Organist Greg Lewis, wearing a monk’s robe, plus guitarist Ron Jackson and drummer Damion Reid, tore up with full respect the knotty compositions of the late great Thelonious Monk last night at 55 Bar in Greenwich Village. About a dozen people heard them over a 90 minute period (they played a full set, took a break and performed […]
Archives for January 2012
Etta James and Johnny Otis — Jazz Masters?
Etta James, who died today Jan. 20 at age 73, and Johnny Otis, who died Jan. 17 at 90, Â are rightly recognized as innovators and icons of American rhythm ‘n’ blues and soul. But the jazz world — listeners, broadcasters and journalists, musicians and institutions up to and including the NEA — would be well-served […]
Who should the next NEA Jazz Masters be?
Who should be the next NEA Jazz Masters? With last night’s triumphant and deeply moving webcast of the NEA’s 2012 Jazz Masters induction ceremonies came welcome news the annual fellowships for these major American artists will continue — at least the financial awards of $25,000 per Master. More significant to many jazzers than the $ […]
NEA Jazz Masters @ Jazz at Lincoln Center live and webcast smash
The glory of living American jazz musicians filled Jazz at Lincoln Center last night to celebrate the 30th annual National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters fellowships — and some of the best news was the vitality of the music they played (webcast audio by WBGO and Sirius Radio, video at arts.gov). But of equally significance immediately […]
NEA Jazz Masters concert webcast, program to continue
The National Endowment of the Arts, formally inducting its 30th class of  “Jazz Masters” with a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center January 10 2012 that is being webcast live on WBGO Jazz 88.3FM and SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Real Jazz Channel XM67, (starting at 7:30 pm ET) has announced that Jazz Masters will again be named and receive […]
Josef Skvorecky, novelist of jazz = freedom & creativity, RIP
Josef Skvorecky’s The Bass Saxophone is one of a handful of fine novels identifying the extraordinary powers of jazz as an art form, a process, a heritage — which makes it more than something to listen or dance to. Several obits for the Czech writer (d. Jan 3, age 87) who was long exiled in […]
Arts presenters – jazzers, journalists included – kick of ’12 in NYC
The New Year starts bang! with performing arts presenters, artists and the journalists who cover them convening —  GlobalFest world music and  Winter Jazzfest musicians’ showcases — the NEA Jazz Masters fête  and shortly thereafter the  Chamber Music America conference, all in NYC. As pres of the Jazz Journalists Association, I’m happy to announce a four-session mini-conference on Media for Audience Development […]