Sidney and Bessie – Episode 12

“Somebody told me this Bessie, she was the damnedest singer, and I asked her to sing, and that’s how it started. Just as soon as she started out I knew her voice was something that would really have the public going.” That’s legendary New Orleans born jazz saxophonist and clarinetist Sidney Bechet recounting memories from his collaborations with Bessie Smith, just one of the sections from Bechet’s autobiography which we feature on this week’s episode. Bechet spent much of his time in Paris, and had a knack for finding trouble. In his own words, we are given a glimpse into his many journeys, a stint he served in prison, and his work with Bessie and others. Of course, we will feature much of his wonderful, energetic music along the way. Before we dive into Bechet, Joe discusses some of the new realities of home based education and introduces a hilarious and prescient New Yorker piece from a decade ago called “Home Colleging,” read here by Barbara Rosenblit.