thePULSEAll Our JAZZ!
Recently published “The Jazz Worcester Real Book” is local hit.
February 2004 – Jazz has long been known as the music of America. The varied styles of this vibrant music have become synonymous with certain parts of the country, like New Orleans, Chicago, the West Coast, Harlem — and of course, Worcester. To many, Worcester’s rich jazz heritage was a very well-kept secret until about a month ago, when Worcester Magazine’s Arts and Entertainment Editor, Chet Williamson, published The Jazz Worcester Real Book.
A noted jazz/blues musician in his own right, Williamson began to earn his chops in the 1960s when he was a 15-year-old harmonica player raised on Paul Butterfield’s rockin’ blues-harp playing. He’d go to watch the jam sessions at the Kitty Kat on Worcester’s Main Street (next to where The Irish Times is located today) and then run home to practice the riffs. One day, “shaking in [his] boots,” he went on stage and played his way through “Willow Weep for Me” with Howie Jefferson’s soulful tenor sax crooning next to his ear. Williamson survived the ordeal and became friendly with the older members of Worcester’s jazz community. He continued building up his confidence at the Friday night jams in Worcester’s Great Brook Valley community with, as he puts it, “a bunch of hip white kids trying to play Chicago blues.”
But it wasn’t until February, 2001, that the idea for a jazz history began to get some serious play in the Worcester community. Williamson was asked by Rich Falco, WPI’s director of jazz studies, to help coordinate a symposium at the college about local jazz. It became obvious that there was a lot of information and some great stories floating around out there, but nothing cohesive had pulled all the legends together. And here’s where Williamson’s writing and editing skills honed at Worcester Magazine came into play. Researching, fact-checking, hot tips, and some plain luck brought more than 100 – yes, that’s 100 — names of jazz musicians to light, all of whom have Worcester ties and roots.
The resulting volume (produced by Worcester Publishing Ltd., parent company of the PULSE and Worcester Magazine) is a large-format, spiral-bound paperback. It’s a handsome, well-designed book filled with interesting facts and anecdotes from 100 players, old and new. Worcester Magazine’s Art Director, Chris Miller, worked hard to make the book visually stunning, yet easy to read and hold — an important factor since the book contains actual music written by or in memory of each one of the artists — all fine tunes and each eminently playable. For easy reference, the book is arranged alphabetically, with a fact sheet, pictures, and commentary about each musician on the left page with their original composition reproduced on the right.
Worcester’s jazz family tree is convoluted, with many branches intertwining. Williamson uses the start of a musician’s co-op in the late 1930s, named “The Saxtrum Club” (for the saxophone and trumpet) as the center of his concentric spirals through the history of jazz in Worcester. Young locals like pianist Jaki Byard, Barbara Carroll and Don Asher went on to national and international fame. Others, like trumpeter Barney Price, chose to stay in town, creating their own personal legacies — bass-playing son “Bunny” Price and drummer Tommy. During its tenure, the Saxtrum also hosted visits by many jazz luminaries, including Anita O’Day, Chu Berry and a skinny kid named Frank Sinatra.
And speaking of skinny, there was sax player Enrico “Boots” Mussulli, who went on to play with Charlie Ventura, Serge Chaloff and Gene Krupa. He was also lead alto sax for Stan Kenton, but never forgot his roots. (OK, he was born and lived in Milford, but that’s just down the road.) Maybe it’s the elevation or the water, but many other area families are into jazz and are mentioned in the book. Vocalist Lorna Pezanelli’s brother, Jack, was taught by uncle Peter Clemente to play guitar. Clemente’s daughter, organist Lucia, is married to the mustachioed guitarist Rich Falco. And the Russo twins, sax player Jim and trumpeter John, while not Pezanelli blood, play in Marty Gilman’s (Lorna’s husband’s) band.
A number of players teach music, continuing to spread the jazz legacy. While at Clark University, both Al Mueller and the late Relly Raffman spread the word. Dick Odgren, who edited and arranged all the charts in the book, took many kids like 17-year-olds Glenn Zaleski and Stephen Chaplin under his wing. They’ve already won awards for their work and continue to play around town. And Sarah Politz is now at Oberlin, where she is perfecting her trombone playing.
Through these and other young players the future of jazz music in Worcester looks bright. Just like those who have played before them, these new Worcester kats are sure to keep on truckin’.
“The Jazz Worcester Real Book” by Chet Williamson, with Dick Odgren, is published by Worcester Publishing Ltd. and is available at Tatnuck Bookseller, Borders, and other fine bookstores. For information, go to www.worcestermag.com.
