Remi
Castonguay
Public Service Projects
Librarian, Yale University
Francesca
Livermore
Arts-Area Digital
Librarian, Yale University
NEMLA Spring
Meeting
Brown University
Friday
March 28, 2014

Brief Description of the Goodman
Collection
1500 arrangements* 5,000 photographs 40 scrapbooks
• Also these  clippings, programs, awards, memorobilia
* The behest includes the rights to unreleased recordings in the master tapes and to the arrangements.

Brief Description of the Films
Around 150 films
Most date from the
1950s through the early 1960s
Historical significance?

Brief Description of the Films
Irving Jacoby “Prod
55”: Master quality materials for a 1955
Columbia Recording
Studios session
Benny Goodman in
Bangkok: Master quality materials for
Goodman’s trip to
Thailand in 1956
Benny Goodman in
Brussels: Master quality materials for
Goodman’s trip to
Brussels in 1958 for the World’s Fair
John Gunther’s “High
Road Show”; entitled
“Benny Goodman: Our
Most Unusual
Ambassador”: Master quality materials for
Goodman’s trip to Holland in 1958

Brief Description of the Films
Television
Kinescopes: Various
TV shows on which
Goodman appeared
Benny Goodman in
Russia, materials documenting
Goodman’s trip in
1962 (materials processed and digitized in 2008)
The Benny
Goodman Show:
Master quality materials of
Goodman’s band at
Disneyland, 1961
Home movies that spans the years 1940s to
1950s

The Heart of the
Cold War
Jazz musicians actedas cultural ambassadors.
Goodman was the first to go to the
USSR.

The Heart of the
Cold War

Historical
Significance
After this tour and in the wake of the Bay of Pigs calamity, the Soviets accepted Benny Goodman for an official jazz tour. […] Soviet officials refused Louis Armstrong because they feared his exuberant style of jazz might ‘cause riots’
[…] [and refused Ellington because he was] ‘too far out’ […]
It was only when Avakian suggested Goodman that the
Soviets agreed to jazz. They declared, he ‘would be best….
After all, our orchestras play his music, and the public will understand his music…” After this tour and in the wake of the Bay of Pigs calamity, the Soviets accepted Benny
Goodman for an official jazz tour. […] Soviet officials refused Louis Armstrong because they feared his exuberant style of jazz might ‘cause riots’ […] [and refused Ellington because he was] ‘too far out’ […] It was only when Avakian suggested Goodman that the Soviets agreed to jazz. They declared, he ‘would be best…. After all, our orchestras play his music, and the public will understand his music…”
Davenport, Lisa E. Jazz diplomacy: Promoting
America in the cold war
era. Univ. Press of
Mississippi, 2010.

Historical
Significance
“Many hailed Goodman’s tour as a rousing and inspiring turning point on both sides of the Iron Curtain.” […] Most important, several newspapers noted that Goodman even appealed to Khrushchev, who, although mystified, voiced sincere appreciation for Goodman’s music.”
Davenport, Lisa E. Jazz diplomacy: Promoting
America in the cold war
era. Univ. Press of
Mississippi, 2010.

Historical
Significance

Historical
Significance

Historical
Significance

Historical
Significance
Congressional
Record. House.
June 24, 1958.
Congress-Session:
85- 2

Preservation assessment
Grant application submitted
David G. Jessup visits
Arcadia grant awarded
Reels by AD Value
30
25
20
40
35
15
10
5
0
0 0.1
0.5
1 1.5
2 3
Reels by AD Value

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have
Notes from bench: b+w, mos, positive safety film, edge code plus square,
1955. Some film damage at very end of tail, mild warping, splices throughout (10-15).
Notes from leader:
Band plays // Prod 59 //
End trim of 2-2 MOS
[sync mark: 2-2]; [tail sync mark: 4-2]

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have ✔
Know what you want

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have ✔
Know what you want
✔
Sync it!

Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Know what you have ✔
Know what you want
✔
Sync it! ✔
Stream it!
✔

Why save film?
Format
Content cAr4m!ne
Access