FRANKLY JAZZ with Frank Evans

Jazz returned to the television screen in Los Angeles in the summer of 1962. The first program was created for syndication by Steve Allen who hired Jimmie Baker to produce the shows. Baker was a veteran jazz TV producer who had been one of the creative forces responsible for the award winning Stars of Jazz TV series that ran from June of 1956 through January of 1959 on local LA screens. Jazz Scene U.S.A. began filming in April of 1962 at CBS Studios in Hollywood. The first jazz group selected for that series, The Jazz Crusaders, were also selected by Frank Evans when he launched the second jazz on TV series in Los Angeles on channel 5, KTLA, in August of 1962, Frankly Jazz.

Frank Evans was selected to narrate the story line for a hi-fi sampler that Dick Bock’s Pacific Jazz records released in 1955 entitled Assorted Flavors of Pacific Jazz. William Claxton’s cover photograph for the album caught a young tot savoring an ice cream cone, two scoops that were melting faster than she could devour them. Woody Woodward wrote the copy that occupies side one of the sampler. The story line traces the evolution of Pacific Jazz Records with clips of music accompanying Evans emphatic voice as he navigates the recordings of Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Cy Touff, Bud Shank, Laurindo Almeida, and others that put Pacific Jazz in the forefront of American jazz in the early 1950s.

The back liner note of the album profiled Evans.

The affable voice of handsome, astute, 39-year-old Frank Evans has long been a soothing element in Los Angeles radio for jazz and general listeners alike. A well-rounded man, Evans’ background includes acting, writing, and production in radio, TV, and the Broadway theater. At one time he taught announcing and jazz history at Columbia. Now an announcer and disc jockey for Mutual’s KHJ, Evans has divers duties, both local and network, but his jazz shows are closest to his heart. This interest in his subject plus his fine vocal presence made him a logical choice to narrate this album.

The Los Angeles Times published a profile of Frank Evans in their December 29, 1957, edition that featured his “Frankly Jazz” program on KRHM-FM (94.7) on the dial.

Outlook for FM – Frank Evans Spins the Records

By Boots Lebanon

FM listeners had better tune to KRHM , If, that is, they would like to hear the voice of a writer, musician, actor, amateur jeweler and announcer, Frank Evans.

            They may not get a complete rundown on the jewelry business, but they will be listening to an FM broadcaster who knows his music. Frank has been in the entertainment field since 1937. He is a graduate of NYU and a veteran of two Broadway shows.

            His most outstanding achievement in announcing was receiving the H. P. Davis Award for being the best NBC-radio announcer. This award is given once a year.

            All of Frank’s programs are selected from his still growing collection of more than 8,000 LP albums. He tapes his own music and believes that “listeners want to hear good music, not just the top 10 tunes of the present day.”

            He features music from all eras, especially jazz-style melodies on his “Frankly Jazz” show heard Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 5 P.M. His other program, “Around the World in Hi-Fi,” runs seven days a week from 6 to 7 p.m., also on KRHM (94.7).

Evan’s “Frankly Jazz” program on KRHM FM radio moved to the afternoon slot from 1 – 5 p.m. in the 1960s when he hosted a thirty-minute show on channel 5, KTLA television. Initially the show broadcast at 8 p.m. After a few shows it moved to a late night slot at 10 p.m. during the balance of the show’s twenty-four segment run.

Frankly Jazz replaced Swinging at the Summit on KTLA television when it debuted on August 4, 1962. Swinging at the Summit was Bob Gefaell’s remote broadcast from his club at 6507 Sunset Boulevard that debuted in March of 1962 and aired weekly through July when it was replaced by the Evans program. Terry Gibbs and his 17-piece band enjoyed an extended engagement at The Summit where some of the performances were recorded and released years later when it was promoted as the “The Terry Gibbs Dream Band” on Fantasy Records.

The space at 6507 Sunset Boulevard was known as Bill Whisling’s Club Hawaii in the early 1950s when artists such as Wardell Gray, Sonny Criss, Billy Hadnott, Hampton Hawes, Art Farmer, Frank Morgan, Damita Jo, and Chuck Thompson were featured on the bill. Later on it was known as Whisling’s Hawaii in newspaper ads during an extended engagement of the Warne Marsh Quintet. It was advertised as Whisling’s Modern Jazz Room in April of 1957 when the Ronnie Ball Trio was the featured combo.

My first introduction to Frankly Jazz occurred at Ken Poston’s Jazz West Coast festival at Redondo Beach in 1994. Ken engaged film archivist, Mark Cantor, to screen jazz on film to begin each morning after a panel session that started at 9 a.m. Segments from Frankly Jazz and Stars of Jazz were featured. I believe that Lance Evans attended this event as well.

Ken Poston has continued to feature segments from Frankly Jazz at his twice a year events where the content was appropriate to the theme of the festival.

Research on this remarkable TV series continues to be one of my priorities. Like all jazz research, there will be changes as new evidence emerges. A prime example was the recent announcement by the UCLA Film & Television Archive that they had acquired three episodes of Frankly Jazz that had been recorded on 2″ videotape.

A special thanks to those who have assisted in this research: Tabo Oishi, Mark Quigley, Lance Evans, Ken Poston, Rod Nicas, Cynthia Sesso, Ken Koenig, Steve Cerra, Ray Avery, John Hardy, and David Meeker.

Program 1
August 4, 1962 (verified)
8:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 08/03/62
Frankly Jazz
Jazz Crusaders / Mary Ann McCall
Wilton Felder, reeds; Wayne Henderson, trombone; Joe Sample, piano; Victor Gaskin, bass; Stix Hooper, drums. Mary Ann McCall, vocal.

1. Evans intro to The Jazz Crusaders
2. THE YOUNG RABBITS (Wayne Henderson)
3. Evansintro to Mary Ann McCall
4. AFTER YOU’VE GONE (Henry Creamer, Turner Layton)
5. Evans comments
6. FREEDOM SOUND (Joe Sample)
7. Evans comments
8. TORTOISE AND THE HARE (Joe Sample)
9. Evans closing . . .”later” – WEATHER BEAT (JOE SAMPLE)

Program 2
August 11, 1962
8:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Clare Fischer and a surprise guest.
No details.

Program 3
August 18, 1962
8:00 channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Curtis Amy Group / James Bradley Jr. (4 year old drummer)

1. TWENTY-FOUR HOUR BLUES
2. C-JAM BLUES (Bradley feature)
   No other details.

Program 4
August 25, 1962
8:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Harold Land / Carmell Jones
Harold Land, tenor sax; Carmell Jones, trumpet; George Morrow, bass; Frank Butler, drums.

1. SI SI (Charlie Parker)
2. Evans intro to the show
3. VENDETTA (Harold Land)
4. Evans intro to PROJECT EIGHT
5. PROJECT EIGHT (Carmell Jones)
6. Evans intro to THE WALTZ I DIDN’T SAVE FOR YOU
7. THE WALTZ I DIDN’T SAVE FOR YOU (Harold land)
8. Evans closing comments – SI SI (Charlie (Parker)

Program 5
September 1, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Bud Shank / Hoyt Axton
Bud Shank, alto sax, baritone sax, flute; Joe Pass, guitar; Joe Burnett, flugelhorn; Gary Peacock, bass; Bill Goodwin, drums. Hoyt Axton, vocal & guitar.

1. Frank Evans intro to Bud Shank and Hoyt Axton
2. DANCE OF THE SEA MONSTERS (Bud Shank)
3. Evans introduction to Shank movie soundtrack
4. ROY’S THEME (Bud Shank)
5. Frank Evans intro to Hoyt Axton
6. GREENBACK DOLLAR (Ken Ramsey, Hoyt Axton)
7. Frank Evans introduces the musicians
8. BAREFOOT ADVENTURE (Bud Shank)
9. Evans closing comments

No Program
September 8, 1962
“Speedway International”

Program 6
September 15, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Carmell Jones / Harold Land / Irene Kral
Carmell Jones, trumpet; Harold Land, tenor sax; John Huston, piano; Victor Gaskin, bass; Lawrence Marable, drums. Irene Kral, vocal.

1. I’M GONNA GO FISHIN’ (Duke Ellington, Peggy Lee)
2. Evans Kral intro
3. SOMETIMES I’M HAPPY (I. Caesar, V. Youmans, C. Grey)
4. Evans comments
5. COME RAIN OR COME SHINE (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer)
6. Evans intro to SUEARL
7. SUEARL (Harold Land)
8. Evans closing comments – BLOOMDIDO (Charlie Parker)

Program 7
September 22, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
The Jazz Crusaders / Soupy Sales
Wilton Felder, reeds; Wayne Henderson, trombone; Joe Sample, piano; Victor Gaskin, bass; Stix Hooper, drums.

1. Sales and Evans exchange and DEACON BROWN (Wilton Felder)
   No other details.

Program 8
September 29, 1962
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Frank Butler / Teddy Edwards
No details.

Program 9
October 6, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Howard Rumsey & The Lighthouse All-Stars / Lou Rawls
Howard Rumsey, bass; Bob Cooper, tenor sax; Bobby Bryant, trumpet; Forrest Westbrook, piano; Doug Sides, drums. Lou Rawls, vocal.

1. ONE FOR BUCK (Forrest Westbrook)
2. Evans comments
3. IN THE EVENING WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (Leroy Carr)
4. Evans comments
5. BOSSA NOVA (Bob Cooper)
6. Evans and Rumsey
7. WILLOW WEEP FOR ME (Ann Ronell)
8. Evans closing remarks
9. TOPSY (Ed Durham, Edgar Battle)

Program 10
October 13, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 10/12/62
Frankly Jazz
Shelly Manne / Irene Kral / Henry Mancini
Shelly Manne, drums; Conte Candoli, trumpet; Richie Kamuca, tenor sax; Russ Freeman, piano; Monty Budwig, bass. Irene Kral, vocal. Henry Mancini, guest.

1. Evans introduction
2. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE (Cole Porter)
3. Evans comments
4. FORGETFUL (Handy, Segal)
5. THE BREEZE AND I (Ernesto Lecuona, Al Stillman) [announced incorrectly as “The Blues and I”]
6. Evans interviews Hank Mancini and Shelly Manne [discussion of Mancini awards – Peter Gunn TV series]
7. STRAIGHT, NO CHASER (Thelonious Monk)
8. Closing theme

Program 11
October 20, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 10/19/62
Frankly Jazz
Victor Feldman / Sammy Davis, Jr.
Victor Feldman, vibraphone; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Bob Whitlock, bass; Kenny Dennis, drums.
Sammy Davis Jr, vibraphone; Reunald Jones, trumpet; Terry Rosen, guitar; George Rhodes, piano; Michael Silva, drums; Bob Whitlock, bass.

1. AZULE SERAPE (Victor Feldman) Evans Introduction
2. GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley)
3. Evans and Davis
4. WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I? (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley)
5. Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Evans
6. BLUES JAM
7. Davis and Evans closing comments/ AZULE SERAPE (Victor Feldman)

Program 12
October 27, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 10/25/62
Frankly Jazz
Paul Horn / Jimmy Witherspoon
Paul Horn, alto sax, flute; Paul Moer, piano; Larry Bunker, vibraphone; Victor Gaskin, bass; Milt Turner, drums. Jimmy Witherspoon, vocal.

1. Evans intro to Horn
2. COUNT YOUR CHANGE (Paul Horn)
3. Evans comment
4. ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET (Bronislau Kaper, Ned Washington)
5. Evans comment
6. IT’S A LOWDOWN DIRTY SHAME
7. Evans comment
8. WE THREE KINGS (Rev. John Henry Hopkins)
9. Evans closing comments

Program 13
November 3, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Jack Wilson Quartet
Jack Wilson, piano; Roy Ayers, vibraphone; Al McKibbon, bass; Nick Martinis, drums.

1. THE FOURTH DEUCE (George Shearing)
   No other details.

Program 14
November 10, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 11/05/62
Frankly Jazz
Bud Shank / Clare Fischer / Terry Morel
Bud Shank, alto sax; Clare Fischer, piano; Gary Peacock, bass; Larry Bunker, drums; Frank Guerrero, percussion; Terry Morel, vocal.

1. Evans Shank introduction
2. SAMBA DE BORBOLETA (Clare Fischer)
3. Evans comments
4. WISTFUL SAMBA (Clare Fischer)
5. Evans comments
6. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY (Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg)
7. Evans comments
8. MISTY (Erroll Garner)

Program 15
November 17, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 11/16/62 (some Peter Evans segments recorded earlier)
Frankly Jazz
Guitars: Joe Pass / Peter Evans
Joe Pass, guitar; Gary Peacock, bass; Bruce Paulson, piano; Al Mannion, drums; Peter Evans, guitar.

1. Frank Evans introduction Joe Pass
2. THE SONG IS YOU (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein)
3. Evans on Flamenco
4. BULERIAS (traditional)
5. Evans Intro Evans
6. SOLEARES (traditional)
7. Evans comments
8. SONNY MOON FOR TWO (Sonny Rollins)
9. Evans closing comments

Program 16
November 24, 1962 (appearance not verified)
10:30 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Sounds of Synanon
Joe Pass, guitar; Bill Crawford, drums; Greg Dykes, trombone; Dave Allan, trumpet; Ronald Clark, bass; Arnold Ross. piano.
The Goldcoast Singers
Ed Rush and George Cromarty
No details.

Program 17
December 1, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:30 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Frank Strazzeri / David Allyn
Frank Strazzeri, piano; Carmell Jones, trumpet; Joe “Mouse” Bonati, alto sax; Bob Whitlock, bass; Nick Martinis, drums, David Allyn, vocal.

1. Evans introduction
2. NEW ORLEANS (Hoagy Carmichael)
3. Intro to KID’S DELIGHT
4. KID’S DELIGHT (Frank Strazzeri)
5. Evans introduces the musicians
6. INJUN JOE (Frank Strazzeri)
7. Evans closing comments
   No details regarding David Allyn’s vocal.

Program 18
December 8, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 12/05/62
Frankly Jazz
Gerald Wilson Big Band – Record Date 12/5/62
Gerald Wilson, trumpet, leader; Al Porcino, Jules Chaikin, John Audino, Fred R Hill, trumpet; Bobby Knight, John Ewing, Bob Edmondson, Louis Blackburn, trombone; Buddy Collette, flute, alto sax; Joe Maini, alto sax; Teddy Edwards, Henry Grant, tenor sax; Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Jack Wilson Jr., piano; Jimmy Bond, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.

1. BLUES FOR YNA YNA (Gerald Wilson)
2. MILESTONES (Miles Davis)
3. Evans introduction
4. LATINO (Gerald Wilson)
5. Evans comments
6. PERDIDO (Juan Tizol, Erwin Drake, Hans Jan “Harry” Lengsfelder)
7. Evans comments
8. BLUES FOR YNA YNA (Gerald Wilson)

Program 19
December 15, 1962 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 12/11/62
Frankly Jazz
Curtis Amy / Dupree Bolton
Curtis Amy, tenor sax; Dupree Bolton, trumpet; Dolo Coker, piano; Holland Crawford, guitar; Victor Gaskin, bass; Ronald Selico, drums.

1. Evans intro to Curtis Amy
2. SUMMERTIME (George Gershwin, D. Heyward)
3. Evans comments
4. KATANGA (Dupree Bolton)
5. Evans comments on KATANGA
6. LAURA (David Raksin)
7. Evans comments LAURA
8. BLUES FOR AMY
9. Closing comments & theme

Program 20
December 22, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m.channel 5
Frankly Jazz
No details.

Program 21
December 29, 1962 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
The Les McCann Trio
Les McCann, piano; (probable sidemen) Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Ron Jefferson; drums.

1. THE SHAMPOO (Les McCann)
2. Year end closing comments – Evans & Les McCann Trio

Program 22
January 5, 1963
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz

No details.

Program 23
January 12, 1963 (appearance date not verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5
Frankly Jazz
Lalo Schifrin
No details.

Program 24
January 19, 1963 (verified)
10:00 p.m. channel 5 – session recording date 01/16/63
Frankly Jazz
Shorty Rogers and His Giants (entire segment – restored audio)
Shorty Rogers, fluegel horn; Joe Maini, tenor sax; Pete Jolly, piano; Max Bennett, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.

1. Evans welcome
2. MARTIAN BOSSA NOVA (Shorty Rogers)
3. Evans comments
4. I’M GONNA GO FISHIN’ (Duke Ellington, Peggy Lee)
5. Evans comments
6. TIME WAS (Bob Russell, Miguel Prado)
7. Evans closing comments

Frankly Jazz was replaced in the KTLA line-up by The Ray Anthony Show that debuted on January 26, 1963.