NEW MEMBER
Shaun Brady, a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, is a regular contributor to the Philadelphia Daily News and City Paper as well as Down Beat and JazzTimes.
MEMBER UPDATES
David R. Adler wrote the cover story, about Henry Threadgill, for the March 2011 issue of JazzTimes. He has an Overdue Ovation piece forthcoming on bassist Kermit Driscoll, as well as a writeup on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “Guitar Heroes” exhibit, on view until July 4.
Jane Ira Bloom leads a performance discussion “Asking the East” with pipa artist Min Xiao-Fen, komungo player Jin Hi Kim and tabla artist Samir Chatterjee at the Philoctetes Center for the Multi-Disciplinary Study of Imagination in New York on Sunday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m.
Larry Blumenfeld wrote the cover story of the February 23 issue of The Village Voice, on pianist/bandleader Arturo O’Farrill’s recent journey to Cuba.
Ed Bride, who was student chairman of the Villanova Jazz Festival in 1964 and 1965, returns to campus to help his alma mater celebrate the 50th anniversary of the festival. Ed will provide historical narrative for the performance of the American Jazz Repertory Orchestra during this year’s festival, March 25-27 in suburban Philadelphia. Besides the festival’s birthday, the 16-piece big band will be observing the Stan Kenton centennial by performing several of Kenton’s memorable numbers. Kenton was chief advisor to the Villanova Jazz Festival during Ed’s student years.
Nate Chinen wrote the cover story, about Kurt Elling, for the April issue of JazzTimes. He also has a feature about trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire forthcoming in The New York Times. This spring he’ll be among the judges in the 2011 Jazz Fellowship Awards, presented by the American Pianists Association in Indianapolis.
George Grella has signed on as Social Media Director for Make Music New York’s city-wide, all-day music festival. He also has a weekly blog at ClassicalTV.com, “The Drift.”
Marcia Hillman was busy hanging out in New York with Grammy-nominee jazz vocalist Denise Donatelli on “Grammy weekend” as she planed back and forth bicoastally to fulfill her New York engagements (Dizzy’s on Valentine’s Day). She will be doing an interview about her Grammy experience soon for All About Jazz.
Patrick Hinely helped German composer/bandleader/trombonist Klaus Koenig with translation and some vintage photographs for his encyclopedic new web site, www.klauskoenigworks.com. Patrick is also photographing the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra for their upcoming recording of Terry Vosbein’s arrangements of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.
George Kanzler will be teaching “The Music of Duke Ellington” at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, this spring. In the fall he taught a jazz history/appreciation course at the same venue.
Howard Mandel has been teaching “Roots of American Music” at New York University, and creating curriculum for the JJA’s eyeJAZZ video news training program, while posting about the end of the NEA’s Jazz Masters program on his blog and writing columns about the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Brooklyn’s Gowanus-neighborhood avant-garde performance for City Arts-New York.
Dan Morgenstern participated in the fourth annual Eddie Durham Jazz Celebration held February 4 at Texas State University, San Marcos — the noted arranger-guitarist-trombonist’s birthplace, where an Eddie Durham Museum and park are planned. The celebration’s theme this year was The Durham Influence on Count Basie.” Morgenstern talked about their relationship and played a few recorded examples of their Bennie Moten collaborations, and an all-star big band performed a wide-ranging program of Basie nuggets. It was Dan’s third visit.
Roberta Piket‘s latest CD is available as of March 1st. A behind-the-scenes EPK is viewable at www.robertajazz.com/sidescolors. Roberta also recently taped her third appearance on NPR’s Piano Jazz. The show aired the last week in February.
Doug Ramsey is writing a history and analysis of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s studio recordings for the Atlantic label. The seven-CD Mosaic Records box will be out in late spring or early summer.
Arnold Jay Smith, ex JJA treasurer, is hosting an evening with the Duke Ellington Society at St. Peter’s Church in New York on Thursday, March 17. Topic: Duke Ellington @ Newport: Beyond ’56. Excerpts from AJay’s tributes to the late Dr. Billy Taylor appeared on the AP Newswire, and in Jet & Ebony magazines.
Carol Sudhalter brought a five-piece women’s band from New York to perform at the Smith College Winter ArtsFest February 4 and 5. The festival is in its first year and presented a wide variety of choral and orchestral music, electronic music and children’s music, as well as Sudhalter’s jazz/blues group. The five-piece women’s band also gave an oral history panel on Saturday, February 5, attended by well-known pianist Lory Wallfisch, long-time partner of the late violist and composer Ernst Wallfisch.
Gabe Villani has been working with John Vizzusi to promote a Vizzusi’s documentary film on Don Ellis, Electric Heart. Don was a friend and a great musician who accomplished many things in his short life. Anyone interested in seeing the film or suggesting where it could be shown to jazz lovers and students please contact Gabe at gabe@jazzmarketing.com, or John Vizzusi at www.DonEllisFilm.com.
Michael J. West has begun preliminary work on a book project with Steve Coleman (details TBD). In addition, he recently previewed the inaugural Washington Women in Jazz festival for Washington City Paper, wrote a short piece on the ending of the NEA Jazz Masters program for Down Beat, and reviewed three CDs for JazzTimes. He is also covering the 2010 National Arts Medal ceremony at the White House for City Paper and an upcoming Kennedy Center concert by Terence Blanchard and Branford Marsalis for TBD.com.
Jim Wilke recorded a pair of "Tribute to Benny Goodman" concerts by The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, and the Lynne Arriale Trio at Jazz Alley, both for broadcast on "Jazz Northwest", Sundays at 1 PM PDT on KPLU, and kplu.org. Programs are also available as podcasts after broadcast. Lynne Arriale was also interviewed for broadcast on "Jazz After Hours" on the Public Radio International network.