Sid Torin(bornSidney Tarnopol;December 14, 1909 – September 14, 1984), known professionally as "Symphony Sid",was a long-timejazzdisc jockeyin the United States. Many critics have credited him with introducingbebopto a mass audience.

Symphony Sid (left) withJosh White(right),WHOM,New York, in the 1940s

Early life

edit

Sidney Tarnopol was born in New York City into a Jewish family.[1]According to the 1920 U.S. Census, his parents were Isidore (a printer) and Caroline, bothYiddish-speaking immigrants; his father was from Russia and his mother fromRomania.Sidney was the oldest of three siblings — he had a brother Martin and a sister Mildred. Born on New York'sLower East Side,Sid grew up inBrooklyn,in a poor neighborhood.[2]Not much is known about his youth, although he seems to have become a jazz fan as a teenager,[3]and at one point tried to become a trumpet player.[4]One source says he started college and then dropped out as a result of theGreat Depression.[5]By 1930, the census showed him working at a record store. He first got into radio in 1937, at a radio station in theBronxatWBNX,where he began as an afternoon disc jockey, doing a show called theAfternoon Swing Session.His show featured the biggest hits by black performers such asCount Basie,Duke EllingtonandElla Fitzgerald.He became extremely popular with young people, many of whom would come to the station hoping to meet him or make a request.[6]In an era when black music was still not frequently heard on the air, Symphony Sid was among the few white announcers who played what was then called "race" or "sepia" recordings on a regular basis. In addition to being an announcer — in 1937, the word "disc jockey" was not yet in common use — Sid sold airtime for his own program and produced the commercials for his sponsors.[4]

Early radio career

edit

The story of how he gained the nickname "Symphony" Sid has been told in multiple contradictory accounts. According to one source, it came from working at the Symphony record store where he introduced R&B records. The predominantly black customers told their friends that they bought the records from Symphony Sid.[7]But another source says it came from a sponsor—a men's clothing store, and when announcer Walter Tolmes opened Sid's show, he rhymed "Here comes the kid with the fancy pants and the fancylid... Symphony Sid. "[5]And yet another source says he got the name from playing "good music" (classical recordings) at his first radio job, before he became known for jazz. This source says the name came from his playing symphonic music every day.[2]

By 1941, Symphony Sid had left WBNX and was working atWHOMinJersey City, New Jersey,where he became identified with doing the late night shift. His show was called theAfter-Hours Swing Session.[8]At WHOM, he began to give emerging black performers exposure. He also began to co-produce and promote jazz concerts, in association withMonte Kay.One of their first collaborations was in 1945 (some sources say 1942) at New York'sTown Hall;it featuredDizzy GillespieandCharlie Parker.[9]After WHOM, his career took him briefly toWWRLin New York and then toWMCA.By 1947, he was one of the best known jazz disc jockeys, and airplay on his show could give a major boost to any musician. Some grateful performers even wrote songs that they dedicated to him: for example, in 1947,Arnett Cobbrecorded "Walkin' With Sid" for theApollolabel.[10]And also in 1947, Sid began to use a song byErskine Hawkins,"After Hours", as the theme of his nightly program.[11]

Sid left WMCA in early June 1949, but he didn't have to wait long for his next job. On 20 June 1949, he received his biggest opportunity: a network program on what was then called WJZ—later known asWABC.Thanks to his work on the fledglingABC Radio Network,he could now be heard in more than 30 states.[12]And as a result of his network show, jazz, especially the music of artists likeMiles DavisandCharlie Parker,gained wider exposure with a national audience. Later, critics would refer to him as "the dean of jazz radio".[13]

In his 1957 novelOn the Road,based on his travels across the United States in the late 1940's, Jack Kerouac wrote that as he approached New York City in his car he listened to the Symphony Sid show on the radio with the latest jazz.[14]

Controversy and change

edit

Although Sid was white, he was known for hishipsterlingo, his love ofbebop,and his knowledge of the black music scene. While modern critics later accused white jazz disc jockeys like Symphony Sid andAlan Freedof profiting from black radio and taking jobs away from black announcers (see Sinclair, 1989 for example), this did not seem to be a concern during the years when Sid broadcast. He won several awards from black organizations, including an award forDisc Jockeyof the Year presented to him in 1949 by the Global News Syndicate, for his "continuous promotion of negro artists".[15]Among the entertainers he had helped were suchjazzperformers asNat King Cole,Sarah Vaughan,Charlie Parker,andBilly Eckstine.As his popularity grew, songs were written about him. For example, there was a reference to "the dial is all set right close to twelve eighty" in the song "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid", which was written byLester Youngwith lyrics byKing Pleasure;the song mentioned the location on the radio dial where Symphony Sid's Friday night show could be found. "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" was a hit for theGeorge ShearingQuintet in 1950.Louis Jordan's "After School Swing Session (Swinging With Symphony Sid)" suggests his show's widespread popularity among young listeners ( "Everyday we meet on just any old street, listening to Symphony Sid" ). In addition, another song, "Symphony in Sid" byIllinois Jacquetwas written in tribute to him.[16]However, jazz trumpeterMiles Davis,inMiles: The Autobiography,made numerous complaints about Torin, accusing him of self-aggrandizement and trying to short-change musicians (e.g.J. J. Johnson) who performed in bands and performance dates managed by Torin.[17]

For a while during the mid to late 1940s, Sid broadcast live from theRoyal Roostnight club in New York. In 1950, he moved the show toBirdland.Sid also did some shows from other New York clubs such as theThree DeucesandBop City.He also continued to work with concert promoters, serving as MC for jazz concerts at venues likeCarnegie Hall.

It seems to have been an open secret that Sid was a regular user ofmarijuana.While the slang expression was "reefer", a home where marijuana was used and sold was known as "tea pad", and the police raided Sid's apartment in the summer of 1948, and arrested him.[18]He remained on the air while the case was pending, and it finally came to trial in late January 1949. The case was declared a mistrial, but there was some residual damage to Sid's reputation.[19]Some sources say he was fired from WJZ,[7]while others indicate he continued to work as an MC in the clubs. But he evidently decided it was time for a change of scenery, and went with his friend Norman Furman toBostonabout 1952. Furman had become general manager ofWBMS,which had been doing classical music (the call letters reportedly stood for "World's Best Music Station" ). He changed the format and hired Sid, who did agospelshow and a jazz show. But Sid had a unique arrangement with Furman—he worked at WBMS in the daytime, and at night, he worked forWCOP,where he did live jazz shows, just as he had done in New York.[20]During the mid-1950s, Sid could be heard live from the Hi-Hat, a night club owned by Julian Rhodes, in a part of Boston known for live jazz—the area near the intersection of Massachusetts and Columbus Avenues.[21]In the mid-fifties, Sid was instrumental in the growth of the Rhythm & Blues radio in Boston, giving out plastic key chain fobs that said "I Dig You the Most", but he never really embraced the music, and tried to interest his audience in Jazz.

Back to New York

edit

By 1957, Sid had left Boston and returned to New York, this time working onWEVD AM&FM.The station in the 1920s and '30s had been known for ethnic music (Yiddish, Italian, etc.) as well as for a veryliberaland pro-labor stance onpolitics(WEVD had been named for socialistEugene V. Debs). Sid's show featured Latin music, Afro-Cuban jazz featuring artist such asMongo Santamaría,Mario BauzáandMachitofor which, asDonald Fagenrecalled in a letter toCountermoon Zine,his choice of music proved controversial,[7]and he was dubbed by some the "Jazz Traitor". On the other hand, some critics found his Latin music show both interesting and important, and praised the concept as "an extraordinary meeting of cultures".[22]Then in the late 1970s, encouraged by his engineer, Marty Wilson, Sid again started to play jazz in the last hour of his show. When he retired, he gave Wilson his record collection and the jazz show continued on the weekends. Throughout his time in New York, Sid also continued to be involved with promoting and serving as MC at jazz concerts.

Final years

edit

Sid Torin married three times, all ending in divorce (two of his wives were Eva Peña and Betty Ansley). He had two sons, one born in 1948 and the other in 1951.

He retired to Islamorada inFloridain 1973, where he enjoyed fishing and had his own boat. He also did a full-time airshift on a Miami Beach jazz radio station, WBUS. By all accounts, he was a heavy smoker,[7]and he died ofemphysemaand heart disease in mid-September 1984.[23]While modern media critics acknowledge his importance and praise him for introducing certain jazz artists to a national audience, surviving recordings where he was the announcer do not fare so well. Many modern critics have referred negatively to his on-air work. For example, his announcing at a 1945 Charlie Parker concert is called "annoying";[24]another critic who reviewed that same release calls Symphony Sid "odious" and says he "gives a painful imitation of a hipster".[25]However, a few critics place Symphony Sid's style in the context of its time and understand that in his day, his style of announcing was appreciated.[26]

Because of his importance in that pre-rock music era, the staff of theRock and Roll Hall of FameinClevelandhas included him in a display about the most influential disc jockeys in history.[27]

References

edit
  1. ^Birth name given at Mulvoy, Thomas Jr. "City Weekly: Ask the Globe".The Boston Globe,29 June 2003, p. 2. Birthplace and ethnic heritage given at Josh Kun,Audiotopia: Music, Race, and America,p.79. University of California Press, 2005,ISBN0520225104.
  2. ^ab"Cat's Commercial".Timemagazine, 16 November 1942, n.p.
  3. ^Barlow, William.Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio.Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1999, p. 158.
  4. ^abPassman, Arnold.The Deejays.New York: Macmillan, 1971, p. 67.
  5. ^abHammel, Lisa. "Old Hand at Jazz".The New York Times,27 April 1958, p. X13.
  6. ^"Symphony Sid, Classy Kid".Amsterdam (NY) News,7 September 1940, p. 16.
  7. ^abcdGourse, Leslie. "Still Jumpin' With My Boy Sid".The New York Times,8 August 1971, p. D19.
  8. ^"Took Two Years for This Award to Catch Eckstine".Amsterdam (NY) News,1 February 1947, p. 21.
  9. ^Reisner, Robert G.Bird: The Legend of Charlie Parker.New York: DaCapo, 1977; Passman, Arnold.The Deejays.New York: Macmillan, 1971.
  10. ^Chicago Defender,26 July 1947, p. 10
  11. ^Norfolk VANew Journal and Guide,22 November 1947, p. 15
  12. ^William Barlow.Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio.Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1999, p. 158.
  13. ^James Browne, quoted in "Symphony Sid Torin, Jazz Radio Personality, was 72". United Press International, 14 September 1984
  14. ^Cleveland, Mike. "The air over Jersey is full of jazz".The Herald-News.20 April 1979, p. D-14.
  15. ^"Disc Jockeys Receive Awards".Atlanta Daily World,24 December 1949, p. 1.
  16. ^"Waxes Tribute to Basie, Disc Jockey".Los Angeles Sentinel,2 September 1948, p. 21.
  17. ^Davis, Miles & Quincy Troupe. Miles: the autobiography. Simon & Schuster, 1990.
  18. ^"Nab Symphony Sid on Reefer Charge".Amsterdam (NY) News,7 August 1948, p. 2
  19. ^"Symphony Sid Gets Mistrial on 'Tea' Rap".Amsterdam (NY) News,29 January 1949, p. 7.
  20. ^Buchanan, Bill. "Norman Furman, 79, Was Manager of Boston, New York Radio Stations".The Boston Globe,7 July 1980
  21. ^"Julian Rhodes, 77, Owner of Hi-Hat".The Boston Globe,27 October 1981
  22. ^Watrous, Peter. "Critics Notebook: A Lively and Long Friendship Is Over".The New York Times,8 March 1993
  23. ^"Jazz Disc Jockey Symphony Sid Torin".The Boston Globe,15 September 1981
  24. ^Weir, Kenny. "Early Bird and Dazzling Dizzy".Melbourne (Australia) Herald Sun,3 July 2005
  25. ^Fulford, Robert. "Be-bop's Hidden History Revealed".National Post(Toronto), 23 August 2005
  26. ^See, for example, Kernis, Mark. "Reissued Tributes to the Horn"The Washington Post,21 August 1977, where Sid is referred to as a "jazz d.j. extraordinaire".
  27. ^Hinckley, David. "Rock Hall of Fame Gives Fans D.J. VU".Daily News(New York), 15 May 1997