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40th Anniversary Celebration of Jazz at New England Conservatory in Boston
ByJordan Hall, New England Conservatory
Boston, Massachusetts
October 23, 2009
Perhaps it was only fitting that the opening piece for the Jazz 40 Summit, part of the 40th anniversary celebration of jazz at the New England Conservatory, was conducted by

Gunther Schuller
composer / conductor1925 - 2015
For this occasion, Schuller dusted off his 1954 arrangement of Rogers and Hart's "Blue Moon." As Schuller instructed the band, a bouncing, breathy melody filled Jordan Hall. With seeming ease and grace, the 83-year-old Schuller led a 20-piece orchestra on a journey of starts and conclusions. "Keep swinging!" he said while exiting the stage, encouraging the audience.
Today, the phrase "blue moon" most often means "rare," as in "once in a blue moon." While it can imply luck, it sometimes hints at impossibility. Perhaps all three connotations apply to Schuller in the context of jazz at NEC.
The music maestro, who played with

Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Schuller's first act in office was to create a jazz studies curriculum leading to a degree. In the mid-sixties, teaching jazz in the classroom environment was still something of a novel idea. "There was very strong resistance from the board," Schuller stated. "I paid no attention to that." Schuller recalled that while the program was still being formulated, one faculty member even resigned in disagreement.
"I brought in a lot of modern music in a way it had never been done," Schuller said. At the time, jazz didn't have an official theorist and people were still learning how teach the art form in a methodical, organized manner. To help address the problem, Schuller recruited composer-theorist

George Russell
composer / conductor1923 - 2009
In 1953, Russell published The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, a pioneering work discussing theoretical approaches to music, such as the modal concepts common to jazz.

Don Byron
clarinetb.1958
"He was about heart, he was about soul, he was about knowing the roots," recalled saxophonist Carl Atkins, first jazz studies chair.
Because Schuller acknowledged that maintaining the improvisational nature of the art was crucial to the program's success, he also hired pianist-saxophonist

Jaki Byard
piano1922 - 1999
The music at the Jazz 40 Summit reflected both the past and present of jazz at NEC. Ken Schaphorst, present jazz chair, directed George Russell's arrangements of "A Bird in Igor's Yard." This piece, which sat in a vault for 30 years, brings together influences of Charlie Parker and Igor Stravinsky. Don Byron's clarinet work was central to the performance.
Carl Atkins directed one original, "Sands of Time," reflective of a trip to the Great Pyramid. He also directed Russell's "All About Rosie," which contains a piano solo originally played by

Bill Evans
piano1929 - 1980
Schaphorst also conducted Jaki Byard's arrangement of the

Billie Holiday
vocals1915 - 1959

Rachael Price
vocalsb.1985
Pianist

Fred Hersch
pianob.1955
With unique contributions from trombonist

Bob Brookmeyer
trombone1929 - 2011

Ran Blake
pianob.1935
"We are indebted to Mr. Schuller because he was the only person who had enough clout on both [the classical and jazz] sides to make it happen," said Don Byron.
You can call it lucky. You can certainly call it rare. You might even be able to call it an impossibility. But no matter what you call it, Schuller's jazz legacy at NEC is a story worthy of sharing.
Tags
New England Conservatory
Live Reviews
Timothy J. O'Keefe
Braithwaite & Katz Communications
United States
Massachusetts
Boston
Gunther Schuller
Miles Davis
George Russell
Don Byron
Jaki Byard
Bill Evans
Billie Holiday
Rachael Price
Fred Hersch
Bob Brookmeyer
Ran Blake
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