Blow, Man, Blow! Archie Shepp and Jazz School

Archie Shepp, Professor of Jazz

Archie Shepp came to UMass in 1971 to teach Jazz Ensemble and History of African American Music, and it was the beginning of a long and fruitful association.  On tenor sax, Shepp was among a cadre of recruited faculty who would build a pre-eminent jazz braintrust in swingin' Amherst.

Drummer Max Roach was aboard for the ride.  So, by the way, was horn-blowin' elder statesman Yusef Lateef, nee Bill Huddleston, who also performed as Bill Evans ("I"), not to be confused with other jazz musicians Bill Evans ("II" - pianist) and Bill Evans ("III" - other tenor saxaphonist)... Oy!

In-Crowd scene-ster

On arrival in Amherst, Archie was already established as a giant since his groundbreaking 1960's work, which included performing on Coltrane's Ascension (Shepp's earlier contributions in collaboration on the A Love Supreme sessions were left on the cutting room floor, but can now be enjoyed here).

Archie's eldest son Pavel, two years behind me in school, was a good friend of my brother's and Pavel also played drums in Jazz Workshop, where I was swinging the bass my senior year.

I saw Archie a number of times, and met him first, when he would come to pick Pavel up from football practice as we soccer booters too were being released from locker room miasma into the same rich Amherst air.

Shepp/Porter: Rhythm Unlimited.

But it was with awestruck reverence that we Jazz Workshoppers - runny-nosed mere mortals - performed when Archie seated himself among the parents for our year-end concert.  My big moments as bassist were on the Mingus standard Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat and on Bill Evans II's awesome So What? that everyone associates with Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue LP.

As we self-consciously plowed through these standards - in-form to begin, free-form to unwind, back into form to close - I saw Archie rocking slowly to the former, and then nodding in time as I kicked off the latter.  Fortunately, I had managed to not disgrace myself.  As it turns out, 'twas the pinnacle of my jazz career.  Hot socks, we wuz hittin' on all sixes.

Archie's still at it, mostly in Paris but, like a giant who steps down from Olympus, he visits Amherst from time to time.

Here's a video of Archie playing recently, and featuring Tom McClung (Amherst Regional H.S. too!) on keys.

... to Olympus

From Earth...

How bold of UMass to assemble the jazz all-star club.  Archie and Max collaborated, and everyone grooved.  And I mean everyone!

Professor Roland Wiggins, whose daughter Roz cooked me crepes once, was the svengali behind this recruiting triumph.  We in this lovely town are truly, truly blessed.

I Tell Ya, Things Have Got To Change!