Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of audiotapes created during the production of the radio series "Jazz Smithsonian." Hosted by Lena Horne, the series features the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in concert, performing classic American jazz of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, as well as oral histories of American jazz legends. Each show is one hour in length. The series premiered in January 1994 on 170 radio stations in the United States and on national networks in Australia and New Zealand. In 1995, it was the most successful jazz series ever distributed by Public Radio International. The series ran through 2001 with up to 13 shows per season. A CD featuring the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, using many of the same recordings as the series, was released in 1996 for the retail market. Materials include original master recordings, safety copies, production masters, and interviews, primarily on DAT, Hi8 Metal-E, and Metal-P tapes. A few track and program sheets can be found in Box 16. Some materials are in electronic format.