VOA标准英语2010年-Remembering Willis Conover

Willis Conover's long-running "Jazz Hour" broadcast on the Voice of America introduced millions of people in the former Soviet¹ Union to American jazz. Willis Conover would have been 90 years old this month. But his impact is still recognized today.

With his deep baritone voice, Willis Conover brought jazz into the homes of listeners around the world, inspiring the next generation of stars. His daily hour-long jazz broadcast on the Voice of America was especially meaningful for those who tuned² in from behind the Iron Curtain. Conover's "Jazz Hour" was for many the only exposure to music from the West.

Alexei Kozlov is the founder³ of the popular Russian jazz ensemble⁴, Arsenal⁵. As a university architecture student, he says, he was led by Conover into the world of jazz, inspiring him to learn to play the saxophone.

"Despite the forbiddance [prohibition] of Voice of America programming in Soviet countries, we still listened to Voice of America, putting ourselves and our families in real danger," he said. "We learned everything from Conover. While there was propaganda against everything American, Conover was the one who made America to be appealing and desirable for everyone who listened."

Conover's "Jazz Hour" provided a platform for household names in the West - like Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Count Basie - to be introduced to East European audiences. But for fledgling musicians, his show also provided an education in the art of jazz, helping⁶ them make the transition from passive listeners to active participants in the music.

Victor Fonarev, from Latvia, is now a professional bass⁷ player in the United States. He was introduced to Conover's program while attending aviation college in Riga.

"Every evening, I tried to sneak⁸ into the only classroom that had a radio player," he said. "Everyone at home was asleep, so they didn't know I was gone, otherwise I would have been grounded for listening to the prohibited programming."

From 1955, until his death in 1996, Conover worked from his small studio in Washington, D.C. From here, under clouds of cigarette smoke, he projected his love of jazz to the world.

"I could have never imagined in a million years that someday I'd be standing⁹ at the actual studio of Willis Conover - the legend," said Fonarev. "That I'd actually be in the studio, from which Conover talked about jazz in his charming velvet¹⁰ voice."

Efim Drucker is a producer at VOA. He worked in that very studio with Conover for eight years. While still in Russia, Drucker became an avid¹¹ listener of the "Jazz Hour." After immigrating¹² to the United States he sought employment with the radio host he admired so much. Drucker says Conover devoted¹³ his life to the "Jazz Hour."

He says Conover and his staff worked long hours to ensure that the VOA audience heard music of the highest quality.
"He was very precise, detail-oriented," said Drucker. "We didn't have CDs then, we had vinyl records, and so if there was even a small scratch of a sound, he asked me to cut them out. Sometimes I'd spend a full day cutting out the scratches. But it was worth it - the sound was impeccable. And that's how Conover's music was remembered in Russia - impeccable and magical."

Conover's attention to detail and his knack¹⁴ for explaining jazz to the masses may never be replicated¹⁵. But in an interview near the end of his career, he seemed to feel he had accomplished¹⁶ his own individual goals.

"I have to feel that it is good," Conover said. "Otherwise I'm going to be unhappy for what I've done. I don't want to do just something for money. Or, for fame. Or, for power. I've never been jealous of anyone who has money, power, or fame. What I want to do is something that feels that my life was worthwhile. And...I think I would feel this way on my last day."

Jazz is now taught and performed around the world. And among those who are now the teachers of today's jazz stars are faces from the former Soviet Union. In achieving his own dream, Willis Conover helped others achieve theirs.
 

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

5 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

8 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

11 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。

12 immigrating   

v.移入( immigrate的现在分词 )；移民

参考例句：

• I have to tie up loose ends before immigrating to America. 移民美国前，我先要处理手头上的一些琐事。 来自互联网
• Marrying an American citizen is a guaranteed ticket to immigrating to America. 与美国公民结婚是移民美国最佳的门票。 来自互联网

13 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

14 knack   

n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法

参考例句：

• He has a knack of teaching arithmetic.他教算术有诀窍。
• Making omelettes isn't difficult,but there's a knack to it.做煎蛋饼并不难，但有窍门。

15 replicated   

复制( replicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Later outplant the seedlings in a replicated permanent test plantation. 以后苗木出圃栽植成重复的永久性试验林。
• The phage has replicated and the donor cells have lysed. 噬菌体已复制和给体细胞已发生裂解。

16 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。