by Patrick Jarenwattananon

I quite like this lede:

Jazz musicians are kind of like street names — most people only know the big ones.

You've got Main, High and Bechtle, or their respective jazz equivalents Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Kenny G.

It's a pretty astute analogy. Most people who pass through the jazz community only travel down certain main thoroughfares. But in order for there to be a vibrant community, you need all those side streets, some of which are trafficked heavily by people in the know, others which remain mostly quiet despite their distinctive architecture. They're all important; the side streets are where people live, after all. Their existence is similar to how all those musicians who never headline festivals or appear on magazine covers are the ones populating clubs, bars, restaurants, universities and studios night after night across the world.

Anyway, those lines comes from a story from Springfield, Ohio, where some not-so-prominent but well-traveled jazz musicians from the area were recently remembered. Reedman Garvin Bushell, alto saxophonist Earle Warren (of the great Old Testament Count Basie band), vibraphonist Johnny Lytle, pianist "Sir" Charles Thompson (the nickname came from Lester Young, naturally) and the original incarnation of McKinney's Cotton Pickers all came from Springfield. And while their stories may not be well remembered, they all intersect with major points in jazz history in ways that reveal enormous amounts about how this music works. If you don't believe me, you can even read Bushell's autobiography for proof. [Springfield News-Sun: Jazz spotlight shines on Springfield's legacy]