Rifftides reader Russ Mitchell asks: Is there ONE place to find ALL of Doug's picks? If there is, I can't find it. They are archived. Follow these (relatively) simple directions: 1. Click on the Archives link in the center column, just below Doug's Books. 2. Scroll 'way down to the heading, Category Monthly Archives. 3. Scroll down past the list of months to the beginning of the recommendations listings. Click on individual months to see the picks. These go back to June of 2006. For picks and … [Read more...]

The following announcement is posted on the JazzTimes web site: Important Message From JazzTimes Management By JazzTimes To our readers and members of the jazz community: JazzTimes has temporarily suspended publication of the magazine and has furloughed the bulk of its staff while it finalizes a sale of its assets. The brand and operation will undergo reorganization and restructuring in order to remain competitive in the current media climate. Print publishing is expected to resume as soon as … [Read more...]

There is still no confirmation, and no denial, of reports that Jazz Times will go out of business as a print publication. General economic decline, the increasing loss of advertising life blood and the necessity to shrink staffs weaken all magazines and newspapers. Nasty fiscal weather is even more threatening to publications that specialize in cultural affairs. In hard times, support for the arts is likely to top the list of cuts in advertiser, donor and personal budgets. In his blog's Sunday … [Read more...]

Unconfirmed reports continue to filter out of Silver Spring, Maryland, that Jazz Times magazine's precarious advertising revenue position will force it to cease publication. In his latest post on the matter, my artsjournal.com colleague Howard Mandel quotes a recently dismissed Jazz Times associate editor as saying that "it's doubtful the magazine would be able to survive in its present format." To read Howard's posts on the situation, go here. Ira Sabin founded Radio Free Jazz in 1970 as an … [Read more...]

The story about Dave Pell's restoration of Lester Young's Dolnet tenor saxophone brought a message from documentary producer Ken Koenig and one from Jim Harrod, moderator of the Jazz West Coast listserve. Each of their responses took the form of a photograph. Mr. Harrod sent a copy of a Dolnet ad from an early-1950s issue of the magazine Jazz Hot. From the collection of James Harrod Mr. Koenig took a photograph of Dave Pell with the resuscitated Dolnet, and Lester in the background, at the Los … [Read more...]

The following article appeared in the Fall, 2008, issue of the British magazine, Jazz Review. By Doug Ramsey Lester Young drew on Louis Armstrong, Frank Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke and his own genius to create one of the most personal styles in music. In the 1930s he provided an evolutionary step between Armstrong and Charlie Parker. Flying weightlessly over bar lines, Young helped to free the jazz soloist from the arbitrary restrictions of time divisions and showed the way to the rhythmic and … [Read more...]

Everything is fine with the horn..play it everyday...recording a new CD, and it records sensationally, with Johnny Vana. Did a concert tonight in Palm Desert with Med Flory and Don Shelton..and we sounded just like 3 brothers. Am booked at Sweet and Hot Festival with my tribute to Lester Young in August with Bonnie Bowden singing Billy Holiday songs and Prez Conference. It was kinda hard trying to make friends with the horn because of the problems of 56 years of rust. However it sounds so … [Read more...]

For a project connected with his Jazz At The Philharmonic operation, the impresario Norman Granz filmed Lester Young with trombonist Bill Harris, Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Buddy Rich. Although they bypass the melody, the piece is "Pennies From Heaven." For decades, there has been speculation, but no proof, that because of technical audio requirements, they are lip-synching to a performance they previously recorded. That could account for the general amusement and for a … [Read more...]