Norman Granz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norman Granz
|
|
|---|---|
Granz in 1947
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | August 6, 1918 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | November 22, 2001 (aged 83) Geneva, Switzerland |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, label owner |
| Years active | 1944–2001 |
| Labels | Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, Pablo |
| Associated acts | Jazz at the Philharmonic, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass |
Norman Granz (born August 6, 1918 – died November 22, 2001) was an American jazz record producer and concert promoter. He was known for creating famous record labels like Verve and Pablo. Many people called Granz "the most successful impresario in the history of jazz." An impresario is someone who organizes and manages concerts or shows. He was also a strong supporter of racial equality, always making sure that audiences at his concerts were not separated by race.
Contents
Norman Granz's Early Life and Career
Norman Granz was born in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Tiraspol. After finishing school, he worked as a stock clerk on the Los Angeles stock exchange. When World War II began, he joined the U.S. Army Air Force. He was assigned to the Morale branch, which was in charge of entertaining the troops.
Starting "Jazz at the Philharmonic"
Granz became well-known when he started organizing integrated jam sessions at the Trouville Club in Los Angeles. A jam session is when musicians play together without much planning. He then put on a big concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles on July 2, 1944. He called it "Jazz at the Philharmonic" (JATP).
The name "Jazz at the Philharmonic" was actually shortened by the printer. Granz started this first concert with money he borrowed. JATP became very popular. The group of musicians often changed, and they recorded and toured a lot. Granz was one of the first to release live jam session recordings to a wide audience.
Tours and Fighting Segregation
After a few JATP concerts in Los Angeles, Granz began organizing concert tours. These tours happened across the USA, Canada, and Europe from 1945 to 1957. The concerts featured both swing and bebop musicians. They were some of the first major performances to have bands with musicians of different races playing together.
Granz was very firm about racial equality. He would even cancel concerts if the musicians were expected to play for audiences that were separated by race. He recorded many of the JATP concerts. He later released these recordings on his own record labels.
Granz's Record Labels
In 1948, Granz worked with Mercury Records to promote his JATP recordings. After that, he started his own labels. These included Clef (started in 1946) and Norgran (started in 1953). He also had Down Home Records for traditional jazz music. JATP stopped touring the United States and Canada after 1957, except for a tour in 1967.
Norman Granz's Personal Life
Norman Granz was married three times. In 1950, he married Loretta Sullivan. They had a daughter named Stormont Granz. He also adopted Loretta's child from a previous marriage, Sydney Sullivan Hamed. They later divorced. In 1965, he married Hannelore Granz. In 1974, he married Grete Lyngby.
Norman Granz passed away from cancer on November 22, 2001. He was 83 years old and died in Geneva, Switzerland.
Working with Jazz Legends
Many famous jazz musicians signed with Norman Granz's record labels. Some of these legends include Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Oscar Peterson.
Granz made sure his musicians were paid well. In the 1940s, when society was still segregated, he insisted on equal pay and housing for both white and black musicians. He would refuse to bring his popular concerts to places that separated people by race. This meant he sometimes lost a lot of money, but he believed in fairness.
Jazz Film and Ella Fitzgerald
In 1944, Granz and Gjon Mili created a jazz film called Jammin' the Blues. This film featured famous musicians like Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet. It was even nominated for an Academy Award.
In 1956, the amazing singer Ella Fitzgerald joined Norman Granz's record label. Granz had been her manager for some time. He brought all his music activities together under one main label, Verve Records. Granz continued to manage Fitzgerald throughout her career.
Ella Fitzgerald's famous series of eight Songbooks became very popular. These albums, along with duets she recorded with other artists, brought a lot of praise to Verve Records and the musicians. Granz also managed Oscar Peterson, who was a lifelong friend.
In 1959, Norman Granz moved to Switzerland. In 1960, he sold Verve Records to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Granz started his last record label, Pablo Records, in 1973. He sold it in 1987 to Fantasy Records.
Norman Granz's Fight Against Racism
Norman Granz was a strong opponent of racism. He fought many battles for his artists, especially those who were black.
Standing Up in Houston
In 1955, in Houston, Texas, Granz removed signs that said "White" and "Negro" on restrooms. These signs were outside an auditorium where Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie were about to perform. Between their two shows, Fitzgerald, Gillespie, and Illinois Jacquet were playing dice in the dressing room. Local police suddenly came in and arrested them.
After some talking, the artists were allowed to perform their second show. They were later released on bail. Granz was very angry about this incident. He insisted on fighting the charges in court, which cost him a lot of money, but he won.
Equal Treatment for Musicians
Oscar Peterson shared a story about Granz. Once, Granz insisted that white taxi drivers take his black artists as customers. A policeman even pointed a loaded pistol at Granz's stomach, but Granz stood his ground.
Granz was also one of the first people to pay white and black artists the same amount of money. He made sure they received equal treatment in every way, even for small things like dressing rooms.
Granz also led the fight to end segregation in hotels and casinos in Las Vegas. He argued that it was unfair for black artists to perform on stage but not be allowed to stay or gamble at the hotels, or even enter through the front doors.
Granz was also interested in art. He became friends with the famous artist Pablo Picasso after meeting him in 1968.
See also
In Spanish: Norman Granz para niños
- Category:Albums produced by Norman Granz
