Boston Jazz Chronicles
Richard Vacca writes about the people, places, and events that shaped Boston's jazz scene in the 20th century.2003: The Boston Jazz Chronicles Begins
As part of the ill-fated Equinox Jazz Festival of 2003, the Boston Public Library sponsored a panel discussion on the history of jazz in Boston. Ed Henderson, president of the Boston Jazz Society, was on it, as were photographer Vin Haynes, pianist Al Vega, and historian Mel Levine.
A good crowd turned out for that Saturday afternoon session. As the panelists started recalling the names of departed musicians and the long-shuttered clubs where they played, audience participation became the order of the day.
Things got pretty lively. Finally, moderator Eric Jackson of WGBH-FM threw up his hands and said, “I sure hope somebody is writing all this down!” I said to myself, “Yeah, I’ll do it. I’ll write it all down.” And so I did.
Books by Richard Vacca
The Boston Jazz Chronicles
Available in all online stores!
First published in 2012, The Boston Jazz Chronicles recounts an exciting 25-year period in the city’s musical history. It stretches from 1937 and the swing years, to 1962, well into the modern jazz era. Famous clubs included the Tic Toc, the Hi-Hat, and Storyville. The cast of characters included Sabby Lewis, Jaki Byard, Nat Pierce, and Charlie Mariano. Larry Berk started the Berklee School, and George Wein founded the Newport Jazz Festival. From Toshiko Akiyoshi to Jimmy Zitano, the stories are all here. From Troy Street Publishing, and available online, or through a bookseller near you.
— George Wein, legendary club owner and founder of the Newport Jazz Festival
What, and Give Up Showbiz?
Available in all online stores!
Fred Taylor—who through the years wore the hats of nightclub owner, jazz festival director, concert producer, artists’ manager, promoter and publicist, theater operator, recording engineer, would-be comedian and great friend of jazz—was a man of a thousand stories. In 2015, we joined forces to start putting those stories on paper. The result is What, and Give Up Showbiz?, published by Backbeat Books in late 2020, and available online or through a bookseller near you.
Other Dispatches and Conversations
Articles, Research, and Spoken Words
Further historical dispatches and conversations!
The blog is my usual vehicle for telling these Boston stories, but many stories don’t fit the blog mold. And not all stories are told in writing. Visit the Other Dispatches page to find a few previously published pieces, and a few unpublished ones, too. For example, there’s my research on songwriter Jimmy McHugh, long one of my favorites, whose tunes always constitute a lovely way to spend an evening. There’s writing on Teddi King, one of my favorite singers. Clarinetist and bandleader Dick Johnson was an enormous help to me when I was getting started on all of this, and I have a long piece on Dick and his career.
I’ve included links to video and audio where Boston history and The Boston Jazz Chronicles are the topics of conversation.