{"id":2133,"date":"2016-10-12T17:34:53","date_gmt":"2016-10-12T21:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=2133"},"modified":"2019-09-12T12:53:01","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:53:01","slug":"dr-richard-wang-enabler-of-aacm-experimentalists-rip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2016\/10\/dr-richard-wang-enabler-of-aacm-experimentalists-rip.html","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Richard Wang, enabler of AACM experimentalists, RIP"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Richard “Dick” Wang \/ no copyright infringement intended<\/p><\/div>\n

In his first college teaching job at Wilson Junior College<\/a> during the early 1960s, trumpeter Dick Wang<\/strong> encountered a\u00c2\u00a0cadre of exploratory young Chicago musicians who would soon form the AACM<\/a> (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). He encouraged them.<\/p>\n

He introduced Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman and Malachi Favors, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Ari Brown and others to the writings of Paul Hindemith and Arnold Schoenberg; he instituted weekly a “head-knocking” jam sessions for these players, and cheered on their efforts to meld fixed composition and unfettered\u00c2\u00a0improvisation, which they pursued as\u00c2\u00a0inspired of Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, John Coltrane, Eddie Harris and Richard (not yet “Muhal”) Abrams<\/a> — a local pianist and savant with whom Wang would work to co-found the local Friends of Duke Ellington.<\/p>\n

The FoDE organized a free concert in Grant Park, leading to the resurgence of the Jazz Institute of \u00c2\u00a0Chicago<\/a>, which, while Dick Wang was its president, launched\u00c2\u00a0the free annual Chicago Jazz Fest<\/a>. Until his death at age 88 on Oct 10, 2016, heremained a constant presence, upbeat supporter and wise advisor to musicians, journalists, historians, organizations and fans of music new or traditional, especially jazz.<\/p>\n