Home » Staff Directory » Member Page

Alita Mantels

Since: 2013 | Location: Little Rock | Page Views: 4,234

Contact Me Subscriber Pro

About Me

Why read about me when you could be learning more about jazz?

A retired educator and editor, I serve as Secretary for the Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation, which sponsors and maintains the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame. With Articles of Incorporation issued by the State of Arkansas on 7 January 1992, the Foundation is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to educating the general public about the historical significance of jazz in The Natural State. Detailed information about the Foundation and Hall of Fame can be found in the "AJHF: Reference Materials" album under "Photos" on the Facebook page titled "Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation." (The archival website at arjazz.org contains materials for 1992-2014.) More information about me is provided in a brief author's bio on All About Jazz and my abridged professional profile on LinkedIn.

Badge

Tier

Ambassador

Points Earned

17,772

Articles

Jazz Near You

Uploaded By You
Your Personal Calendar
✓ Receives Newsletter
Upload Single or Recurring Event
Upload Several Events At Once

Photos

Upload photos

Favorite Musicians / Bands

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because its family tree has deep roots and many branches. I was first exposed to jazz as a kid sneaking through back doors of riverfront clubs in my hometown of St. Louis circa 1960 (before "urban renewal"). I met Pharoah Sanders more than once at the long-gone but oft-remembered Delta Blue Note in downtown Little Rock. The best show I ever attended was a jam by musicians I didn't know in a Paris jazz club whose name I can't remember sometime in the 1980s. The first jazz record I bought was Dexter Gordon's Our Man in Paris (Blue Note). My advice to new listeners... Listen with your ears, your mind, your heart, and your soul. You're bound to hear something.

My House Concert Story

Add Your House Concert Story

Favorite Places to See Jazz

Add Your Favorite Places to See Jazz

Favorite Genres

Favorite Columns

Favorite Writers

STAFF DIRECTORY

Theme Song

Add Your Theme Song

Playlist

Add Your Spotify Playlist

This page was last updated on 2026-07-01.

Engage

Publisher's Desk: A Word About Social Media and Other Platforms
Publisher's Desk
A Word About Social Media and Other Platforms
Read on...
All Blog Posts | Latest Newsletter
The place for jazz polls and surveys!
Reader Polls
Which jazz venues deserve to be on top?
Cast Your Vote Today
All Polls | All Surveys
Big Questions Facing Jazz
The Big Question
Is That Even Jazz?
Post Your Comment
Big Question Archive

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletters highlight our top stories, top album reviews, website news, free songs, radio & podcast shows, news, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.