Did you miss the "festivity" of June jazz concerts in major Manhattan venues -- or did you find ways of coping without them? There's so much fine music -- jazz and beyond -- in nearby festive settings, many of them out-of-doors, that the absence of a 38-year-old institution doesn't seem to have made much stir. Perhaps you didn't even notice? Here's my most recent City Arts - NYC report on how George Wein responded to his perennial presence in New York City's jazz summer being suspended, upcoming classic jazz alternatives in Kent, CT, Katonah … [Read more...]
Zx1 pocket camera stars at 2009 Jazz Awards!
June 29, 2009 by
I love My Youtube! -- now hosting video clips from my handy new Kodak go-anywhere device of jazz celebs, players and presenters at the Jazz Journalists Association's 13th annual Jazz Awards party at the Jazz Standard (NYC) June 16, shot by debuting cinematographer R. Mandel.Brief bits of Hank Jones, the Charles Tolliver Big Band, Jane Bunnett's Spirits of Havana, flutist Frank Wess, trombonist Roswell Rudd, Blue Note's Bruce Lundvall, singers Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling. A worthy Jazz Foundation pitch and SESAC toasts all the … [Read more...]
Chicago’s quirky hero of blues and jazz in NYT
June 28, 2009 by
Bob Koester, owner-operator of Delmark Records and the Jazz Record Mart, is celebrated in the New York Times' Arts & Leisure section today. He's documented and marketed South and West Side soul, AACM innovation, trad jazz and the Mississippi Delta blues revival. I'm among the many music fans who grew up in his sway -- and include my 12-best list of albums Koester brought to life. … [Read more...]
Furor over jazz sexism (continues)
June 26, 2009 by
Kitty Margolis, Bay Area jazz singer, Facebook and in-person friend, fired up followers re guest blogger Paul Lindemeyer's comments on jazz's historic bias towards men, which I contextualized with reference to Michelle Obama's White House jazz night. Here's what Kitty's people wrote (names obscured except for her own and Alfonso's -- they ask to be id'd) -- … [Read more...]
Michelle Obama refutes jazz as boys’ club
June 23, 2009 by
There are "powerful reasons . . .we ought to consider" for why musicians and listeners "tend to be a brotherhood," according to a self-described "middle-aged white male swing-to-bopper." He's identifying, not justifying . . .Then the First Lady upsets the paradigm. She brings her daughters to the gig.I've got pressing deadlines, but luckily several lengthy, thoughtful responses to recent blog postings, so here's one of a series by correspondents of Jazz Beyond Jazz. Paul Lindemeyer ia a multi-talented reeds musician/big band … [Read more...]
Jazz, that classy music
June 19, 2009 by
Saxophonist Steve Wilson and I talked about "Jazz and the Class Divide" at Dartmouth College, and here's the entire half-hour clip on foratv.com. Wilson, a gentleman and a great player, was touring with the Blue Note 7, the band anchored by pianist Bill Charlap that's been a big thing because Blue Note refers to the record label celebrating its 70th year in business in 2009. I get a couple chuckles out of watching myself, especially when I lose my point. . . but I do pick it up (Oh yeah - - Cecil Taylor can quote Messaein without hardly … [Read more...]
Happy and sad news updates
June 18, 2009 by
Jazz Beyond Jazz was named Blog of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association at the Jazz Awards on Tuesday -- and Tina Marsh, driving force of Austin creative music, died that day, too.I'm immersed in follow-up on both these and related issues, but details and new posts are guaranteed. As 91-year-old Hank Jones said upon receiving the JJA's award as Pianist of the Year, "This Award is an incentive to do better ." howardmandel.com Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter All JBJ posts | … [Read more...]
2009 JJA Jazz Award Winners
June 18, 2009 by
The whole list is posted at http://www.jazzhouse.org, along with photos of the Jazz Journalists Association's 13th Annual Jazz Awards presentation, held Tuesday in New York City.A full report, with video, very soon. howardmandel.com Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter All JBJ posts | … [Read more...]
Tina Marsh, Austin’s avant-jazz leader, gravely ill
June 11, 2009 by
The founder of the Creative Opportunity Orchestra, a musicans' cooperative of composer-improvisers on the model of Chicago's AACM, is suffering late stage breast cancer. Beautiful Tina Marsh, age 55, whose disease was successfully treated in the '90s but recurred in 2008, is resting in a private home, with friends close by.A pure-voiced vocalist who employs extended techniques in dramatic interpretations of songs such as Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" with brilliant control for deep affect but who has also conducted a wild 'n' wooly ensemble … [Read more...]
