Jazz Notes™ The Journal of the Jazz Journalists AssociationSM Vol. 18, No. 4 • Winter 2008 From the Editor 2 Arriving at jazz criticism by way of the city desk. President’s Report 3 Reporting on Jazz 8 By Ashante Infantry Somewhere Over 4 Nine Minutes riting about jazz h a s b e e n t he In The Other Room — that didn’t appeal to By Cyril Moshkow most challenging yet adaptable the Star’s jazz critic. W undertaking of my journalism Interest piqued, I began to help out on the After You’ve Gone 5 career. I’d worked primarily on the city beat — reviewing a festival appearance By John McDonough news side after joining the Toronto Star by Joshua Redman, interviewing Sonny staff in 1995. But I always contributed to Rollins for an advancer — and audited the entertainment pages, writing mostly Tom Terrell 7 a university course on jazz history and about hip-hop and R&B, out of personal criticism. Before long I was hooked by the interest in music that wasn’t being cov- beauty and tradition of the music and its Book Reviews 8 ered in the paper and for the opportunity personalities, controversies and complex- By David R. Adler, Stuart Broomer to write more creatively. ities. I eventually assumed the mantle in and Ken Dryden the wake of the retirement of the paper’s I had a passing familiarity with jazz longtime jazz critic. Though juggling pop News of Members 8 (Miles, Billie, the Marsalises) when and jazz criticism is sometimes hectic, I pitched a few years ago by a Verve pub- hope that those who read me for J.Lo and licist about a series of recordings — Jamie New Members 13 Cullum, RH Factor, Diana Krall’s The Girl continued on page 17 | » Dale Lind Retires 15 By arnold jay smith R.I.P., 2007 19 IN THIS ISSUE IN ON THE COVER: Ornette Coleman at the 2004 JVC Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island. Photograph by Michael Kurgansky. Conferencing Jazz Notes o Answers Yet to This Ques- fying step forward for our discipline. “ tion.” That’s the generic ban- Some of the prepared statements from the quarterly journal of the N ner put up by the JJA’s Inter- symposium participants will be ar- Jazz Journalists Association actiview Q&A software before users chived at jazzhouse.org. start posting responses. In Editor Meanwhile, in Jazz Notes, the past we’ve used this tool we’ll strive to explore these David R. Adler for online chats and confer- and other questions from a ences. But on September 29, variety of angles. In this is- Associate Editor at the “Jazz in the Global sue — available only in PDF James Hale Imagination” symposium form thanks to temporary held at Columbia Univer- budget constraints — JJA Art Director sity, I used Interactiview member Ashante Infantry Forrest Dylan Bryant as a note-taking device offers the perspective of a and hopefully a prompt for From the working newspaper writer Photo Editor further discussion. (Visit in Toronto (site of the 2008 Laurence Svirchev jazzhouse.org to access the Editor IAJE conference), who transcript.) On one long came to the jazz beat circu- Circulation Manager day, six panels convened to David R. Adler itously. Joseph Petrucelli discuss jazz journalism in global and local perspec- I find Ms. Infantry’s com- Editorial Consultants ments particularly relevant as I con- tive. The mood — no surprise given Howard Mandel tinue my print incursions into The the academic setting — was interroga- W. Royal Stokes Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia tive: “What is the place of jazz in the Weekly. Good news: both these publi- David Franklin societies the journalists come from?” cations are showing genuine interest “What intellectual, social, and political in wider coverage of jazz and creative engagements do jazz journalists feel music — and not just the names but the Editorial Correspondence are important?” “What is the place of most obscure nooks of the local scene as journalism in writing the history of David R. Adler well. Bad news: noble intentions count jazz?” “What kinds of aesthetic, eco- 2122 Kater Street for only so much in light of what my nomic, methodological, and cultural Philadelphia, PA 19146-1215 Inquirer editor calls “the time–space– alignments are musicians pursuing in money continuum.” Plenty of important (215) 366-1099 the 21st century?” musicians, either passing through town [email protected] As the dust settled, my computer’s me- or enriching their native soil, are going chanically generated phrase seemed unlisted or unreviewed. Circulation to say it best: No answers yet to these Which leaves open another option: questions. Reaching a conclusive end- Joseph Petrucelli blogging. I’ll be discussing that at the point wasn’t exactly the goal, however. IAJE conference, on a panel moder- 74 Jewel St., 2nd Floor Merely by gathering jazz journalists ated by the JJA’s Neil Tesser. If you’re Brooklyn, NY 11222 from around the world in the same around, it’s Friday, January 11 at 3:00 917 292-4901 room and grappling with a set of com- ( ) p.m. mon concerns, Columbia’s Center for [email protected] Jazz Studies and the JJA took a clari- < < < © 2007 Jazz Journalists Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication, as a whole or in any part, JJA PANELS & WORKSHOPS AT IAJE 2008 without prior written permission of the Jazz Don’t miss these JJA-sponsored events at the Journalists Association, Inc. is prohibited. 35th annual IAJE conference in Toronto: jazz journalists association, who asked you, anyway? and jazz awards are service Jazz in the Digital Age, Part 3 marks or registered service marks of the “Who Asked You, Anyway?” writers’ clinic Jazz Journalists Association, Inc. jazz notes is a trademark and service mark of the Jazz In addition to these events, several JJA members are serving as IAJE Journalists Association, Inc. All other marks panelists and presenters. Consult your program for details. are the property of their respective owners. 2 JAZZ NOTES • Vol. 18, No. 4 µ Above: David R. Adler photograph by Noah Kalina. Jazz Journalists Forward to ‘08 Association he membership of the Jazz share of the chores of moderating, pon- promoting the interests of Journalists Association — that’s tificating and instructing (we will also journalists covering jazz T you and me, folks — ought to have that party — watch jazzhouse.org consider what kind of organization we for details). The JJA board has come c/o Village Postal want to have. Is it enough up with some interesting 151 1st Avenue to be a social club, organiz- ideas for programs going New York, NY 10003 ing parties at conferences forward, including the and conventions? Shall we institution of a JJA Speak- [email protected] initiate programs that edu- ers Bureau, which might cate the public, train new help arrange members’ Board of Directors generations of jazz writers, engagements (for a small Howard Mandel broadcasters, photogra- percentage of their fee), President & Executive Director phers and new media pro- and has emphasized that James Hale, Vice President fessionals, and keep cur- educational programming rent working journalists President’s is the activity most likely Forrest Dylan Bryant up-to-date? Do we main- to attract funding to our Susan Fox tain a website that’s about Report organization. But of course Gary Giddins music news, or news about it takes skilled and devoted Reuben Jackson Howard Mandel music journalism? What’s workers to start and main- Fred Jung the mission of Jazz Notes: tain a speakers initiative or to keep us all connected, or to serve as write grants for educational programs, Membership Secretary a vehicle for reaching out to those who or most of anything else we’re likely Jerry D’Souza don’t know we’re here? to want to do. And such volunteer la- bor is in short supply, as JJA members 209 Hollyberry Trail Such questions are crucial right now naturally take care of their requisite Willowdale, Ontario m2h 2p3 because the JJA has suffered a fiscal personal responsibilities before their Canada downturn, commensurate with the discretionary associative ones. (416) 497-9785 tightening of belts throughout media [email protected] and jazz’s related industries. We have The JJA is having cash-flow problems produced this issue of Jazz Notes as because we reined in fundraising last year around the Jazz Awardssm Treasurer a PDF rather than a print publication , as it because the costs are so much lower: became clear that even our returning Arnold Jay Smith essentially zero compared to $2,000 for sponsors could not support the Awards 436 State Street printing and mailing. Jazz Notes i n pr i nt as they had in 2005 and 2006. The Jazz Brooklyn, NY 11217 form might be distributed to attendees Awards will be a matter for discussion (718) 625-2026; fax: (718) 625-2866 at the IAJE conference in Toronto in again, any day now: Do we want to have [email protected] January, to members of the Associa- a modest event that breaks even, as tion for Performing Arts Presenters, to we did in 2007? Or something else en- The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) civilians wherever JJA members put on tirely? Can we mount presentations on is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, panels or lead discussions. In PDF form, the West Coast or anywhere other than promoting the interests of writers, pho- we can at best hope to get the emails of New York, to demonstrate our members’ tographers, broadcasters and new media unaffiliated but interested parties, and dispersion and variety of honors? If we professionals covering jazz.