Detroit Jazz Composers Hastings Street Lives!
Parent Issue
Day
24
Month
September
Year
1976
OCR Text
When the legendary C. D. Dean
passed away two weeks ago, former residents of the old Black Bottom on
Detroit's east side- from the Mayor's office to the suburbsof Oak Park-
paused n quiet respect. One of the last code-carriers of Black Bottom
nightlife, Dean is remembered as a man who could always be found "taking
care of business" somewhere along old Hastings St., which was also
known as "Paradise Valley." Dean's death brought back vivid memories of
the exciting Paradise Valley scène, which found ts highest expression n
steaming-hot nightclubs like the Turf, the Horseshoe Bar, Sportree's,
and the Three Sixes that lined the swinging strip in the 30's and 40's.
In the 50's, Detroit's centralized black community was shattered as
bulldozers gouged out Hastings for the Chrysler Freeway and the
surrounding neighborhoods were levelled for "urban renewal." The scène
was broken up, but its culture and music live and grow today in many
different forms. Recognizing the need to preserve the artistic heritage
of the Motor City, a group of over fifty creative musicians known as the
Detroit Jazz Composers, Ltd., has put together the Hasting Street Jazz
Experience, a band that combines many of the diverse elements of the
Dettroit music scène, past and present. Founded in 1972 by musicianjazz
historian Ed Nelson along with Dedrick Glover and Charles Miles, the
Hastings Street Jazz Experience has just released a unique and very
challenging album on DCJ's Midnite Records label. Ed Nelson- small,
quietly intense, a prime mover in both DCJ and the Hastings Street
Experience- tells us: "Our focus is not on individual musicians. Most
bands showcase their 'stars'- we're not about that. Our goal is to
preserve and perpetúate the history of jazz, particularly Detroit jazz.
We want to get to the people and influence them, help them remember what
their roots are, where they carne from. "There is a lot of apathy among
Dctroiters. The people of this city have generally taken for granted
the outstanding talent here. Musicians and artists in Detroit must
strive for excellence in order to satisfy their audience-which may be
the reason why this place has produced such great talent." Despite the
historical reference in their name, the Hastings Street Jazz Experience
is no "nostalgia trip," and there is no attempt to "recréate an era" on
any particular song. There are almost 40 musicians listed in the liner
notes, representing "very decade of development in recent Detioit
musical history. The overall effect of the collaboration is one of real
fusión, with limitless combinations of styles creating a new- but very
deeply rooted-music. The recording band ncluded tenor saxophonists
Charles Brown, Miller Brisker, Charles Gabriel, and Walter Strickland;
alto saxists Louis Barnett, Samuel "Sonny" Spraggins, and the late Ted
Buckner; soprano sax man and multi-instrumentalist Ted Harris; baritone
saxophonist Ernie Rodgers; Ronald Fain on flute; Sylvia Turner on harp
and pianp; Nasir Hafiz (Abe Woodling) on vibes; trumpeters Charles
Hooks, Eddie Jones, Herbie Williams, and John Wilson; Duke Billingslea
on bass;guitarists Vaughn Klugh (Earl's brother) and Earl Thomas;
pianists Leonard McDonald and Will Davis; Ed Nelson on drums; Mitchell
Atkins, Sherrell Rowland, and Sundiata O. Mausi on congas; and
percussionists Edgar Spand and Margo Harris; plus lead vocalist Kim
Weston and nine other voices. "Our personncl is not like an ordinary
band," understates Ed Nelson, a drummer who has played with countless
Motown artists and visiting jazz musicians- includng Sonny Stitt, Wes
Montgomery, Ike and Tina Turner and the Temptations- and who now teaches
Jazz and Afro-American Music at Wayne Co. Community College. Detroit
Jazz Composers, Ltd., which publishes all of the compositions by the
Hastings Street Experience artists, was founded by tenor saxophonist
Miller Brisker. Miller also teaches Jaz at WC3 and has played with a
whole pantheon of people in both jazz and r&b, including the likes
of Clark Terry, George Bohannon, Aretha Franklin, King Pleasure, the
Five Royáis, the Suprcmes, Stevie Wonder, and T-Bone Walker. The
composers' group voted that each creative writer would be limited to one
song on this first album so that it would You can purchase The Hastings
Street Jazz Experience album at local record stotes, or write directly
to the Detroit azz Composers, Midnite Records, P.O. Box 9563, Detroit,
Michigan 48202. Send $6.00 plus 50 cents postage & handling for each
Lp ordered. remain open in format. Composer credts on the Lp go to Wil
Davis ("Mark-1 "), Miller Brisker ("Ja-Mil"), Sylvia Turner ("Song for
'M' "), Ed Nelson ("A Little Love For You"), Teddy Harris ("Yes Lord"),
Nasir Hafiz ("Arjuna"), Alma , Foster ("Nobody Had To Teil Me"), and
Donald Townes ("Now You 're Gone"). Both Nelson and Brisker are deeply
concerned with education. "There is a lot of talent here, but music and
sports programs n the Detroit Public Schools were curtailed. There is
presently no place for students to get a systematic music course. We
would like to get music back in the schools," Nelson says with great
consternation. During the 1 974-1 975 school year, the Hastings Street
)azz Experience conducted assemblies in school auditoriums around the
City. In many cases, the children were able to meet the composers of the
songs which were played. Art and sculpture were displayed and a
questionand-answer period after the performance added to the
"educational" nature of the experience. Previously, Hastings Street had a
cultural center in gang territory on Mack, where they were able to keep
youths off the street by giving free art and music lessons. Nelson
continúes: "We are a people's band- we are nöt thinking of making a lot
of money. Hopefully, the people will support us, so that we can produce
more. "We plan not only to showcase local talent with an emphasis on
history, but also to use some of the proceeds to sponsor musical
scholarships. We hope to establish a music program here so that people
will not have to go to schools in other communities. "Wespecifically had
in mind Wayne County Community College, because t is decentralized, it
is viable, tuitions are low, schedules are flexible, and there is a
center located in all neighborhoods. "Hastings Street Jazz is very
interested in young talent, and we just hope that we get enough support
so that we can continue to pursue this interest. "This album s only one
of the steps planned by the Detroit Jazz Composers to promote and
develop jazz, to give information.and to assist Detroiters in protecting
their music." We'll be waiting for the next one- and any other program
the Hastings Street }azz Experience has to offer. Detroit needs more
people like these- right away!