Reference Jazz

This was quite a surprise, coming from the Asian label specializing in various audiophile CDs and SACDs of more middle-of-the-road material. The two sessions that produced these dozen tracks both were recorded in Copenhagen in 1965, and for most of the tracks – as you can see – Webster’s band was mostly local musicians. Ben Webster was one of many black American jazz men who moved to Europe in the 1960s or later. Denmark and Holland were his main bases of operation. Earlier he had been a mainstay of Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, and had also played with Ellington for a few years.

The recent turn to anti-immigrant sentiments and policies is a troubling development in the history of our great nation. Almost every week in 2018 brings news of family separations at the US-Mexico border, the plight of undocumented young Americans known as “Dreamers,” or the tweetstorm demonization of those who aren’t from our country.
But, then again, America has a checkered history when it comes to foreigners. From the anti-immigrant laws of the 1880s, which disallowed Chinese workers, to those of the 1930s that resulted in the deportation of thousands of Mexicans, several US policies have shunned foreigners. What makes these measures so disturbing is that America is composed mostly of immigrants and their descendants, as well as those whose ancestors were African slaves. Every generation faces the anti-immigrant scourge, so America is always in need for those to speak up and out on behalf of others.