Jazz Blog

We're looking for a passionate and enthusiastic individual to be the Guide to the Jazz site on About.com!

What sort of information do we want the new Guide to provide?
Well, we're looking for someone to be the source of information for jazz fans, particularly beginners. This means writing things like:

• Artist profiles
• Album reviews
• Primers on jazz history
• Genre profiles
• Interviews with jazz artists

What sort of person are we looking for to be the new Guide to Jazz?
Our ideal candidate:

• A music journalist with experience writing about jazz.
• Someone with established industry contacts who has access to review copies of albums and can set up interviews with musicians at all levels of success.

If this sounds like you, and you've got excellent writing skills and the desire to reach and teach a broad audience through your writing, why not go over to our application site to learn more about our hiring program and submit an application?

My apologies for the delay in posting this week, but I've had a bout of writer's block, my worst in three years as the About.com jazz guide (maybe it's because I've started listening to books on tape.) Anyway, jazz vocalist extraordinaire Dianne Reeves has recorded a wonderful blend of modern standards for Blue Note Records that will hit the shelves April 15. On When You Know, Reeves demonstrates yet again why the four-time GRAMMY winner is one of the preeminent voices in jazz.

The Jazz Foundation of America has announced its 7th Annual benefit concert known as "A Great Night in Harlem." Scheduled for May 29 at Manhattan's famous Apollo Theater, the concert will feature over 50 musicians performing Big Band, Gospel, Jazz and Blues music. The event will be hosted by Bill Cosby and Danny Glover. As Elvis Costello (Diana Krall's husband) has said of a previous event, "This is the greatest concert I've been to in 20 years."

The Jazz Foundation of America provides emergency assistance and long-term support to jazz and blues musicians. The foundation was a leading force in providing relief to Gulf Coast musicians after Hurricane Katrina. For more information on the concert, visit www.jazzfoundation.org.

Creative bluesman Otis Taylor has dedicated his latest recording to a highly unusual blues instrument, the five string banjo. Rarely heard in the genre, Taylor places the banjo front and center in his celebration of the instrument's African and African-American origins. Read my review of Recapturing the Banjo.

Image courtesy of Telarc Records.

Just a quick reminder to visit the About.com jazz forum. We have visitors from all over the world (pictured, a flyer for a jazz concert in Indonesia). You'll also find news from artists promoting their music, and the occasional free ticket opportunities. Registration is required, but becoming a member is free and easy.

The soundtrack to My Blueberry Nights, a romantic "road movie" starring Norah Jones, will be released April 1st on Blue Note Records. My Blueberry Nights is the latest film from Wong Kar Wai (In The Mood For Love) and is his first English language effort. It will open in theaters April 4th featuring the actors Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman.

The soundtrack covers many styles of American music and debuts “The Story,” a new song by Norah Jones based on her experience in the film. There are also instrumental selections from the score by Ry Cooder, as well as appearances by Cassandra Wilson, Cat Power and Otis Redding.

Blue Note has produced an online video about the soundtrack including an interview with star Norah Jones.

Image courtesy of Blue Note Records.

Here's the rundown of the jazz and blues winners from the 50th GRAMMY awards handed out last Sunday. As has been widely reported, jazz legend Herbie Hancock took home two awards including the coveted "Album of the Year" for his record River: The Joni Letters. Hancock declared it a "Victory for Jazz."

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock brought home top album honors at last night's GRAMMY awards. He won for Album of the Year and Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year. I'll have a more complete rundown of last night's jazz and blues winners later in the day. Here's a preview of him performing "Edith and the Kingpin" with singer Tina Turner from the award-winning River: The Joni Letters.

River is the first jazz record to win "Album of the Year" since 1964's Getz/Gilberto. The awards were Hancock's 11th and 12th GRAMMYs.

"I'd like to thank the Academy for courageously breaking the mold this time, and in doing so, honoring the giants upon whose shoulders I stand... This is a new day that proves that the impossible can be made possible."

A very hot disc coming your way on February 12, "Droppin' Science -- Greatest Samples from the Blue Note Labs" is a deep groove mix of some of the best jazz-funk music from the blue and white label. Read about the album and sample some audio streams.

Cover art by Jeff Jank.

Last September, Columbia University in New York City and the Jazz Journalists Association collaborated to present an unprecedented gathering called "Jazz in the Global Imagination: Music, Journalism and Culture." The day-long symposium featured thirty-three jazz writers and broadcasters from around the world. The event was chaired by George E. Lewis, Director of the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University. Conference presentations, reports and more are available at the Jazz Journalists Association Web site.