Interview with Carl Gerhard

What do jazz giants Clark Terry, John Coltrane and Tito Puente all have in common?

They were all Navy men and their time in the service played a role in their development.

(And after his service, Tito Puente was able to study at Juilliard thanks to the GI Bill.)

Today we talk with Carl Gerhard, Lieutenant Commander, US Navy (Retired), who has experienced the Navy’s music program at all levels – as a student, as a teacher and as a director.

Interestingly enough, “musician” is one of the oldest occupational specialties in the Navy.

An important, but little known chapter of American music history…

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

Music credit: The Jazz on the Tube podcast theme song is “Mambo Inferno” performed by The Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra conducted by Bobby Sanabria from the CD ¡Que Viva Harlem!