Michael Ricci: The Heart Of All About Jazz

This AAJ @ 30 article by Juan Carlos Abelenda first appeared on Toma Jazz in 2006 and was translated from Spanish.

During the 38th Barcelona Jazz Festival, a series of conferences complemented the main events, offering deeper insights into jazz-related topics. One standout session was led by Michael Ricci, titled "All About Jazz: An Adventure Bridging Jazz and New Technologies." Michael Ricci, the founder of the American jazz portal allaboutjazz.com, has created a website widely recognized as a leader in its field, attracting nearly one million monthly visits.

In his presentation, Ricci shared the origin and evolution of the portal: "I had long envisioned creating a jazz platform, but my partner and I initially aimed to develop and sell software online." While one focused on software development, the other built the website and managed business relationships. A passionate jazz enthusiast, Ricci chose this genre to test their joint efforts, laying the foundation for what would become the internet's most visited jazz website. This success fostered a vibrant virtual community, offering extensive resources for fans and musicians—both professional and amateur—alike.

Ricci acknowledged the challenges faced in the site's early years: "From securing funding—a persistent hurdle in any modern venture—to overcoming older fans' reluctance to embrace the internet, we had our work cut out for us. That's why our site spans a broad range of musical styles to appeal to both seasoned and younger audiences." He also emphasized the importance of keeping the site continuously updated, relying on a diverse team of contributors, from dedicated staff to occasional participants. He noted, "Our contributors have varied motivations. Some are driven by a journalistic passion, with a few even advancing to write for prominent global publications. Others contribute in exchange for records, while some simply want to engage without expecting anything in return." Ricci demonstrated the site's editorial process through a live projection, showcasing articles in progress, their review status, and scheduled publication dates.

Beyond serving fans with articles, interviews, album reviews, and concert critiques, All About Jazz is a valuable tool for musicians. They can promote upcoming performances by sharing details such as city, venue, and schedule, ensuring fans stay well-informed. The platform also enables musicians to showcase their recordings and share related information.

A key factor in the site's success is its robust search engine, which allows users to swiftly access information—ranging from upcoming concerts to articles, album reviews, and performance photos—related to a specific musician.

Ricci stressed the importance of engaging all facets of the jazz ecosystem: "For the site to thrive, we needed to involve everyone—fans, musicians, and record labels. Labels benefit from album reviews and the promotion of records they provide, which are later distributed to the staff for review."

Over the years, All About Jazz has solidified its standing through its dedicated contributors, streamlined content creation and publication processes, and, crucially, secure funding—essential for both the site's sustainability and Ricci's livelihood.

In summary, Michael Ricci's conference illuminated the creative and evolutionary journey of All About Jazz, highlighting his clear vision in crafting a visually appealing and content-rich platform. With a wealth of constantly accessible information, it has become one of the most visited jazz portals worldwide. Its success has inspired international expansions, such as All About Jazz Italia, extending its innovative model to new audiences.

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