The Washington DC Jazz Network welcomes The Felix Grant Jazz Archives to the Family

[WASHINGTON DC JAZZ NETWORK]

 

Welcome to the Felix Grant Jazz Archives

Felix Grant's distinctive voice was heard on WMAL for 30 years as host of The Album Sound. During his time at the station he nurtured the careers of many young musicians by introducing their music to Felix Grant Archives the Washington area.

 

 

A Member of the Washington DC Jazz Network

Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives Radio Interviews

 

 

JAZZ ARCHIVES

 

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Spring 2011 Events Schedule

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Felix Grant and Dizzy Gillespie at the White House

























Photos by Felix Grant Click to see more

I met Felix Grant back around 1973 when the late John Malachi started the jazz workshop at the "PIGFOOT" Jazz Club owned by guitarist Bill Harris. At the time I was a bus operator for Metro Bus. I attended the workshops every week and would soon be there about 5 days per week just to be around John Malachi who ended up being one of my close friends for the next 13 years until his passing.

Felix Grant and other personalities including Willard Scott, Carol Hall, Jim Vance, Sue Simmons, Max Robinson, Congressman John Dellums, Congressman John Conyers and others would drop by almost weekly and watch the up and coming jazz musicians and singers. Felix was always very incouraging as well as inspirational. In fact, the first time I ever stepped into a radio studio was with Felix Grant. He would always tell me to drop by the station  for a interview.  I didn't have any recordings on the market at the time, but I kept my trusty Sony cassette recorder with me whenever I would perform. So bingo! I was ready. I gave him a call and he invited me to come on air. With me I had a recording of my first appearance on stage at the Pigfoot with John Malachi which included Billies Bounce, A Night In Tunisia and Yard Bird Suite, and Little Boy Don't Get Scared. I still have the tape stored away in my collection of over 1,000 tapes in boxes.

 

You can say that's when I got my first interest in radio and began to "Understand the Power of Communication". Soon I would appear on Ron Sutton's Show on WHUR when they had an all jazz format and located in the trailer behind the Fine Arts building at Howard University. I woulld also appear on the Yale Lewis show (WETA)... the man with the golden voice. He was my good frieind for many years and Rusty Hassan (WAMU) who is now with WPFW. I have a tape with a Rusty, myself and Eddie Jefferson being interviewed in 1977.  

 

Congressman John Conyers who also hosted a radio show on WPFW and fiddled around with the bass invited us on his show as well .  One day I'll surprise him with the tapes... smile!

 

I rememer one day I received a call from John Malachi telling me he was going to pick me up and take me to a radio fundraiser. It was the first fundraiser for WPFW in 1977.  The station was located on 18th and U Street NW. A few years later WUDC would join the picture. DC had atleast 6 jazz stations during that time. Now we only have one "WPFW"

 

George V Johnson Jr
Executive Director
Washington DC Jazz Network
240.694.7560