HAMPTON HAWES ON JAZZ CAPSULE WITH GERALD WILSON

Gerald Wilson went on the air every day on KBCA-FM radio in Los Angeles. The show was called “Jazz Capsule” and each day Gerald would do a live interview with a Jazz musician and play their music for 2 hours. Dennis Smith was the DJ who worked with Gerald and when I approached him and asked if they were recording their guests he admitted that they were not. I was then using the new Sony Port-a-Pak (AV-3400) that recorded on ½-inch reel-to-reel videotape, and I suggested that we begin taping the guests. I remember telling him this was the history of the music and needed to be captured This 18-minute video recording of Hampton Hawes was made almost 50-years-ago, and there are a couple of glitches in the tapes, which is to be expected. Hampton had a story to tell, as he had just published his book Raise Up Off Me, which tells the story of his addiction and imprisonment, his pardon from JFK, and his motives for writing the book (with Don Asher), but at this time his life was turning around. He was now trying to “make it a happier world.” If you go on Amazon you’ll see that hardcover editions today are selling for $245. Yikes! Paperbacks are much more reasonable. It’s definitely worth the read.