JJA members and friends got together to share notes and professional tips during Labor Day weekend jazz festivals in Chicago and Detroit. Meetups and more formal events are currently planned through October, across the US.
In Detroit, meetup organizers Karen Fox and Shawna Kittreport reported their venue was crowded and busy, a sign of their
at the Detroit meetup
fest’s popularity. But the bar at the Mariott was so crowded and busy that it was almost impossible for all meeting participants to get together in the chosen spot at the same time. These photos demonstrate that many JJA members and friends stopped by, making the meeting a success. In Chicago, JJA President Howard Mandel was joined by JJA members Neil Tesser, Art Lange, Alain Drouot, Richard Conde, John Litweiler, Ann Braithwaite, Jim DeJong and Michael Jackson, along with Floyd Webb (eyeJAZZ video), Bill Shoemaker (PointofDeparture.org), Mitch Myers (the Hollywood Reporter, Mix Magazine), production associate Rahsaan Clark Morris, radio show host Dave Freeman (WNUR), and others for drinks at the Radisson Blue Aqua Hotel near Millennium Park after the Jack DeJohnette birthday celebration performance at the 35th annual Chicago Jazz Festival. Members Marc PoKempner, Terry Martin, Lauren Deutsch (executive director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago, which programs the fest), and JJA “A Team” member Steve Salzman were also prominent in the weekend’s activities.
JJA Jazz Media Meetups, which encourage members and colleagues to network and talk about local jazz media, can be organized by any JJA member. They are usually casual convenings in local bars or cafes. More info about meetups is available from Susan Brink susan@jazzjournalists.org
Some of them coming up:
|
