Last Sunday night Chicago's WBEZ NPR station aired their final rerun of word jazz at midnight. I hadn't tuned in for months and I just so happened to catch the last one. I'm making sure to remember this strange, beautiful artwork. Thank you.
1944. I was a 10 year old when by chance I tuned the radio to a local Chicago DJ show. It very late at night in my bedroom, with the radio under my pillow. There was soft and mystical music in the background and this magic voice came over the air. He was talking, but it was more than talking. More like poetry as in this clip. He was speaking of the common army infantryman, and the fact that there were no songs written for him in the war. The Marines had one, as did the Army Air Corps and the Navy, but not the army infantryman. I followed that program for many, many nights drawn into the magic of that radio show and the man whose voice pierced my soul. I didn't know his name. 1960. Tucson AZ. My last year of Law School, married, with son. A friend gives my a record album, (33 RPM Vinyl) I put the needle in the first track. Soft and mystical music and a magic voice came from the speakers. 16 years later. It was Ken Nordine and Word Jazz. Now, in my early 80s, Nordine and Word Jaz have stayed with me. I am lucky to have had all those off beat people such as Nordine populate my charmed life. Thanks to all of you who have joined me in left field thru the journey. (Note: If you think that old military song that begins with, "Over hill, Over dale..." was written for the infantryman, nope, it was for the Army Artillery) Show less REPLY
Rest in peace Mr. Nordine! Thanks for the many many years of taking us on some of the best Journeys we have ever experienced in imagination! We'll never forget it!
My fave Ken Nordine piece features a fictitious “fly-bug”-a bugging device attached to an insect fly. It’s hilarious with a subtle, quirky, unique humor...
Ken Nordine was such a trip all those many years ago! Most everyone recognized his voice from iconic Levi and 7-Up ads of the time, but this Word Jazz was just mind blowing/expanding! Art for art's sake! Thanks Ken!!! Takes me back to days when radio DJing could be an art! Local Pacifica station KPFT (Houston) would take the listener on (mostly uninterrupted) 4 hour blocks and string together any and every form of audio to tell an extended interconnected story for the heart, mind, and imagination. Ken Nordine's Word Jazz exploration would often be a part of the sonic journey, as could segments of a Bertrand Russell or Alan Watts speech, or an AC Delco industrial film, and the expected rare recordings - from TV, film, Soundies, errant tape recorders, and parts unknown. I hope we can see such an art form again some day, but I doubt it - where's the profit in that!? If anyone has any old tapes of Fun House shows, please contact me.
go listen to the ninja tune show 'solid steel' ... started on pirate radio like 30 years ago ... was on the bbc radio at one point ... now a podcast .... at its best the one hour mixes can be as immersive as a film ... how i first heard ken nordine as it happens
I used to fall asleep to this and Joe Frank:Work In Progress, every Sunday night, for years back in the neato twentieth century. And it was broadcast from freakin' Iowa! 'KUNI' ...npr!
I've been listening, to word jazz since 1980 I was a 14 y old I'm fiftytwo now, WORD JAZZ #8 has the fact room, TAKE ACID or smoke some Buddha bud. and Listen to word jazz#8 and or word jazz #45 #33 is good too..
Ken Nordine "Word Jazz 3" is a continuingly unique and apple polished tree of sonic experimentation foaming and flopping around quite boisterously, brandishing multiple forms of clever leverage. A tsunami of story strangeness and pamper pillows.
I first heard Nordine on his Word Jazz radio show on WMAQ in Chicago. They had Daddyo Daily on one night, Ken Nordine on a different night, and I don't recall who was on the other slots. I last heard it on the college station in Normal Illinois late one night.
Mmmmmm I like that ... Heyyyy.. That's ok... Tonight feels good, .. look at those stars.. the're telling us something .. we're out here and you're out there... Oh yeah... Out there... Way out there.
How about Son of Woid Jazz meets Shaddup-n Play Yer Guitar🥸 ... mind boggles. Took me 3/4yrs to find original mono Word Jazz & Son of Word Jazz but now fascinated with this later material .. vaguely ominous, slightly menacing, as stoned as u can be without being🤯. Thought there was sumfin' in the Tasters Coffee☕️😵💫
I think I've got them all on tape (Recorded off WBEZ in Chicago. Back in the 80s (not too sure about before), BEZ would play Word Jazz at Midnight Sunday (well, Monday morning), and then at Midnight on other days of the week, they'd play NOW, NORDINE.
Wonderful. This one extra poignant today, March 17, 2017. When budgets have been announced that will stop funding the arts. I am hoping sanity will prevail. Can you imagine a world without NPR, or PBS? How terribly WRONG.
Last Sunday night Chicago's WBEZ NPR station aired their final rerun of word jazz at midnight. I hadn't tuned in for months and I just so happened to catch the last one. I'm making sure to remember this strange, beautiful artwork. Thank you.
I loved his show when it was on PBS/NPR. I wish there were more spoken word art. Nordine had an incredible voice for a stoner's dream.
Still on at midnight Sundays on NPR!
@@X1rerunpun - no way! I'm gonna have to check that out
1944. I was a 10 year old when by chance I tuned the radio to a local Chicago DJ show. It very late at night in my bedroom, with the radio under my pillow. There was soft and mystical music in the background and this magic voice came over the air. He was talking, but it was more than talking. More like poetry as in this clip. He was speaking of the common army infantryman, and the fact that there were no songs written for him in the war. The Marines had one, as did the Army Air Corps and the Navy, but not the army infantryman. I followed that program for many, many nights drawn into the magic of that radio show and the man whose voice pierced my soul. I didn't know his name.
1960. Tucson AZ. My last year of Law School, married, with son. A friend gives my a record album, (33 RPM Vinyl) I put the needle in the first track. Soft and mystical music and a magic voice came from the speakers. 16 years later. It was Ken Nordine and Word Jazz. Now, in my early 80s, Nordine and Word Jaz have stayed with me. I am lucky to have had all those off beat people such as Nordine populate my charmed life. Thanks to all of you who have joined me in left field thru the journey.
(Note: If you think that old military song that begins with, "Over hill, Over dale..." was written for the infantryman, nope, it was for the Army Artillery)
Show less
REPLY
I have listened to Ken since my Chicago days and just found him again on RUclips, what a find!!
I just remembered him and it's been over 40 years since I listened. My head sure was "out there" :)
This guy strips you're mind of all reality.....LOVE KEN!!!!!
I so agree!!!
Rest in peace Mr. Nordine! Thanks for the many many years of taking us on some of the best Journeys we have ever experienced in imagination! We'll never forget it!
Rest in peace? I listen to Ken Nordine on the radio, weekly. Those are reruns?
@@anthonybernero9720 yea 😢 he passed a few years ago now. I listen to him on youtube every now and then but the ones you hear are reruns.
I wept in my inmost id, when Nordine passed. He was only near a century old, but way too young.
KPCC in so. Cal used to air "Word Jazz" on Sunday evenings at 10 PM. It was my Sunday go to sleep program. I love it and I miss it.
My fave Ken Nordine piece features a fictitious “fly-bug”-a bugging device attached to an insect fly. It’s hilarious with a subtle, quirky, unique humor...
Brings back memories from
the 50s.
Used to be on WNYC - Timeless Brilliance...Thanks a million for the room...Awesome view..!!
I completely forgot about him. It is good that I can listen to his jazz on RUclips.
Rest in peace and rise in glory.
Ken Nordine was such a trip all those many years ago! Most everyone recognized his voice from iconic Levi and 7-Up ads of the time, but this Word Jazz was just mind blowing/expanding! Art for art's sake! Thanks Ken!!!
Takes me back to days when radio DJing could be an art! Local Pacifica station KPFT (Houston) would take the listener on (mostly uninterrupted) 4 hour blocks and string together any and every form of audio to tell an extended interconnected story for the heart, mind, and imagination. Ken Nordine's Word Jazz exploration would often be a part of the sonic journey, as could segments of a Bertrand Russell or Alan Watts speech, or an AC Delco industrial film, and the expected rare recordings - from TV, film, Soundies, errant tape recorders, and parts unknown.
I hope we can see such an art form again some day, but I doubt it - where's the profit in that!? If anyone has any old tapes of Fun House shows, please contact me.
go listen to the ninja tune show 'solid steel' ... started on pirate radio like 30 years ago ... was on the bbc radio at one point ... now a podcast .... at its best the one hour mixes can be as immersive as a film ... how i first heard ken nordine as it happens
Anders Panders knows.
Glad we got to breathe the same air together Mr. Nordine. RIP
....Ken, .....the consciousness unconiously extemporanious with a wink and a nod. thanks Ken, you brought laughter and perspective during dark times.
Love Ken Nordine! This is Great! Thanks for this post,,,,
Something imaginary in the trembling air... ♥️
Magnificent...Brilliant...Extremely Creative...AWESOME.
The great one....
Forever ahead of his time.
I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!!!
Music can be a story without WORDS. The words can give music🎶 harmony. Just a thought.
Thank-you and Rest in Peace.
I used to fall asleep to this and Joe Frank:Work In Progress, every Sunday night, for years back in the neato twentieth century. And it was broadcast from freakin' Iowa! 'KUNI' ...npr!
I've been listening, to word jazz since 1980 I was a 14 y old I'm fiftytwo now, WORD JAZZ #8 has the fact room, TAKE ACID or smoke some Buddha bud. and Listen to word jazz#8 and or word jazz #45 #33 is good too..
Thank you.
I can enjoy and appreciate his works without becoming chemically inebriated.
Ken Nordine "Word Jazz 3" is a continuingly unique and apple polished tree of sonic experimentation foaming and flopping around quite boisterously, brandishing multiple forms of clever leverage. A tsunami of story strangeness and pamper pillows.
Very nice homage...love it.
Piece of art here.
I first heard Nordine on his Word Jazz radio show on WMAQ in Chicago. They had Daddyo Daily on one night, Ken Nordine on a different night, and I don't recall who was on the other slots. I last heard it on the college station in Normal Illinois late one night.
Ronald Fitch isu
_Chicago's very own Ambient voice artist._
Timeless. Just like a fingerprint, unique to the universe.
Had he ever done anything with Bob Newhart?
Sending Ken some love--!
Mmmmmm I like that ... Heyyyy.. That's ok... Tonight feels good, .. look at those stars.. the're telling us something .. we're out here and you're out there... Oh yeah... Out there... Way out there.
Rest in peace 😥
Rest in peace my friend
How about Son of Woid Jazz meets Shaddup-n Play Yer Guitar🥸 ... mind boggles. Took me 3/4yrs to find original mono Word Jazz & Son of Word Jazz but now fascinated with this later material .. vaguely ominous, slightly menacing, as stoned as u can be without being🤯. Thought there was sumfin' in the Tasters Coffee☕️😵💫
This is from the 80s. Episode 3 of the NPR series Word Jazz. There are about 80 episodes. Very hard to find.
Sundays at midnight. 91.5
I think I've got them all on tape (Recorded off WBEZ in Chicago. Back in the 80s (not too sure about before), BEZ would play Word Jazz at Midnight Sunday (well, Monday morning), and then at Midnight on other days of the week, they'd play NOW, NORDINE.
love this guy
dude invented asmr
had to look up word jazz after seeing it mentioned on the video of the NewTek Video Toaster demo
Wonderful. This one extra poignant today, March 17, 2017. When budgets have been announced that will stop funding the arts. I am hoping sanity will prevail. Can you imagine a world without NPR, or PBS? How terribly WRONG.
Hello from October 23, 2017: it got worse. It could get so bad it gets better tho.
February 16, 2019 ... No doom, but A LOT of fake news.
The one and only.
The Einstein Of Words ???
Ah!!! A sane Man.
oh ken.....turn it on. VIDIOT.
This stuff great when your are stoned!
It's even better when you're the only person in the room who isn't stoned.
Squeegie60 Why?
It's so much fun to watch the reactions of those who are.
very much so…..
mike langer why not…..use your IMAGINATION..
W o r d j a z z yeah! W. O. R. D. J. A. Z. Z.
"See you in the South gizzard"
OH KEN...
Can You Feel It by the Jackson's brought me here
Naturally, they have big plans for you.
1997
1966, 67
anaoop
🤯
Ol' Twinkly Man.
This would've been a trip to listen to on acid.
I (we) did!
Bars
Word Jazz, not World Jazz!
I think I took too much...
Yep roc heresay....
something metal, could be zinc
will have a gay old time.....WILMA.
Probably "Word Jazz." Not "World Jazz."
Word Jazz not World Jazz