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 April 3, 2016.
Nancy Barell now has two new homes for “Jazz Spotlight On Sinatra”: on WFDU-FM, Saturdays from 3 to 5 PM and Mondays 2 to 4 PM (HD2 is the jazz channel), and also on Pure Jazz Radio, Tuesdays at 7Pm and Thursdays at 11AM. “I am very pleased to have found new broadcasting homes. Please check it out.”
David Basse has written two pieces this month, one on racism and the hundredth anniversary of Frank Sinatra and the other on the court martial of saxophonist Lester Young. Both pieces are part of a degree program at the University of Missouri. Basse produced and released a new recording with pianist Joe Cartwright, and sang at two sold out February performances. One at a the Pilgrim Chapel release and the other at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Michael Dinwiddie is chair of the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts (DECFA), which will be hosting the 24th International Duke Ellington Study Group Conference in New York City (St. Peter’s Church and MIST-Harlem) from May 19-23, 2016. Robin Bell-Stevens, Executive Director and CEO of Jazzmobile, Inc., is the keynote speaker, and there will be panels, musical performances, and screenings focused on Duke Ellington’s life and music. For more information go to the DECFA website.
Paul Simeon Fingerote recently joined JJA after spending 30+ years as Monterey Jazz Festival Marketing Director. He is the co-author (with the late Dr. Herb Wong) of “Jazz On My Mind: Liner Notes, Anecdotes and Conversations from the 1940s to the 2000s.” The book features the best of Herb’s 400+ liner notes, his personal stories about the artists with whom he’s worked over seven decades as a jazz industry leader, and his one-on-one conversations with legends of jazz and legends-to-be.
Ken Franckling reviewed guitarist Steve Uscher’s Tropical Jazz Group concert in Port Charlotte, FL for JazzTimes, and covered several other regional concerts by Florida musicians on his Jazz Notes blog.
Ted Gioia will be releasing his new book How to Listen to Jazz, published by Basic Books, on May 17.
Steve Griggs will host “Meditations on Coltrane” March 13 at the Royal Room in Seattle. Griggs will interview Coltrane scholar Yasuhiro Fujioka, then perform with drummer Gregg Keplinger and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes. The program is supported by at Jazz2U grant from the Jazz Education Network. Two of Griggs musician profiles were reprinted in Lynn Darroch’s Rhythm in the Rain (Olligan Press).
James Hale wrote two features for DownBeat’s annual guide to jazz festivals: an overview of the Montreux Jazz Festival 50th anniversary celebration; and a tourist’s guide to the jazz festivals in Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastian, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal.
Marcia Hillman‘s feature Encore article on trombonist Bill Watrous will appear in the March 2016 issue of The New York City Jazz Record.
Reuben Jackson, host of “Friday Night Jazz,” devoted his three hour program February 13 to Maurice White and Earth, Wind and Fire. Selections included material from White’s work with Ramsey Lewis; earlier, more overtly jazz-influenced EWF recordings; as well as more well known efforts by the band.
Thomas Jacobsen has been deeply involved in the final production stage of his new book, his third on the New Orleans jazz scene. The title of his latest is The New Orleans Jazz Scene Today, A Guide to the Musicians, Live Jazz Venues, and More. It is a comprehensive, up-to-date, and abundantly illustrated guide to what can be heard–and by whom–in the Crescent City these days. Watch for details as they become available at Jacobsen’s website, www.neworleansnotes.com.
Sheila Jordan went to the Green Mill in Chicago with Alan Broadbent for two nights, then the Mark Murphy Tribute on March 14th at St. Peter’s Church, then a CD release concert for the recently released CD Better Than Anything with the Alan Broadbent trio. She will close out March by doing the bass and voice duo in Philadelphia at the club South and then will go to Toronto the end of March for two nights in a club.
Ralph Lampkin announces The Danny Lerman Experience with special guest, Ondor Focan, on Wednesday, March 30th at 8:00 p.m. at Café Noctambulo. $20 Music Charge, $20 Food/Beverage Minimum, Cocktails & Dining 6-11PM. 1-212 995 0900. Lerman returns to the Cafe directly from appearing at the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia, this newest show will feature material from Danny’s three recordings, mixed with some favorites from the pop and classic songbook.
Howard Mandel reviewed Better Git It In Your Soul(JA member Krin Gabbard’s book about Charles Mingus) and guitarist Mike Moreno’s album Lotus for DownBeat, touched up a press bio of Kenyan pianist Aaron Rimbui, memorialized Paul Kantner and reviewed the HBO documentary Mavis! on his blog artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz, and wrote liner notes for John Cage Meets Sun Ra, The Complete Concert (coming from Sundazed Music).
Fran Morris Rosman of the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation is thrilled to announce a brand-new Facebook page dedicated to Ella’s upcoming 100th birthday. ELLA AT 100: THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION will begin on April 25, 2017 and end on April 25, 2018.
John Pietaro‘s work with The NYC Jazz Record continues with a cover story on Billy Cobham soon in print. He is also working on a recording project with poet/activist Amina Baraka and is nearly complete with his book On the Creative Front: Essays on the Culture of Liberation.
Bob Rosenbaum is organizing Israel’s first group exhibition of jazz photographs for the country’s 2nd Jaffa Jazz Festival in mid-September. The exhibition will feature works by four veteran photographers, Bob among them. The Jaffa-based festival is a 3-day event that brings together players from Israel, the US and Europe for tributes to some of the music’s great pioneers.
Joyce Wilson is about to launch a blog radio talk show, and is very excited about it. It has been in the developmental stages for such a long time, to the point of non existing. She is continuing in her studies as a photojournalist, and frequently attending Jazz Festivals.
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.)
