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Aristo Theater of the Air, Part 2, October 21, 1945

Description: Mark Austad (later known as Mark Evans) hosts the second part of Aristo Theater of the Air, with selections from June Havoc (There Must Be Someone for Me); Wilbur Evans (Girls), a war bonds advertisement, and Corinna Mura (Carlotta_/
Date: October 21, 1945
Duration: 11 minutes 18 seconds
Creator: Evans, Mark, 1917-1988
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Ben Grauer interviews Willis Conover

Description: Recording of the raw audio of an interview with Willis Conover by Ben Grauer. Grauer mentions that Conover has hosted his program on the Voice of America for the past 20 years, placing the date around 1975. This interview is about Conover's book Lovecraft at Last. There are frequent interjections from someone off-microphone. This audio was used in an episode of the VOA program "New York, New York with Ben Grauer."
Date: 197X
Duration: 57 minutes 10 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis & Grauer, Ben
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Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard

Description: Bill Evans with Chuck Israels on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums at the Village Vanguard. The reel-to-reel tape container indicates that titles performed include "Slow Dance" and "A Song for Now."
Date: November 14, 1964
Duration: 23 minutes 32 seconds
Creator: Evans, Bill, 1929-1980
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Biography in Rhythm

Description: A 1955 radio program presenting an account of the history of jazz. Willis Conover later adapted this program's introduction for use in the Jazz at the Smithsonian television programs which he hosted.
Date: July 26, 1955
Duration: 54 minutes 03 seconds
Creator: National Broadcasting Company
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Bob Dixon, WCBS, July 5, 1962

Description: Bob Dixon's program on WBCS for July 5, 1962, with several guest speakers on poet Robert Frost. A segment by Ralph Story is interpolated near the beginning.
Date: July 5, 1962
Duration: 36 minutes 36 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Bob LaPlante interview with Don Byas; unidentified recording

Description: In the first track, Bob LaPlante interviews Don Byas in 1965. The second track, from the other side of the tape reel, is an unidentified jazz ensemble for roughly the first half. The ensemble in the second half is identified at 27:05 as the Ole Dixon Trio.
Date: November 2, 1965
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 45 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Chicago Theater of the Air: Yma Sumac

Description: A recording found in Willis Conover's collection of reel-to-reel tapes: Yma Sumac performs at the 22nd annual Chicagoland Music Festival, at Soldier Field.
Date: August 25, 1951
Duration: 17 minutes 21 seconds
Creator: Sumac, Yma
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Crescent Club Advertisements; Meet Your Congress

Description: Tracks 1 through 5 correspond to side 1 of the disc, which contains five advertisements for the Crescent Club (1338 New York Ave, corner of 14th and New York Avenue) recorded by Al Cummings. The advertisement notes the club's status as a music venue, with nightly performances by the Beach Johnson band. Track 6 corresponds to side 2, which contains an episode of Meet Your Congress, hosted by Blair Moody. This episode features a debate between four United States senators, members of the Senate Co… more
Date: 194X
Duration: 22 minutes 16 seconds
Creator: Cummings, Al & Moody, Blair
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Dizzy Gillespie at Birdland

Description: A French-language program featuring Dizzy Gillespie performing at Birdland, along with an interview with John Hammond.
Date: July 2, 1956
Duration: 19 minutes 24 seconds
Creator: Gillespie, Dizzy, 1917-1993 & Roberts, Bill
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Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, and Billy Taylor discuss jazz and Africa (with examples)

Description: A longer-form discussion of jazz and its potential antecedents in the music and culture of western Africa between Conover and pianist Billy Taylor, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, and bandleader and composer Quincy Jones. This version of the discussion includes examples. This material may have been used in Music USA #2352-B.
Date: 1962
Duration: 31 minutes 14 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington at the piano, April 21, 1946, 2:05-2:35 a.m.

Description: Recording of Duke Ellington playing solo piano, following a late-night interview with Willis Conover at radio station WWDC.
Date: April 21, 1946
Duration: 23 minutes 57 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis & Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974
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Duke Ellington at the White House - insert for NBC Monitor

Description: An excerpt from the recording of Duke Ellington's 70th birthday party at the White House on April 29, 1969, for use on the NBC radio program Monitor.
Date: May 10, 1969
Duration: 5 minutes 19 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 1 and 3

Description: In Part 1, Willis Conover's Saturday Night Dance Party program begins with Artie Shaw's "Just Kiddin' Around." Conover then discusses the rarity of some of the records he will play during this program, which is dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington, with selections "Animal Crackers," (sound drops briefly) "Bugle Call Rag," Freeze and Melt," and "Black and Tan Fantasy." In Part 3, Conover and Emerson Parker, an Ellington expert, record collector, and broadcaster at station WQQW, introduce sel… more
Date: April 20, 1946
Duration: 31 minutes 07 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 2 and 4

Description: In Part 2, Conover introduces Emerson Parker, an Ellington expert, record collector, and broadcaster at station WQQW, who introduces "Take It Easy," "Mood Indigo," "Sweet Mama," and "Hot and Bothered." In Part 4, Conover and Parker introduce "I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter," "Ebony Rhapsody," "Stompy Jones," and "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" (the end of the introduction and the tune are in part 5). Gil Lilly is credited as working in the control room.
Date: April 20, 1946
Duration: 28 minutes 46 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 5 and 7

Description: In Part 5, Emerson Parker's introduction of "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" concludes, followed by the tune, along with "Solitude," "Clarinet Lament," "Ring Dem Bells," and "Hodge Podge" (introduction only, tune is in part 6). In Part 7, after station identification, Conover notes that Jerry Rhea will be joining the discussion soon, and reminisces about broadcasting during a stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center while in military service; Conover also asks listeners to send comments on t… more
Date: April 21, 1946
Duration: 28 minutes 42 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 6 and 8

Description: In Part 6, "Hodge Podge" is followed by Willis Conover and Emerson Parker introducing, "Braggin' in Brass," "Boy Meets Horn," "Mobile Bay, and "Night Song." In Part 8, "Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me" is followed by Cottontail, and Conover and Parker discussing "Take the A-Train," and "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'." Conover talks about seeing Ellington live for the first time just a few months before, at Turner's Arena.
Date: April 21, 1946
Duration: 31 minutes 05 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 9 and 11

Description: In Part 9, Conover introduces Duke Ellington himself, along with Billy Strayhorn, to Emerson Parker, and interviews Ellington about his personnel, travel plans, and early recordings. In Part 11, the interview continues after selections from Ellington's Black, Brown & Beige Suite.
Date: April 21, 1946
Duration: 30 minutes 01 second
Creator: Conover, Willis
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Duke Ellington Cavalcade, Parts 10 and 12

Description: In Part 10, the interview with Duke Ellington continues, up to the introduction of the Black, Brown & Beige Suite. In Part 12, the interview continues further, including discussion of Mercer Ellington. Conover speaks more about his stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, along with fellow broadcaster Mark Austad (later known as Mark Evans). Jerry Rhea also speaks. Conover credits Frank Turner as the photographer for the evening (images are also in this collection), and notes that those in atte… more
Date: April 21, 1946
Duration: 30 minutes 56 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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EnBee Jamboree

Description: Willis Conover hosts a program advertising local record store EnBee Records.
Date: unknown
Duration: 14 minutes 29 seconds
Creator: Conover, Willis
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