Thomas Wayburn (b 1934) was born and raised in Detroit, MI. A jazz drummer, Wayburn lived next door to 821 Sixth Avenue for a while and was there often in the early 1960s. He had a job translating Russian journals into English and he can be heard talking about this on Smith's tapes. He later became a chemical engineer. In this oral history, Wayburn talks about his development as a musician including his studies with Lennie Tristano, his work as a chemical engineer, and his relationships with various jazz performers including Lou Orensteen, Sonny Clark, and Jimmy Stevenson. Wayburn talks about the loft culture in great detail, mentioning the rehearsals and jam sessions that happened in his own space, as well as others that happened at the Jazz Loft on 6th Avenue. Also of note is Wayburn's discussion of W. Eugene Smith and his memories of other musicians who happened to be at the Jazz Loft.
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MP3
JL Interview, T Wayburn.doc