Summer 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Summer, 2025 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   Monk, as seen by Gottlieb, Dorsett and 16 poets – an ekphrastic poetry collection     Dear Readers: …..I recently invited interested poets to take part in an ekphrastic poem exercise that involved … Continue reading “Summer 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician newsletter”

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August 14th, 2025

Spring 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Spring, 2025 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   Interview with Ricky Riccardi, author of Stomp Off, Let’s Go: The Early Years of Louis Armstrong   It’s safe to assume we can agree that Louis Armstrong deserved this – a comprehensive biography (now … Continue reading “Spring 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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April 8th, 2025

Winter 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Winter, 2025 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   Announcing the book publication of Kinds of Cool: An Interactive Collection of Jazz Poetry   Dear Readers: For several years I have published major jazz poetry collections that were solely available on the Jerry Jazz … Continue reading “Winter 2025 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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January 12th, 2025

Fall 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Fall, 2024 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   Jazz Poetry…Collected!     With a major collection of jazz poetry soon to be published in book form, this edition of Jerry Jazz Musician features poets from all over the world whose work … Continue reading “Fall 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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September 12th, 2024

Spring/Summer 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Spring/Summer, 2024 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Spring/Summer 2024 Edition     In this, the 17th major collection of jazz poetry published on Jerry Jazz Musician, 50 poets from all over the world again demonstrate the ongoing influence … Continue reading “Spring/Summer 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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June 25th, 2024

Fall/Winter 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Winter, 2024 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Winter, 2024 Edition       While earlier editions of jazz poetry collections have included many voices previously unknown to readers of these anthologies, what is striking about … Continue reading “Fall/Winter 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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January 19th, 2024

Summer 2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Summer, 2023 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Summer, 2023 Edition       This edition features poetry chosen from hundreds of recent submissions, and from a wide range of voices known – and unknown … Continue reading “Summer 2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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August 28th, 2023

Spring 2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Spring, 2023 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Spring, 2023 Edition       This is the 14th extensive collection of jazz poetry published on Jerry Jazz Musician since the fall of 2019, when the concept was initiated. … Continue reading “Spring 2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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June 24th, 2023

Winter 2022/2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Winter 2022/23 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Fall/Winter, 2022-23 Edition       While poetry may never again be a major part of popular American culture, it can still effectively impact a subset of … Continue reading “Winter 2022/2023 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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December 30th, 2022

Summer 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician – Summer 2022 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry – Summer, 2022 Edition     “Reading poetry is a way of connecting – through the medium of language – more deeply with yourself even as you connect more … Continue reading “Summer 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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August 22nd, 2022

Spring 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician — Spring 2022 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue A Collection of Jazz Poetry – Spring, 2022 Edition   This broad collection is comprised of work by a fascinating assemblage of writers from all over the world – many of whom are regular contributors, … Continue reading “Spring 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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April 12th, 2022

Fall/Winter 2021 – 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician — Fall/Winter 2021-22 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Fall/Winter, 2021-22 Edition   “Night and Day” is a painting by Molly Larson Cook, whose abstract-expressionist paintings accompany the work of the 50 poets contributing to the Fall/Winter … Continue reading “Fall/Winter 2021 – 2022 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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December 12th, 2021

Summer 2021 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician — Summer, 2021 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Summer, 2021 Edition   The spirit of jazz is not limited to the musicians, because celebrating the music is rich in creative opportunity for writers and visual artists … Continue reading “Summer 2021 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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August 31st, 2021

Winter 2021 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician — Winter, 2021 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue “A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Winter, 2021 Edition“ . In this winter collection of diverse themes and poetic styles, 55 poets wander the musical landscape to explore their spirit and enthusiasm for jazz … Continue reading “Winter 2021 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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February 27th, 2021

December 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician, End of Year Newsletter Information about new content on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue “What one song best represents your experience with 2020?“ . 57 creative artists from all over the world respond to the question “What one song best represents your experience with 2020?” In most cases they describe it … Continue reading “December 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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December 30th, 2020

Special Edition October 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter/Special Edition Information about new content published on Jerry Jazz Musician Poetry reflecting the era of COVID, Black Lives Matter, and a heated political season — Vol. 4 . On the cusp of an election of consequence the likes of which America hasn’t experienced for 150 years, and in the midst of … Continue reading “Special Edition October 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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October 29th, 2020

Spring 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician, Spring 2020 Newsletter Information about new content published on Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Spring, 2020 Edition …. ….. “The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the … Continue reading “Spring 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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June 3rd, 2020

Winter 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter — Winter, 2020 Information about new content published on Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Winter, 2020 Edition ….The winter collection of poetry offers readers a look at the culture of jazz music through the imaginative writings of its 32 contributors. Within these 41 poems, … Continue reading “Winter 2020 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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February 17th, 2020

Fall/Winter 2019 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2019 Information about new content published on Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue   A collection of jazz poetry — Fall, 2019 edition ….Twenty-eight poets contribute 37 poems to the Jerry Jazz Musician Fall Poetry Collection, living proof that the energy and spirit of jazz is alive — and quite well. (Featuring … Continue reading “Fall/Winter 2019 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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December 18th, 2019

Summer 2019 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter

Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter, September 2019 Update about newly published content In This Issue   The Jazz Photography Issue …..For many of us who revere jazz music – especially those fortunate enough to have grown up during the era of the 12 x 12 record album jacket and coffee table photography books– the images of … Continue reading “Summer 2019 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”

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July 25th, 2019

Site Archive

Your Support is Appreciated

Jerry Jazz Musician has been commercial-free since its inception in 1999. Your generous donation helps it remain that way. Thanks very much for your kind consideration.

Click here to read about plans for the future of Jerry Jazz Musician.

In This Issue

photo by William Gottlieb/design by Rhonda R. Dorsett
21 jazz poems on the 21st of November, 2025...An ongoing series designed to share the quality of jazz poetry continuously submitted to Jerry Jazz Musician. This edition features poems communicating the emotional appeal of jazz music, as well as nods to the likes of Miles Davis, Regina Carter, Maynard Ferguson, Ornette Coleman, and Max Roach.

The Sunday Poem

photo by Carol Highsmith/Library of Congress

”One Night in New Orleans,” by Rebecca Watkins

The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.... Rebecca Watkins reads her poem at its conclusion


Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem

Poetry

“Prayer” – a poem by Jianqing Zheng (after a photo by William Ferris)

Essay

"Grace" by Erik Enstrom
Letter from the Editor/Happy Thanksgiving (a redux)...Connecting an old photograph owned since the 1970’s to gratitude for friends, family, artists, creators, website readers and contributors – (a redux)

Community

Calling All Poets…Submissions guidelines for the anthology “Black History in Poetry”...We are currently seeking poetry from writers of all backgrounds for Black History in Poetry, an anthology scheduled for publication in the Summer of 2026. The anthology will be a means of celebrating and honoring notable Black Americans by offering poetry that teems with imagery, observation, emotion, memory, testimony, insight, impact, and humanity. Our aim is to give readers a way to visualize Black history from a fresh perspective.

Poetry

Poems on Charlie “Bird” Parker (inspired by a painting by Al Summ) – an ekphrastic poetry collection...A collection of 25 poems inspired by the painting of Charlie Parker by the artist Al Summ.

Publisher’s Notes

A dispatch from Portland, 2025 – and Boston, 1969...Peaceful protest is nothing new to America. It is happening every day in Portland, where I live. It is what makes our country great. And those of us who grew up in the 1960’s probably have a history of protest – some turning violent – ourselves. The poet Russell Dupont shares text and photos from his experience while photographing the October, 1969 March against the [Vietnam] War in Boston, when plainclothes Federal officers attempted to confiscate his camera.

A Letter from the Publisher

The gate at Buchenwald. Photo by Rhonda R Dorsett
War. Remembrance. Walls.
The High Price of Authoritarianism– by editor/publisher Joe Maita
...An essay inspired by my recent experiences witnessing the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of liberation of several World War II concentration camps in Germany.

Feature

Memorable Quotes: Horace Greeley, on character...“Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches..."

Community

Nominations for the Pushcart Prize L (50)...Announcing the six writers nominated for the Pushcart Prize v. L (50), whose work appeared on the web pages of Jerry Jazz Musician or within print anthologies I edited during 2025.

Interview

Interview with Tad Richards, author of Listening to Prestige: Chronicling its Classic Jazz Recordings, 1949 – 1972...Richards discusses his book – a long overdue history of Prestige Records that draws readers into stories involving its visionary founder Bob Weinstock, the classic recording sessions he assembled, and the brilliant jazz musicians whose work on Prestige helped shape the direction of post-war music.

Poetry

"Swing Landscape" by Stuart Davis
“Swing Landscape” – a poem by Kenneth Boyd....Kenneth Boyd writes poetry based on jazz paintings. “Swing Landscape” is written for a Stuart Davis painting of the same name.

Jazz History Quiz

Jazz History Quiz #185...This posthumously-awarded Grammy winning musician/composer was the pianist and arranger for the vocal group The Hi-Lo’s (pictured) in the late 1950’s, and after working with Donald Byrd and Dizzy Gillespie became known for his Latin and bossa nova recordings in the 1960’s. He was also frequently cited by Herbie Hancock as a “major influence.” Who is he?

Short Fiction

Short Fiction Contest-winning story #69 – “My Vertical Landscape,” by Felicia A. Rivers...Touched by the stories of the Philadelphia jazz clubs of the 1960s, a graffiti artist transforms an ugly wall into something beautiful – meaningful, even.

Poetry

photo via Wikimedia Commons
Jimi Hendrix - in four poems

Playlist

A sampling of jazz recordings by artists nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards – a playlist by Martin Mueller...A playlist of 14 songs by the likes of Samara Joy, Brad Mehldau, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Branford Marsalis, the Yellowjackets and other Grammy Award nominees, assembled by Martin Mueller, the former Dean of the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.

Poetry

Ukberri.net/Uribe Kosta eta Erandioko agerkari digitala, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Memoriam: “Color Wheels” – a poem (for Jack DeJohnette) by Mary O’Melveny

Short Fiction

“Alas, for My Poor Heart” – a short story by Daryl Rothman...The story – a short-listed entry in the recently concluded 69th Short Fiction Contest – concerns art and its truest meanings—where you just might have to look twice at what the shadow and light of a piece says about that within your soul.

Essay

“Escalator Over the Hill – Then and Now” – by Joel Lewis...Remembering the essential 1971 album by Carla Bley/Paul Haines, inspired by the writer’s experience attending the New School’s recent performance of it

Poetry

“Still Wild” – a collection of poems by Connie Johnson...Connie Johnson’s unique and warm vernacular is the framework in which she reminds readers of the foremost contributors of jazz music, while peeling back the layers on the lesser known and of those who find themselves engaged by it, and affected by it. I have proudly published Connie’s poems for over two years and felt the consistency and excellence of her work deserved this 15 poem showcase.

Feature

photo of Barry Harris by Mirko Caserta
“With Barry Harris at the 11th Street Bar” – a true jazz story by Henry Blanke...The writer - a lifelong admirer of the pianist Barry Harris - recalls a special experience he had with him in 2015

Short Fiction

publicdomainpictures.net
“Corkscrew” – a short story by Mike Wilson...The story – a short-listed entry in the recently concluded 69th Short Fiction Contest – is about a night when everything goes wrong and everyone is annoying, an unexpected turn of events teaches a sarcastic lawyer that the old adage is true – a cynic is just a disappointed romantic.

Interview

Interview with Sascha Feinstein, author of Writing Jazz: Conversations with Critics and Biographers...The collection of 14 interviews is an impressive and determined effort, one that contributes mightily to the deepening of our understanding for the music’s past impact, and fans optimism for more.

Feature

Trading Fours, with Douglas Cole, No. 27: “California Suite”...Trading Fours with Douglas Cole is an occasional series of the writer’s poetic interpretations of jazz recordings and film. This edition is dedicated to saxophone players and the mood scenes that instrument creates.

Short Fiction

photo by Simon Webster
“Smoke Rings and Minor Things” – a short story by Jane McCarthy...The story – a short-listed entry in the recently concluded 69th Short Fiction Contest – is a meditation on missed chances, minor keys, and the music that outlives the room it was played in.

Essay

“J.A. Rogers’ ‘Jazz at Home’: A Centennial Reflection on Jazz Representation Through the Lens of Stormy Weather and Everyday Life – an essay by Jasmine M. Taylor...The writer opines that jazz continues to survive – 100 years after J.A. Rogers’ own essay that highlighted the artistic freedom of jazz – and has “become a fundamental core in American culture and modern Americanism; not solely because of its artistic craftsmanship, but because of the spirit that jazz music embodies.”

Community

photo of Dwike Mitchell/Willie Ruff via Bandcamp
“Tell a Story: Mitchell and Ruff’s Army Service” – an essay by Dale Davis....The author writes about how Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff’s U.S. Army service helped them learn to understand the fusion of different musical influences that tell the story of jazz.

Feature

Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two– Vol. 16: Halloween on Mars? Or…speculative jazz fiction...A substantial number of novels and stories with jazz music as a component of the story have been published over the years, and the scholar David J. Rife has written short essay/reviews of them. In this 16th edition featuring excerpts from his outstanding literary resource, Rife writes about azz-inflected speculative fiction stories (sci-fi, fantasy and horror)

Poetry

“With Ease in Mind” – poems by Terrance Underwood...It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Terrance Underwood’s poetry. I am also quite jealous of his ease with words, and of his graceful way of living, which shows up in this collection of 12 poems.

Poetry

What is This Path – a collection of poems by Michael L. Newell...A contributor of significance to Jerry Jazz Musician, the poet Michael L. Newell shares poems he has written since being diagnosed with a concerning illness.

Playlist

“Look Ma, No Net!” – a playlist of nonets, by Bob Hecht...In this episode of our progressive instrumentation playlists, we add a ninth instrument to the mix to form a Nonet!

Art

photo by Giovanni Piesco
The Photographs of Giovanni Piesco: Art Farmer and Benny Golson...Beginning in 1990, the noted photographer Giovanni Piesco began taking backstage photographs of many of the great musicians who played in Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, that city’s main jazz venue which is considered one of the finest in the world. Jerry Jazz Musician will occasionally publish portraits of jazz musicians that Giovanni has taken over the years. This edition features the May 10, 1996 photos of the tenor saxophonist, composer and arranger Benny Golson, and the February 13, 1997 photos of trumpet and flugelhorn player Art Farmer.

Community

Community Bookshelf #5...“Community Bookshelf” is a twice-yearly space where writers who have been published on Jerry Jazz Musician can share news about their recently authored books and/or recordings. This edition includes information about books published within the last six months or so (March, 2025 – September, 2025)

Contributing Writers

Click the image to view the writers, poets and artists whose work has been published on Jerry Jazz Musician, and find links to their work

Coming Soon

Interview with John Gennari, author of The Jazz Barn:  Music Inn, the Berkshires, and the Place of Jazz in American Life; Also, a new Jazz History Quiz, and lots of short fiction; poetry; photography; interviews; playlists; and much more in the works......  Also, a new Jazz History Quiz, and lots of short fiction; poetry; photography; interviews; playlists; and much more in the works...

Interview Archive

Ella Fitzgerald/IISG, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Click to view the complete 25-year archive of Jerry Jazz Musician interviews, including those recently published with Judith Tick on Ella Fitzgerald (pictured),; Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz on the Girl Groups of the 60's; Tad Richards on Small Group Swing; Stephanie Stein Crease on Chick Webb; Brent Hayes Edwards on Henry Threadgill; Richard Koloda on Albert Ayler; Glenn Mott on Stanley Crouch; Richard Carlin and Ken Bloom on Eubie Blake; Richard Brent Turner on jazz and Islam; Alyn Shipton on the art of jazz; Shawn Levy on the original queens of standup comedy; Travis Atria on the expatriate trumpeter Arthur Briggs; Kitt Shapiro on her life with her mother, Eartha Kitt; Will Friedwald on Nat King Cole; Wayne Enstice on the drummer Dottie Dodgion; the drummer Joe La Barbera on Bill Evans; Philip Clark on Dave Brubeck; Nicholas Buccola on James Baldwin and William F. Buckley; Ricky Riccardi on Louis Armstrong; Dan Morgenstern and Christian Sands on Erroll Garner; Maria Golia on Ornette Coleman.