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 November 3, 2018.
Saul Addison attended the Long Island CD “Out in the Open” release jam of Sam Dillion at the Jazz Loft in Stony Brook. The group consisted of Sam Dillon on Tenor Saxophone, Kevin B. Clark Jr on Guitar, Dave Lobenstein on Bass and Chris Smith on Drums. Also, Saul helped with the clean-up of the John & Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills for the National Trust Award Ceremony in October.
Noal Cohen published part 1 of a series entitled “The Birth of the Cool Legacy.”
Steve Griggs contributed an interview with Jim Wilke to the liner notes for Reel to Real’s upcoming release of Cannonball Adderley Live at the Penthouse. Griggs will cover Coltrane Plays the Blues at Tula’s on Nov 11 with pianist John Hansen, bassist Chuck Deardorf, and drummer D’Vonne Lewis. Griggs’ recording Sound in Stone, poetry by African American sculptor James Washington set to music, will be released in November on Hip City Music.
James Hale wrote about changes to UCLA’s jazz program for DownBeat, and reviewed Rudy Royston’s Flatbed Buggy for SoundStageXperience.com.
Andrew Hovan spent Labor Day weekend covering the Detroit Jazz Festival for allaboutjazz.com. In addition, he served as stage emcee at the Pyramid stage Saturday evening of the festival and introduced writer Paul De Barros for the Down Beat Blindfold Test with Marcus Miller.
Sheila Jordan will tour Europe Sabine Kurhlech’s “Lines for Ladies,” October 24-November 4.
Sanford Josephson‘s book, Jeru’s Journey: The Life and Music of Gerry Mulligan (Hal Leonard Books: 2015) was given away at the start of each set during the October 5 and 6th Gerry Mulligan Tribute at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, NY. Mulligan’s music was played by the following quintet: Bill Mays, piano; Dean Johnson, bass; Ron Vincent, drums; Scott Robinson, baritone saxophone; and Marvin Stamm, trumpet. All but Stamm are interviewed in Jeru’s Journey.
Gloria Krolak is co-producing, with Rich Speer, the Jazz Vibes Showcase. Four of the world’s best
vibraphone players will perform singly and together – Joe Locke, Warren Wolf, Tony Miceli and David Friedman. The concert will be held at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head Island, 2-4 p.m. on January 6, 2019 – mark your calendars. hotel info is available at the ACCC website.
Ralph Lampkin, Jr., is busy with the continued PR and Promotion campaigns for Vocalist
Marieann Meringolo and the piano duo group, The Boogie Kings. The above work is done in conjunction with his business partner, Lynn Orman Weiss, in their company: OrmanLampkinMusicGroup. addition, LMG has been providing services as Promotions assistant to Chicago’s popular organization, Blujazz.
Joe Lang served as producer for a program titled Marlene VerPlanck -Celebrating a Life in Song, that took place on September 23 at William Paterson University. The program celebrated the musical life of Marlene who left us on January 14, 2018. Proceeds from the concert were for the Marlene and J Billy VerPlanck Endowed Scholarship for trombone students in the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University.
Robin Lloyd hosts Mid Day Jazz and Jazz Caliente on 88.5 KNKX-FM. In September, she interviewed Cuban pianist Harold López Nussa and previewed the Latin Grammy nominees for Best Latin Jazz Album.
Howard Mandel reviewed the 40th annual Chicago Jazz Festival for DownBeat online and print editions and also Michael Formanek’s Elusion Quartet album; saw publication of his introduction to Jazz Images by William Claxton; consulted Flame Tree Publications on an update of The Encyclopedia of Jazz and Blues, and wrote about JJA member Lewis Achenbach’s “Jazz Occurrence” for a catalog of the Aurora (IL) Arts Center.
Eugenio Mirti has worked at Grangia Fest. He has also interviewed Francesco Mascio, Alberto Gurrisi, Lorena Favot, Nicola Lancerotti, and Gegé Telesforo.
Gregory Charles Royal‘s New York Jazz Film Festival will launch The BeBop Channel on December 1, 2018. “Bebop” is the first On-Demand Channel to feature scripted Jazz Programming (not documentaries) and features, among other programs, the Giant Steps dramatic comedy series and other programs featuring jazz musicians, dancers, and other artists.
Lew Shaw recalls the glory days of the Music Inn, Berkshire Music Barn, and the Lenox School of Jazz in the October issue of The Syncopated Times.
Sammy Stein co-hosted a series for Jazz Bites Radio called ‘Ladies In Jazz,’ which the station will be rerun this autumn. Her new series, the second part of the Single Entities series in which each show features a single instrument, will broadcast soon. Sammy also has a new book contract for Women in Jazz, publishing in 2019, and has been asked to be the UK and European cover for a re-launch of a well-known magazine.
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.)
