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Museum exhibit tells the story of jazz in Elmhurst

Posted April 07, 2009 11:00 pm

By Susan Dibble

Brian Bergheger, director of the Elmhurst Historical Museum, shows off portions of the jazz exhibit on display at the museum through May 24. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

It's easy to identify the real jazz fanatics when they visit Elmhurst Historical Museum's new exhibit, "Elmhurst Jazz: A Celebration of an American Art Form in Elmhurst."

"They're the ones who stand by Louis Armstrong's trumpet and want to get their picture taken," says Lance Tawzer, curator of exhibits.

Yes, Satchmo's trumpet is there, along with Benny Goodman's clarinet and a host of other information and artifacts relating to the evolution of jazz and its relationship to ... Elmhurst?

Yes, Elmhurst. Although most people might not immediately associate the leafy community with jazz, the city has quite a few connections to the most original of American music forms, Tawzer says.

Take, for instance, DownBeat magazine, a leader in jazz journalism that is read by fans in more than 100 countries around the globe. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, DownBeat has been published for the past 20 years in Elmhurst.

The magazine had a hand in getting the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival started. Back in 1967 when DownBeat was still published in Chicago, it put out a call for colleges and universities to unite in a national jazz festival.

Elmhurst College answered that challenge and became the Midwest site for the festival in 1968. When the national festival was discontinued in 1973, the college held its own Elmhurst College Jazz Festival and continues the event today, drawing big names in the business as well as college jazz bands from around the country.

Those two elements provided the foundation for the exhibit, Tawzer says.

"They (DownBeat editors) were having their 75th anniversary and we thought there was more to the story," he says. "The more we peeled that onion, the more connections we found."

The exhibit telling the story of those connections is on display through May 24 and is accompanied by several workshops and lectures on jazz.

DownBeat publisher Frank Alkyer will be at a reception for the exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. April 23. The museum worked closely with DownBeat in tracking down sources and pulling together information on jazz.

"We pointed them to sources for artifacts. They went out and got them," Alkyer says. "For a jazz fan, these are holy grail."

The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, N.Y., loaned Armstrong's trumpet, a DownBeat award he received and photos of him in Chicago.

"Louis Armstrong really started his career in Chicago," Tawzer says.

Benny Goodman, a native Chicagoan who would have been 100 this year, has an even stronger connection. One of his daughters loaned his clarinet, a bow tie and some of his books.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History sent posters for April as Jazz Appreciation Month that are given to every visitor.

Tawzer still marvels at the support the museum received from jazz institutions and aficionados who wanted the story told.

"People were really wanting to get the material out," he says. "The world of jazz is quite an interesting group. It's people who have a real passion for what they are working on."

The exhibit is part of the museum's efforts to upgrade the quality of its temporary exhibits and reach a broader audience, says Tawzer, who was hired last October to do just that.

"It's the most comprehensive in-house produced exhibit that's been done here," he says.

The exhibit isn't just for jazz insiders - not by a long shot.

"It's a good introduction to jazz. It's a good introduction to jazz in Chicago," Alkyer says.

Wall boards give short biographies of jazz musicians and list some of their most well-known works such as Duke Ellington's "Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing."

Jazz styles are identified and described, and a glossary defines jazz terms such as in "boogieman" (jazz critic). A "Tools of the Trade" display features musical instruments used in playing jazz.

"They weren't rock stars. These people really were sort of like blue-collar workers. The instruments were their tools," Tawzer says.

Jazz music emanates from a display on the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival. Tawzer himself was the student manager for the jazz festival's 25th anniversary while attending Elmhurst College in 1992.

The festival and the college's jazz program are going strong today, says Doug Beach, director of jazz studies at Elmhurst College.

"There is a strong jazz presence in this town," Beach says. "We're excited that the museum was interested enough in what was going on to put this exhibit together."

For those inspired to hear some jazz, the exhibit includes a community calendar of venues where jazz is played.

Tawzer is hoping the exhibit draws jazz devotees as well as more casual visitors. One group of 60 Bix Beiderbecke fans, who included a member from Denmark, made a pilgrimage from Racine, Wis., to see it.

"We've had quite a lot of groups come through," Tawzer says.

About the exhibit

The exhibit "Elmhurst Jazz: A Celebration of an American Art Form in Elmhurst" is up through May 24 at the Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst. Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The museum also is holding several events connected with the exhibit. For details, call (630) 530-6874.

• Family craft workshops featuring jazz-themed activities are from 1 to 3 p.m. April 10 and 26 and May 13 in the education center next door to the museum.

• Art historian Jeff Mishur speaks on "Images of the Jazz Age" at an adult Tea Time Talk at 1 p.m. April 16 in the education center.

• A jazz musician plays from 1 to 5 p.m. April 17 at the Elmhurst Historical Museum during Elmhurst Museum Day.

• A reception for the jazz exhibit is from 5 to 7 p.m. April 23 at the museum.

• Frank Alkyer, publisher of DownBeat magazine, speaks on "75 years of DownBeat" at an adult Tea Time Talk at 1 p.m. May 21 in the education center.

Chicago native Benny Goodman has his own section in the jazz exhibit. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Benny Goodman, a Chicagoan who catapulted to jazz stardom, is prominently featured in the jazz exhibit at Elmhurst Historical Museum. Courtesy of Elmhurst Historical Museum

DownBeat magazine, which is published in Elmhurst and is celebrating is 75th anniversary this year, has featured all the jazz legends, including Louis Armstrong. Courtesy of Elmhurst Historical Museum

The "Tools of the Trade" display shows the instruments most commonly used in playing jazz. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Elmhurst residents Haley Goulding, Rahil Modi, Coleman Goulding and Jack Wagner look at the unfolding history of DownBeat magazine, the "bible" of jazz journalism that is published in Elmhurst. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

A Benny Goodman clarinet is among the artifacts in the "Elmhurst Jazz: A Celebration of an American Art Form in Elmhurst" exhibit. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

Brian Bergheger, director of the Elmhurst Historical Museum, stands in the Elmhurst jazz exhibit on display at the museum through May 24. Daniel White | Staff Photographer

<table width="290" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tr><td> Test your knowledge Whether you don't know much about jazz or consider yourself a die-hard fan, the answers to these questions can be found in the jazz exhibit at the Elmhurst Historical Museum (or at the bottom of this column). 1. What jazz artist gave DownBeat magazine a reason to exist in the 1930s? 2. Which recently deceased jazz great performed at and judged the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival three times? 3. What are definitions of the following jazz terms? a. Frisking the whiskers b. Bust your conk c. Togged to the bricks 4. What well-known, 125-year-old company that makes drums and guitars has an Elmhurst College graduate as its president? 5. What jazz artist was the first to perform at Ravinia in 1938 and the crowd was so raucous that Ravinia didn't have another jazz concert for 19 years? 6. What year did Louis Armstrong receive a first place award from DownBeat magazine for being named top male vocalist in its critics' poll? 7. How many years has DownBeat magazine been in existence? 8. What Melrose Park company made a Dizzy Gillespie trumpet model? 9. What two Chicago natives who rose to jazz stardom would be 100 years old in 2009? The questions and answers provided by Lance Tawzer, curator of exhibits at the museum. Answers: 1. Benny Goodman 2. Louis Bellson 3. (a) Players warming up their instruments before a gig (b) Apply yourself diligently (c) Dressed to kill from head to toe 4. Gretsch Music, led by Fred Gretsch 5. Benny Goodman 6. 1955 (He won other years, but the 1955 award is in the exhibit.) 7. 75 years 8. Schilke Music Products (whose owners live in Elmhurst) 9. Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa</td></tr></table>

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