In the 1970s, some of the most promising jazz musicians occupied cheap spaces in downtown New York City that became known as jazz lofts. These included Ornette Coleman’s Artist House and Ali’s Alley, started by drummer Rashied Ali. Loft jazz was notable for its energy, originality and musicianship by forward-thinking musician-composers such as Henry Threadgill, Julius Hemphill, David Murray, Hamiet Bluiett and Sam Rivers, who ran Studio Rivbea, one of the most active and popular jazz lofts, with his wife Bea. Producer Alan Douglas captured the vibrant loft jazz scene in a five LP set known as Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions, recorded in May 1976. This “Overlooked” program will feature the highlights of these amazing recordings. Host Rob Saffer will be joined by jazz archivist Marc Epstein, a periodic contributor to “Overlooked” since 2016.

After the local news at noon, “Overlooked” is a show focusing on overlooked and under-heard jazz, improvisational, and other fringe music, from early roots to contemporary experiments, a mix of familiar to rare, classic to weird. Live from the shadow of Overlook Mountain in Ulster County.

Host Rob Saffer is the former Executive Director and Producer of the Creative Music Foundation. While living in Brooklyn for 25 years, he served on advisory boards for Celebrate Brooklyn and Symphony Space. He also curated the Brooklyn Museum’s summer jazz series and helped found The Mingus Big Band.

Playlist:
73 degrees -S Kelvin - Anthony Braxton
Locomotif No. 6 - Leo Smith
Vitus Labrusca ("Overlooked" theme) - Ben LaMar Ga
Jays - Kalaparusha
New Times - Ken McIntyre
Rainbows - Sam Rivers
Use Dance - Air 
Portrait of Frank Edward Weston - Randy Weston
Clarity Two - Michael Gregory Jackson
Blue Phase -  Ahmed Abdullah 
Short Short - Andrew Cyrille
Tranquil Beauty - Hamlet Bluiett
Pensive - Julius Hemphill
Push Pull - Jimmy Lyons
Zaki - Oliver Lake 
Shout Song - David Murray