Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program Collection
name: label: Collector
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
label: Producer
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Department of Public Programs
label: Funder
content: Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation
label: Producer
content: America's Jazz Heritage
label: Producer
content: Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service
label: Funder
content: Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund
label: Funder
content: National Endowment for the Arts
label: Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution
label: Interviewee
content: Adams, Joe, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Aguabella, Francisco, 1925-
label: Interviewee
content: Akiyoshi, Toshiko, 1929-
label: Interviewee
content: Alvarado, Alfredo
label: Interviewee
content: Anderson, Chris, 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: Armenteros, Alfredo "Chocolate", 1928-2016
label: Interviewee
content: Armstrong, Howard, 1909-2003
label: Interviewee
content: Ashby, Harold
label: Interviewee
content: Atkins, Clarence, 1921-
label: Interviewee
content: Avakian, George, 1919-
label: Interviewee
content: Baker, David, 1931-
label: Interviewer
content: Baker, Lida
label: Interviewee
content: Bank, Danny, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Barker, Danny, 1909-
label: Interviewee
content: Barker, Louise, 1913-
label: Interviewee
content: Barron, Kenny
label: Interviewee
content: Bass, Fontella
label: Interviewee
content: Bates, Peg Leg, 1907-
label: Interviewee
content: Bauza, Mario, 1911-
label: Interviewee
content: Belli, Remo
label: Interviewee
content: Bellson, Louis
label: Interviewee
content: Benson, George, 1943-
label: Interviewee
content: Berger, Ed
label: Interviewee
content: Bert, Eddie, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Betts, Keter, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Bey, Chief (James), 1913-
label: Interviewee
content: Bishop, Walter, 1927-
label: Interviewer
content: Bluiett, Hamiett
label: Interviewee
content: Brooks, Cecil
label: Interviewer
content: Brower, William
label: Interviewer
content: Brown, Anthony
label: Interviewee
content: Brown, Oscar, Jr., 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: Brown, Velzoe, 1910-
label: Interviewee
content: Brubeck, Dave
label: Interviewee
content: Bryant, Ardie, 1929-
label: Interviewee
content: Bryant, Clora
label: Interviewee
content: Bryant, Ray, 1931-
label: Interviewee
content: Bufalino, Brenda, 1937-
label: Interviewee
content: Bunnett, Jane
label: Interviewee
content: Burns, Ralph, 1922-2001
label: Interviewee
content: Burrell, Kenny
label: Interviewer
content: Burstein, Julie
label: Interviewee
content: Butts, Jimmy, 1917-
label: Interviewee
content: Byrd, Charlie, 1925-
label: Interviewee
content: Calloway, Cab, 1907-1994
label: Interviewee
content: Camero, Candido, 1921-
label: Interviewee
content: Carbonell, Luis
label: Interviewer
content: Carner, Gary
label: Interviewee
content: Carrington, Terri Lyne
label: Interviewee
content: Carter, Benny, 1907-2003
label: Interviewee
content: Carter, Ron, 1937-
label: Interviewee
content: Casey, Al, 1915-
label: Interviewee
content: Cheatham, Doc, 1905-1997
label: Interviewee
content: Cheatham, Jeannie, 1917-
label: Interviewee
content: Cheatham, Jimmy, 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: Claxton, William
label: Interviewee
content: Cobb, Jimmy, 1929-
label: Interviewee
content: Cohen, Martin, 1939-
label: Interviewer
content: Cole, Tom
label: Interviewer
content: Coleman, Steve
label: Interviewee
content: Collins, John, 1913-
label: Interviewee
content: Columbus, Chris, 1902-
label: Interviewee
content: Conover, Willis, 1920-
label: Interviewer
content: Corporan, Hector
label: Interviewee
content: Costello, Diosa
label: Interviewer
content: Crease, Bob
label: Interviewee
content: Cruz, Alfredo
label: Interviewee
content: Cruz, Celia, 1924-2003
label: Interviewee
content: Cugat, Xavier, 1900-
label: Interviewee
content: D'Rivera, Paquito, 1948-
label: Interviewer
content: Dantzler, Russ
label: Interviewee
content: De Franco, Buddy, 1923-
label: Interviewee
content: DeJohnette, Jack
label: Interviewee
content: Dejan, Harold, 1909-
label: Interviewee
content: Del Puerto, Carlos, 1951-
label: Interviewee
content: Di Novi, Gene, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Diaz Ayala, Cristobal
label: Interviewee
content: Donegan, Dorothy, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Driggs, Frank, 1930-
label: Interviewee
content: Dudley, Bessie, 1902-
label: Interviewee
content: Edison, Harry, 1915-
label: Interviewee
content: Egũes, Richard, 1923-2006
label: Interviewer
content: Elie, Lolis
label: Interviewee
content: Farmer, Art, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Favors, Malachi
label: Interviewer
content: Fernandez, Raul
label: Interviewee
content: Fernandez, Rosita, 1918-2006
label: Interviewee
content: Fernandez, Ruth
label: Interviewee
content: Finegan, Bill, 1917-
label: Interviewee
content: Flynn, Frank (Marimba player)
label: Interviewer
content: Fochios, Steve
label: Interviewee
content: Foster, Frank, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Fournier, Vernel, 1928-
label: Interviewer
content: Frank, Rusty
label: Interviewee
content: Freeman, Von, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Fuller, Curtis, 1934-
label: Interviewee
content: Fuller, Gil, 1920-
label: Interviewee
content: Gensel, John
label: Interviewer
content: Geremia, Paul, 1944-
label: Interviewee
content: Gilbert, Peggy
label: Interviewee
content: Golson, Benny
label: Interviewee
content: Gonzalez, Celina
label: Interviewee
content: Goodson, Sadie, 1904-
label: Interviewee
content: Green, Urbie
label: Interviewee
content: Guerrero, Felix, 1916-2001
label: Interviewee
content: Guines, Tata
label: Interviewer
content: Haddix, Chuck
label: Interviewee
content: Hamilton, Chico, 1921-
label: Interviewee
content: Hampton, Slide
label: Interviewer
content: Harris, Barry
label: Interviewee
content: Harris, Joe
label: Interviewee
content: Harrison, Nelson
label: Interviewee
content: Haynes, Roy, 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: Heath, Jimmy, 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: Heath, Percy, 1923-2005
label: Interviewee
content: Hemphill, Julius, 1938-
label: Interviewee
content: Henderson, Bill, 1930-
label: Interviewee
content: Henderson, Luther
label: Interviewee
content: Hendricks, Jon, 1921-
label: Interviewee
content: Hentoff, Nat
label: Interviewee
content: Hill, Roger, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Hinton, Milt, 1910-2000
label: Interviewer
content: Holley, Eugene
label: Interviewee
content: Holman, Bill, 1927-
label: Interviewee
content: Horn, Shirley, 1934-
label: Interviewee
content: Humphries, Roger
label: Interviewee
content: Hutcherson, Bobby
label: Interviewer
content: Jackson, Reuben
label: Interviewee
content: Jarvis, Jane, 1915-
label: Interviewer
content: Jenkins, Willard
label: Interviewee
content: Jimenez, Flaco
label: Interviewee
content: Johnson, J.J., 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: Jones, Elvin
label: Interviewee
content: Jones, Hank, 1918-2010
label: Interviewee
content: Jones, Jonah
label: Interviewee
content: Jones, Quincy, 1933-2024
label: Interviewee
content: Jordan, Kidd, 1935-
label: Interviewee
content: Jordan, Sheila, 1928-
label: Interviewee
content: Keepnews, Orrin, 1923-
label: Interviewee
content: Kimball, Narvin, 1909-
label: Interviewer
content: Kimery, Kennith
label: Interviewer
content: Kirchner, Bill
label: Interviewee
content: Klein, Manny, 1908-
label: Interviewee
content: Konitz, Lee
label: Interviewee
content: Lateef, Yusef, 1920-
label: Interviewee
content: Laws, Hubert
label: Interviewee
content: LeGon, Jeni, 1916-
label: Interviewee
content: LeRoy Neiman
label: Interviewee
content: Leonard, Herman, 1923-2010
label: Interviewer
content: Levin, Floyd, 1922-2007
label: Interviewee
content: Levy, John, 1912-2012
label: Interviewee
content: Lewis, Edna, 1907-
label: Interviewee
content: Lewis, Ramsey (1935-2022)
label: Interviewee
content: Liebman, Dave
label: Interviewee
content: Lincoln, Abbey, 1930 -
label: Interviewee
content: Liston, Melba
label: Interviewee
content: Livelli, Vincent
label: Interviewee
content: Longoria, Valerio, 1924-2000
label: Interviewee
content: Lopez, Israel, 1918-
label: Interviewer
content: Lopez, Rene
label: Interviewee
content: Lucie, Lawrence, 1907-
label: Interviewee
content: Lutcher, Nellie, 1912-
label: Interviewee
content: Lynton, Charles, 1904-
label: Interviewee
content: Mandel, Johnny
label: Interviewee
content: Manning, Frank, 1914-
label: Interviewee
content: Marsalis, Delfeayo
label: Interviewee
content: Marsalis, Ellis
label: Interviewee
content: Marsalis, Jason
label: Interviewer
content: McDaniel, Ted
label: Interviewer
content: McDonough, John
label: Interviewee
content: McGettigan, Betty
label: Interviewee
content: McIntosh, Tom, 1927-
label: Interviewee
content: McKibbon, Al, 1919-
label: Interviewee
content: McKusick, Hal, 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: McPartland, Marian
label: Interviewee
content: Mendoza, Lydia
label: Interviewee
content: Miller, Eric
label: Interviewee
content: Miller, Norma, 1919-
label: Interviewee
content: Mondello, Toots, 1911-
label: Interviewee
content: Moody, James, 1925-
label: Interviewee
content: Morgenstern, Dan
label: Interviewer
content: Murphy, Molly
label: Interviewee
content: Murray, Albert, 1916-
label: Interviewee
content: Myers, Amina
label: Interviewer
content: Newton, James
label: Interviewee
content: Nicholas, Fayard, 1918-
label: Interviewee
content: Nicholas, Harold, 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: Norvo, Red, 1908-1999
label: Interviewee
content: O'Brien, Peter F.
label: Interviewee
content: O'Farrill, Chico, 1921-2001
label: Interviewer
content: O'Meally, Bob
label: Interviewer
content: Ouelette, Dan
label: Interviewee
content: Owens, Jimmy, 1943-
label: Interviewee
content: Palmier, Remo, 1923-
label: Interviewer
content: Pelote, Vincent
label: Interviewee
content: Peraza, Armando, 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: Perez, Graciela
label: Interviewee
content: Peterson, Oscar, 1925-
label: Interviewer
content: Placksin, Sally
label: Interviewer
content: Porter, Lewis
label: Interviewee
content: Puente, Tito
label: Interviewee
content: Pullen, Don, 1941-
label: Interviewer
content: Pullman, Peter
label: Interviewee
content: Rachell, Yank
label: Interviewee
content: Ray, Carline, 1925-
label: Interviewee
content: Reed, Leonard, 1907-
label: Interviewee
content: Richards, Red, 1912-
label: Interviewer
content: Ritz, David
label: Interviewee
content: Rivers, Sam
label: Interviewee
content: Robinson, Charles
label: Interviewee
content: Robinson, Les, 1912-
label: Interviewer
content: Rodrique, Jessie
label: Interviewee
content: Rogers, Shorty, 1924-
label: Interviewee
content: Rollins, Sonny
label: Interviewee
content: Ross, Annie, 1930-
label: Interviewee
content: Royal, Marshall, 1912-1995
label: Interviewee
content: Rugolo, Pete, 1915-
label: Interviewee
content: Russell, George, 1923-2009
label: Interviewee
content: Rutherford, Rudy
label: Interviewee
content: Sager, Jane, 1914-
label: Interviewee
content: Santamaria, Mongo, 1917-
label: Interviewer
content: Schoenberg, Loren
label: Interviewer
content: Schwartz, Scott
label: Interviewee
content: Scott, Jimmy
label: Interviewee
content: Settle, Cucell, 1914-
label: Interviewee
content: Shaw, Artie, 1910-2004
label: Interviewee
content: Slyde, Jimmy, 1927-
label: Interviewer
content: Smith, Ernie
label: Interviewee
content: Smith, Hale G.
label: Interviewee
content: Smith, Johnny
label: Interviewer
content: Sneed, Ann
label: Interviewer
content: Stitt, Katea
label: Interviewee
content: Stoll, Jerrold "Jerry" Keith , 1923-2004
label: Interviewer
content: Talbot, Bruce
label: Interviewee
content: Taylor, Arthur, 1929-
label: Interviewee
content: Taylor, Billy
label: Interviewee
content: Teagarden, Norma, 1911-
label: Interviewee
content: Terry, Clark
label: Interviewee
content: Thielemans, Toots
label: Interviewee
content: Tinney, Al, 1921-
label: Interviewee
content: Toro, Yomo
label: Interviewee
content: Tucker, Bobby, 1923-2008
label: Interviewer
content: Tucker, Sherrie
label: Interviewee
content: Tyner, McCoy
label: Interviewee
content: Valdes, Bebo, 1918-
label: Interviewee
content: Valdez, Carlos, 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: Valdez, Chucho, 1941-
label: Interviewee
content: Valentin, Val, 1920-
label: Interviewee
content: Valeria, Chuy
label: Interviewee
content: Van Gelder, Rudy
label: Interviewee
content: Van Lake, Turk, 1918-
label: Interviewee
content: Viola, Al, 1919-
label: Interviewee
content: Walton, Cedar, 1934-
label: Interviewer
content: Watson, Matt
label: Interviewee
content: Wein, George
label: Interviewee
content: Wess, Frank, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Weston, Randy, 1926-
label: Interviewee
content: White, Andrew, 1942-
label: Interviewer
content: White, Michael
label: Interviewer
content: Whitfield, Weslia
label: Interviewee
content: Wilder, Joe, 1922-
label: Interviewer
content: Willard, Patricia
label: Interviewee
content: Willcox, Spiegle, 1902-
label: Interviewee
content: Williams, Claude, 1908-2004
label: Interviewer
content: Williams, James
label: Interviewee
content: Williams, John, 1905-
label: Interviewee
content: Wilson, Gerald, 1918-
label: Interviewee
content: Wilson, Nancy, 1937-
label: Interviewee
content: Wofford, Mike
label: Interviewer
content: Wong, Herb
label: Interviewee
content: Woods, Phil
label: Interviewer
content: Yamazaki, Paul
label: Interviewee
content: Ybarra, Eva
label: Interviewee
content: Yoshida, George, 1922-
label: Interviewee
content: Young, Al (Saxophinist)
label: Interviewee
content: Young, Lee, 1917-
label: Interviewee
content: Young, Webster, 1932-
label: Interviewer
content: Zimmerman, James
topic: label: Topic
content: Dancers
label: Topic
content: Music -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Jazz
label: Topic
content: Musicians -- United States
label: Topic
content: Jazz musicians -- United States
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The interviews were made for the Smithsonian Institution under the auspices of the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program supported by America's Jazz Heritage, funded by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Oral Histories Program. Additional interviews were conducted with support from the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.
creator: label: Collector
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
label: Producer
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Department of Public Programs
label: Funder
content: Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation
label: Producer
content: America's Jazz Heritage
label: Producer
content: Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program Collection
accruals: label: Accruals
content: The Archives Center continues to add oral history interviews to this collection.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program, a project of "America's Jazz Heritage, A Partnership of the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund and the Smithsonian Institution" initiative was created in 1992. More than 150  in-depth oral history interviews were conducted from 1992 through 2002. The collection was transferred to the Archives Center of the National Museum of American History in 2000. Now part of the National Museum of American History's American Music History Initiatives, the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program continues to conduct interviews as funding is available.

The Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program was established to document significant jazz musicians, performers, producers, and business associates in their own words and voices. Program staff contacted and worked with potential interviewees to arrange for interviews. Each interview was conducted by a jazz authority and was recorded on digital audiotape by a professional audio engineer. The interviews averaged 6 hours in length and covered a wide range of topics including early years, initial involvement in music, generally, and jazz specifically, as well as experiences in the jazz music world, including relationships to musicians. The original DAT interview tapes were then dubbed to audiocassettes and CD to create protection and access copies. More recent interviews have been recorded using fully digital technology and the interviews are preserved and made availbel as digital files.

A number of the interviews were conducted as part of the Ella Fitzgerald Oral History Project of the Jazz Oral History Program. Funded by the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, these interviews focus on the life and work of Ella Fitzgerald. The National Endowments for the Arts Jazz Masters Oral Histories Program continues to support new interviews with NEA Jazz Masters.

For more information about jazz concerts, education, collections, Jazz Appreciation Month, and the Jazz Master orchestra, visit Smithsonian Jazz.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 39 Cubic feet (58 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1992-2014
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Original interviews created under the auspices of the Jazz Oral History Program were transferred to the Archives Center in 2002. Additional interviews have been created in collaboration with the Archives Center and have been deposited at the completion of each interview.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0808
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Compact discs
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Oral history
label: Type
content: Audiotapes
label: Type
content: Interviews
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged into six series.

Series 1, DAT and CD Original Interview Recordings, 1992-2012

Series 2, Cassette Reference and Master Interview Tapes, 1992-2012

Series 3, Audio CD Reference Copies, 2000-2012

Series 4, Video/CD, 1994-2012

Series 5, Transcripts and Abstracts, 1992-2014

Series 6, Supplemental Documentation, 1992-2012
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Wendy Shay, audiovisual archivist, July, 2003-July 2015. Stephanie Mihalik, intern, assisted with additional processing, 2012 and Jeremy Love, intern, assisted with additional processing, 2014.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Compact discs
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Oral history -- 1990-2000
label: Genre/Form
content: Audiotapes -- 1990-2000
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews -- 2000-2010
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews -- 1990-2000
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Audiotapes, CDs and digital files: an ongoing project to interview and preserve the memories of people important in the jazz world, including jazz musicians, singers, dancers, producers, arrangers, and others. A list of interviewees and interviewers follows.

The following is a list of the individuals who conducted the interviews.

1. Brown, Anthony

2. Baker, Lida

3. Burstein, Julie

Interviewer

2. Bluiett, Hamiet