The Connection: the Living Theater and Hardbop Jazz
Posted in Shows on Sep 8th, 2008
The Connection was a groundbreaking 1959 off-Broadway play from New York City’s Living Theater group, written by Jack Gelber, that cast jazz musicians as heroin addicts waiting for a score. Artists that passed through the play included pianist Freddie Redd (who composed the original score), alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, and pianist Cecil Taylor. The Connection was made into a 1961 movie directed by Shirley Clarke, who would go on to…
Alto saxophonist, composer, and arranger Gigi Gryce is best remembered today for jazz standards such as “Minority” and “Nica’s Tempo,” but he made other important contributions that included pioneering self-publishing for musicians…
