1. The Jazz Ambassadors WILLIAM HAWKINS

2. The Cold War  Cultural ambassadors were common  Generally symphony orchestras or ballet groups  Didn’t work well  Ambassadors (performers) sent had to be as good or better than Russian ones or risk a diplomatic disadvantage  State Department needed a new diplomatic edge

3. The “Secret Sonic Weapon” of the Cold War  Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.  Suggested that the State Department send jazz musicians instead  Jazz as an American art form  Jazz as a metaphor for democracy  Jazz musicians to be used to counter Soviet propaganda  Used to reach out to people, promote a positive image of America

4. Willis Conover  Hosted “Music, USA” starting in 1955, later “Voice of America”  Ended up having many international followers  Many people in Soviet states would listen to his show, despite harsh punishments for getting caught  Many internationally, especially Eastern Europe, developed his mannerisms when speaking English  Helped developed an international appreciation for jazz  Large part of why the tours were so successful

5. Dizzy Gillespie, 1956  First choice was Dizzy Gillespie  Put together an 18-piece big band for the tour  Tour ended in Greece just after Anti-American protests  Many protesters reportedly attended the concert as jazz fans.  Made a point to play with local musicians  Developed an Afro-Cuban style during tours in Cuba

6. Louis Armstrong  One of the most famous Jazz Ambassadors  First tour in 1956  Toured all over the world and was very well received in his concerts  Strong political impact internationally and domestically  Refused to tour until school integration laws were enforced in Little Rock by Eisenhower

7. Duke Ellington  Most international ambassadorial tours of any jazz musician  Toured some of the more dangerous and diplomatically important areas  Iraq during a coup, for one  Wrote Far East Suite, inspired by some of his tours  Musical influences drawn from local musicians

8. Miles Davis  Many international tours throughout his career  Never an official Ambassador, but had a huge unofficial impact  Several to Japan and Paris  Tours in Eastern Europe in the 70s-80s  Also very popular abroad  Conferred almost godlike status when travelling to Japan and Europe  “In Europe, they like everything you do. The mistakes and everything. That’s a little bit too much” (Carr, 58)

9. Miles Abroad  Miles loved Europe  Particularly Paris  “I had never felt that way in my life. It was the freedom of being in France and being treated like a human being, like someone important… Anyway, everything seemed to change for me while I was in Paris” (Troupe, 127)  Miles wasn’t the best diplomat  Passed up for Dizzy as first Ambassador  Often walked away from people mid-conversation  Developed a strong musical influence from his time abroad  Elevator to the Gallows  Entirely improvised, precursor to Kind of Blue  Style is what he moved to in later fusion albums

10. International Impacts  Tours immensely popular worldwide  Helped America’s image  Spread of musical influence  Strong political impacts  Helped America’s image  Improved relations with developing and Soviet states  Showed possibility of criticizing government without punishment

11. Links (Music)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2U1MGX8SLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2U1MGX8SLU  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lue_m0tAbWs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lue_m0tAbWs  Interesting NPR link  http://www.npr.org/2009/08/07/111670416/the-picture-show-jazz- ambassadors-jam-abroad http://www.npr.org/2009/08/07/111670416/the-picture-show-jazz- ambassadors-jam-abroad

12. Sources  http://americanaejournal.hu/vol10jazz/castagneto http://americanaejournal.hu/vol10jazz/castagneto  http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/blackmusicians/ http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/blackmusicians/  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/arts/music/29kapl.html?pagewant ed=1&_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/arts/music/29kapl.html?pagewant ed=1&_r=0  http://www.meridian.org/jazzambassadors/ http://www.meridian.org/jazzambassadors/  http://www.the-american-interest.com/2006/03/01/cool-jazz-and-cold- war/ http://www.the-american-interest.com/2006/03/01/cool-jazz-and-cold- war/  http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/story/sound-score-jam-session http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/story/sound-score-jam-session  http://current.org/2014/11/jazz-ambassadors-revisits-time-when-cold- war-diplomacy-got-hip/ http://current.org/2014/11/jazz-ambassadors-revisits-time-when-cold- war-diplomacy-got-hip/  http://www.thenation.com/article/cool-war?page=0,0 http://www.thenation.com/article/cool-war?page=0,0  http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/08/jamsession.html http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/08/jamsession.html