Quarantine Concerts

Jazz beats the virus online

February 24, 2021 by Howard Mandel

Chicago presenters of jazz and new music, and journalists from Madrid to the Bay Area, vocalist Kurt Elling, trumpeter Orbert Davis and pianist Lafayette Gilchrist discussed how they've transcended coronavirus-restrictions on live performances with innovative methods to sustain their communities of musicians and listeners, as well as their own enterprises were in two Zoom panels I moderated last week . The Show Goes On - Online on February 18 convened Chris Anderson of the Fulton Street Collective, trumpeter Davis of Chicago Jazz … [Read more...]

JazzOnLockdown: Musicians, venues, .orgs — writers? — turn to live-streaming

March 22, 2020 by Howard Mandel

It's the most obvious, available and so far low-cost option for anyone who can cast a performance online for public consumption -- jazz musicians specifically included: Live-streaming. Fred Hersch has been first out of the box, committing to live-streaming daily mini concerts from his living room, 1pm Eastern Daily Time (10am PST, 7pm in Europe) -- https://www.facebook.com/fredherschmusic. As New York, California, Illinois and other U.S. locales request and/or require a suspension of public gatherings, the personal … [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…

Maureen Shea on City of Chicago, music promoter: “I agree with Jan. Thanks Howard!” Sep 3, 12:27
Howard Mandel on City of Chicago, music promoter: “Thanks Jan, but it’s only a bit of what’s going on. There’s a LOT more I know about and much…” Sep 1, 12:49
Jan on City of Chicago, music promoter: “Man! That is the compleat piece! Thank you . Grateful too for all those for all those USEFUL links. What…” Aug 31, 17:29
Phil Dorsey on City of Chicago, music promoter: “Thank you for sharing some of the jazz history of your hometown!” Aug 30, 12:37
Howard Mandel on Record man Koester’s blues and jazz legacy: “Thanks Dick. Bob was indeed a character with a wealth of stories and knowledge. Lest anyone thing otherwise from my…” May 20, 15:19

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...]