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Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, concert series, special events, job postings, crowdfunding campaigns and more. You can find more news by searching our website, viewing our news stream, seeing what's trending or reading our blog posts. Subscribe to our news RSS feed and/or embed AAJ news content on your website or blog. Learn about our news service here. Submit news here.

Opinion

What's With This Uncool Surge in Jazz Bashing?

Source: Michael Ricci
November 3, 2014

How did jazz lose its position as America’s homegrown musical treasure to lately become a symbol of pretentiousness and 'eat-your-broccoli art'? Jazz doesn’t get much coverage in the mainstream media, and hasn’t for many years. But something strange has happened during the last four months. Over a period of just a few weeks, a host of high profile periodicals have published smug, scornful dismissals of the music. Is this just coincidence, or has something changed in the cultural dialogue? How ...

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Obituary

Acker Bilk: Legendary jazz clarinettist dies aged 85

Source: Michael Ricci
November 3, 2014

Clarinettist Acker Bilk, who personified the trad jazz revival of the 1950s and '60s, has died after a lengthy illness at the age of 85. His most famous song Stranger on the Shore was the UK's biggest selling single of 1962 and made him an international star. Born Bernard Stanley Bilk, he changed his name to Acker - Somerset slang for “mate" - after learning to play the clarinet in the Army. His last concert was in August 2013. Pamela ...

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TV / Film

How Ken Burns Murdered Jazz

Source: Michael Ricci
October 31, 2014

Ken Burn’s interminable documentary Jazz starts with a wrong premise and degenerates from there. Burns heralds jazz as the great American contribution to world music and sets it up as a kind of roadmap to racial relations across the 20th century. But surely that distinction belongs to the blues, the music born on the plantations of the Mississippi delta. Indeed, though Burns underplays this, jazz sprang from the blues. But so did R&B, rock-and-roll, funk and hip hop. But Burns ...

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Performance / Tour

Discover The Jazz Innovators Of Tomorrow With New England Conservatory's "In The Mix"

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications
October 31, 2014

A Free Series of Concerts Showcasing New England Conservatory's Exceptional Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation Ensembles 34 One-Hour Concerts Over 13 Evenings at NEC's Pierce Hall Monday, November 10 – Thursday, December 11 Discover the jazz innovators of tomorrow with In the Mix, 34 free 1-hour concerts, Monday, November 10 — Thursday, December 11, 2014 at New England Conservatory’s Pierce Hall on the first floor of NEC’s St. Botolph Building, 241 St. Botolph Street, Boston. The concert on Monday, November 24 ...

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Recording

"No Is No" Is A Vivid New Release From Linda Sharrock

Source: Chris Rich
October 30, 2014

No is no, (Don't fuck around with your women) is a bright new offering from Improvising Beings. It features an extended concert from Linda Sharrock on vocals joined by an international ensemble that includes Itaru Oki on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mario Rechtern on reeds and saxolin, Eric Zinman on piano), Makoto Sato on drums), and Yoram Rosilio on double bass. It was recorded on May 21st, 2014 at Studio Septième Ciel, Issy-Les- Moulineaux, France, and May 20th, 2014 at Bab ...

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Radio

The Spooky, Scary Freedom Jazz Dance Halloween Classic Is Uploaded For Your Fright Night Festivities

Source: Ken Hohman
October 30, 2014

Visit Freedom Jazz Dance to hear the 2-hour Halloween Classic from way back in 2010. Available for 4 days only! Boo! Who said jazz can't be spooky, scary? Certainly not the great Count Floyd or me! Pour yourself a tall glass of blood and visit the Freedom Jazz Dance Archive Page to enjoy horrifying Halloween selections from the tomb of lost jazz treasures! This is a 4-day limited time uploaded show, so enjoy it while it’s still alive. Featuring jazz ...

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Music Industry

SFJAZZ Center Reaches Capital Campaign Goal $64 Million & SFJAZZ Collective Receives $3 Million Gift

Source: Marshall Lamm
October 29, 2014

SFJAZZ today announced that the organization has reached the $64 million goal of The World Is Listening campaign for the SFJAZZ Center. The campaign funds created the award- winning SFJAZZ Center that opened on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21, 2013 and has become a globally recognized bellwether of art, music, culture, and community in San Francisco’s Civic Center performing arts district. The achievement of the goal is made all the more extraordinary as an anonymous donor stepped forward ...

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Recording

Swedish Composer And Keyboard Virtuoso Pär Lindh Releases New Classical Christmas Album

Source: Glass Onyon PR - Keith James
October 29, 2014

Sweden - Possibly one of the most talented composer and keyboardist to emerge from Sweden, Pär Lindh will be releasing a new classical CD titled 'Three Christmas Concertos'. For those in the progressive rock community Pär Lindh is considered a keyboard wizard – so much so that he was chosen to play keys for the reunion of the legendary Nice (a prestigious position only held by keyboard visionary Keith Emerson). With the release of several highly acclaimed albums, Pär Lindh ...

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