The Jazz Files
Curated by Hank Hehmsoth, The Jazz Files uncovers hidden chapters of jazz history through rare media, archival gems, and rediscovered performances. Each column weaves together scholarship and storytelling to spotlight the voices, venues, and visuals that shaped the music’s evolution. With an ear for the past and an eye on connection, The Jazz Files bridges generations — reviving the overlooked and reaffirming jazz’s enduring presence in our cultural landscape.
Charles Rangel: Harlem’s Congressman, Jazz’s Quiet Witness
by Hank Hehmsoth
Charles Rangel was more than a Congressman. He was Harlem's heartbeat--a living archive of its culture, community, and sound. In the National Jazz Museum in Harlem's Harlem Speaks Oral History series, Rangel reflects on growing up with the music, the icons who defined a generation, and how jazz was inseparable from Black life in 20th-century America. In a remarkable interview conducted by Loren Schoenberg and Christian McBride, with appearances by Billy Taylor and Arthur Barnes, Rangel offers stories ...
Continue ReadingUnearthed & Unforgettable: The Lost Tapes of Just Jazz
by Hank Hehmsoth
Rediscovering Just Jazz: A Lost Archive of Jazz Legends Returns Unearthed after more than 50 years, the Just Jazz video archives represent one of the most significant rediscoveries in jazz history. Produced by NEA Jazz Master Dan Morgenstern and originally broadcast in 1970 on WTTW Chicago, these rare recordings capture intimate, electrifying performances by some of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century--performances that were long presumed lost. I uncovered this archival treasure while serving as ...
Continue ReadingThe History of Jazz Drums: An Archival Treasure Rediscovered
by Hank Hehmsoth
In the vast landscape of jazz history, few archives offer the depth and insight found in The History of Jazz Drums--an extraordinary 8-part radio series recorded in 1989. Featuring compelling conversations between Mel Lewis (1929-1990), a master drummer whose swing propelled The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg, senior scholar at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, this series captures the evolution of jazz drumming with remarkable depth and authenticity. Although initially broadcast as an 8-part series, ...
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