JazzTimes

JazzTimes
Title	JazzTimes
Frequency	Monthly (historically)
Category	Music magazine
Founded	1970
Country	United States
Based	Washington, D.C.; later New York City
Language	English

JazzTimes is an American magazine covering jazz music, musicians, recordings, and related cultural developments. Founded in 1970, it has chronicled shifts in bebop, hard bop, free jazz, modal jazz, fusion (jazz), and contemporary jazz fusion forms, profiling performers, analyzing recordings, and reporting on festivals and institutions. The magazine has engaged with figures from the Blue Note Records era to modern artists associated with Verve Records and independent labels, serving readers across the United States, Canada, and international jazz communities.

History

JazzTimes was established in 1970 in Washington, D.C. by publisher/editor/editorial teams seeking to document the post-bebop landscape and the evolution of mainstream jazz. Early issues covered artists connected to Columbia Records, Riverside Records, and venues such as Birdland and Village Vanguard. During the 1970s and 1980s the magazine reported on landmark events including tours by Miles Davis, the rise of Wynton Marsalis and the young lions movement, and festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. In the 1990s and 2000s JazzTimes adapted to changing production technologies and the digitization trends championed by organizations like Billboard and Rolling Stone, while continuing coverage of independent labels and scenes in cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London. The publication later relocated operations to New York City and experienced editorial shifts responding to the proliferation of online music criticism and streaming platforms exemplified by Spotify and Apple Music.

Editorial Content and Features

The magazine publishes album reviews, artist profiles, equipment roundups, and festival coverage, often situating pieces within contexts like the catalogues of Blue Note Records, Impulse! Records, ECM Records, and Prestige Records. Features have examined the legacies of artists such as John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Herbie Hancock, while also covering contemporary performers who record for labels like ECM, Concord Records, and Nonesuch Records. Technical coverage has addressed instruments and gear tied to makers like Selmer, Fender, and Bösendorfer, as well as audio production tied to engineers associated with studios such as Van Gelder Studio. The magazine’s essays engage institutions and events including the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

Contributors and Notable Interviews

Over the decades JazzTimes has featured contributions from critics, historians, and journalists associated with outlets including DownBeat, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Village Voice. Writers and historians who have appeared include commentators influenced by scholarship around figures such as Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, and Pat Metheny. The magazine has published interviews with major artists and cultural figures including Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Joan Baez (in crossover contexts), and producers linked to labels like Atlantic Records and RCA Records. It has also profiled educators and institutional leaders connected to Berklee College of Music, Juilliard School, and university programs that shaped modern jazz pedagogy.

Publication Format and Distribution

Historically issued on a monthly schedule, JazzTimes produced print editions featuring photographic covers, liner-note style essays, and discographical details appealing to collectors familiar with cataloguing practices at Discogs and archival efforts like the Smithsonian Institution. Distribution channels included independent bookstores, major chains linked to Barnes & Noble, newsstands, and subscriptions managed through postal services and later online platforms. With the rise of digital publishing, the magazine expanded its web presence, offering digital archives and features alongside partnerships with festival organizers at events such as North Sea Jazz Festival and regional presenters in cities like Seattle and Philadelphia.

Ownership and Business Changes

Throughout its history JazzTimes underwent ownership transitions involving private publishers and media groups engaged with niche music publications. These changes mirrored consolidation trends seen among outlets like Rolling Stone and Spin. At times the magazine navigated financial pressures affecting independent media, leading to restructuring, changes in editorial leadership, and shifts in production frequency. Business decisions reflected market forces tied to advertising from instrument manufacturers, record labels such as Blue Note Records and Concord Records, and listings for festivals including Detroit Jazz Festival and Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

Reception and Influence

JazzTimes has been cited by scholars, critics, and institutional curators in discussions of jazz history, programming at venues such as the Carnegie Hall, and archival projects at the Library of Congress. Review aggregations and critics’ polls within the magazine influenced listener choices and collector behavior, intersecting with critical discourse found in The New Yorker and academic journals focused on musicology. The publication’s long-form features and reviews contributed to the reputations of artists who subsequently received honors like the Grammy Awards, Pulitzer Prize for Music, and recognitions from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts.

Awards and Recognitions

JazzTimes itself and pieces published in the magazine have been acknowledged in industry circles and by peer publications, informing awards coverage for recording artists honored by the Grammy Awards and festival bestowment programs at events like the Monterey Jazz Festival. Individual contributors have received praise and citation by institutions including university programs and music archives, while the magazine’s critical lists and year-end polls have been referenced by broadcasters at NPR and programming directors at jazz radio stations affiliated with networks such as SiriusXM.

Category:American music magazines Category:Jazz publications