ONLINE: Kurt Dietrich

×

Expand

Jim Koepnick

Kurt Dietrich

There's no shortage of books about jazz music, but retired Ripon College professor Kurt Dietrich provides a tome unlike any we've seen in the past. Wisconsin Riffs: Jazz Profiles from the Heartland (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2018) builds a history of the genre in the Badger State through essays on its players. From legends such as Woody Herman and Les Paul, Dietrich brings the story right up to the current day with performers such as Hanah Jon Taylor and Nick Moran, who you can see and hear play in local clubs (well, once we are all back at live shows). A player himself in Wisconsin since the 1970s, Dietrich shares his unique insight on a genre and musicians often overlooked in the state's musical history. He'll discuss the book during the next WHS Book Bites livestream, on Facebook.

media release: Join Wisconsin Historical Society for "Book Bites" - a series of brief Facebook Live book talks from the WHS Press exploring all things Wisconsin! The series will stream on the WHS Press Facebook page on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

On March 3 Kurt Dietrich discusses his book Wisconsin Riffs: Jazz Profiles from the Heartland

Although New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago are often considered the epicenters of American jazz, this extensive, upbeat compilation of jazz musician biographies details Wisconsin's rich association the genre since its  the inception of the genre in the early 1900s. Iconic musicians Bunny Berigan, Woody Herman, Les Paul, and Al Jarreau all hailed from Wisconsin, as have many other influential players, composers, and teachers. Wisconsin Riffs features these musicians side-by-side-from the world-renowned to obscure regional artists-to portray a comprehensive history of jazz in Wisconsin.

Kurt Dietrich retired as Professor of Music and Barbara Baldwin De Frees Professor of Performing Arts at Ripon College at the end of the 2018-19 school year, where he taught since 1980. He was trombonist with Matrix, with which he recorded for RCA, Warner Brothers, Pablo and Summit Records.  He continues to do freelance playing, in both jazz and classical groups.  His first book, Duke’s ‘Bones:  Ellington’s Great Trombonists, was published in 1995.  His second book, Jazz ‘Bones: The World of Jazz Trombone, appeared in 2005.  He has also contributed to Annual Review of Jazz Studies, Black Music Research Journal, International Dictionary of Black Composers and other publications. Visit him at www.kurtdietrich.net