We hope you enjoy this new feature of LAjazz.com. We will try to present a variety of perspectives from within the southern California jazz community and we invite you to respond with your thoughtful comments. We encourage controversy, but we draw the line at personal attacks -- they will not be published. We welcome your thoughts on this new project.
Pamela Howell
Too Darn Hot/The Way You Look Tonight
"I have something in common with most Los Angelenos: I was born and raised somewhere else. While I can think of many reasons to move from my hometown, Cincinnati, the main thing that caused me to settle down in Los Angeles was the weather."
Tom Meek
What's Hot The Week of August 25, 2008
"Guitar fans get an earful this week including John Pizzarelli, John Pisano with Howard Alden, and Jeff Richman's All-Stars in gigs around SoCal."
Read Tom's blog and add your comments.
Janie Gust
Nica, Nellie and Monk
"I would like to tell you about two women with whom you may not be familiar. Each woman, while coming from extremely different worlds, had common elements. Each set her own course in life and defied conventional wisdom. They also shared one common denominator who would define their lives for the ages: Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk."
Dee Dee McNeil
Reviewing New CD Releases
"Dee Dee McNeil reviews new CDs from George Harper & Karen Evans and Vibes Alive."
Louis Durra
Getting More Web Presence for Your Music
"I met publicist Lexi Kavanaugh when I was playing in Chicago last November. Lexi has given me some great suggestions for promoting my music on the web. I wanted to share her advice with the Jazz community..."
Maxwell Chandler
Hamiltonia: Chico Hamilton
"In music an artist can be timeless in one of two ways. The first is to create a work in which time and repeated listenings do not diminish its power. Miles Davis's Kind Of Blue and John Coltrane's A Love Supreme immediately come to mind. The other way is for the artist to be not ahead of the curve of trends, but completely outside of it all. NEA Jazz Master and Kennedy Center living legend Chico Hamilton is such an artist. "
Read Maxwell's blog and add your comments.
Roger Crane
Stretching the Envelope
"Those of us in the jazz circle - fans, musicians, writers, et al - frequently see the terms "outside the box" and "stretching the envelope" as descriptors of jazz artists. Although I've been an avid fan for fifty years I must admit that I'm not even sure what it means or why "outside" and "stretching" are necessarily considered favorable qualities."
Read Roger's blog and add your comments.
Paul Kreibich
The Kaleidoscope of LA Live Jazz
"There are such an extraordinary amount of really fine players and singers in L.A. that it is easy to take their talent for granted and play favorites. Jazz record companies these days are emulating their pop, rock, and hip-hop counterparts by focusing mostly on new, young talent and creating "mega-bucks" celebrities. The true spirit of jazz has always been broader and more all-encompassing. The real process involves younger players being mentored by older, more experienced ones. The resulting relationship creates seasoned, soulful music and keeps the evolution of the art natural. "
Dale Boatman
Some Useful Tips
"A few months back, my friend Evan Stone asked for responses regarding "how to get gigs and maintain them." As someone who has been on both sides of this issue, I thought I might share the things I look for...and take notice of."
George Kahn
2008: The Death of Digital Rights Management
"Welcome to 2008! I thought I would celebrate my birthday (Jan. 7th) with a BLOG for the new year, a couple of resolutions and predictions."
Cathy Segal-Garcia
Finding Your Way Up
"To be truthful, I'm going through a change in my perspective... I'm getting tired of crappy gigs! Gigs that are in a cold room, with no people listening, a bad piano, and no musical magic. I really want magic more than anything now."
Kim Richmond
Teachers and Subs
"Cover yourself. Bring in a qualified substitute to teach the class or student for you. Cheating should not be part of the normal educational practice."
Read Kim's blog and add your comments
Evan Stone
Jazz Advice
"So the moral of the story is... don't be the first...be the second jazz group to walk into the club asking for work!"
Jim Santella
What's Wrong with Jazz Today?
"An interpretation of 'How High the Moon,' for example, should introduce some quality that cannot be found elsewhere. The artists who participate must find their own voices. It's not about showing off, either … It must come from the deep within."
Read Jim's blog and add your comments.
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My life is music, and in some vague, mysterious and subconscious way, I have always been driven by a taut inner spring which has compelled me to almost compulsively reach for perfection in music, often -- in fact mostly -- at the expense of everything else in my life.
– Stan Getz