Looking for proof that jazz is alive and well? You’ll find the most recent publications and other work reported by the extremely active members of the Jazz Journalists Association after the jump. We never sleep! If you are a JJA member and would like your recent activities included in the next installment of Member Updates, send a brief paragraph beginning with your name to membernews@jazzjournalists.org by July 3, 2013.
Brian Arsenault recently reviewed albums by George Benson,Terry Lyne Carrington, Noah Preminger, Susanne Abbuehl, the Daniel Bennett Group, bree and Steve Casper & Cowboy Angst for The International Review of Music. Other recent reviews included three reissued albums of the Rolling Stones and he continued his column “Takes On” at Irom.
Jane Ira Bloom performed an All Ballads project at the Cornelia St. Café in the West Village in NYC on Sun, June 2nd. She was joined by pianist Dominic Fallacaro, bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Billy Drummond.
Stephanie J. Castillo is back in NYC and setting up her July film shoots for her documentary Night Bird Song: The Thomas Chapin Story. Her first shoot features musicians who played with Thomas Chapin — bassist Mario Pavone, pianist Peter Madsen, trombonist Peter McEachren and drummer Steve Johns. All are slated for sit-down interviews. Other July interviews in Manhattan will include multi-instrumentalist Ned Rothenberg, bassist Arthur Kell, and City Winery’s Michael Dorf, founder of the Knitting Factory.
Cornish College of the Arts (institutional supporting member)– Kent Devereaux, chair of the Music Department, reports that Cornish’s ” jazz program continues to grow.” Cornish is the oldest (1964) and largest undergraduate jazz program in the Pacific Northwest presenting dozens of concerts and masterclasses by nationally and internationally renowned artists each year.
Brett Delmage produced a video story for OttawaJazzScene.ca about the only Canadian to receive a 2013 JJA Jazz Hero Award, Ottawa composer and guitarist Roddy Ellias.
Marcia Hillman interviews 87 year old pianist Boyd Lee Dunlop who made his recording debut at the age of 85 for an article to appear in the July issue of The New York City Jazz Record.
Patrick Hinely’s shot of some boards on the side of a barn in Rockbridge County, Virginia is on the front cover of The Swallow Quintet’s debut album “Into the Woodwork” while his photographs from the band’s 2011 debut European tour fill the album booklet inside, on XtraWATT, via ECM.
J Hunter reviewed Paul Kogut‘s appearance with Francois Moutin & Ari Hoenig at Athens Cultural Center and Jim Weider‘s Project Percolator (w/s/g Garth Hudson) at the Egg’s Swyer Theatre for Nippertown. J also made his return to All About Jazz with a review of Christian McBride & Inside Straight’s new disc People Music. Most importantly, J confirmed that his new weekly radio show “Jazz2K” will be debuting Tuesday, June 4th from 6-8pm on 91.1 WSPN.
Rudy Lu photographed International Jazz Day celebrations @ SUNY New Paltz for albanyjazz.com, Paul Kogut’s performance with one time trio featuring Ari Hoenig and Francois Moutin in Athens, NY for albanyjazz.com and nippertown.com and Chembo Corniel’s Afro Blue Monk in Schenectady, NY for albanyjazz.com. He also photographed Project Percolator in Albany, NY for nippertown.com and Pete and Peggy Seeger in concert in Schenectady for nippertown.com.
Ralph A. Miriello did a piece on the Student Jazz Awards for Downbeat‘s June edition, interviewed Nicole Mitchell for Downbeat August edition; covered Mike Holober and Marvin Stamm at Nyack Library, Cyrille Aimee and Pete Malinverni at the Pound Ridge Community Church and published an extensive interview with Giacomo Gates for his blog and the Huffington Post.
John Pietaro performs with his band The Red Microphone at Silvana (6/15 -Erika Dagnino fronting); Brecht Forum (6/23), Howland Cultural Center, Beacon NY (6/29); and with Karl Berger’s Improvisers Orchestra: Shapeshifter Lab (6/13).
Lew Shaw’s self-published 212-page book, “JAZZ BEAT, Notes on Classic Jazz” can now be ordered at www.classicjazzbeat.com. It is a collection of 47 profiles of musicians and jazz advocates that Lew has written over the past 10 years.
Ron Sweetman celebrated his 37th year as researcher/producer/announcer of his weekly jazz and blues radio program In a Mellowtone for CKCU-FM 93.1 in Ottawa, Canada on May 1st, and from May 16-19 he attended the 29th edition of the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Victoriaville in Quebec, which included Iva Bittova, Tim Brady, Michel Doneda, The Thing, and a full day devoted to John Zorn.
Joyce Wilson– I am very excited about being able to share my plans for the summer. I’m attending several ‘jazz’ events starting with the Playboy Jazz Festival. There, I will gather notes and pictures to share with others while keeping the spirit of sharing the wonderful art form known as Improvisation.
Deanna Witkowski was the featured guest with the Shannon Hoover Trio in Greenville, SC on June 7-9. On June 9, she performed a solo piano concert at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC; on June 14, she will be a featured presenter/performer at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT; and on June 28, she will be back in New York playing with the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra at Christ and St. Stephen’s Church.
Member Updates are edited by Michael J. West with assistance from Tanya Ellerbee.
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