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Archive events are in Pacific Time (U.S.).
This is a one-time screening.
Premiering on Los Angeles’ KTLA Channel 5 in 1962, the local television series Frankly Jazz offered viewers powerhouse live performances by some of the best West Coast jazz musicians of the day. The series took up where ABC’s Stars of Jazz series left off in 1958—providing a platform for unadulterated jazz music with innovative camera work to match. Like its esteemed broadcast predecessor Stars of Jazz, viewed today, Frankly Jazz represents an invaluable record of both jazz and television as vital emerging art forms at mid-century.
Due to the extremely positive response to our screening of Frankly Jazz episodes earlier this year, the Archive is pleased to present three more newly preserved episodes of this obscure series. These episodes, transferred from rare 2 inch. videotape masters, showcase the unparalleled musicianship of jazz stars Shelly Manne, Irene Kral, the Curtis Amy Sextet, and Shorty Rogers and his Giants. Academy Award-winning composer and conductor Henry Mancini also appears for an interview with Frankly Jazz’s hipper-than-hip host, noted disc jockey and jazz expert Frank Evans. Please join us for this special screening, introduced by jazz historian and archivist Mark Cantor of Celluloid Improvisations.
Read Television Curator Mark Quigley's interview with Lance Evans, son of Frankly Jazz host, co-producer, and disc jockey Frank Evans.
Program notes written by Mark Quigley, John H. Mitchell Television Curator.
Preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive with funding from the John H. Mitchell Television Preservation Endowment.
Frankly Jazz: Shelly Manne, Irene Kral, Henry Mancini
U.S., 10/13/1962
KTLA. Producers: Frank Evans, Gary Markas. Director: Gary Markas. Host: Frank Evans. Musicians: Shelly Manne, drums; Conte Candoli, trumpet; Richie Kamuca, tenor sax; Russ Freeman, piano; Monty Budwig, bass. Irene Kral, vocal. Henry Mancini, interview guest.
Frankly Jazz: Curtis Amy Sextet
U.S., 12/15/1962
KTLA. Producers: Frank Evans, Gary Markas. Director: Gary Markas. Host: Frank Evans. Musicians: Curtis Amy, tenor sax; Dupree Bolton, trumpet; Dolo Coker, piano; Holland Crawford, guitar; Victor Gaskin, bass; Ronald Selico, drums.
Frankly Jazz: Shorty Rogers and his Giants
U.S., 1/19/1963
KTLA. Producers: Frank Evans, Gary Markas. Director: Gary Markas. Host: Frank Evans. Musicians: Shorty Rogers, flugelhorn; Joe Maini, tenor sax; Pete Jolly, piano; Max Bennett, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.
B&w. Total running time, including introduction: 85 min.
Preserved from original 2 inch. videotapes. Video transfers at DC Video. Engineering services by David Crosthwait. Special thanks to Greg Lewerke and Stan Lewerke.
Enjoy select tracks by the artists performing on Frankly Jazz:
