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In Praise of British Jazz
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
For too long, British jazz artists of the 1950s have been viewed unfairly as dandified lightweights by American jazz fans. There always has been plenty of love for George Shearing, Marian McPartland, Victor Feldman and a handful of other English jazz musicians. But when it comes to the dozens of other British artists who never put in time on 52nd Street or worked in top-name American bands, some tend to look down their noses at them. If you think West ...
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Matthew Shipp Counts His Blessings for 2011
Source:
Chris Rich
Matthew Shipp's ten highlights of the year 1.The reception of my cd ”Art of the Improviser”. 2. Gigging with my trio with Michael Bisio and Whit Dickey,not only great players, but incredible people to share road life with. 3. Recording my upcoming 2012 CD Elastic Aspects with my trio of Bisio and Dickey. 4. Continuing to upset the applecart of the jazz establishment—the more they can't figure me out, the better off I am, I relish it, fuck them. 5. ...
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Signs of Jazz Life in the Local Universe, 2011 (Part 1)
Source:
JazzINK by Andrea Canter
The Variety section of Friday's Star Tribune was filled with “best of" lists -night life, quotes, albums, live acts, songs. The only mention of anything jazz-related was in the article, “No. 1 Sign the Local Music Scene Was Alive and Well in 2011," which provided responses from 9 panelists of the Twin Cities Critics Tally and, not surprising, included only one jazz comment—from local blogger/jazz calendar maven Pamela Espeland. With the exception of Jon Bream, who on occasion covers something ...
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Where's Nicholas Payton Coming From?
Source:
The Independent Ear by Willard Jenkins
Trumpeter, and erstwhile vocalist/one-man-band, raconteur/social commentator (at least based on his latest release Bitches on the IN + OUT label, which would appear to be the latest advance in his Sonic Trance odyssey) Nicholas Payton has been raising a literal firestorm of conjecture and debate with his recent series of blog posts, Twitter and Facebook rejoinders. The initial firestarter was Payton's bold broadside “On Why Jazz Isn't Cool Anymore," originally posted on November 27. That was followed by such provocative ...
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The Music Business Looks Forward: 5 Social Media Predictions for 2012
Source:
HypeBot
Guest post by Shore Fire Media, a boutique public relations, online marketing, and digital strategy firm specializing in music and entertainment. In the last year, the music industry shifted from cautiously experimenting with social media, to recognizing it as a necessary part of every marketing strategy, from the smallest bands to the biggest brands. It's an exciting time. The tools and strategies we use daily shift at lightening speed. As a PR firm Shore Fire Media is focused on tracking this ...
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Part 9: What Musicians Expect from Music Journalists and Critics
Source:
The Independent Ear by Willard Jenkins
This is pt. 9 in our series of observations from musicians, responding to this burning question: When you read music journalism or criticism, what qualities are you looking for in the writer and the writing? CHRIS WASHBURNE, trombonist-composer-educator (Columbia University) I do read music journalism/criticism regularly. I am reading to learn. I want a writer that has their ear on the pulse of the newest trends. As a musician I am just too busy to constantly check out younger musicians ...
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Why Sonny Rollins Matters
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Last Sunday, Sonny Rollins was at the White House to receive the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors from President Obama and then at the annual Kennedy Center gala, which will be broadcast on Dec. 27 on CBS. Sonny must be on a first-name basis with front-gate guards by now, since he was just at the White House in March to receive a National Medal of Arts award. Such recognition is important. After a lifetime spent toiling in the arts, Sonny was ...
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On Why Jazz Isn't Cool Anymore...
Source:
Michael Ricci
By Nicholas Payton Jazz died in 1959. There maybe cool individuals who say they play Jazz, but ain't shit cool about Jazz as a whole. Jazz died when cool stopped being hip. Jazz was a limited idea to begin with. Jazz is a label that was forced upon the musicians. The musicians should've never accepted that idea. Jazz ain't shit. Jazz is incestuous. Jazz separated itself from American popular music. Big mistake. The music never recovered. Ornette tried to save ...
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