American Composers Orchestra

Symphonic “jazz” compositions, big bands and holiday blasts

July 3, 2011 by Howard Mandel

The American Composers Orchestra readings of short symphonic works by jazz-oriented composers which I wrote of in my CityArts column and posted about here are now available to hear, thanks to Lara Pelligrinelli at NPR's A Blog Supreme. The 23rd annual BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra concert, featuring "New Works for Big Band" and the naming (not yet publicized) of the winner of the 11th Annual Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize. I'm looking for a third item regarding really large scale opportunities for jazz composers (and listeners), … [Read more...]

American Composer Orchestra: Jazz composers welcome

June 27, 2011 by Howard Mandel

The American Composers Orchestra gave eight jazz-oriented composers a year to work up five minute pieces and composer-mentors to help, then staged readings conducted by George Manahan during one of the busiest weeks of the jazz summer. Read about it in my latest CityArts column.Harris Eisenstadt, drummer and composer, and his score for "Palimpset" - photo courtesy of ACO. Columbia University's Center for Jazz Studies partnered on this project. howardmandel.com Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter All JBJ posts … [Read more...]

I'm a Chicago-born and New York-based writer, editor, author, arts reporter/producer for radio including NPR, and nascent videographer -- for more than 30 years, a freelance arts journalist working on newspapers, magazines and websites, appearing on tv and radio, teaching at New York University and elsewhere. I'm president of the Jazz Journalists Association; my books are Future Jazz (Oxford U Press, 1999) and Miles Ornette Cecil - Jazz Beyond Jazz (Routledge, 2008). I was general editor of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz and Blues (Flame Tree 2005/Billboard Books 2006) Read More…

Richard Kamins on Charlie Haden, anchoring free play
Excellent, heartfelt, tribute to a person who truly played every note with heart and soul.
Posted Jul 13, 2014
Reuben Jackson on Charlie Haden, anchoring free play
Beautifully said. Thank you.
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Bob Gluck on Charlie Haden, anchoring free play
Beautifully said, Howard. Charlie was one remarkable musician whose imprint strongly helped shape some of my favorite music of the...
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Howard Mandel on Jazz and beyond “jazz” — NYC to Chicago
Thanks Diane--"chapter" is right, as it indicates continuity.
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Diane Moser on Jazz and beyond “jazz” — NYC to Chicago
Good luck Howard on your new chapter in life! Diane
Posted Jul 03, 2014

William Parker, my DownBeat feature from 1998

Howard Mandel c 1998/published by DownBeat, July 1998, under headline Beneath the Underdog (the editor's reference to Charles Mingus's autobiography): There's an anchor for New York's downtown free jazz and improv "wild bunch": his name is William … [Read More...]

Matthew Shipp, my feature for The Wire, 1998

This is a complete version of the feature on pianist Matthew Shipp I wrote for The Wire, published in February, 1998 Is this the face of New York's jazz avant now? Pianist Matt Shipp's mug can be wide open, inquisitive, or guardedly blank, his … [Read More...]

Rashied Ali (1935 – 2009), multi-directional drummer, speaks

A 1990 interview with drummer Rashied Ali, about his relationship with John Coltrane. In 1990 I interviewed drummer Rashied Ali for The World According to John Coltrane, a documentary produced and directed by Toby Byron. It was the first but not … [Read More...]

On The Corner program notes, Merkin Hall concert 5/25/09

Miles Davis intended On The Corner to be a personal statement, an esthetic breakthrough and a social provocation upon its release in fall of 1972. He could hardly have been more successful: the album was all that, though it has taken decades for its … [Read More...]

Joe Zawinul at 65, The Wire

Interview with Joe Zawinul, The Wire, 1996 JOE ZAWINUL AT 65 - © Howard Mandel 1996 Joe Zawinul has a loft in the Village, on the fifth floor of a modest elevator building that also houses the controversial human rights-monitoring law practice … [Read More...]