Maggie Brown

Digging Our Roots videos, speakers inspire engagement

May 25, 2019 by Howard Mandel

Nearly 100 Chicagoans (maybe some visitors?) watched Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and other heroes of the blues on videos at the Cultural Center Thursday night (5/23/19), with harmonica star Billy Branch and WDCB program host Leslie Keros telling stories and participated in lively interplay with knowing attendees. It was the fifth Digging Our Roots: Chicago's Greatest Hits "listening session" this spring, co-presented by the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Jazz Journalists Association. Full disclosure: I sit on the JIC … [Read more...]

Chi jazz fest 2016, details in photos and words

September 14, 2016 by Howard Mandel

My DownBeat overview of the 38th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, comprehensive as I could make it, didn't go into depth on any of the couple dozen performances I heard from Sept 1 through 4 in downtown Millennium Park and the Cultural Center. So here, with imagery by my photojournalist colleagues and friends Marc PoKempner and Michael Jackson (whose photo of drummer Dave King of the Bad Plus graced that DownBeat review) are some previously unreported details. Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project continues to evolve as the Tsukasa Taiko Legacy … [Read more...]

I'm a Chicago-born (and after 32 years in NYC, recently repatriated) writer, editor, author, arts reporter for National Public Radio, consultant and nascent videographer -- a veteran freelance journalist working on newspapers, magazines and websites, appearing on tv and radio, teaching at New York University and elsewhere, consulting on media, publishing and jazz-related issues. I'm president of the Jazz Journalists Association, a non-profit membership organization devoted to using all media to disseminate news and views about all kinds of jazz.
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). Of course I'm working on something new. . . Read More…

Howard Mandel on Boogie-man Helfer bounces back from covid-depression: “thanks Don, I’ll pass along your regards — I’m keeping in close touch with Erwin. I do believe we’ll see…” Aug 22, 12:07
Don Meckley on Boogie-man Helfer bounces back from covid-depression: “Thanks Howard for sharing your visit with Erwin. I happened to catch his set at the Brain on March 10th,…” Aug 22, 11:42
Howard Mandel on Boogie-man Helfer bounces back from covid-depression: “He’ll be pleased to hear from you, Mwata.” Aug 20, 22:31
Mwata Bowden on Boogie-man Helfer bounces back from covid-depression: “Hi Howard, Thanks for this informative article on Erwin, it’s full of love, care and appreciation. Please extend these feelings…” Aug 20, 16:34
Howard Mandel on RIP Annie Ross: Her last stand with Jon Hendricks: “Thanks Glenn, Thanks for the kudos, glad you enjoyed, all’s ok here. Hoping things get even better, of course? Stay…” Jul 22, 20:03

ESP Disks — origins of jazz beyond jazz

Reviewing a sleeping giant, ESP Disks before its early '00s revival Howard Mandel c 1997, published in issue 157, The Wire It was a time before psychedelics. Following the seismic cultural disruptions of the mid '50s, rock 'n' roll had hit a … [Read More...]

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

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="IFeXJPobvykRyuU4dU68FilRPv0EE8oC"] 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 … [Read More...]

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

A 1990 interview with drummer Rashied Ali, about his relationship with John Coltrane. … [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...]