This live broadcast from Overlook Mountain will be the fourth in a multipart series devoted to showcasing overlooked jazz musicians whose careers were sadly cut short by early deaths, whether due to disease, accidents, addiction, murder or mysterious circumstances. The series, “Points of Departure," which is named after an Andrew Hill album, will survey nearly 100 musicians from across 110 years of recordings, beginning with a rag by Scott Joplin from 1907 and ending on a recording by Jaimie Branch from 2017. This installment will conclude the list of those who died of disease and will begin those who died accidentally. “Overlooked” host Rob Saffer collaborated with jazz archivist Marc Epstein to select recordings that offer points of departure to envisiohn what these talented artists might have done had they lived longer. 

Playlist: 

Epistrophy - Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

Vitus Labrusca (“Overlooked” theme) - Ben LaMar Gay

Jumpin’ Jupiter - Baby Fae Willette

Fly Little Bird Fly - Freddie Waits

Encounter - Albert Dailey

Saudia - Larry Young

Demon’s Dance - Ronnie Boykins

Seranade to a Cuckoo - Roland Kirk

Wish You Sunshine - Johnny Dyani

Blues for Wood - Carter Jefferson

Skate Board Park - Joe Farrell

Green Dolphin Street - Woody Shaw

Black Nile - Kenny Kirkland

Changes Two Tires - Thomas Chapin

Ms. Garvey - Roy Hargrove

St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith

Wailing Blues - Frankie Teschemacher

Blowin’ Up A Breeze - Chu Berry

Rifftide - Denzil Best

Bous Bier - Joe Gordon

Sandu - Clifford Brown

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 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.