Time for another look at the long running theme of “jazz is dead” – this from 1973. Peter Levison’s views on its resurgence in the 1970s following the successful Newport Jazz Festival. He notes the renewed interest among younger audiences, evidenced by sold-out CTI All-Star concerts. Levison acknowledges the importance of integrating new talent alongside established figures to sustain jazz’s growth. Despite challenges, initiatives like educational programs and innovative performances aim to foster appreciation for this uniquely American art form. Levinson though did have a vested interest
Sounds: Supermarket Jazz
It’s fairly well-known that Creed’s production techniques were not universally liked. Creed himself knew that and was often quite dismissive of critics in general. I’ve often quoted Creed himself on this, as early as 1963 he said: These men[musicians], no longer concern themselves with critical limitations, imposed by journalists within the jazz fraternity. More and more of them are looking […]
Jazz Is Dead(Not!)
The belief that “jazz is dead” has been recurring since the 1920s, with notable instances like a 1967 Down Beat magazine cover misquoting guitarist Gabor Szabo. Despite such claims, jazz has proven resilient, surviving trends and criticisms. Historian Frank Kofsky and multiple jazz figures affirm its enduring relevance and vitality. The second in a series.
On This Day: “If Jazz Is Dead…”
A while back I received a question from a reader that asked – Listening to the “Live at the Hollywood Bowl” CTI Summer Jazz series and I’m curious who the man is at the beginning who says “If jazz is dead, this is the biggest funeral I have ever seen.”
I had meant to answer it straight away, since I knew it was jazz journalist, musician Leonard Feather, especially since his name appears on the credits, printed top left on the inside left of the gatefold sleeve. This was complicated only by the fact that the credits list two “M.C. ‘s” and include Rick Holmes as well. I knew I’d read a good review of the concert that included that opening…