The Jazz.com Blog
April 13, 2008 · 0 comments
New Feature at Jazz.com: Guest Artist Dozens
Jazz.com launches a new feature today with its publication of trumpeter Randy Breckers selection of twelve outstanding Freddie Hubbard performances. Brecker offers up a valuable survey, encompassing the full range of Hubbard's artistry, from his Blakey and Blue Notes days, through his CTI and Columbia work, and beyond, and includes both timeless classics and neglected gems.
The Dozens column, as regular site visitors know, is our way of celebrating the jazz heritage by focusing on twelve great tracks built around a theme. In the past we have relied on jazz writers to make the selections and offer up their reviews. But our new Guest Artist Dozens will add a new twist we will now also go to the musicians themselves for their picks and opinions.
True, this is a dangerous concept. If you start asking the musicians for their opinions, what happens to the jazz critics? They might need to start writing restaurant reviews or gossip columns. But we are willing to take that chance. Part of the vision for jazz.com is to develop its potential as a place where musicians can speak their mind, and share their views -- not just on their own work, but on the music's rich heritage and current state of health. The Dozens is an ideal setting to facilitate this expanded dialogue. (And, yes, we plan to continue publishing Dozens by our stalwart crew of critics. So they don't get to run off to the smorgasbord quite yet.)
Who better than Grammy award winner Randy Brecker to guide us through the illustrious career of Freddie Hubbard? Like Hubbard, Brecker has spent decades blowing his horn in the most high profile settings, from his early days with Horace Silver and Art Blakey, through his Brecker Brothers work and many classic leader dates and sideman sessions.
This feature also marks the first appearance of contributor Ted Panken on jazz.com. Panken, who serves as editor for our Guest Artist Dozens, is a top notch jazz writer and first rate interviewer. His work has graced the pages of Down Beat and Jazziz, and he is also well known for his popular broadcasts on WKCR-FM. A few months ago, Panken was honored with a much deserved ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for his journalism. (For a more complete list of contributors, click here.)
Our Guest Artist Dozens complements our other recent addition to the site, Desert Island Dozens, which allows noteworthy individuals in the world of jazz to offer their ideal playlist for a tropical getaway. We recently initiated Desert Island Dozens by sharing the selections of drummer Peter Erskine.
Stay tuned. More Dozens of all shapes and flavors are in the works. For a full list of all our Dozens to date, click here.
This blog entry posted by Ted Gioia
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