Chuck France discusses Sarah Vaughan and Richard Davis

Join WORT’s “Journeys into Jazz” host Chuck France at Pinney Library on Saturday, June 8 at 10:30am. France will provide a travel map to the intersecting careers of the “Divine One” Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990) and Professor Richard Davis (1930–2023). This casual lecture and discussion celebrates vocalist Vaughan’s centennial birthday year.

Journey with France to Mister Kelly’s and the London House in Chicago circa 1957 and 1958 to hear Vaughan and Davis on record. Enjoy performance video clips from Europe, featuring Sarah Vaughan and her trio including 27-year-old bassist Richard Davis.

Where Can I Get Tickets?

No need, it’s a free event!

Chuck started doing jazz shows on WORT 89.9FM in Madison, Wisconsin the first month the station was on the air from the Winnebago St. studio, December 1975. He began as a co-host with Eliza Hobson who had a huge collection of 1930s and 1940s jazz. When Eliza moved into news and public affairs broadcasting, Chuck drew his shows from an expanding WORT jazz library. He continued doing jazz shows for 5 years until his work life as a cinematographer/editor made it impossible to juggle weekly shows with editing The War at Home, producing his film Jazz in Exile and working on magazine shows and documentaries for Wisconsin Public Television.

In his second stint as a jazz host on WORT, filmmaker Chuck France programs creative music from artists who were in their prime in the 1950s and 1960s while celebrating the birthdays of a wide range of contemporary jazz artists. His film Jazz in Exile documented the… Read More