Requiem for Jazz Journalist, Who Gets Resurrected By Live Shows

I do plan on finishing my long, drawn out deep dive into Ivo Perelman's Reed Rapture In Brooklyn. In fact, I'm almost done and I'm thinking about wrapping up the last two sessions in one entry within the next couple of days. (Presumably, Vinny Golia and Dave Liebman won't be hurt if they don't separate entries for each of their sessions with Ivo.) 

But since it's been a month since I last posted here, and due to some dour news that hit the street last week, I needed to go off-track a bit, ending with a more upbeat note with a little bit of musical activity I witnessed this week.

First the bad news. Word had quietly gone out on social media a few weeks ago that JazzTimes, the monthly magazine for which I've written for two decades now, had been sold. Rather, it's parent company, Madavor Media, had been sold. No email announcement had been made to the magazine's writers as of yet, so, as ominous as that news could be, I kept plugging away. Around that time, I filed a feature for the magazine, which was the first one in several months that had been assigned to me. And I had my usual two CD reviews to do for the new issue. (I usually get two a month, which is cool with me.) 

Last weekend, a rather alarming post appeared on the Jazz Journalist Association's Facebook page announcing not only the sale, but that all staff, freelancers and all, were being let go. It was hard to tell exactly how to take it. Speculation? Fact? My feature story had already been filed and the reviews were due on Tuesday. Having just received the music about a week prior, I planned to listen to the music more, take notes and file by Monday night. Early that morning, I got confirmation that the reviews were still expected.

Then by mid-afternoon on Monday, an email came through saying that assignments for the May issue had been cancelled. So that was it. My longest freelance gig ever. Gone. 

For a couple hours, I sat at my laptop and my mind wandered. 

Should I still write the reviews? 

Maybe they do still want them. 

Maybe I should just write them for the blog. 

Yeah, that's a good idea. I think.

I haven't finished the Ivo set.

But this is current. Write the two things you were going to do for JazzTimes. At least you'll have them done. 

Should I really still write the reviews? .Repeat series of questions and answers.

This is how I mourn. I stay in one place and walk in circles. 

But that's not the end of a story. Not at all.

The news about JazzTimes came within days of the death of saxophonist Wayne Shorter. The tradition has always been for the magazine to publish an obituary as soon as possible. (I once heard a former editor say his greatest fear was that some Christmas Eve, amidst holiday revelry, the news would hit that some colossal jazz legend had died, meaning the ED. would have to spring into action.) 

The magazine did indeed publish a piece about Mr. Shorter, but an obit it was not. It was written by someone who had never written for the magazine previously, though the person was listed as a senior editor. Rather than go through Shorter's life either chronologically or touch upon his artistic high points (time with the Jazz Messengers, the Second Great Miles Davis Quintet, Weather Report, his unique later period productivity) and temper that with the late saxophonist's sage-like thoughts, the writer instead brushed over just a few of these accomplishments, resorted to cliched descriptions of jazz musicians smoking cigarettes and wearing berets and - worst of all - the excessive use of unnecessary quotation marks around words that don't need them ("pace-setting") and unnecessary capitalizations. Last time I checked bebop was one word, with a lower case B. Unless of course it appears at the start of a sentence. It reminds me of the story another former editor told me about when a trippy (literally) writer submitted an article full of words used incorrectly. "That doesn't make sense," he told her. "I know," she said,  "but I liked the way it looked." 

It did not provide any hope for the future of the magazine, nor did the JT tweet that padded the magazine and the writer on the back - describing the Shorter piece as "very beautiful" - do anything to improve things.

I haven't written a freelance article for a Pittsburgh paper in about two years. Now I don't have any freelance writing gigs at all. Oh well, I have a record coming out next month so there will be no time for me to talk about other people's music anymore. (That's sarcasm, to clarify, though the record is coming out.)

On a more positive note, after such dark news, I caught an early set by guitarist Mila Shadel last Friday at Con Alma, at their Shadyside location. Shadel first popped up on my radar a few months ago after she played one of the Experimental Guitar Nights that my friend/bandmate Erik Cirelli helps to curate. Her set that night was really just a sample and I wanted to hear Shadel stretch out, but kept missing shows. I couldn't spend the whole night at Con Alma but at least I'd catch a set. 

Her trio was rounded out by bassist Anton DeFade (above, with Shadel) and drummer Jason Washington, Jr. I had just seen DeFade recently, playing with pianist Deanna Witkowski a few weeks ago at Kingfly Spirits. Last Friday gave a chance to check out the trio up close, with only a small bit of audience conversation going on mid-set this time.

The trio kicked off the evening with Horace Silver's "Strollin'" which, in going back to the original, is a bold choice for a trio since the melody relies a lot on the horn harmonies, and a response from the piano. But these three dug into it. I regretted the seat I chose because I couldn't see Shadel's left hand, and it would have been cool to check out how she was doing what she did. 

After another number to warm up, Shadel announced Emily Remler's "Firefly" as the next tune. By this point, the trio was  ready to move into high gear. Shadel in particular was really flying. That was followed by a tune whose name I missed but which had a groove that was a little Latin and funky. DeFade left a strong impression in the next selection, understated but really coming across with some solid lines, both as an anchor and a solo instrument. Washington did the same in "Sonnymoon For Two," ramping up the energy in one chorus. Watching him play, he added a lot of complex accents but made it look simple.

I wish I could have stayed but I had dinner plans. Hopefully I'll see these three again soon.

I must have been crazy, having a couple drinks at Con Alma, going home and having pizza, filling the coffee travel mug and heading out to Government Center for another show, but I did it.

St. Dude was playing on a bill with two other acts. That band includes two-thirds of Action Camp - guitarist/vocalist Bengt Alexsander and drummer Joe Tarowsky. They're pictured above, with bassist Aaron Crothers. (I think they prefer more anonymous stage names but oh well.) It was heavy stuff, with low tunings, baritone guitars and a solid attack. Maybe a bit much for my ears after Mila Shadel but a good time nonetheless. 

From there, things get foggier. There was a reception for photo exhibition in the coffee shop and/or bar attached to Government Center so there were plenty of people milling around. I tried to have some conversations with people and succeeded for the most part, but I felt like I was missing a lot of it. So there was a lot of "What was that?" going on. 

Bitter Coast played some jagged guitar rock that sounded cool but I was having trouble keeping focus by then. Probably should have packed a bottle of water to go with the coffee. Ceiling Stares, the solo moniker for Steve Patchan, began with a blaring recording of "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" playing at high volume, drowning out his voice. The volume and the early day I would have the next morning were pointing me towards the door so I slipped out. 

One byproduct of not having the local writing gig is that I'm really out of the loop regarding the local indie rock scene. While I didn't get to check everyone out to the extent that I'd like, at least it put more folks on my radar, for future explorations.

And I'm still a member of....