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374:, his choice of music proved controversial, and he was dubbed by some the "Jazz Traitor". On the other hand, some critics found his Latin music show both interesting and important, and praised the concept as "an extraordinary meeting of cultures". Then in the late 1970s, encouraged by his engineer, Marty Wilson, Sid again started to play jazz in the last hour of his show. When he retired, he gave Wilson his record collection and the jazz show continued on the weekends. Throughout his time in New York, Sid also continued to be involved with promoting and serving as MC at jazz concerts.
310:. While the slang expression was "reefer", a home where marijuana was used and sold was known as "tea pad", and the police raided Sid's apartment in the summer of 1948, and arrested him. He remained on the air while the case was pending, and it finally came to trial in late January 1949. The case was declared a mistrial, but there was some residual damage to Sid's reputation. Some sources say he was fired from WJZ, while others indicate he continued to work as an MC in the clubs. But he evidently decided it was time for a change of scenery, and went with his friend Norman Furman to
326:, where he did live jazz shows, just as he had done in New York. During the mid-1950s, Sid could be heard live from the Hi-Hat, a night club owned by Julian Rhodes, in a part of Boston known for live jazz—the area near the intersection of Massachusetts and Columbus Avenues. In the mid-fifties, Sid was instrumental in the growth of the Rhythm & Blues radio in Boston, giving out plastic key chain fobs that said "I Dig You the Most", but he never really embraced the music, and tried to interest his audience in Jazz.
109:. He became extremely popular with young people, many of whom would come to the station hoping to meet him or make a request. In an era when black music was still not frequently heard on the air, Symphony Sid was among the few white announcers who played what was then called "race" or "sepia" recordings on a regular basis. In addition to being an announcer — in 1937, the word "disc jockey" was not yet in common use — Sid sold airtime for his own program and produced the commercials for his sponsors.
394:
work. For example, his announcing at a 1945 Charlie Parker concert is called "annoying"; another critic who reviewed that same release calls
Symphony Sid "odious" and says he "gives a painful imitation of a hipster". However, a few critics place Symphony Sid's style in the context of its time and understand that in his day, his style of announcing was appreciated.
393:
and heart disease in mid-September 1984. While modern media critics acknowledge his importance and praise him for introducing certain jazz artists to a national audience, surviving recordings where he was the announcer do not fare so well. Many modern critics have referred negatively to his on-air
117:
The story of how he gained the nickname "Symphony" Sid has been told in multiple contradictory accounts. According to one source, it came from working at the
Symphony record store where he introduced R&B records. The predominantly black customers told their friends that they bought the records
221:
of profiting from black radio and taking jobs away from black announcers (see
Sinclair, 1989 for example), this did not seem to be a concern during the years when Sid broadcast. He won several awards from black organizations, including an award for
81:, in a poor neighborhood. Not much is known about his youth, although he seems to have become a jazz fan as a teenager, and at one point tried to become a trumpet player. One source says he started college and then dropped out as a result of the
262:'s "After School Swing Session (Swinging With Symphony Sid)" suggests his show's widespread popularity among young listeners ("Everyday we meet on just any old street, listening to Symphony Sid"). In addition, another song, "Symphony in Sid" by
122:... Symphony Sid." And yet another source says he got the name from playing "good music" (classical recordings) at his first radio job, before he became known for jazz. This source says the name came from his playing symphonic music every day.
161:. By 1947, he was one of the best known jazz disc jockeys, and airplay on his show could give a major boost to any musician. Some grateful performers even wrote songs that they dedicated to him: for example, in 1947,
246:. As his popularity grew, songs were written about him. For example, there was a reference to "the dial is all set right close to twelve eighty" in the song "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid", which was written by
118:
from
Symphony Sid. But another source says it came from a sponsor—a men's clothing store, and when announcer Walter Tolmes opened Sid's show, he rhymed "Here comes the kid with the fancy pants and the fancy
201:, based on his travels across the United States in the late 1940's, Jack Kerouac wrote that as he approached New York City in his car he listened to the Symphony Sid show on the radio with the latest jazz.
176:
Sid left WMCA in early June 1949, but he didn't have to wait long for his next job. On 20 June 1949, he received his biggest opportunity: a network program on what was then called WJZ—later known as
19:
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in 1973, where he enjoyed fishing and had his own boat. He also did a full-time airshift on a Miami Beach jazz radio station, WBUS. By all accounts, he was a heavy smoker, and he died of
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of the Year presented to him in 1949 by the Global News
Syndicate, for his "continuous promotion of negro artists". Among the entertainers he had helped were such
382:
Sid Torin married three times, all ending in divorce (two of his wives were Eva Peña and Betty Ansley). He had two sons, one born in 1948 and the other in 1951.
318:, which had been doing classical music (the call letters reportedly stood for "World's Best Music Station"). He changed the format and hired Sid, who did a
65:
Sidney
Tarnopol was born in New York City into a Jewish family. According to the 1920 U.S. Census, his parents were Isidore (a printer) and Caroline, both
254:; the song mentioned the location on the radio dial where Symphony Sid's Friday night show could be found. "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" was a hit for the
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137:. At WHOM, he began to give emerging black performers exposure. He also began to co-produce and promote jazz concerts, in association with
322:
show and a jazz show. But Sid had a unique arrangement with Furman—he worked at WBMS in the daytime, and at night, he worked for
184:, he could now be heard in more than 30 states. And as a result of his network show, jazz, especially the music of artists like
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217:, and his knowledge of the black music scene. While modern critics later accused white jazz disc jockeys like Symphony Sid and
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434:
608:
James Browne, quoted in "Symphony Sid Torin, Jazz Radio
Personality, was 72". United Press International, 14 September 1984
142:
276:, made numerous complaints about Torin, accusing him of self-aggrandizement and trying to short-change musicians (e.g.
85:. By 1930, the census showed him working at a record store. He first got into radio in 1937, at a radio station in the
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398:
342:. The station in the 1920s and '30s had been known for ethnic music (Yiddish, Italian, etc.) as well as for a very
210:
192:, gained wider exposure with a national audience. Later, critics would refer to him as "the dean of jazz radio".
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73:. Sidney was the oldest of three siblings — he had a brother Martin and a sister Mildred. Born on New York's
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299:. He also continued to work with concert promoters, serving as MC for jazz concerts at venues like
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Davis, Miles & Quincy Troupe. Miles : the autobiography. Simon & Schuster, 1990.
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141:. One of their first collaborations was in 1945 (some sources say 1942) at New York's
133:, where he became identified with doing the late night shift. His show was called the
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Buchanan, Bill. "Norman Furman, 79, Was
Manager of Boston, New York Radio Stations".
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has included him in a display about the most influential disc jockeys in history.
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354:). Sid's show featured Latin music, Afro-Cuban jazz featuring artist such as
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By 1957, Sid had left Boston and returned to New York, this time working on
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773:, 21 August 1977, where Sid is referred to as a "jazz d.j. extraordinaire".
717:
Watrous, Peter. "Critics
Notebook: A Lively and Long Friendship Is Over".
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425:, 29 June 2003, p. 2. Birthplace and ethnic heritage given at Josh Kun,
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Because of his importance in that pre-rock music era, the staff of the
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For a while during the mid to late 1940s, Sid broadcast live from the
93:, where he began as an afternoon disc jockey, doing a show called the
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in the United States. Many critics have credited him with introducing
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Birth name given at Mulvoy, Thomas Jr. "City Weekly: Ask the Globe".
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69:-speaking immigrants; his father was from Russia and his mother from
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It seems to have been an open secret that Sid was a regular user of
42:; December 14, 1909 – September 14, 1984), known professionally as "
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280:) who performed in bands and performance dates managed by Torin.
97:. His show featured the biggest hits by black performers such as
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See, for example, Kernis, Mark. "Reissued
Tributes to the Horn"
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291:. Sid also did some shows from other New York clubs such as the
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47:
28:
119:
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Hinckley, David. "Rock Hall of Fame Gives Fans D.J. VU".
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Cleveland, Mike. "The air over Jersey is full of jazz".
599:. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1999, p. 158.
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was written in tribute to him. However, jazz trumpeter
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By 1941, Symphony Sid had left WBNX and was working at
466:. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1999, p. 158.
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night club in New York. In 1950, he moved the show to
173:, "After Hours", as the theme of his nightly program.
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Fulford, Robert. "Be-bop's Hidden History Revealed".
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label. And also in 1947, Sid began to use a song by
540:"Took Two Years for This Award to Catch Eckstine".
527:Gourse, Leslie. "Still Jumpin' With My Boy Sid".
314:about 1952. Furman had become general manager of
743:Weir, Kenny. "Early Bird and Dazzling Dizzy".
429:, p.79. University of California Press, 2005,
209:Although Sid was white, he was known for his
153:. After WHOM, his career took him briefly to
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678:"Symphony Sid Gets Mistrial on 'Tea' Rap".
557:. New York: DaCapo, 1977; Passman, Arnold.
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818:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
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730:"Jazz Disc Jockey Symphony Sid Torin".
643:"Waxes Tribute to Basie, Disc Jockey".
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704:"Julian Rhodes, 77, Owner of Hi-Hat".
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180:. Thanks to his work on the fledgling
665:"Nab Symphony Sid on Reefer Charge".
597:Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio
464:Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio
7:
427:Audiotopia: Music, Race, and America
165:recorded "Walkin' With Sid" for the
482:. New York: Macmillan, 1971, p. 67.
350:(WEVD had been named for socialist
555:Bird: The Legend of Charlie Parker
494:Hammel, Lisa. "Old Hand at Jazz".
14:
745:Melbourne (Australia) Herald Sun
453:magazine, 16 November 1942, n.p.
838:20th-century American musicians
630:"Disc Jockeys Receive Awards".
1:
561:. New York: Macmillan, 1971.
507:"Symphony Sid, Classy Kid".
385:He retired to Islamorada in
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647:, 2 September 1948, p. 21.
511:, 7 September 1940, p. 16.
399:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
760:(Toronto), 23 August 2005
634:, 24 December 1949, p. 1.
621:. 20 April 1979, p. D-14.
586:, 22 November 1947, p. 15
544:, 1 February 1947, p. 21.
135:After-Hours Swing Session
23:Symphony Sid (left) with
682:, 29 January 1949, p. 7.
531:, 8 August 1971, p. D19.
498:, 27 April 1958, p. X13.
370:recalled in a letter to
346:and pro-labor stance on
273:Miles: The Autobiography
157:in New York and then to
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786:(New York), 15 May 1997
131:Jersey City, New Jersey
95:Afternoon Swing Session
828:DJs from New York City
205:Controversy and change
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584:New Journal and Guide
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645:Los Angeles Sentinel
449:"Cat's Commercial".
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667:Amsterdam (NY) News
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553:Reisner, Robert G.
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46:", was a long-time
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529:The New York Times
496:The New York Times
195:In his 1957 novel
113:Early radio career
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480:The Deejays
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360:Mario Bauzá
285:Royal Roost
268:Miles Davis
224:Disc Jockey
198:On the Road
186:Miles Davis
163:Arnett Cobb
99:Count Basie
51:disc jockey
16:American DJ
797:Categories
784:Daily News
435:0520225104
409:References
219:Alan Freed
61:Early life
25:Josh White
403:Cleveland
391:emphysema
308:marijuana
143:Town Hall
139:Monte Kay
36:Sid Torin
27:(right),
348:politics
297:Bop City
289:Birdland
79:Brooklyn
387:Florida
364:Machito
344:liberal
336:WEVD AM
211:hipster
71:Romania
67:Yiddish
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312:Boston
242:, and
167:Apollo
38:(born
270:, in
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55:bebop
451:Time
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362:and
324:WCOP
316:WBMS
295:and
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188:and
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