Fearing Hurricane Irene, New York City has suspended public transportation and cancelled everything -- but not my online video Charlie Parker Jazz fest, a humble audio/video standin for the live sets scheduled but not-to-be in Harlem and the East Village, Saturday and Sunday, Aug 27-28. Monday, Aug. 29 is the 91st birthday of the immortal alto saxophonist, called "Bird" (short for "Yardbird"), who legendarily died of the fast life in 1955. He and associates including trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie -- with whom he plays "Hot House" in one of … [Read more...]
Labor Day Jazz & Blues fests coast-to-coast; how many listening?
August 25, 2011 by
Jazz and blues festivals occur in America coast-to-coast over Labor Day weekend -- how many listeners will the music engage? Capacities vary: free multi-day fests in Chicago and Detroit attract tens of thousands each, and the free Memphis Music & Heritage Festival; River Front Jazz Fest in Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Franklin Jazz Festival outside Nashville, Tennessee; Big Muddy Blues Festival at Laclede's Landing near St. Louis' Gateway Arch, and 23rd Annual DC Blues Festival at Rock Creek Park's Carter Barron Amphitheatre … [Read more...]
Trademark “Miles” image? Estate sues jazz club
August 24, 2011 by
The Miles Jazz Cafe, a low-key, off-the-mainline music loft in midtown Manhattan, is being sued by the estate of trumpeter Miles Davis for copyright infringement, citing use of the musician's silhouette as "free-riding on the goodwill associated with the Miles Davis marks" in a way "likely to mislead the public." The perpetually photogenic Davis was represented by a silhouette on album covers of his early 1960s Columbia albums Seven Steps to Heaven, Sketches of Spain and Quiet Nights. Compare the logo of the bare-bones third-floor room run … [Read more...]
Jazz audience surveyed, segmented
August 16, 2011 by
The jazz audience can be described by its parts: hip, participatory young artist/musicians, less experienced and cost-conscious but willing social butterflies, mid-aged and older cultural omnivores and dull-but-desirable comfort seekers, according to a segmentation study sponsored by the Jazz Audience Initiative. Some of this has been reported by NPR's A Blog Supreme as "Actually Useful Information About the Jazz Audience" (thanks, Patrick Jarenwattananon), but these categories which the study used to characterize the varied … [Read more...]
My live reviews, Newport Jazz Fest via NPR broadcast #newportjazz
August 6, 2011 by
I just got the bright idea of live/remote coverage of today's music at the Newport Jazz Fest - tweeting briefly but fleshing out comments here and on Facebook -- wherever people respond. Follow me @jazzbeyondjazz or #newportjazz and hear the broadcast: http://t.co/acrBBnq I'll start at 2:45 pm - with Regina Carter's Reverse Thread performance -- and probably quite at 5, before the New Orleans finale -- unless it's really fun and working out -- To kick things off: two profiles of fest-producer George Wein, produced by eyeJAZZ.tv … [Read more...]
Saint Agnes Varis gave $ to jazz, opera & Democrats, dies age 81
August 3, 2011 by
Agnes Varis, a major progressive philanthropist funding the Jazz Foundation of America, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera while fighting for reduced health care costs through perscription of generic drugs and supporting a broad array of Democratic and women's issues, died of cancer July 29 at age 81. She was officially honored as "Saint of the Century" by Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Mitch Landrieu at the JFA's annual benefit concert "A Great Night in Harlem," at the Apollo Theater in 2009. According to the New York … [Read more...]
UNESCO names pianist Herbie Hancock “goodwill ambassador”
July 25, 2011 by
Pianist Herbie Hancock has been appointed a "goodwill ambassador" by UNESCO. The 71-year-old multiple Grammy winner, Chicago-born child prodigy, Miles Davis' keyboards man ushering open-form improvisation, electronic instruments and studio procedures into the past half-century of jazz-based music and talent scout with global interests joins an international coterie that currently includes Nelson Mandela, Pierre Cardin, Claudia Cardinale, Forest Whitaker, Jean Michel Jarre and royal personages from Belgium, Jordan, Morocco and Thailand. A … [Read more...]
Vionlinist Billy Bang on being a “tunnel rat” in Viet Nam
April 12, 2011 by
Violinist Billy Bang, died at age 63 on April 11 of cancer, was a composer of enduring, affecting music based on his military service in Viet Nam. Prayer for Peace, Vietnam: Reflections and Vietnam: The Aftermath deal directly, bravely and beautifully with Bang's thoughts and feelings about having been a tunnel rat -- a small soldier dropped into darkness to sniff out what, or who, was a danger underground. Go to my NPR interview with Billy and click "listen." … [Read more...]
NEA wants to end Jazz Masters program
February 15, 2011 by
The National Endowment of the Arts' FY-12 Appropriations Request has just been posted, and cuts $21 million to return to its 2008 funding level. Among program "modifications": the establishment of "American Artists of the Year awards," which will "remove specific reference to Jazz, Folk, and Opera" and give discipline awards annually in two categories:Performing Arts: Dance/Music/Opera/Musical Theater/Theater Visual Arts: Design/Media Arts/Museums/Visual Arts (including crafts)This evidently means the end of the Jazz Masters Fellowships, … [Read more...]
Unusual jazz and beyond music choices in NYC
July 18, 2010 by
Hot weather, cool venues through July 30 is theme of my latest City Arts column. Yes, many headliners are on summer European tour, but those who remain reward a hearing . . howardmandel.com Subscribe by Email or RSS All JBJ posts … [Read more...]
