The JJA, celebrating the 25th anniversary of its founding, has organized five days of programming for members in New York City, January 7 through 11 2011. Events are being scheduled to coincide but not conflict with the Association for Performing Arts Presenters convention, Winter Jazz Fest (to which JJA members will be admitted free) and induction ceremonies for the incoming class of National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters.
Although sites remain to be determined, a Friday afternoon panel discussion of eyeJAZZ.tv with Chicago-based instructor Floyd Webb, a Friday cocktail party open to JJA members and colleagues (please RSVP here), a Saturday town hall discussion on “the state of jazz journalism now” moderated by Ottawa-based James Hale, and meetings with jazz presenters and musicians on issues about working together for mutual benefits moderated by JJA vice-president Yvonne Ervin are slated, along with JJA participation in the open-to-all-comers APAP jazz forum on Tuesday, Jan 11 prior to the NEA Jazz Masters concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Please sign up at the registration page for each JJA Conference event you plan to attend and you will be notified by email of the exact Midtown location as soon as it is confirmed.
There will be no charge for attending JJA conference events, but registrations are essential for free admission to the Winter Jazz Fest showcase performances in venues in Greenwich Village on Friday (7) and Saturday (8). (This is available to JJA Members only.)
Access to APAP convention activities other than the Tuesday (11) jazz forum will be limited to journalists who have arranged press credentials with APAP itself; tickets to the Jazz Masters concert must be arranged with the NEA, though JJA members will be welcome to the panel introduction of the Masters (comprising the five jazz-performing Marsalises, saxophonist David Liebman, composer-arranger Johnny Mandel, flutist Hubert Laws, and record producer/author Orrin Keepnews), hosted by JJA “A Team” honoree and former NEA deputy chairman A.B. Spellman.
The JJA held a similar conference, also timed to coincide with Winter Jazz Fest, the NEA activities and APAP convention, in 2010. Some of those conference sessions were videotaped, and the JJA is currently looking into posting those videos for members’ viewing. Possibilities of live-streaming the 2011 sessions are also being explored. More information will follow as complications are resolved — direct questions to JJA president Howard Mandel, president@jazzjournalists.org.
