Dean Earl papers
Scope and Contents
It is believed that these pedagogical arrangements were created and/or compiled by distinguished pianist, faculty member, and alumnus Dean Earl as teaching aids for Berklee Piano Department courses in harmony and piano performance. The collection is comprised of 3 cartons containing photocopies of the original mimeographs on acid-free paper. The arrangements themselves consist mainly of popular music and jazz standards, as well as musical exercises.
Dates
- undated
Creator
- Earl, Dean (Transcriber, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This non-circulating collection is open for research use by appointment on site at the college archives (Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with evening hours available upon request). Advance notice is required to retrieve archival items because these materials are stored offsite. Use of audiovisual materials may require the production of listening or viewing copies. To schedule an appointment or request further information, please email (archives@berklee.edu) or call (617-747-8001) the college archivist. These papers have also been scanned and are available online here: http://library.berklee.edu/archives/virtualDisplay-pianoDepartment.
Biographical Note
Everett G. “Dean” Earl was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 10, 1910. He began playing piano on his own as a boy, and toured with a vaudeville act in the late 1930s. Earl played with the Army Air Corps service band during World War II, and afterwards entered Berklee College of Music (then called Schillinger House) on the GI Bill in 1953 to study music. After graduating in 1956, he became a mainstay of the Boston jazz scene in the days of the Hi-Hat Club, Connolly's, and Wally's Paradise. Earl played shows with jazz legends such as Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Sonny Stitt. He joined the Berklee faculty in 1961.
Throughout the years, Earl taught hundreds of piano students - among them Bruce Hornsby and Cyrus Chestnut. Many of his other students have enjoyed distinguished careers and several are current Berklee faculty members. Earl taught until shortly before his passing on January 16th, 2002.
SOURCES:
- Berklee College. "Honoring a Berklee Great: Dean Earl". Accessed October 2013. http://www.berklee.edu/berklee-today-59
- New England Jazz Alliance. "Hall of Fame 2009 Inductees - Dean Earl: Pianist, Educator". Accessed October 2013.
http://nejazz.org/2009i.php
Extent
4.5 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Dean Earl's pedagogical arrangements are individually foldered within 3 record cartons and are arranged in the original order received. The arrangements were originally stored in hanging files housed in filing cabinets, and the original folder names were transcribed verbatim as item names (including some apparent typographical or grammatical errors). Acronyms including 'CHO' 'PNO' and 'T 4 2' were used, however their exact meanings are unclear. Some duplication is found throughout the collection. Some folders may also contain multiple items.
Digitized Materials
These materials have been digitized and are available online here
Processing Information
Finding aid created and encoded in Fall 2013 by Anne Mansella, Simmons GSLIS intern. Physical processing, including digitization, was completed prior to October 2012 under the supervision of Ernie Gillis, Manager of Learning Resources Web Development.
Creator
- Earl, Dean (Transcriber, Person)
- Title
- Dean Earl papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Anne Mansella, Simmons GSLIS intern, with revisions by Ashley Gray
- Date
- 2013/11/21
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid were completed with support from a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the Berklee Archives Repository
Berklee College of Music
1140 Boylston St
Boston MA 02215 USA
617-747-8001
archives@berklee.edu