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Carl Medsker
Half my career in healthcare, half in IT, passionate jazz fan throughout.
About Me
The Philadelphia jazz scene, well, along with a job offer, lured me east after graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Biology. The first 20 years of my career were with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. A Master's degree in Information Science from Drexel University led to the second half of my career in IT. Once I retired from the life of a nomadic consultant, I relocated back to the Philadelphia area to be closer to family and to reinsert myself into the local jazz scene.
My Articles | Year End Picks | Album ReviewsMy preferred album format: Digital
My Jazz Story
I kid my children that they owe their very
existence to jazz. I had two career options
in 1974 following graduation from a
Midwest college. Fortunately for all of us
Philadelphia won out, mainly due to the
vibrant jazz scene.
Third Street Jazz record shop quickly
became my regular Saturday morning
haunt, followed by evenings at the New
Foxhole Cafe. Philly had many other
venues, and of
course, NYC was a short hop. All very
exciting for a budding jazz fan. WRTI
broadcasted jazz full-time in those days,
and Harrison Ridley Jr. taught the history of
the music
on most Sundays.
Bags, Diz, and Bird introduced me to jazz.
The Philly scene quickly expanded my
appreciation: Rollins, Miles, Monk, McCoy
Tyner, Art Farmer, Art Blakey, Dexter
Gordon,
Mal Waldron, Hank Mobley, Jim Hall, Keith
Jarrett, Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, the
Art Ensemble, Ornette Coleman, Air, Sun
Ra, Cecil Taylor, Khan Jamal, Monnette
Sudler, Byard Lancaster, and more -- in
person during my first 5 years in Philly! I
am deeply grateful for the beauty, passion,
and creativity they gifted to all present at
those shows.
Those jazz-indebted children of mine grew
up to also enjoy the music and have shared
numerous concerts with my wife and me
during the intervening years, with more to
come.
Very grateful. Yes indeedy.
