Hello everyone–
Here, at last, is the final issue of Jazz History Online for 2022. It is a double issue with extra book, video, and CD reviews, along with a new interview. I’ve been working on this issue since the middle of autumn, and
the only reasons I can give for their tardy publication are ongoing health issues, and a general lack of cash flow. The latter problem is being solved through the generosity of a few monthly donors. If a few more of you would offer $10-15 per month through an ongoing PayPal donation, I could spend less time chasing money, and more time researching and writing articles. With the help I receive from other sources, I can handle most of my bills, but the presence of more cash flow would be a blessing. The option for ongoing donations is available in our secure PayPal portal. Look for the yellow donation button in the upper right corner of every page of this site.
Our twin book reviews examine iconic giants of this music. Keith Hanschek’s “The Real Ambassadors” is the long-awaited history of the civil rights musical written by Dave and Iola Brubeck and starring Louis Armstrong, Carmen McRae, and Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan. Aiden Levy’s “Saxophone Colossus” is a meticulously researched biography of Sonny Rollins. With over 700 pages of text, it is a hefty read, but worth the extra time commitment. In the Retro Reviews, we have a brand-new Mosaic set containing Freddie Hubbard‘s 1960s recordings for Blue Note and Impulse. Hubbard is in spectacular form throughout this set, and the remastered sound is wonderful. Three exquisite jazz videos are included in our DVD review section, with documentaries on Louis Armstrong and Ron Carter, plus the new Criterion edition of “Round Midnight”. A new interview with Denver/Boulder vocalist MaryLynn Gillaspie and her arranger/collaborator Kip Kuepper discusses the pair’s intriguing new CD “Secret Language”. There are 15 additional new CDs on review as we catch up with “2022’s Best of the Rest” with vocal and instrumental columns. Finally, the 2022 Summation includes our picks for best of the year, and a remembrance of those passed.
In the coming days, two existing articles will undergo new revisions: The Swingle Singers discography will include their latest disc, and the “JATP at the Opera House” will be updated to reflect music newly reissued on a new Mosaic collection of JATP jam sessions. I was very glad to assist on this boxed set, and deeply honored that my article is specifically cited in the text and credits of the booklet.
All comments can be directed to me at jazzhistoryonline@live.com. Join our Facebook page at facebook.com/JazzHistoryOnline/. To be sure you get our Facebook messages, hover over the “liked” button on our Facebook page, and click the top two selections (“Get Notifications” and “Following”). If you’d like a monthly e-mail update of new articles (no, we won’t sell your addresses to anyone else) please send your name and e-mail address to jazzhistoryonline@gmail.com.
Best,
Tom Cunniffe