The year’s rushing to a close but wow, what a lot of jazz there is, has been and will be!
JJA members are grateful, and more than that — engaged. Busy trying to get you, dear reader, up on news and views of the music scene we love to live in. Check out our books (not least, The Jazz Omnibus). Hear our podcasts (for instance, The Buzz). See our photos, watch our documentaries, take our courses! Listen to some music!
New members are Ruth Griggs, president of the Northampton Jazz Festival and a 2025 JJA Jazz Hero, and Robert Nein, a pianist, composer, recording artist, writer, publicist and former co-producer of Big Band Jazz concert series in Chewelah, Washington.
We are very sad to report the death of a founding JJA member, Scott Thompson, 71,
of natural causes in his Florida home on October 24. Scott worked tirelessly as an honest, enthusiastic, informed and communicative publicist. DownBeat’s obituary is most complete, Bill King’s especially heart-felt. We’re all sad he’s gone, glad he was here. We also mourn the death and celebrate the life of Jack DeJohnette, who was voted recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Award by the JJA in 2024.
Here’s what some of us have been doing:
Matty Bannond focused on publication of his jazz-related debut novel
Cutting Contest in the second half of September. It tells the story of a dry-humoured and hot-tempered young trombone player on the brink of financial, professional and personal ruin. Matty also interviewed bassist Brandi Disterheft for The New York City Jazz Record and reviewed albums by Sarah Wilson, Liv Andrea Hauge, Vincent Herring and Eric Alexander for Jazz Journal.
Jane Ira Bloom, soprano saxophonist extraordinaire, announces the Nov 21st digital release of once like a spark, a duo project with percussionist Brian Shankar Adller on AAdhyâropa Records (AR00155).
Steven Bowie’s Concerto for Cootie: The Life and Times of Cootie Williams will be published by the University Press of Mississippi on November 17. This is the first full length biography of a true giant and it’s a long overdue look at his life and legacy.
Katchie Cartwright wrote reviews of Benjamin Tausig’s Bangkok After Dark and John Gennari’s The Jazz Barn for All About Jazz, and has joined the JJA Book Award Committee. She continues to host Caminhos do Jazz with Katchie on KRTU-FM in San Antonio. The show is now also available on AAJ.
Sid Gribetz produced a five hour radio show profiling pianist Dodo Marmarosa on WKCR radio on October 12.
Doug Hall continues with his two monthly podcasts, Talk About Jazz with Doug Hall and The Jazz Journey with Doug Hall. His latest installments are conversations with New York-based jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer bandleader & producer Milena Casado and British-born composer, multi-instrumentalist of Nigerian and Jamaican descent and recent graduate from Berklee College of Music Roella Oloro.
Geoffrey Himes published his latest book, Willie Nelson: All the Albums
—The Stories Behind the Music with Motorbooks/Quarto in October. An excerpt from the book will be published in an upcoming issue of Jazz Times magazine. In a recent issue of Jazz Times, Himes profiled Charles Lloyd. Himes launched his new podcast/blog Hard Rain & Pink Cadillacs on Substack in July.
Patrick Hinely photographed a recording session with pianist David Haney playing the Great Stalacpipe Organ in improvised duets with flutist Yale Acher 250+ feet underground at Luray Caverns in Virginia, and wrote about it, as well as creating photographic and anecdotal remembrances of Sheila Jordan, Nancy King and Mitchell Seidel, for Cadence magazine.
Sanford Josephson taught his fall 2025 Jazz Giants and Rising Stars online course for Rutgers’ Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The five classes, from October 9-November 6 were on: Russell Malone, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Emily Remler, and four Rising Stars: keyboardist Leonieke Scheuble, alto saxophonist Veronica Leahy, trumpeter Skylar Tang, and pianist Ben Collins-Siegel. In the October issue of Jersey Jazz Magazine, Josephson interviewed pianist Ted Rosenthal and Rising Star trumpeter Nathaniel Williford.
Eva Kapanadze had an exciting September, as she had the honor of participating in the Second Jazz Worldwide Photographer Encounter in London, UK. She also covered the Soho Jazz Festival, celebrating the vibrant jazz scene in Soho.
Howard Mandel reviewed Rico Jones’ Bloodlines and Dave Kikosksi’s Weekend at Small’s for DownBeat, and wrote a feature on Denardo Coleman’s presentation of The Shape of Jazz to Come with improvisers and the Ostinato Orchestra at the Jazz a la Villette festival in Paris — eagerly awaiting publication! He wrote about jazz in the “death-trap” of Chicago, wished Steve Swallow happy birthday, remembered Jack DeJohnette and offered up personal recommendations at Mandel’s Media Diet on Substack.
Ken Martinez Burgmaier produced his 12th Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival and is finally bringing back the Maui Jazz & Blues festival after the Lahaina Fires, October 20-26. He is flying in 15 award-winning musicians, including Delfeayo Marsalis Donald Harrison, Eric Marienthal, and others for a New Orleans JazzFEST experience for Hawai’i that will be filmed for Jazz Alley TV (celebrating 34 years on broadcast TV!).
Bill McCann’s The WAMC Jazz Show (90.3 FM, Albany)will, beginning Saturday, October 18, expand from one hour to two and will air from 11 PM to 1 AM. The show is followed by Jazz After Hours, which is moving from Midnight to 1 AM. McCann took over the program from long-time host Tim Coakley, who retired in December of 2024, after hosting the program for more than 37 years.
Lawrence Peryer published episodes of his Spotlight On podcast with author Larry Tye,
in the final interview of the press campaign for his book The Jazzmen, exploring how Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie became civil rights pioneers beyond their musical legacy; saxophonist Donny McCaslin on his genre-defying album Lullaby for the Lost and his ongoing Blackstar Symphony performances (exploring the music of David Bowie); and Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee on their latest collaboration, the album Reno.
Natalia Rikker, artistic director of the Russian jazz festival “What a Wonderful World”, professor of the South Ural Institute of Arts and musicologist, was awarded the title of Honored Worker of Culture and Art of the Chelyabinsk region*. The presentation of State awards to workers of industry, culture, sports, education, and healthcare took place on September 16 at the residence of the Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region.
Hilary Seabrook has published episode 300 of her podcast, Harmonious World, featuring pianist Chano Dominguez and guitarist Ethan Margolis. She says: “There are more episodes to release, as well as albums and gigs to review. Long may these great musicians continue to share amazing music with me and my listeners.”
Brad Stone continues to produce his radio program, The Creative Source, featuring new releases and current artists, on SoulandJazz.com. He recently emceed the Monterey Jazz and San Jose Jazz Summer Festivals. He taught a History of Jazz and Rock course last semester as a dual enrollment course through Gavilan College to students at Anzar High School, continues to write his guest column for Women in Jazz Media magazine and serve as a member of the JJA Book Award Committee.
