Learn How This Memphis City School Teacher Formed The First High School Band/ Orchestra Band With No Money...Learn How He Took A Band Made Up Of His High School Students And Former College Pals From Fisk University To The Legendary Cotton Club In Harlem , NY And Became A National Sensation, Constantly Beating Bands Like Duke Ellington's, Count Basie's, Benny Goodman's, Woody Herman's, Cab Calloway's and Glenn Miller's!!!

Learn Why The Man Who Was The True King Of Swing Lies Forgotten About In A Grave In Elmwood Cemetery In Memphis, Tn ...A Man Who Was Once Among The Most Famous Americans Of His Time Has Even Been Written Out Of The History Of The School Where He Taught As Well As The History Of Memphis In General, But Is Still Being Remembered By A Nice Size Fan Base Based In Holland...

Check Out the Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra From Holland On MySpace:
www.myspace.com/jimmieluncefordlegacyorchestra

Learn About The New Efforts To Revive The Memory And Legacy Of Jimmie Lunceford In Memphis Firsthand:

http://www.jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com

The People I Interviewed Include:

A.) Jazz Great Gerald Wilson...

Joined Mr. Lunceford Orchestra At The Age Of 19 Back In 1939...He Also Went To Manassas High School For A Few Years...He Still Teaches At UCLA At Almost 90 And Won The Teacher Of The Year Award Last Year!!! He's Also A Very Well Known And Respected Jazz Legend In His Own Right...Mr. Wilson Still Leads His Own Very Successful Big Band Which Also Features Lunceford Alum Snooky Young...He Wrote The Theme Song For The Monterrey Jazz Festival...

Listen To Jazz Great, Educator And Lunceford Band Alum Gerald Wilson's Recollections Of Jimmie Lunceford In This Wonderful NPR Interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5768733

B.) Critically Acclaimed Classical Pianist Kathyrn Perry Thomas...

One Of The Last Three Surviving Members Of Manassas High School Class Of 1932...She Is A Classical Pianist And Was Taught By Jimmie Lunceford...At 92 Years Young She Is The Last Surviving Memphian To Have Played Music With Lunceford!!!

C.) Preston Lauterbach, Editor Of Website backroadsofamericanmusic.com ...

The Journalist And Passionate Memphis Music Fan Who Wrote The Recent And Fantastic Memphis Flyer Article On Jimmie Lunceford:

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A31617

Also Check Out Preston's Other Article About Lunceford:

http://memphissound.blogspot.com/search/label/Jimmie%20Lunceford

*Please Read The Latest R2C2H2 Newsletter And See How You Can Become An Ad Sponsor Of W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio:
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2007/07/r2c2h2-newsletter-late-springmid-summer.html

*Important~Please Vote For The Following 2 R2C2H2 Websites To Win The 2008 Black Web Awards...Just Follow The Links And Vote As Many Times As You Want!!!