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John Tuggle Whatley Elementary School Program
Program for Birmingham's John Tuggle Whatley Elementary School, named for the city's influential "Maker of Musicians," John T. "Fess" Whatley. Program includes a biography of Whatley and a photo of his early Vibra-Cathedral Orchestra. Please see also…
Amos Gordon (1914-1992): "Remembering 'Flash'"
Program for "Remembering 'Flash'": a jazz musical tribute honoring master musician and educator Amos Franklin "Flash" Gordon, Carver Theater, Birmingham, Alabama, 1996.The multi-page program includes biographical details, personal tributes, photos,…
J. L. Lowe (1913-1998)
Funeral program for James Leroy (J. L.) Lowe: musician, educator, and champion of the Birmingham jazz tradition (1913-1998), Birmingham, Alabama.
Richard Clarke (1)
Birmingham trumpeter Richard Clarke (aka Dick or Dickie Clarke) belonged to a family full of musicians. His own career included work in the bands of Fess Whatley, Baron Lee, Benny Carter, Billie Holiday, and others; in a U. S. Army band; and in…
Richard Clarke (2)
Trumpeter Richard ("Dick" / "Dickie") Clarke belonged to Birmingham's musical Clarke family. Clarke performed in the bands of "Fess' Whatley, Baron Lee, Benny Carter, Billie Holiday, and others; performed in the pits of numerous Broadway shows; and…
Frank Adams on Becoming a Teacher
In 1950, Frank Adams had recently graduated from Howard University and was working as a supplier (subbing for a regular player) in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. When Ellington took his band to Europe that year, Adams returned to Birmingham and began…
Frank Adams on Ingenuity
In this short excerpt, Frank Adams recalls, from his years as a school band director, one parent’s resourceful innovation in the face of limited resources. Recorded by Burgin Mathews on September 9, 2009, in Frank Adams’s office at the Alabama Jazz…
Frank Adams on Music Education in Birmingham's Black Schools (1)
In this excerpt, Adams reflects on his early training in music, including his first informal lessons from his older brother Oscar and his experience in the elementary and high school bands of William Wise Handy and John T. “Fess” Whatley.…
Frank Adams on Music Education in Birmingham's Black Schools (2)
Frank Adams describes the musical culture of Birmingham’s segregated Black schools. In the opening portion of this excerpt, Adams reads from a lecture he was preparing for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, exploring the history of jazz and…
Frank Adams Compares the Bands of Fess Whatley and Sun Ra
As a high school student in the 1940s, Frank Adams played in both the bands of Fess Whatley, Birmingham's celebrated "Maker of Musicians," and Herman "Sonny" Blount, later famous as Sun Ra. In this interview excerpt, Adams compares the experience of…
Frank Adams on Banjo Bill and Sammy Mayo
Frank Adams recalls early gigs performing in elementary and high school with the guitarist Banjo Bill Reese. Adams was introduced to Banjo Bill by a high school student and singer named Sammy Mayo, who also performed with the older musician. In these…
John T. "Fess" Whatley
John T. “Fess” Whatley (1885 – 1972), Birmingham’s legendary “Maker of Musicians,” 1968. From 1917 into the 1950s, Whatley’s music program at Industrial / Parker High School produced numerous professional musicians, many of whom performed in the…
Band director Donald Crawford receives check from A. G. Gaston
Historically, Birmingham schools have played an essential role in developing the city's jazz community; many Birmingham music teachers were also accomplished and highly respected players.
Here, Jackson-Olin High School band director Donald…
Here, Jackson-Olin High School band director Donald…
Frank Adams
Frank Adams, 1978