The Big Five: Jewish Swing & Jazz Musicians

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. The JCCSF is delighted to welcome Dave Radlauer, the jazz Rhythm man, for his first presentation. Dave will show lively video clips celebrating noteworthy Jews of Swing and Jazz.  Strongly contrasting personalities Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw were among the most creative and successful figures of American entertainment. Ziggy Elman made a Yiddish folk dance into the Swing era hit, “And the Angels Sing.” Buddy Rich was an infant when he started dancing in his parents’ vaudeville act and went on to become a jazz drummer virtuoso. Born in Russia before 1900, the career of singer Sophie Tucker won success in the Ziegfeld Follies, vaudeville, records, radio and television. Enjoy learning more about how these highly talented and innovative Jews contributed to Jazz.  

Dave Radlauer is a broadcaster, writer, researcher and storyteller who has been presenting early Jazz and Swing for 40 years. He has garnered six broadcast awards, published 200 articles, donated a jazz collection to the Stanford University Libraries and taught courses for the Osher Institutes at UCLA, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State and Dominican Universities. 

To further celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month – please join us for The Gary Zellerbach Duo – Jazz Guitar and Bass performance on Thursday, April 25, in our atrium.