Summer festivals have come and gone, but that only opens the book on the lesser-known autumn circuit, from Chicago (Englewood, Sound and Gravity, Hyde Park fess) to Nancy, France (early October) to Barcelona and Stockholm and finally Berlin at next month’s end. Send your reviews to this way, bitte — that is, to memberne
We’re glad to welcome new member Joe Dimino, writer and radio host from Lee’s Summit, MO (Pat Metheny’s hometown). Flip the page to see what your other colleagues have been up to as we head into fall.
Bob Blumenthal is the subject of a video interview at ArtSpeak, Florida International University’s free online magazine.
Noal Cohen published the article “Oscar Peterson: One of the Most Significant Contributors to Jazz of the 20th Century” in Jersey Jazz Magazine (July/August 2025, Volume 53, Issue 7, p. 7-10) on the occasion of Oscar Peterson’s 100th birthday.
Howard Mandel
Ian Mackenzie interviewed Jane Ira Bloom about her latest release, her influences and her fascination with outer space on the radio show he co-hosts, In A Mellow Tone. He also interviewed Tessa Souter about her album of (mostly) Erik Satie compositions, as well as her work with Mark Murphy, on his radio show, YOW Jazz.
Luciano Rossetti,aformer winner of the JJA’s Lona Foote-Bob Parent Award for Career Achievement in Photography, photographed Soundscapes #5 in Helsinki, the William Parker Circular Pyramid Trio at the Vicenza Festival, and the Vision Festival in New York.
Brad Stone continues to produce his radio program focusing on new jazz releases, “The Creative Source”, on SoulandJazz.com. He also writes a regular guest column for “Women in Jazz Media” magazine and continues to serve on the Book Award Committee for the JJA. He will once again be emceeing stages at the upcoming Monterey Jazz Festival and San Jose Jazz Summer Fest.
Neil Tesser wrote liner essays for new releases by vocalists Josie Falbo and Tessa Souter, guitarist Pierre Dørge, saxophonist Dave Pietro, vibraphonists David Friedman & Tony Micelli, and pianist Roberto Magris. In addition to hosting Jazz Across America (Chicago) for San Diego station KSDS-FM, he has joined the Chicago Jazz Alliance committee organizing local activities around the 2026 International Jazz Day in Chicago.
Scott Thompson PR is working the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra (Truth Revolution Records) Live recording. He is also promoting two big bands: Deborah Silver and the Count Basie Orchestra and the Robin Simone Hollywood Orchestra. Additional clients include Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric, drummer Chris Parker, pianist Lenore Raphael, guitarist Bruno Elisabetsky, guitarist Frank Swart with Funkwrench Blues, and Portuguese guitarist Sandro Norton’s Flying High featuring Gary Burton. Thompson just added dynamic bassist Wink Winkelmann to his roster.
Jeroen de Valk will publish (in Dutch) Jazz in the Shadows in late October. It features portraits of 15 musicians who lived in the Netherlands and received little attention for at least part of their careers. Among them are expats like Sandy Mosse and George Johnson and studio musicians such as Victor Kaihatu and Erik van Lier. The book concludes with two investigative stories about the darker periods of Chet Baker’s life.
Michael J. West reviewed the 2025 edition of the D.C. Jazz Festival for DownBeat and wrote a short feature on the Strata East re-release of the Lee family’s Descendants of Mike and Phoebe.
