Karl Ackermann published a list of a dozen essential Matthew Shipp albums at All About Jazz.
Matty Bannond reviewed new releases from Nigerian alto saxophonist Camilla George and German tenor saxophonist Denis Gäbel for Jazz Journal in October. His profile of British tuba player Theon Cross was published in the October issue of The New York City Jazz Record.
Debbie Burke‘s recent blog articles include a book review of Willard Jenkins’s Ain’t But a Few of Us, a spotlight on vocalist Kristin Berardi, and an insider’s look into the jazz music of the viral video game “Cuphead” (see debbieburkeauthor.com). UPCOMING: Debbie’s new murder mystery on the Soviet bone records comes out this December. It’s her third jazz novel. Stay tuned!
John Chacona contributed the foreword to Rick Lopez’s The Sam Rivers Sessionography and copyedited the 743-page blockbuster. He contributed profiles of variety band Tennessee Backporch, bassist Calvin “Fuzz” Samuel and Albert Glinsky, author of a new biography of inventor Bob Moog, all for the Erie (PA) Times, and reviewed Billy Mohler’s “Anatomy” and the October 4 concert in Cleveland by Rova Saxophone Quartet for All About Jazz.
Rob Evanoff is excited for “Hola Guapa” (Hello Beautiful), the next single from bluesy soul singer Joanna Pearl who was recently featured at All About Jazz for their Take Five series. Joanna’s also featured on “The Mermaid” (Sereia Do Mar) from the new Chicago album, Born For This Moment. She sings in Portuguese on the outro of the bossa nova flavored track co-written by Robert Lamm and Brazilian great Marcos Valle.
Ken Franckling reviewed recordings from 10 colleges and universities and wrote about Mexican guitarist Abel Aranda’s challenging pursuit of a post-graduate degree in jazz studies in the United States, for the JazzTimes Education Guide in the magazine’s November-December issue. Before hunkering down for Hurricane Ian, Ken also reviewed Atlanta-based drummer Dave Potter’s Retro Groove Project for his Jazz Notes blog.
Willard Jenkins‘ new book Ain’t But a Few of Us explores the phenomenon of Black music as a core of world music – and certainly American music – and the relatively modest number of Black music journalists/critics/authors. The book includes interviews with Black music writers/critics/journalists/authors on their respective journeys writing about the music; how those journeys have intersected with that peculiar manmade construct known as race; and how that intersection touched or affected their respective journeys in writing about music.
Sanford Josephson interviewed bassist Adi Meyerson for the Rising Star feature in the November issue of Jersey Jazz Magazine.
Chuck Koton watched the weekend of October 21st cooking with great jazz in the LA area. Friday night tenor saxophonist Rickey Woodard and trumpet master Nolan Shaheed tore up The World Stage. (Shaheed is battling throat cancer and needs support from the jazz community so please donate to his GoFundMe.) Saturday night the Azar Lawrence Experience was ablaze at Roscoe’s Jazz Lounge in Long Beach; Sunday the Angel City Jazz Fest presented tenor great David Murray at The World Stage.
Howard Mandel nominated Marshall Allen for an NEA Jazz Masters fellowship, annotated Tilting Curvaceous (an upcoming release by sOnic OptiOns quartet convened by alto saxophonist patrick brennan), reviewed albums by Ray Anderson and Franco Ambrosetti for DownBeat, wrote an essay on Louis Armstrong’s Hot 5s and 7s for the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s JazzGram newsletter, edited/posted Marc PoKempner’s “Seeing Jazz” session for YouTube.
Bill Milkowski, biographer of Michael Brecker and Jaco Pastorius, co-author of Pat Martino’s autobiography and Keith Richards’, historian of “jive and long-active jazz journalist,, married Lauren Zarambo in a simple ceremony, presided over by a justice of the peace, in the front yard of their Connecticut home. The JJA wishes the couple a long, bright future.
Kenneth Martinez Burgmaier’s latest documentary film, Hawai’i Big Island JazzFEST Vs. Covid, was just selected for the New Orleans 2nd Line Film Festival and won at the Tokyo Film festival and selected in Sweden and Rhode Island film festivals so far.
Scott Thompson PR is working publicity for the new Rebecca Coupe Franks release “Planets” and OZMA from France at The Cutting Room Nov. 2. Other clients include: Mike Clement, B.D. Lenz w/ Mike Stern & Randy Brecker, and with vocalist Tony Hightower.
Deanna Witkowski is the winner of a 2022 ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book Award for Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul.
