Jazz Night, Mediterranean buffet, conversation make mellifluous combination

National Press Club members enjoyed a wonderful evening of jazz music, conversation and delicious food May 23 as the Events Committee presented a book talk by author Larry Tye followed by live music by musicians from Washington's Blues Alley. 

In a conversation moderated by Alexanrda Bowman and noted local emcee Brogan Smith, Tye told stories of the 250 interviews he conducted for his book The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie Transformed America. He explained how the artists' influence went well beyond music. 

"We all knew what kind of musicians these guys were," Tye said. "My thesis was, that these guys did something, that they had a whole legacy that the world wasn't so familiar with, that was almost as important, I would argue, as their musical legacy," he said. "And that was the legacy of their contributions to the world in civil rights and human rights."

Tye said it's never too late for biographers to take on worthwhile subjects like this one. "Many of the people I interviewed said I was 20 years too late. But if I had done it 20 years earlier, it would have been 2,500 interviews," he said.

Following the talk, Tye was given a recording of a Louis Armstrong performance at the Club in January 1971, shortly before he died.

Members then went up to the Reliable Source to load up platefuls of amazing lamb, hake and other delicious food from the Mediterranean buffet and brought them back down to the First Amendment Lounge where they enjoyed live music by Blues Alley musicians Paul Smith (bass), Kian Linam (piano) and Ben Cocarro (drums).

The takeaway of the evening: It's never too late to write about jazz greats!