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Post by longtimebooster on Jul 14, 2020 9:41:12 GMT -8
I'm not a big jazz nut, but Del Mar resident and longtime SDSU literature professor Bram Dijkstra just donated his remarkable 50,000-disc rare record collection to the Love Library at SDSU. bit.ly/306Xu08Here's a brief excerpt from the article: And all that jazz! Bram Dijkstra’s invaluable record collection to be donated to SDSU
The nearly 50,000-strong collection has rare albums by Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor and a host of jazz, blues, gospel and reggae artists
By GEORGE VARGA JULY 14, 2020 Bram Dijkstra doesn’t sing or play a musical instrument. But the acclaimed author, art history scholar and retired literature professor has spent nearly 65 years building his one-of-a-kind record collection. Now, he is poised to make a profound musical impact by donating his nearly 50,000 rare jazz, blues, gospel, reggae, soul and rhythm-and-blues albums to San Diego State University. “It won’t be easy to part with them, because these records have been such a big part of my life,” he said. “But I think the university will be a good place for them to be enjoyed by future generations.” Announced today by Dijkstra and his wife, noted literary agent Sandra Dijkstra, The John Coltrane Memorial Black Music Archive will be housed at SDSU’s Love Library. Its monetary value easily exceeds $1 million, but its historical value is priceless. The twisting tale of intrigue that led the records to their new home at SDSU is almost worthy of a Hollywood screenplay. The collection is named, at Dijkstra’s behest, in honor of towering jazz saxophone icon Coltrane, who died in 1967 and was pivotal in expanding the parameters of modern jazz. “This is a fabulous and invaluable collection of rare depth and breadth,” said Chuck Haddix, the curatorial director of the University of Missouri’s Marr Sound Archives, which boasts more than 400,000 audio recordings. “It will serve as an asset to the world for years to come and is a game-changer for San Diego State University.” Those sentiments are shared by SDSU Special Collections Division Head Robert Ray and SDSU Interim Library Dean Patrick McCarthy. “It’s amazing,” McCarthy said. “This will get attention around the globe and bring people from all over to San Diego to use this material. And its impact will be much broader than just a musical one. Because the music in Bram’s collection tells about a people, their lives, hopes, dreams and a huge cultural phenomenon that has a had an enormous impact on American culture and beyond.” Ray, who was instrumental in landing the collection for SDSU, is both excited and humbled by Dijkstra’s choice of the school. “Bram’s gift to the university is the pinnacle of charitable philanthropy and you couldn’t put a price tag on it,” Ray said. “He could have sold it off, if he wanted. But Bram is embracing SDSU and the promise and possibilities of his collection, and we have to do the same. It’s a treasure chest.” Make that a treasure chest that would have been well beyond the school’s ability to obtain, were it not being given to SDSU by Dijkstra. “We are a public university, we’re not swimming in money and there is no way we could ever afford to buy a collection like this,” McCarthy affirmed. “So this is really extraordinary, because we’re reliant on donations to acquire collections.” |
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Post by Aztec Since 88 on Jul 14, 2020 10:16:49 GMT -8
I love music! A gift like this is awesome, it will show the evolution of music and how it has changed over different generations through different genres. Props to Brahm Dijkstra and his wife for such a unique and profound donation to SDSU.
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Post by AztecWilliam on Jul 14, 2020 11:07:12 GMT -8
I've been thinking about the ultimate fate of my jazz record collection, started in 1953. It is now the biggest in Fallbrook. Wonder whether SDSU will have room for my records once this terrific donation has been completed.
AzWm
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Post by junior on Jul 14, 2020 14:54:06 GMT -8
…because UCSD doesn't do vinyl.  |
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Post by AztecWilliam on Jul 21, 2020 16:38:28 GMT -8
…because UCSD doesn't do vinyl. That would be like saying, Our library doesn't do paper!AzWm |
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Post by junior on Jul 23, 2020 13:16:29 GMT -8
…because UCSD doesn't do vinyl. That would be like saying, Our library doesn't do paper!AzWm It really made me laugh when I read that in the story. UC's loss is CSU's gain - specifically at the San Diego campus. This collection will bring researchers, they'll bring grants, and there will be only good things coming from this family's donation. |
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Post by FAULK U on Jul 23, 2020 14:21:03 GMT -8
Holy Sh**! This is so damn cool and a history making event for State. This is huge. What an amazingly incredible gift of artistic significance. Coltrane was a genius and that's only part of it.
UCSD is like the witchy clerk that shooed Julia Roberts out of her swanky clothing shop in Pretty Woman. Their president right now is still trying to pick up his/her jaw off the floor before melting down. "We don't do vinyl..." Are you bleeping serious? You couldn't write this stuff.
"Remember me, remember when you didn't want to talk with me before?" "Big MISTAKE." -Vivian Ward.
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Post by jp92grad on Jul 23, 2020 15:22:59 GMT -8
Holy Sh**! This is so damn cool and a history making event for State. This is huge. What an amazingly incredible gift of artistic significance. Coltrane was a genius and that's only part of it. UCSD is like the witchy clerk that shooed Julia Roberts out of her swanky clothing shop in Pretty Woman. Their president right now is still trying to pick up his/her jaw off the floor before melting down. "We don't do vinyl..." Are you bleeping serious? You couldn't write this stuff. "Remember me, remember when you didn't want to talk with me before?" "Big MISTAKE." -Vivian Ward. WOW, You just quoted "Pretty Woman" here on Aztecmesa, never really thought I see that one here. More power to you, you go girl! (or guy, not judging) |
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Post by aztecmusician on Jul 26, 2020 9:25:17 GMT -8
For anyone who doesn’t know the music of John Coltrane, it is worth checking out. Enjoy some coffee with Central Park West or Moments Notice.....genius
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Post by AztecWilliam on Jul 26, 2020 12:03:50 GMT -8
For anyone who doesn’t know the music of John Coltrane, it is worth checking out. Enjoy some coffee with Central Park West or Moments Notice.....genius Sure enough. Let's not forget Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, ..... oh, heck, there isn't enough space to list all the greats! It's America's gift to the world of music, for sure!!!!! AzWm |
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Post by aztecmusician on Jul 26, 2020 13:00:03 GMT -8
For anyone who doesn’t know the music of John Coltrane, it is worth checking out. Enjoy some coffee with Central Park West or Moments Notice.....genius Sure enough. Let's not forget Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, ..... oh, heck, there isn't enough space to list all the greats! It's America's gift to the world of music, for sure!!!!! AzWm I will never forget those GIANTS! I will also never forget hanging out backstage with Dizzy while playing with the SDSU “A Band“ (big band) at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. We also saw Miles and Ella that trip at North Sea Jazz Fest.😎 |
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Post by jp92grad on Jul 26, 2020 13:16:47 GMT -8
Sure enough. Let's not forget Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, ..... oh, heck, there isn't enough space to list all the greats! It's America's gift to the world of music, for sure!!!!! AzWm I will never forget those GIANTS! I will also never forget hanging out backstage with Dizzy while playing with the SDSU “A Band“ (big band) at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. We also saw Miles and Ella that trip at North Sea Jazz Fest.😎 Pretty cool stuff! Now that is some Big-Time name dropping, must of been a great experience. |
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Post by FAULK U on Jul 27, 2020 11:20:59 GMT -8
I always thought the best thing about Coltrane is his playing makes Jazz more accessible to people who maybe weren't that into it before.
Buddy Rich and his ensemble played my high school about a year before he passed. Holy smoke! Unbelievable to witness and his band was unreal and I wasn't really into Jazz at all, but it was something I'll never forget.
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