Scott Yanow, Jazz Critic
scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com
|
Welcome to my website!
I'm a jazz journalist who loves all eras of jazz
and blues. I hope that you find my website
fun and informative. You will find jazz festival
reviews (Monterey, Playboy, Montreal, etc.)
and articles about the IAJE (International
Association of Jazz Educators). There are links
to the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, a paper that I
write for monthly. I have written nine books
(so far!) and have included information about
each of them. See what you think about some
of my favorite jazz publicists, musicians and
singers.
I contribute regularly to Jazziz, Jazz Times (the
Archivist column), Coda, the Los Angeles Jazz
Scene and occasionally appear elsewhere. I
write regularly for the All Music Guide and was
the Senior Editor of its 3rd edition. I also write
for the Jazz Heritage Club and am involved in
many jazz projects both large and small.
Please take a look at ‘My Biography’ section.
I have been writing about jazz for 33 years and
it has been said that I have reviewed more jazz
recordings than anyone in history.
If you are a musician, I have included a
‘Musicians’ section below that provides
information about how I can help you promote
yourself. Many times who you contact can be
the important key in opening the right doors for
your success in the music business. It can mean
playing many gigs and having your CDs heard
by the right people who can help you. See
what you think and don’t hesitate to contact
me with your questions.
There are few greater joys for me than writing
about and listening to jazz. I update my website
with the latest news on jazz and blues regularly
and have also included a ‘Links’ section which
includes my Biography. Please check back
often.
For the Musicians:
I write liner notes, press biographies, press
releases, info for jazz websites, concert, festival
and club reviews, and am involved in many
miscellaneous projects. I rarely go a day
without writing a few CD reviews and I love to
receive CDs in the mail, in addition to job
offers to write about and publicize jazz and
blues. I have also written over 500 liner notes
for a variety of labels and individual artists plus
a countless number of press biographies. I co-
produced a reissue series of early jazz for
Allegro Imports that resulted in 32 releases of
classic pre-1950 jazz being made available. In
addition, I have written for several festival
program guides.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you need
writing help. Remember, if you want something
done fast and well, contact a busy person!
My Biography:
I have been a very busy jazz journalist/critic/
writer since I started in late 1975, covering
everything from New Orleans and 1920s jazz
to swing, bebop, fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, the
avant-garde and today's jazz and blues scene.
I knew early on that I wanted to be a jazz
journalist, first hearing Dixieland in the Danny
Kaye movie The Five Pennies and on a daily
radio show hosted by the late Benson Curtis
while in high school. I "discovered" swing when
I ran across Chuck Cecil's Swinging Years on
the radio. When I first went to college,
roommates thought I had a huge record
collection when they saw my 25 Lps, but were
dismayed to find out that it was all dixieland
and swing. One day at a used record store, I
ran across a $1.99 Charlie Parker LP that,
among other songs, included "White
Christmas." I had never heard of "Groovin’
High" or "A Night In Tunisia" but at least I had
heard "White Christmas" somewhere! I played
the album two or three times each day for a
week. It took about five days for my ears to be
opened and then I became quite anxious to
learn about all eras of jazz. Within two months
I was into John Coltrane's 1966 explorations
with Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis'
Live/Evil, quite a jump from Pete Fountain. My
desire to own and hear every jazz recording
has still not been fully satisfied.
After I graduated college, rather than get a real
job, I became the jazz editor for Record
Review, a now-legendary music magazine that
lasted for 33 issues. That experience and its
publisher/founder/emperor Brian Ashley
started me in the jazz writing business. Since
then, I have written for virtually all of the jazz
magazines including Downbeat, Jazz Times,
Jazziz, Cadence, Coda, The Mississippi Rag,
Jazz Forum, Jazz News, The Jazz Report,
Planet Jazz, Jazz Now and Jazz Improv.
My published books are: Jazz On Film, Duke
Ellington, Swing, Bebop, Afro-Cuban Jazz,
Trumpet Kings, Classic Jazz, Jazz: A Regional
Exploration and the giant Jazz On Record
1917-76. They are all available for purchase
from www.amazon.com and directly from me.
Many other books are in the works, far too
many. I still don't want to get that real job.
Every musician and singer needs a
well-written press biography and every
CD deserves informative liner notes. I
write both at reasonable rates.
You can now order my books, a
discussion of which can be found by
clicking the link, BOOKS, directly from
me. The books are available for $20
apiece (except for the giant Jazz On
Record which is $60) plus postage ($5
with Jazz On Record being $10). Just
send me an E-mail and tell me which
books interest you.
I believe that there is no reason in
the world that jazz cannot triple
its audience and that jazz
musicians and singers cannot
make a decent living.
If many more of us will just use
our creativity, this will happen.
Jazz is not too "complicated" for
the average person. It just needs
to be heard as a regular part of
life, introduced in schools and
marketed properly.
Jazz is not a forbidding "art form."
It is for anyone who has ears and
an open mind.
It is the most fun, creative and
rewarding music in the world.
Otherwise, why would we be
listening to it?
Jazz is not "America's only true art
form." That mindless cliche needs
to be buried. Blues, ragtime, tap
dancing and movies are American
art forms. And jazz no longer
belongs exclusively to the United
States, nor has it since Django
Reinhardt made his first record.
When someone talks about the
"good old days of jazz" or jazz's
"golden age," retort by saying that
jazz entered its golden age in
1917 (when it started to be
recorded) and it hasn't ended
since. Here is to the 92nd year of
jazz's golden age!
I hope you enjoy this website as it
develops, come back often and
drop me a line.
A NEW SERVICE!
I have recently compiled a list of the
names and addresses of many of the top
jazz journalists. These lists are available
for a fee to instrumentalists and singers
who are putting out their own CDs and
do not have a hard-working publicist..
By knowing which writers and magazines
to send your releases to, you will
increase the number of reviews and your
visibility in the jazz world. Send me an
E-mail if you are interested in this
valuable list..
My Greeting
The Top 10 Things To Do During
Bass Solos
(by Scott Yanow and Dory Green)
Admit it. Most bass solos are about as
exciting as hearing a banjo rambling on in
a dixieland band, as fascinating as listening
to an insurance agent explaining different
policies, and as pleasurable as hearing an
electric drill as a dentist tunes up his
instruments in preparation for your next
root canal. It may be necessary for
bassists to strut their stuff, particularly
after they play 183 choruses on an up
tempo blues, but does anyone really want
to sit through it?
So, to make the best use of time, here are
the top ten suggested activities that can be
done during bass solos:
10) Listen to the saxophonist on stage
trying out a new box of reeds.
9) Stand up and loudly recite the
Gettysburg Address to those around you.
8) Use the opportunity to tune the
piano.
7) .Get into a heated debate over
which singer is the best: Chet Baker or
Bob Dylan.
6) Steal the drummer’s drum stick and
stab yourself repeatedly.
5) Watch the club owner proudly
demonstrating his new blender.
4) Argue passionately with the waiter
about the bill.
3) Have a fire drill
2) Read War And Peace
And the #1 suggested activity to do
during a bass solo:
1) Run out into the street and
SCREAM.
