Rapp on Jazz: Norman Granz

Published January 21, 2026 at 5:41 AM EST

American jazz impresario Norman Granz smiles all over his face as he listens to the bidding during the sale of his forty seven impressionist works, 25 of them by Pablo Picasso at Sotheby's Auction House in London, United Kingdom on April 23, 1968. (AP Photo/Peter Kemp)

TRANSCRIPT:

I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.

Jazz impresario Norman Granz had a strong passion for justice that influenced both the music and the culture surrounding it. In 1944, he started Jazz at the Philharmonic, which brought jazz out of smoky clubs and into major concert halls—lifting the art form to a new level of respect.

As the founder of Verve Records, he produced legendary recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, and Billie Holiday.

Behind the scenes, he was a fierce advocate for civil rights, refusing to book concerts at segregated venues and insisting that musicians of all races receive equal pay and treatment.

Norman Granz helped transform jazz into a powerful force for dignity, equality, and artistic excellence.

This has been Rapp on Jazz—a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.