Dan Morgenstern, esteemed jazz historian and critic, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2024, surrounded by family. He was 94 years old and succumbed to heart failure, as confirmed by his son Josh Morgenstern.
Throughout his illustrious career spanning over seven decades, Morgenstern made significant contributions to the world of jazz. He started as a jazz critic for the New York Post shortly after graduating college and went on to edit two of the most influential jazz magazines of the 1960s—Metronome and Downbeat. His work in the field earned him numerous accolades, including eight Grammy Awards, with his first prize awarded for the liner notes on an anthology of Art Tatum recordings in 1973.
Morgenstern served as the director of the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies from 1976 for more than 30 years, overseeing one of the largest jazz archives globally. According to Tad Hershorn, a jazz journalist, Morgenstern had a remarkable ability to share his vast knowledge of jazz. He was known for his keen perception of subtleties in music that many others could not hear.
Born in Munich in 1929 to Jewish parents, Morgenstern and his mother fled the Nazi regime, initially reaching Denmark and later Sweden. The family ultimately reunited in New York City in 1947. His experience growing up listening to legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington shaped his lifelong passion for jazz.
Morgenstern vividly recalled his arrival in New York, expressing an immediate desire to experience the jazz scene on 52nd Street instead of the city's famed landmarks. He even organized a concert for Art Tatum while attending Brandeis University on the GI Bill, an event he later described as pivotal in his journey to becoming involved with jazz criticism, a term he preferred to avoid, leaning instead towards 'advocate.' His legacy will continue to resonate, as he believed that jazz, America's gift to the world, plays a vital role in bringing people together.
For those looking to celebrate his contribution to jazz, NPR has highlighted his significant works, including notable recordings from artists like Bud Powell Five Essential Bud Powell Recordings. More about Morgenstern's impactful story can be explored in detail at NPR.