Henry Grimes Returns To Jazz, WKCR Returns To The Airwaves -
Last week the jazz department at WKCR-FM New York celebrated the return
of bassist Henry Grimes from his thirty-year performing hiatus with a
five-day chronological presentation of his complete recorded works.
Grimes was on hand throughout the festival to discuss every facet of
his life and career including his days as a budding young bassist, his
years as one of the most in-demand musicians of the 1960s, and his
reemergence over the past several months. His previous works ranged
from performances with mainstream jazz icons such as Gerry Mulligan,
Benny Goodman, and Sonny Rollins to his seminal work within the free
jazz movement, including recordings made under the leadership of Cecil
Taylor, Don Cherry, and Albert Ayler. Grimes’ musical colleagues from
years past also stopped by the station to contribute their thoughts and
memories about their fellow musician. WKCR was especially honored to
host the reunions of two working trios that had not been assembled for
decades. The 1961 Billy Taylor Trio, which included Grimes and Ray
Mosca, met on Thursday to reminisce about their days on the road and in
the recording studio. The 1965 Henry Grimes Trio, featuring Perry
Robinson and Tom Price, also gathered to perform a live broadcast for
WKCR listeners. This was not the only live performance of the festival:
Grimes performed two solo bass improvisations as well as duets with
fellow bassist William Parker. These performances proved to be the
highlight of the festival and were recorded for posterity. They will be
rebroadcasted on WKCR as we continue to celebrate Grimes’ legacy in the
months to come.
WKCR, the ‘original FM,’ is well known for its singular approach to
programming. The Henry Grimes festival marks the first major festival
for the jazz department since September 11, 2001, when WKCR lost its
transmitter in the World Trade Center disaster. In the past, WKCR has
pre-empted all regularly scheduled shows for festivals celebrating
major artists such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, various pioneers
of Country Music, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Though the Henry Grimes
festival marks a significant step on the road to full recovery for the
station, a larger leap forward will come later in the summer. After
many months of struggle, WKCR recently received FCC approval to
broadcast from an antenna atop 4 Times Square. By mid-August, when the
necessary equipment is in place, the greater New York City area will
finally be able to tune their radios to 89.9 FM and enjoy WKCR’s unique
programming once again. Plans are underway to mark our triumphant
return to the airwaves with a two-week festival celebrating the music
of John Coltrane. Listeners can find the latest station information, as
well as a live webcast of all WKCR programming, on our website at
www.wkcr.org.
For More Information, Contact:
Paul Burkey, Jazz Director: (212) 853-4116,
pab2002@columbia.edu
Kimbely Seibel, Jazz Director: (212) 853-2222,
kas2002@columbia.edu
Erin Chun, Station Manager: (212) 666-2868,
ec2030@columbia.edu
Matthew Niederhauser, Public Relations: (212) 853-2281,
mdn2001@columbia.edu
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