“We’re doing everything we can to eliminate jazz from American culture,” a promoter for Live Nation Artists, the world’s dominant pop music production and marketing firm “joked” to Florida councilmen considering a proposed upcoming music festival. Jazz responds with a can’t-be-bothered shrug. Too hip to be rattled by ignorant, idle, defensive — and of course, revealing – threats, […]
Prophecy fulfilled: the future now at jazz fests
“Music that we’re playing now is just the blues of all of America, all over again, it’s just a different kind of blues. This is the blues, the real blues, it’s the new blues, and people must listen to this music because they’ll be hearing it all the time. Because if it’s not me it’ll […]
Good time blues
B.B. King played coy at the 25th annual Chicago Blues Festival last weekend. “I won’t say what party I’m for,” the great vocalist and guitarist began, in obvious reference to local resident Barack Obama’s ascension to Democratic presidential nominee, “but everybody has something to be happy about now. Including the women — who found out ‘Yes, […]
Hometown-of-Obama Blues
The music of Chicago — gritty urban blues — is famously about hard times, heartache and struggle. But practitioners of the genre may boast a refreshed if wary air of accomplishment this week, upon favorite son Barack Obama’s ascension to Democratic presidential candidate. At least, that’s my thesis, which I’ll test by listening close to some […]
What’s in a Jazz Award?
Why don’t jazz journalists care about the biggest names in jazz? When Awards are given for jazz excellence, why don’t in-the-know critics applaud the popular musicians, top record sellers and radio playlist stars? Two upcoming Awards presentations highlight these questions. The Jazz Journalists Association with a cocktail barbeque buffet on Wednesday June 18 at the Jazz Standard, in […]
The new future
I heard the future here and now — let’s call it the present! — in the form of trumpeter Igmar Thomas & The Cypher with MC Raydar Ellis the other night at a public party produced by Revive Da Live, which promotes the jazz-hip/hop mashup in realtime performances, and I was surprised — not bad at all, […]
Listen up! Listings, May 23 – May 29
Listen Up! is the title of Matt Miller’s new listing blog, which will migrate from Jazz Beyond Jazz to a whole new host-site next week; but ’til then, read on:
Comin’ right up — Matt Miller foresees jazz beyond jazz
Recommendations by an emerging music journalist/tenor sax player for convention-shattering musical events in New York City over the next week (May 16 – 22) . . .Â
Modest proposal, and recommendations
Saxophonist and Love of Life Orchestra leader Peter Gordon gave one of the most lucid presentations at the recent Experience Music Project’s Pop Conference — being the only person over three days to perform a note of music within their allotted 20 minutes. Of course, his reasonable, arguably achievable suggestions may seem outrageous, given the […]
Freddie Hubbard, the AACM and me in Down Beat
The June issue of Down Beat magazine (subtitled “Jazz, Blues & Beyond”) features my cover story about trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who has enjoyed a blazing and extended artistic youth, but at age 70 is now somewhat chastened, struggling with challenges to his chops while eager to reaffirm the legitimacy of his reputation. The issue also […]
Comin’ right up — introducing Matt Miller
In a renewed effort to keep readers abreast of good listning, J-B-J introduces Matt Miller, who has some recommendations for places to go, comin’ right up. Matt is a 23-year-old tenor saxophonist, graduate of the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music program, who writes for AllAboutJazz-New York and Jazz.com, besides contributing here.
Franz Jackson, seven-decade jazz master
Talk about a legendary career: Chicago saxophonist and clarintest Franz Jackson, who died at age 95 on May 6, spanned American vernacular music from the Roaring ’20s to the postmodern present. He began as a 16-year-old professional with stride and boogie woogie pianist Albert Ammons, starred as a featured soloist in the the hottest Depression Era big […]
Where’s TiVo for live performance?
This week highlights a happily frequent dilemma for the avid listener in New York: too many good choices of exciting, exploratory, street-smart and unbounded American music — “the real blues, the new blues,” as Albert Ayler called jazz-beyond-jazz back in 1964. All on Friday, May 9: The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians  (AACM) celebrates favorite […]