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| Jazzwise | |
|---|---|
| Title | Jazzwise |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Category | Music magazine |
| Company | MA Business and Leisure Ltd |
| Firstdate | 1997 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based | London |
| Language | English |
Jazzwise
Jazzwise is a British monthly magazine devoted to jazz music, artists, recordings, venues and scenes. Founded in 1997, the publication covers an international range of performers from established figures to emerging practitioners, and reports on festivals, clubs and academic developments. The magazine combines reviews, features, interviews and analysis aimed at practicing musicians, critics and informed listeners, intersecting with broader cultural institutions and events in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Founded in 1997 in London, the magazine emerged during a period of renewed interest in jazz and related forms in the late 20th century. Early issues documented activity across scenes such as New Orleans, New York City, Paris, Tokyo, and Cape Town, featuring profiles of artists who had participated in landmark recordings and festivals. Over the 2000s the magazine covered major industry shifts including the rise of digital distribution exemplified by platforms like iTunes and the impact of streaming services such as Spotify, alongside developments at institutions such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican Centre. Editorial stewardship changed hands several times while the title consolidated relationships with festivals and educational bodies, coinciding with coverage of movements like the resurgence of vinyl and the growth of independent labels such as ECM Records, Blue Note Records, and ECM-affiliated projects. The magazine has reported on figurative moments involving award ceremonies including the Mercury Prize and the Grammy Awards when they intersect with jazz artists.
The magazine's pages include album and concert reviews, long-form interviews, technical analyses, and historical pieces. Regular columns scrutinize releases from labels such as Blue Note Records, Impulse! Records, Verve Records, ECM Records, and Nonesuch Records; reviews assess works by artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Nina Simone, and contemporary figures such as Kamasi Washington, Jacob Collier, Nadine Shah, and Shabaka Hutchings. Feature commissioning bridges performers, composers and scholars connected to institutions like the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the University of Oxford’s musicology departments. Technical and gear reviews engage with manufacturers such as Rothwell-style boutique builders, mainstream companies including Yamaha Corporation, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and Shure Incorporated, and software developers like Ableton and Steinberg. In-depth festival coverage spans events such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Festival, and the London Jazz Festival, with photo essays and set lists documenting performances by ensembles ranging from classic big bands to experimental collectives linked to labels like Naim Records and Jazzland Recordings.
The magazine has featured a range of writers, critics and practitioners: established journalists and academics who have written for outlets including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Financial Times, and BBC Radio 3; freelance critics active on platforms like All About Jazz and contributors from conservatoires such as the Royal College of Music. Regular contributors have included specialist reviewers, historians, and musicians who also lecture at institutions such as Goldsmiths, University of London and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Editorial leadership has coordinated with photographers and designers familiar with publication standards at companies like Condé Nast and Time Inc.; copy-editing and commissioning editors often maintain networks that include promoters at venues like Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and agents connected to management companies such as IMG Artists.
Beyond print, the magazine organises live events, masterclasses and panels in partnership with festivals and educational institutions. Collaborations have taken place with venues including Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, The Jazz Cafe, and civic halls across the United Kingdom; programming has showcased artists associated with collectives like Tomorrow's Warriors and ensembles backed by labels such as Blue Note Records and ECM Records. The title runs annual critics' polls and listeners' awards that highlight recordings, bands, and individual performers; winners often feature in year-end lists alongside recipients of prizes such as the Pritzker Prize-adjacent arts awards, the Ivor Novello Awards, and nominations for the Mercury Prize and BRIT Awards when crossover occurs. Panels and prize juries have included representatives from broadcasters including BBC Radio 3 and public institutions such as the British Library.
The magazine is regarded as an influential trade and consumer title within the UK jazz community and internationally. It has been cited in academic syllabi at universities including University of Cambridge and King's College London for contemporary music studies, and its reviews and features are referenced by promoters, festival directors and record labels when commissioning reissues or programming tours. Coverage has helped amplify careers of artists who later received broader recognition, including nominations for Grammy Awards and appearances at venues like the Royal Albert Hall and festivals such as Glastonbury Festival when lineups include jazz-influenced acts. Critics and readers note the magazine's role in documenting scene shifts, supporting education initiatives such as conservatoire outreach, and maintaining archival material used by researchers in musicology and cultural studies.
Category:Music magazines published in the United Kingdom Category:Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom