Notes and tones: Awards bash promises jazz 'circus'
For a number of reasons, a recent announcement from the Jazz Journalists Association [JJA] stood out as different enough to catch my attention immediately.
I’m a member of the lone jazz media-centered service organization in existence, and have been for years — save the few times I unintentionally let my annual dues lapse. For the record, as of a week ago, I’m back in good standing.
JJA, which holds various virtual and in-person activities throughout the year, operates on a shoestring budget. Veteran critic-author Howard Mandel, who has been pretty darn tireless when it comes to the JJA, is the current president.
Given that more journalists than not tend to be frugal, his keeping — along with a handful of dedicated people — JJA up and running is something to behold.
That’s, in part, why I was taken aback when I received a multi-colored, splashy announcement that led with “The Jazz Journalists Association is throwing a #JazzBash, a five-ring online media circus in celebration of 2022 JJA Jazz Awards winners and Jazz Heroes, on Sunday, Sept 11 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EDT).” Taken aback as in, just what is this glitzy event?
Hold that thought for a moment.
True enough, pre-COVID, JJA hosted and held various activities in-person; primarily they took place in New York City, in conjunction with other arts-driven gatherings. That made sense given the limited budget. It’s also fair to say that a number of, using the phrase liberally, “local chapters” hosted events around the country.
But the awards and Jazz Heroes ceremony always take place in New York. Presented the same evening, the event serves as the organization’s centerpiece, essentially the closest thing that I’m aware of to “our” industry’s Grammys or Oscars.
There are presenters who introduce and hand over all sorts of individual awards, honoring talent on particular and specific instruments, including vocalists. There are industry awards — separate recognition for "best" record, re-issue and boxed set of the year as well as best label.
However, what differentiates Jazz Journalists Association Awards proceedings from most other music-oriented glorifications is that a great many of the categories also shine the light on those of us who toil within the industry. For instance, critics, authors and photographers.
The aforementioned “Jazz Heroes” is not so much a category, but rather people who are recognized for their long-term involvement in jazz as well as being “jazz advocates.” Calling it a lifetime achievement award is certainly hyperbole and a stretch, but that’s the gist of it for the 20 or so people who, each year, are recognized for their work in the field.
Recipients can be musicians but, more often than not, they are people in various-sized communities — urban, not-so-urban and even rural — who are involved with jazz organizations in one way or another. Recipients are people committed to producing concerts, infusing jazz education into schools and so forth.
As is often the case in jazz, they tend to wear multiple jazz hats.
In the name of full disclosure, I count myself among jazz's multi-taskers. Let’s see, I submit this column and cover jazz as a freelancer; I manage and represent certain jazz artists and I work at the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series.
If I’m being honest, I was a bit surprised when I got "the call” that I had been selected as a class of 2014 Jazz Hero, which includes receiving an engraved glass obelisk that sits on my living-room mantle.
As long as we’re going on the record here, I made a conscious decision long ago not to participate in any polls; this includes the national trade publications such as Downbeat as well as within the JJA.
Let’s get back to the September 11 online-only #JazzBash. While it will encompass the association’s various award-and-hero recipients, I discovered there’s a whole lot more to this “five-ring circus” thing that’s actually geared toward the general public.
The two-and-a-half-hour virtual affair is free to us JJA members and $25 for the general public. Given what I’ve learned, I would encourage people to fork over the $25. Interested? You can register at https://jja.wildapricot.org/event-4920112.
The colorful notice went on to say that JJA will be using SyncSpace.live as the event’s platform. The proceedings include live award presentations as well as performances.
Among those who can be heard live: vocal group Duchess with clarinetist Anat Cohen and others as special guests, including Jon Batiste, who is slated for the upcoming Roots N Blues festival.
Additionally, there will be pre-recorded messages and videos from past gatherings featuring Randy Weston, Elio Villafranca, Stephanie Richards, Edmar Castaneda and Min Xioa-Fen, along with storyteller Bill Crow and musicians telling jokes. I’m looking forward to that, for sure. Perhaps the JJA is correct branding this as part “circus.”
There is a serious side to this affair, offering issue-oriented discussions moderated by JJA principals, along with “many surprises, in multiple immersive, customized settings.” If anyone knows what that means, please get in touch.
At the time of the release, numerous soon-to-be-presented JJA Awards winners who have committed to participating include musicians Sheila Jordan, Kurt Elling, Melissa Aldana, Vijay Iyer, Joel Ross, James Francies, Jane Ira Bloom and Wycliff Gordon, along with a pair of writer-journalist-blogger award winners: Nate Chinen and Ted GIoia.
To learn more about the event, which sounds like a bargain at $25 per person, visit https://www.jjajazzawards.org.
Jon W. Poses is executive director of the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series. Reach him at jazznbsbl@socket.net.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Notes and tones: Awards bash promises jazz 'circus'
