Jazz journalism is alive and well, as JJA members are getting their news and views about the music out in every media platform — locally, nationally and internationally.We never sleep! See the most recent publications and other work reported by the extremely active members of the Jazz Journalists Association after the jump.If you’re a JJA member and want your recent activities included in the next installment of Member Updates, send a brief paragraph beginning with your name to membernews@jazzjournalists.org by June 3, 2018.
David R. Adler wrote a major feature for JazzTimes on the legacy of guitarist Grant Green.
Paul de Barros wrote a monograph about Quincy Jones’ teacher, Frank Waldron (1890-1955), published as part the packet Frank D. Waldron: Seattle’s Syncopated Classic, which includes arrangements by Seattle guitarist Greg Ruby of tunes published by Waldron in 1924. He co-curated “Seattle on the Spot,” an exhibit at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry about Seattle jazz photographer Al Smith. He is currently researching a new book about Seattle jazz that picks up where Jackson Street After Hours left off, covering the Seattle-based careers of Bill Frisell and Wayne Horvitz, among others.
Dan Bilawsky reviewed new albums from Edward Simon, John Proulx, Duduka Da Fonseca, Martial Solal, and various other artists for All About Jazz. Last month also saw the publication of his review of the new album from the Steve Gadd Band for JazzTimes. In addition, April saw the release of Jim Snidero and Jeremy’s Pelt’s “Jubilation!”, an album with liner notes penned by Dan.
Christopher Burnett edited and published reviews by David R. Adler and Scott Yanow for Jazz Artistry Now magazine. He served as adjudicator and clinician at both the 18th & Vine Jazz Festival and the Basically Basie Competition in Kansas City. He performed in concert with the Chris Burnett Quartet at Black Dolphin and the Blue Room in Kansas City to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month and Chamber Music Month and is working on composition and arranging commissions.
Jeff Cebulski has been writing articles and reviews for Chicago Jazz Magazine. Recently he has reviewed albums from fusion bassist Frank Russell, pianist Paul Giallorenzo, guitarist Bill Boris, saxophonist June Bunnett and her band Maqueque, and singer Andrew Distel. He wrote articles or reviews about Boris, pianist Mike Jones, guitarist Dan Bruce and Kurt Elling’s return to Chicago. A piece on Andre Menard and the Montreal International Jazz Festival is pending.
John Fenton just had a book of jazz referencing poems titled Dancing Between The Notes published. He often performs these poems to music, utilising the best of New Zealand’s improvising musicians. He is officially launching his book at Auckland’s premier alternative music venue The Audio Foundation on June 28. The book has been endorsed by three leading Australasian jazz musicians: Mike Nock, Barney McAll & Ron Samsom. He has also maintained his regular New Zealand jazz blog, which is now eight years old and widely followed.
Ken Franckling reviewed and photographed the 38th annual Sarasota Jazz Festival for his Jazz Notes blog, along with trumpeter-singer Dave Pruyn’s Jazz Legacy Big Band in Port Charlotte, vibes player Warren Wolf with the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra at Artis-Naples, and Harry Allen’s “Four Others” salute to the Four Brothers sound in Tampa. The latter concert teamed Allen with fellow tenors Lew Del Gatto and Jeff Rupert, baritone saxophonist Saul Dautch, pianist Richard Drexler, bassist Don Mopsick and drummer Marty Morell. Ken also reviewed Nolatet’s new CD, No Revenge Necessary, for Offbeat’s May issue.
Leslie Lynnton Fuller is a social media strategist for Indianapolis saxophonist Rob Dixon, now preparing to release his new album “Coast to Crossroads” a roadsong through genres and locales, featuring guitarist Charlie Hunter, drummer Mike Clark and trombonist Ernest Stuart. Fuller also contributes social media for The Jazz Kitchen, now celebrating its 24th anniversary; the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation; and Indy Jazz Fest.
James Hale wrote a tribute to Cecil Taylor for DownBeat’s First Take column, profiled the music entrepreneurship program at Penn State’s Abington campus, and wrote the lead review for DownBeat’s Hot Box on Brad Mehldau’s new trio recording. For SoundStageXperience.com, he reviewed the box set of recordings from Miles Davis’s 1960 European tour with John Coltrane and Willie Nelson’s new album.
Douglas Hall is catching up on the jazz scene after a 2 week vacation in Italy. His latest performance review was of, by coincidence, a native Italian: Lello’s Molinari’s live nightclub performance of his latest release “Lello’s Italian Job, Vol. 2”,(March, 2018.)
Nazim Can Isik has been dealing with his new webzine progresifrock.com , shooting shows, writing reviews and making documentaries he is also attending jazz festivals in Istanbul and writing about them.
Sheila Jordan was the recipient of the 2018 New York Jazz Bistro Award, toured London and Spain during April and is touring Switzerland and Venice, Italy during May, interspersed with concerts in New York. She will be a guest performer at Kavita Shah’s gig at Joe’s Pub in NYC on May 30 and will perform with the Christine Tobin Band at the Irish Arts Center in NYC on May 31.
Ralph Lampkin, Jr; of Lampkin Music Group, is busy as co-producer/press agent for the concert, “Love Don’t Need a Reason: A Benefit for Marsha Malamet.”In addition, Ralph is promotions manager for Blujazz artist, Marieann Meringolo upcoming CD release party for “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow: The Songs of Alan & Marilyn Bergman” at the Iridium on May 29.
Robin Lloyd celebrated Jazz Appreciation Month by presenting Seattle’s JJA Jazz Hero Award to Karen Caropepe, managing director of Earshot Jazz. Robin also celebrated the “Cuban Invasion” of Seattle with Roberto Fonseca, Jesus Alemany’s Cubanismo, Daymé Arocena and Pedrito Martinez.
Howard Mandel reported on the 4th annual Outsiders Festival of Improvisation and Creative Music in Philadelphia for DownBeat, and reviewed albums by Kenny Barron and Oscar Peterson for the magazine, when not busy with the JJA Jazz Awards. He went on WDCB radio for a live interview with Chicago’s 2018 JJA Jazz Hero Margaret Murphy-Webb. He’s also now an officer on the board of the Jazz Institute of Chicago.
Eugenio Mirti interviewed many musicians — among them Jamie Baum, Lello Molinari, Enzo Zirilli, Jon Irabagon and Romain Pilon–for both jazzit.it and jazzespresso.com
Steve Monroe‘s April “Jazz Avenues” for East of the River print and capitalcommunitynews.com editions included a preview of the Anacostia Arts Center May Jazz Brunch with Kristine Key, a preview of the DC Jazz Festival in June and a review of the new CD by bassist Corcoran Holt, “The Mecca.”
Fiona Ross has recently interviewed Steve Gadd, Kyle Eastwood and Snow Owl for Jazz in Europe and Marco Marconi for The Jazz UK . She has also just been announced as one of the UK judges for the annual 7 Virtual Jazz Contest . Fiona has also been named as a Patron for the mental health awareness organization Insomniac Club , where she will be writing articles exploring creativity and mental health.
Jeroen de Valk has been busy preparing various concerts. On June, 1, he plays at the Red Light Jazz festival in Amsterdam, marking the 30th anniversary of Chet Baker’s death, with Baker-veteran John Engels on drums. De Valk’s updated biography of Baker got kind reviews, including on Jazz Profiles. De Valk suffers with arthosis on his right hand but manages to continue performing, thanks to a custom-made bass: the Electric Upright #2, by Lucas Suringar.
Jim Wilke recorded two concerts of Duke Ellington’s “Such Sweet Thunder” performed by the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and actors from The Seattle Shakespeare Company. This is the only known production of Ellington’s Shakespeare-inspired suite which includes actors reading appropriate scenes between Ellington’s musical portraits of characters from the plays. Selections from the concerts aired on Jazz Northwest on 88.5 KNKX and knkx.org. Podcasts are available at jazznw.org.
Patricia Willard, the winner of the 2018 JJA Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism award, recently consulted on the John Birks Gilllespie Centennial celebration in October, is completing three books, collaborating on a stage drama, a film and consulting on a television documentary–all involving jazz–and will join KPFW broadcaster and JJA member Rusty Hassan in presenting the jazz roots of Lena Horne at Westminster Church, Washington DC, in December.
Member Updates are edited by Michael J. West. Use our JJA Member Directories to find JJA members qualified to contribute to your publication or production or to assist you with your jazz-related project. The directories can be searched by name, area of expertise and geographic location.
If you aren’t a JJA Member yet, consider joining us. Membership is open to both Professional Journalists (writers, bloggers, photographers, videographers, web producers and others who cover jazz) and Industry Associates (musicians, educators, presenters, promoters and others who work in the industry and support our work.)
