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Dave Linn

My resume includes being a Jazz DJ, a Concert Promoter, a Reviewer and a major Jazz LP/CD Box Set Collector

About Me

My ears were exposed early due to my older brother controlling the turntable in our bedroom. He was a trumpet player, so I first heard artists like Maynard Ferguson, Booker Little and Chet Baker before he went on an extended Miles Davis period. At that time, I was more interested in the 60s blues rock scene, but that changed after hearing Mahavishnu Orch and Miles' Bitches Brew. My first 2 concerts were Miles at Fillmore East and Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground band w/ Larry Coryell and Sonny Sharrock. It was during my College days at Binghamton, NY where my interest exploded. WHRW-FM offered a free format and like minded people where I was able to educate myself on Jazz's history. I became the Jazz Dept Director along w/ running the Jazz Concert group, booking acts like Sonny Rollins, Billy Harper, Woody Show and many others. I later did radio at NPR and KSDS-FM in San Diego for many years. I later was able to co-produce (w/Herbie Mann) a series of Jazz Cruises in NY Harbor. Before graduating college, I took a year off and volunteered in NYC writing album and concert reviews for College Media Journal (CMJ), and wrote press releases for John Snyder's Artist House Records. During my NY years, I was a regular at the top clubs like Blue Note, Lush Life, Village Vanguard. My regular hangout was Bradley's nightclub, a piano bar that had no cover charge and the greatest piano players almost every night. In San Diego after my radio gig ended, I worked as the CFO of San Diego Street Scene, which before Coachella was the largest music festival west of the Mississippi. The owner and I had similar eclectic tastes and he allowed me to book acts along with my main financial functions. I am now retired and look forward to having an outlet to explore and communicate my love of jazz.

My Jazz Story

The best (most favorite) show I ever attended was...Art Pepper at Fat Tuesday's In April of 1981. Art Pepper became my favorite jazz player during my years in Binghamton. His ability to swing, play ballads along with the biting edge he developed after his post San Quentin days, to my ears, set him apart from everyone else. Along with my best friend (also a Pepper fanatic), we made the trek down to the Gramercy Park area of NYC to witness the master in person. We were not disappointed. He played beauty, love and pain with equal amounts of compassion and understanding. We stayed for both sets and I got a chance to speak with him during the break. I had brought an old Jazztone Records LP he played on called, "Hoagy Sings Carmichael With The Pacific Jazzmen" arranged by Johnny Mandel. When I gave it to him to sign, a big smile appeared on his face. "I haven't seen this album in a LONG time" he said. He then proceeded to tell us a story about the sessions and how Hoagy hated the idea of having solos in the middle of the songs. I'll always feel blessed I had the chance to see Art Pepper perform live AND a chance to let him know how much his music meant to me. As Rahsaan Roland Kirk would say, "Bright Moments"