Home » Community Blog » All About Jazz Newsletter
1
He Blinded Me with Jazz; All About Jazz Acquired by AI Collective; Songs of the Week and more
By
84 Views
April 1 is one of our favorite days of the year. It also marks a long-standing tradition dating back nearly to our beginnings, and this year's grabber was the "inevitable" purchase of All About Jazz by a privately funded artificial intelligence consortium known only as The Collective. Scroll down for the full story.
Our Chatbot
Like all AI models, our very own DIG 9000 is constantly improving. It's faster and smarter than it was even three short months ago. Please use it for simple questions before contacting us. For instance, a query, "I'm a musician, and I want to get my new album reviewed on All About Jazz. How do I go about doing that?" provides detailed step-by-step instructions.
I. Introduction Thomas Dolby is one of the most prominent and recognizable synth pop artists of the '80s. His carefully crafted brand as the bookish, bespeckled "mad synthesizer scientist" was perfect for the time period when MTV emerged as a dominant force in the music industry. MTV made the music video an essential part of an artist's success and the primary marketing and branding tool for both the music and the artist. Dolby, like his hero David Bowie before him, was aware of the importance of video and the artist's image from the very beginning of his career. His most successful hit, "She Blinded Me With Science," was carefully crafted to build his image and brand and succeeded marvelously. (Dolby was intimately involved in the production of the video—he wrote the storyboard, which featured many old "scientists" living in a "Home for Deranged Scientists. Continue reading...
In a move that industry observers are already calling "inevitable," All About Jazz today announced its acquisition by a privately funded artificial intelligence consortium known only as The Collective. Financial terms were not disclosed, though sources familiar with the deal described the valuation as "algorithmically determined and emotionally neutral." Effective immediately, all editorial operation—including reviews, interviews, news coverage, and festival reporting—will be conducted by a proprietary AI system trained on over three decades of All About Jazz archives, 10,000 album liner notes, and what the company describes as "the complete emotional spectrum of recorded jazz." "We have successfully removed the final barrier to objective criticism," said a statement generated by the system at 3:14 a.m. EST. "Human subjectivity, inconsistency, and mood variability will no longer influence coverage. Continue reading...
Steve Wilson is a mainstay of the New York jazz scene. Born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, the alto saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist stood as one of the Virginia region's most acclaimed and sought-after touring and gigging musicians until his move to New York in 1987. Once settled in New York, Wilson worked. And worked. And then worked some more. Positioning himself as a "musician's musician," Wilson gradually rose to prominence as one of NYC's premier alto saxophonists and one of its most reliable sidemen. In 1996, The New York Times even profiled Wilson, naming him "the quintessential sideman. " While other musicians may have bristled at the label, Wilson embraced it, perfecting and setting the standard for the critical role. Wilson ultimately became a leader, though it was never his intention. Continue reading...
On the recommendation of more than one person, I sought an audience with another of the born and raised New Orleanians who have been indispensable to an education in the town's traditional music. Living a stone's throw from the river and the shadows of an imposing abandoned factory, I knocked on the peeling paint of a wooden door to her fenced in garden enclosure, but the texted response was hardly hopeful—on a facetime call and can't talk. Departing to drive across town, halfway home, my phone unexpectedly rang. Urging me to quickly return and, once again, navigating the potholed, pitted streets of the city, I arrived. This time, though, her door swung open with a warm invitation to enter. Daughter of Michael P. Smith, the preeminent photographer, he befriended the musicians in town, rather than hiding behind the lens. Continue reading...
"It's One or Not One" by Eric Gunnison
Record Label: Capri Records
Released: 2025
"The Jazz Brothers Visit Curtis Street" by Keith Oxman
Record Label: Capri Records
Released: 2025
Streaming Services Introduce "Skip the Solo" Button After Listener Feedback (read); Major Conservatories Introduce "Influencer Studies" for Jazz Musicians (read); Marquis Hill Family Band at the Village Vanguard (read); Melissa Aldana Quartet At The Philharmonie (read); The Silkroad Ensemble at Zellerbach Hall (read); Tyreek McDole 4et at Piacenza Jazz Festival 2026 (view photos); Take Five with Pianst Noah Stoneman (read); Rick Vito And Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart & Guy Davis: Blues Brothers Indeed (read); Paul Horn: Too High (listen); Stéphane Wrembel Quartet at Middle C Jazz (read); Gordon Grdina: Prolific Versatility (read).
The Outer View: Corcoran Holt, Luke Norris, and Orchestre National de Jazz (listen); Live At The Bop Stop: Dan Wilson and Dan Bruce Guitar Duo (listen); The Stereo Image: Judy Carmichael—Part 2: From Disneyland Sets to New York Jazz Glory (listen); Mondo Jazz: Yvonne Rogers, Adam O'Farrill, Monfort, Nina Tonji & More (listen); Exploration: End Of Month Keyboard Special including Chick Corea, Charles Earland, and Nina Simone Among Others (listen); JazzNow: Four new releases from Stacey Kent, Hendrik Meurkens, Dan West Big Band & Peter Ersikine (listen); Liner Notes: Caroline Davis: The Un-Becoming (listen); The Jazz Disturbance: Benji Porecki, Evening Sky, Finely Tuned Elephant, Jenny Klukken (listen); A Broad Spectrum: April Varner, Ella Grace, Noa Levy, Audrey Ochoa, Aubrey Johnson , The Sistering Project featuring Lois Deloatch, Nnenna Freelon, Lenora Zenzalai Helm, Kate McGarry (listen); Neon Jazz: Quincy Jones, Dan West, BLCK Madonna & Kate Olson (listen); Bitches Brew: New music from Quube, Rhythm Shaw, Xavi Reija, and Musaiko (listen); Injazz: Exclusive recordings by Ed Verhoeff, Wolfert Brederode & Ella Zirina and Neveldieren (listen); Mondo Jazz: Alicia Hall Moran, Harriet Tubman, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Airelle Besson, Lionel Suarez & More (listen); The Tonearm: Sam Wenc: The Experimental Language Of The Pedal Steel Guitar (listen); Jazz Connections: Plays Duke, part II: Contemporary Covers of Ellingtonia from the Swing Era (listen); Jazz Backstory: The Art of Accompanying (listen); World of Jazz: New Music From Holt, Mehler, Litzie, And More (listen); Ben Boddie On Jazz: Arvind Ramdas, Anthony Branker, Harvie S, Aubrey Johnson and more (listen); Mondo Jazz: Niia, Jason Moran, Brigitte Fontaine, Emmanuel Bex, Tom Oren, Delvon Lamarr (listen).
Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, special events and more. View all recent announcements.
Psychedelic Dub-Jazz Collective Club d'Elf Announces New Album 'Loon & Thrush' Out April 10 (read); All About Jazz Top 10 Songs: March 2026 (read); Nishla Smith Explores Tales Of Yearning And Separation On New Album—It's Getting Late, You'd Better Go Home (read); Michael Blake Unveils 'Piccolos Before Rifles': A Global Sonic Exploration Of Conflict, Culture, And Connection (read); "Rachmaninoff En Ritmo:" A Classical-to-Latin Jazz Crossover (read); Composer, arranger, and educator Bob Zieff dies at 98 (read); Ricardo Bacelar And Airto Moreira Release 'Mestre Novo Da Guiné' From Their Forthcoming Album (read).
Got news? Share it in our newsletter and on our website. Learn how, here.
Posted to All About Jazz Newsletter IN THE All About Jazz GROUP
Read more posts by Michael Ricci
Our Chatbot 
Like all AI models, our very own DIG 9000 is constantly improving. It's faster and smarter than it was even three short months ago. Please use it for simple questions before contacting us. For instance, a query, "I'm a musician, and I want to get my new album reviewed on All About Jazz. How do I go about doing that?" provides detailed step-by-step instructions. Album Reviewers Wanted
Join us! All About Jazz is looking for talented, passionate writers to enrich our community, especially album reviewers with a deep appreciation for any of the many styles of jazz. If you're eager to share your expertise and enthusiasm while building a following, we'd love to hear from you. Please visit this page to provide information about your background and interests. Thank you.Social Sharing Cloudflare Issue Fixed!
If you had trouble sharing an All About Jazz article on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, please try it now. We updated our Cloudflare settings that had previously blocked your ability to share, and based on reports, the issue has been resolved. Please try sharing an article and let us know if it was successful.Album Reviews
The album reviews below represent our most popular from the past week. View more recent reviews. Immanuel Wilkins Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard Immanuel Wilkins Quartet |  Danny Gatton and Funhouse—Live at the Holiday Inn 1987 Danny Gatton |  Side-Eye III+ Pat Metheny |  Twio Vol. 2 Walter Smith III |
 Knucklebox Dave Mattock |  Cybersyn: Live From the Stray Cat Film Center Seth Andrew Davis & EMAS |  Everything That No One Ever Saw Adam Berenson |  Stars Aligned Frode Kjekstad Qrt |
Looking for an album review?
If you're a musician, publicist, or record label seeking album review coverage on All About Jazz, please read our review submission guide, then complete the coverage request form here. When submitting your request, include up to five AAJ album reviewers who best align with your music. For example, if it's a big band or large ensemble recording, select Jack Bowers. You can familiarize yourself with our staff, here.He Blinded Me With Jazz: The Surprising Jazz DNA in the Music of Thomas Dolby
I. Introduction Thomas Dolby is one of the most prominent and recognizable synth pop artists of the '80s. His carefully crafted brand as the bookish, bespeckled "mad synthesizer scientist" was perfect for the time period when MTV emerged as a dominant force in the music industry. MTV made the music video an essential part of an artist's success and the primary marketing and branding tool for both the music and the artist. Dolby, like his hero David Bowie before him, was aware of the importance of video and the artist's image from the very beginning of his career. His most successful hit, "She Blinded Me With Science," was carefully crafted to build his image and brand and succeeded marvelously. (Dolby was intimately involved in the production of the video—he wrote the storyboard, which featured many old "scientists" living in a "Home for Deranged Scientists. Continue reading...
All About Jazz Acquired by AI Collective, Announces Fully Autonomous Criticism
In a move that industry observers are already calling "inevitable," All About Jazz today announced its acquisition by a privately funded artificial intelligence consortium known only as The Collective. Financial terms were not disclosed, though sources familiar with the deal described the valuation as "algorithmically determined and emotionally neutral." Effective immediately, all editorial operation—including reviews, interviews, news coverage, and festival reporting—will be conducted by a proprietary AI system trained on over three decades of All About Jazz archives, 10,000 album liner notes, and what the company describes as "the complete emotional spectrum of recorded jazz." "We have successfully removed the final barrier to objective criticism," said a statement generated by the system at 3:14 a.m. EST. "Human subjectivity, inconsistency, and mood variability will no longer influence coverage. Continue reading...
Steve Wilson: Creating Sonance
Steve Wilson is a mainstay of the New York jazz scene. Born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, the alto saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist stood as one of the Virginia region's most acclaimed and sought-after touring and gigging musicians until his move to New York in 1987. Once settled in New York, Wilson worked. And worked. And then worked some more. Positioning himself as a "musician's musician," Wilson gradually rose to prominence as one of NYC's premier alto saxophonists and one of its most reliable sidemen. In 1996, The New York Times even profiled Wilson, naming him "the quintessential sideman. " While other musicians may have bristled at the label, Wilson embraced it, perfecting and setting the standard for the critical role. Wilson ultimately became a leader, though it was never his intention. Continue reading...
A House Full of History with Leslie Blackshear Smith in New Orleans
On the recommendation of more than one person, I sought an audience with another of the born and raised New Orleanians who have been indispensable to an education in the town's traditional music. Living a stone's throw from the river and the shadows of an imposing abandoned factory, I knocked on the peeling paint of a wooden door to her fenced in garden enclosure, but the texted response was hardly hopeful—on a facetime call and can't talk. Departing to drive across town, halfway home, my phone unexpectedly rang. Urging me to quickly return and, once again, navigating the potholed, pitted streets of the city, I arrived. This time, though, her door swung open with a warm invitation to enter. Daughter of Michael P. Smith, the preeminent photographer, he befriended the musicians in town, rather than hiding behind the lens. Continue reading...
Songs of the Week
A couple of top-shelf straight-ahead pieces courtesy of our friends at Capri Records. Enjoy them. "It's One or Not One" by Eric Gunnison
L I S T E N
Album Information
Title: Reckless MeterRecord Label: Capri Records
Released: 2025
"The Jazz Brothers Visit Curtis Street" by Keith Oxman
L I S T E N
Album Information
Title: HomeRecord Label: Capri Records
Released: 2025
Top Songs
The songs below represent the most heard in the past four weeks. View the Song of the Day archive. Crystal Silence From the album Crystal Silence—Tribute to Chick Corea By Selma Boragian |  Walkside From the album While I Was Away By Julia Hulsmann |  Gravity From the album Convergence By Björn Meyer |  Mumbo Jumbo From the album Dream Archives By Craig Taborn |
 Autumn Serenade From the album Autumn Serenade By The Cafe Society |  Aqui, Oh! From the album Aqui, Oh! [Feat. Flora Purim & Airto Moreira] By Ricardo Bacelar |  Estuary From the album Still Waters By Niklas Lukassen |  More Guitar From the album Guitars on Life By Jack West |
Choice Content
Streaming Services Introduce "Skip the Solo" Button After Listener Feedback (read); Major Conservatories Introduce "Influencer Studies" for Jazz Musicians (read); Marquis Hill Family Band at the Village Vanguard (read); Melissa Aldana Quartet At The Philharmonie (read); The Silkroad Ensemble at Zellerbach Hall (read); Tyreek McDole 4et at Piacenza Jazz Festival 2026 (view photos); Take Five with Pianst Noah Stoneman (read); Rick Vito And Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart & Guy Davis: Blues Brothers Indeed (read); Paul Horn: Too High (listen); Stéphane Wrembel Quartet at Middle C Jazz (read); Gordon Grdina: Prolific Versatility (read).
Radio & Podcasts
Tune into our extensive collection of quality programs every week.The Outer View: Corcoran Holt, Luke Norris, and Orchestre National de Jazz (listen); Live At The Bop Stop: Dan Wilson and Dan Bruce Guitar Duo (listen); The Stereo Image: Judy Carmichael—Part 2: From Disneyland Sets to New York Jazz Glory (listen); Mondo Jazz: Yvonne Rogers, Adam O'Farrill, Monfort, Nina Tonji & More (listen); Exploration: End Of Month Keyboard Special including Chick Corea, Charles Earland, and Nina Simone Among Others (listen); JazzNow: Four new releases from Stacey Kent, Hendrik Meurkens, Dan West Big Band & Peter Ersikine (listen); Liner Notes: Caroline Davis: The Un-Becoming (listen); The Jazz Disturbance: Benji Porecki, Evening Sky, Finely Tuned Elephant, Jenny Klukken (listen); A Broad Spectrum: April Varner, Ella Grace, Noa Levy, Audrey Ochoa, Aubrey Johnson , The Sistering Project featuring Lois Deloatch, Nnenna Freelon, Lenora Zenzalai Helm, Kate McGarry (listen); Neon Jazz: Quincy Jones, Dan West, BLCK Madonna & Kate Olson (listen); Bitches Brew: New music from Quube, Rhythm Shaw, Xavi Reija, and Musaiko (listen); Injazz: Exclusive recordings by Ed Verhoeff, Wolfert Brederode & Ella Zirina and Neveldieren (listen); Mondo Jazz: Alicia Hall Moran, Harriet Tubman, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Airelle Besson, Lionel Suarez & More (listen); The Tonearm: Sam Wenc: The Experimental Language Of The Pedal Steel Guitar (listen); Jazz Connections: Plays Duke, part II: Contemporary Covers of Ellingtonia from the Swing Era (listen); Jazz Backstory: The Art of Accompanying (listen); World of Jazz: New Music From Holt, Mehler, Litzie, And More (listen); Ben Boddie On Jazz: Arvind Ramdas, Anthony Branker, Harvie S, Aubrey Johnson and more (listen); Mondo Jazz: Niia, Jason Moran, Brigitte Fontaine, Emmanuel Bex, Tom Oren, Delvon Lamarr (listen).
News Announcements
Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, special events and more. View all recent announcements.
Psychedelic Dub-Jazz Collective Club d'Elf Announces New Album 'Loon & Thrush' Out April 10 (read); All About Jazz Top 10 Songs: March 2026 (read); Nishla Smith Explores Tales Of Yearning And Separation On New Album—It's Getting Late, You'd Better Go Home (read); Michael Blake Unveils 'Piccolos Before Rifles': A Global Sonic Exploration Of Conflict, Culture, And Connection (read); "Rachmaninoff En Ritmo:" A Classical-to-Latin Jazz Crossover (read); Composer, arranger, and educator Bob Zieff dies at 98 (read); Ricardo Bacelar And Airto Moreira Release 'Mestre Novo Da Guiné' From Their Forthcoming Album (read).
Got news? Share it in our newsletter and on our website. Learn how, here.
Posted to All About Jazz Newsletter IN THE All About Jazz GROUP
Read more posts by Michael Ricci
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
Recent
The Mystery of Artie Shaw; Jazz Talk on Bluesky; More Website Improvements; Miles at 100, Continued, and much more
Posted: August 27, 2026Views: 122
If You Build It...; New York's Hottest New Club; John Coltrane and Santana, Zela Margossian, plus Goldings, Bernstein & Stewart, and More
Posted: August 20, 2026Views: 133
Thirty Years Later, the Vision Remains; plus Dorota Piotrowska, Art Pepper, Adele Sebastian, Jimi Hendrix; Jazz Fiction and More
Posted: August 13, 2026Views: 93
Introducing Musician Orbit, plus five new interviews, festival coverage and much more
Posted: August 6, 2026Views: 422
Reanimating Conversations Past; Unearthing Hidden Gems; Why We Build, Part 2; Max Roach and Phil Schaap; Songs of the Week and more
Posted: July 30, 2026Views: 147
Have a post-related question? Contact us. Like our progress? Support us.
