Former Director of Institute of Jazz Studies, and Renowned Jazz Historian, is Remembered by Colleagues

Dan Morgenstern, former director of the Institute of Jazz Studies, who passed away this week at 94, played a crucial role in building the institute into the world’s largest jazz archive, housing everything from recordings and documents to artists’ personal memorabilia.

He was also a renowned jazz writer, editor, and historian who was befriended by many of the music’s greatest artists. Morgenstern helmed the institute from 1976 until his retirement in 2011.

“Dan guided the Institute and made it the premier archive/library for jazz,’’ said Vincent Pelote, the institute's senior archivist and digital preservation strategist, who served as interim director after Morgenstern left. “He fully understood the importance of making the collection accessible to researchers and others interested in the music and his efforts cemented the Institute's reputation as the place to go when doing any jazz projects.”

Said the institute’s executive director, Wayne Winborne, “Dan Morgenstern was simply one of the giants of our time. His astonishing knowledge and memory combined with a deep love of the music and the musicians who make it resulted in an historian/writer who was widely respected and loved by all in the jazz community and beyond.’’

 “As a member of the Rutgers family, he elevated the institute to its current stature as a local resource with a global reach and reputation.  He also happened to be one of the kindest people you would ever meet who was generous with both his time and knowledge. He will be greatly missed but his impact is long lasting,’’ Winborne added.

Interim Chancellor Jeffrey Robinson said Morgenstern was an inspiration to the Rutgers-Newark community, and his work will continue to inspire students, faculty and staff.

“Dan Morgenstern embodied what we do at Rutgers-Newark - deep and insightful scholarship shared and accessible to our local community and, literally,  the world. His legacy lives on at the institute and is one for our students, faculty and staff to follow in their own work,’’ he said. 

Morgenstern arrived at the institute during a transitional time when its previous director, Christopher White, departed and librarian Edward Berger, who became the institute’s associate director, was hired as curator to keep it open part-time, Pelote remembered.

Pelote was working as a cataloger when Morgenstern came on board. He had already established a reputation as one of the jazz world’s top writers, whose liner notes won eight Grammy awards. He was also a former editor of DownBeat magazine.

“I was in awe of him because as a record collector I read numerous album notes penned by him and purchased many albums based solely on his notes. I also was quite aware of his reputation at DownBeat,’’ said Pelote.

Morgenstern disliked being called a “jazz critic” and instead regarded himself as a historian and booster of the art form, Pelote remembered.

“Nevertheless, he was influential and highly respected among jazz critics and almost universally beloved by the musicians, a rarity,’’ said Pelote. “His insights into the music and the musicians have been described as empathetic. His book of writings, Living With Jazz, published in 2004, was the crowning achievement of his long career and essential reading for anyone interested in jazz.’’ 

An on-campus event to remember Morgenstern is being planned, along with additional celebrations of his life and work. Details will be announced.