THE HUMAN JAZZ ENCYCLOPEDIA
Michael “Moon” Stevens has an almost photographic memory for jazz facts. Moon gets most of his information from reading jazz bios and LP liner notes. Moon grew up in Flint, Michigan, and knew John Sinclair, a well-known jazz aficionado. I’m not sure why Moon is “Moon.” I see him about once a year, when he visits family in Cleveland. Moon is a painter at the Los Angeles airport. Moon was talking to his brother-in-law, Lewis, and me about Albert Ayler, Pharaoh Sanders, Joe Maneri, Charlie Parker, Roland Kirk and Bill Evans. Lewis mentioned Bill Evans was Jewish.
“How do you know Evans is Jewish, Lewis?” I said. “Do you wake up in the morning and wonder who’s Jewish, and who isn’t?” I do. But why would Lewis, who isn’t Jewish. Neither is Moon.
“I grew up in Greenwich Village,” Lewis said. “New York was a very Jewish town when I grew up.”
“If somebody shoots somebody, or if somebody wins the Nobel Prize, I wonder if the guy is Jewish,” I said. “That’s my M.O.”
Moon said, “Bill Evans wasn’t Jewish. His father was Welsh and his mother was Russian Orthodox.”
Lewis corroborated this on Google.
Impressive, Moon.
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Was Dave Brubeck Jewish? Here’s that one . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaWvixN_a9Q
5 comments
It’s certainly always been a pastime with me. My parents were into it too but did not have all the more-or-less accurate resources we have today. Wikipedia is pretty reliable with this. It’s getting more and more difficult , with all the people now with basically or often Jewish names but who in fact are not Jewish. The names confusion runs contrary to the ruling that it’s what the mother is that counts (unlike in Bibical times).
“hence the beak”
I listen (still) to all of the 6 jazzmen who you mention in your post, but most frequently — almost daily — to Bill Evans. To me the coolness and subtlety of his music is a Jewish cosmopolitan quality, hence the attraction. That, and I just like Jews.
I agree with what you’ve said, Bert – Jews go with dark chocolate….
Dave Brubeck may or may not have been Jewish but he WAS a civil rights advocate.. During World War II when the armed forces still were segregated he put two black guys in his band.
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