A different Sabin |

You know how many folks got their lives in order by joining the Armed Forces? Between the GI bill, the attenuation of teenage shenanigans, even musical encouragement, many folks have gained by their affiliation (yeah, there’s a good word) with the Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. (Nowadays, we consider the Coast Guard part of Homeland Security, so…)

Today, I’ll share the story of one such fellow. Ira Sabin, who died from cancer at the Washington Hebrew Home, at the age of 90, right after Rosh Hashana. Ira started life out in Brooklyn, but his family moved to DC when he was 11.

Back when I was living in New York, I enjoyed reading three non-technical magazines. Ramparts. The New Republic. Jazz Times.

That last rag was founded by Ira Sabin and it served as one of the most successful music magazines of all time. Ira started it when he turned 42, after some 30 years as a jazz drummer. (Ira was also a member of the musician’s union!)

Ira Sabin at the drums — From his son’s website

Ira served as a musician for the Army in the early 1950s (Korean War). He was part of a 60 person band (Fort Mead, DC region) before he was shipped off to Japan (where he had a 6 person combo). And, when he was released from service, he went back to playing jazz with a slew of other artists.

Not only had Ira been playing various gigs around the US, he played at least one private party held by then Senator Jack Kennedy (in his Georgetown home, shared with Jackie). He also produced various concerts- with artists such as Miles Davis, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, and DC’s other own- Duke Ellington.

45s (records))

Now, you younger folks probably won’t recognize this memory, but folks like me (the older set) bought 45s and LPs (if you don’t know what these are, look ’em up) from record stores. And, Ira started his own record store in 1962, Sabin’s Discount Records, at 9^th and U (NW), which was the heart of the DC’s jazz district at the time. (There were about 6 jazz clubs and 2 theaters within walking distance.) And, it not only maintained an extensive jazz collection (i), but served as a place for musicians to chat together, as they shopped- or not.

To keep folks informed about jazz music and events, he began sending out a newsletter. The newsletter, called Radio Free Jazz, was a means to promote jazz music- and to sell his records. (Dizzie Gillespie was the first subscriber, Kenny Drew was the second!) Sabin changed the name of the newsletter to Jazz Times in 1980- and it became a glossy thing in 1990.)

His shop and magazine were so vital to the industry that DJ (disk jockeys) sent their playlists to Ira- and record labels placed 2 paged ads in his publication.

The family sold Jazz Times about 10 years ago (2009)- and it and DownBeat are still the two primary jazz publications in the US.