Colgate Celebrates Blackmore Record Collection

RFH 2010, Cover Stories, Colgate News

Sun, Mar 27, 2011

Think of this amount of music: 45,000 records.

For the more digitally-inclined, that equates to more than 112 iPods, each with 20 GB of storage space.

But, what it really equals is a lifetime dedicated to music, especially jazz, and now some of the fruits of that life reside at Colgate.

The 45,000 records represent the Blackmore Jazz Collection now in the computerized storage system of the Case-Geyer Center for Information Technology. It was donated in 2001 by Bob Blackmore, a 1941 Colgate grad who also taught literature at the university until he retired in 1986. He died in 2002.

For 26 years Blackmore also served as faculty advisor to WRCU, the student radio station on campus that now bears his name. Blackmore had a jazz program on the station for many years.

Last week, there was a reception for and celebration of the collection, which Blackmore's son John said contained also classical, big band, blues and classic rock and roll discs. " I believe it was the second largest private jazz collection in the country, and included virtually the entire discography of recorded jazz," said John. The event also was the formal dedication of the Blackmore Jazz Alcove.

Three generations of Blackmores were at the gathering on the fifth floor of the Case-Geyer facility. Blackmore's widow Lucia chatted with friends and colleagues.

The Friday afternoon event included -- what else -- a jazz trio that included Colgate's University Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister Mark Shiner on drums (in photo below). Glenn Cashman, Colgate associate professor of music and chair of the music department sat in on keyboards for a set (below).