Mort Fega, radio broadcaster, jazz record producer, journalist and teacher, died Friday, January 21 at Hospice of Palm Beach in Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boyton Beach, Florida.
According to the family, the cause of death was complications following surgery. Mr. Fega was born on July 4th, 1921 in New Rochelle, NY. He began his career in broadcasting in his hometown at radio station WNRC, where his Saturday afternoon jazz program garnered a loyal following.
In 1962, he moved to WEVD, the radio voice of The Forward Newspaper, where he broadcast his program of modern jazz and spoken word six evenings a week. At the time, radio stations were permitted to broadcast the same content on both AM and FM frequencies. Consequently, Fega had listeners as far north as Canada and throughout New England. The show was called “Jazz Unlimited" and was one of the few radio programs that featured modern jazz. A typical show included big bands and bebop, comedy and the word jazz of Lord Buckley and Ken Nordine and vocalists like Blossom Dearie and Joe Williams. He produced and emceed concerts at Newport, Carnegie Hall, Randall's Island and the Apollo Theatre.
After leaving WEVD, he continued broadcasting jazz from WBAI, WRFM, and WTFM in New York City, and then on KXIV in Phoenix and WWUH in Hartford.
He retired to Florida where he had a five-hour Saturday evening program at NPR station WXEL and taught a History of Jazz course at Palm Beach Community College. In addition, he wrote a weekly column for the Palm Beach Post.
Fega began Focus Records to recognize under-appreciated talents like guitarist Chuck Wayne and singer/pianist Bob Dorough, and to record musicians he favored such as Carmen McRae and Earl 'Fatha' Hines. During World War II, Mr. Fega captained a B-17 Flying Fortress. He and his crew flew 29 missions over Germany and occupied France and were part of the first daylight bombings of Berlin. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts.
Mort Fega is survived by his wife of 60 years, Muriel (Praete), and four sons, Russell of Altadena, CA, Douglas of Carefree, AZ, Kenneth of Sedona, AZ, and Roger of Amherst, MA, and 8 grandchildren.
According to the family, the cause of death was complications following surgery. Mr. Fega was born on July 4th, 1921 in New Rochelle, NY. He began his career in broadcasting in his hometown at radio station WNRC, where his Saturday afternoon jazz program garnered a loyal following.
In 1962, he moved to WEVD, the radio voice of The Forward Newspaper, where he broadcast his program of modern jazz and spoken word six evenings a week. At the time, radio stations were permitted to broadcast the same content on both AM and FM frequencies. Consequently, Fega had listeners as far north as Canada and throughout New England. The show was called “Jazz Unlimited" and was one of the few radio programs that featured modern jazz. A typical show included big bands and bebop, comedy and the word jazz of Lord Buckley and Ken Nordine and vocalists like Blossom Dearie and Joe Williams. He produced and emceed concerts at Newport, Carnegie Hall, Randall's Island and the Apollo Theatre.
After leaving WEVD, he continued broadcasting jazz from WBAI, WRFM, and WTFM in New York City, and then on KXIV in Phoenix and WWUH in Hartford.
He retired to Florida where he had a five-hour Saturday evening program at NPR station WXEL and taught a History of Jazz course at Palm Beach Community College. In addition, he wrote a weekly column for the Palm Beach Post.
Fega began Focus Records to recognize under-appreciated talents like guitarist Chuck Wayne and singer/pianist Bob Dorough, and to record musicians he favored such as Carmen McRae and Earl 'Fatha' Hines. During World War II, Mr. Fega captained a B-17 Flying Fortress. He and his crew flew 29 missions over Germany and occupied France and were part of the first daylight bombings of Berlin. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts.
Mort Fega is survived by his wife of 60 years, Muriel (Praete), and four sons, Russell of Altadena, CA, Douglas of Carefree, AZ, Kenneth of Sedona, AZ, and Roger of Amherst, MA, and 8 grandchildren.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
