Howard Mandel, President of the Jazz Journalists Association since 1994,
has announced he’s retiring from that position at the end of 2025.
The JJA board is currently discussing issues around leadership transition, seeking counsel from members and has planned a Members-Only Zoom Meeting for Sunday, July 13. See details here: JJA Event Registration.
Mandel, a writer, editor, audio producer, NPR arts reporter, former New York University and New School adjunct professor, assumed the JJA leadership 32 years ago, following first JJA president Art Lange. Since then the JJA has incorporated (in 2004) and expanded its activities and services in multiple directions, such as:
- Upgrading the printed newsletter Jazz Notes;
- pioneering activities on websites JazzHouse.org (1995- 2007), JJANews.org, JJAJazzAwards.org, YouTube, and diverse social media platforms;
- launching in 1996 annual JJA Jazz Awards for music and music media, and in 2001 the “A Team”/Jazz Heroes — celebrated at New York City galas and presented at events nationwide;
- sponsoring JJA’s Clarence Atkins Fellows at the First National Critics Conference in L.A. in 2005;
- convening panels and colloquia at APAP and IAJE conferences, Newport, Ottawa, SFJazz Jazz Festivals, at Columbia University, the New School, Harold Washington College (Chicago), and elsewhere;
- producing the innovative virtual events SyncSpace.live JazzBash! (2022) and HotHouseGlobal Videodcast (2020), the JazzNext-funded eyeJazz video training project,
- initiating Seeing Jazz photography salons, The Buzz podcast and
- publication last fall of The Jazz Omnibus: 21st Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association.
Howard has spearheaded efforts to make the JJA a resource for and professional organization of writers, photographers, broadcasters, new media jazz people and supportive music-community colleagues.
“It’s been a pleasure and honor as well as engaging, challenging work to head up the JJA over the past 32 years,” Howard says. “I’m right now brimming with personal projects I want to spend time and energy on.” He currently contributes regularly to DownBeat among other publications, has blogs on Substack and ArtsJournal.com, writes liner notes and fiction, and sits on the board of the Jazz Institute of Chicago.
“I’m proud to say the JJA has a solid reputation for services to the field, a thriving international membership (currently 245), an archive of unique content online and in print,” Mandel continues. “I believe we’ll gain from new leadership. This being a membership organization, the board is wise to ask you what’s worked or hasn’t, what you want of the JJA, what you see’s coming next in jazz journalism — to talk about what can we and can’t we do.”
Howard’s retirement provides a perfect occasion for the JJA’s board members to hear from JJA members and unaffiliated colleagues about what the JJA might do to address jazz journalists’ needs in the changing media environment. The JJA Board comprises: Bob Blumenthal, Susan Brink, Andrew Gilbert (secretary), Terri Hinte, Carolyn McClair (on leave), Rick Mitchell, Don Palmer (treasurer) and Neil Tesser.
An agenda is currently being created for the JJA Members-Only Meeting July 13, 3 pm ET. Anyone may send suggestions for agenda items, comments and questions to President@JazzJournalists.org or JJA secretary Andrew Gilbert, JazzScribe@aol.com. by July 6, for consideration of presentation and discussion.
