The Jazz Session » TJS In The News

My talk at the JazzTimes DIY Crash Course

Jason Crane — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:52:03 +0000

I spoke today at the JazzTimes DIY Crash Course in Manhattan, an event held in tandem with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference. This is the audio of my presentation, which was about podcasting and telling a story as an artist. There were graphics, too. As soon as I get the video, I’ll pass it along. Thanks to Lee Mergner of JazzTimes for inviting me and thanks to David Lee Joy from All Star Media for providing the audio. Lee Mergner is the first person you’ll hear in this audio clip. Thanks also to the wonderful Amy Cervini for assisting with my presentation.

UPDATE: Here’s video of the first half of my talk. Then my camera battery died. Thanks to Derrick Lucas for filming this. More video may be available later.

Spreading the love: The Field Negro Guide To Arts & Culture

Jason Crane — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:04:31 +0000

I’m a big fan of a podcast called The Field Negro Guide To Arts & Culture, hosted by guitarist Vernon Reid and comedian W. Kamau Bell. I like smart people anyway, but these two guys are particularly inspiring on a variety of topics both in — and far beyond — their chosen fields. So I was thrilled when I saw that their Producer Extraordinaire, Alex Thornton, posted this on their site. Thanks, guys.

By the way, you can follow all three members of the FNGTAC crew on Twitter:

W Kamau Bell: @wkamaubell
Vernon Reid: @vurnt22
Alex Thornton: @agthornton

Holy canoli! The LA Times just named me one of 25 to follow on Twitter

Jason Crane — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 22:41:04 +0000

Thank you to the LA Times’ Culture Monster column for naming me as one of 25 arts & culture people to follow on Twitter.

The article
Follow my personal account (the one mentioned in the article) at twitter.com/jasondcrane and follow the show’s account at twitter.com/JazzSesh
Follow the other jazz folks mentioned in the article: twitter.com/paynic, twitter.com/nextbop and twitter.com/blogsupreme
Follow Culture Monster at twitter.com/culturemonster

An interview with lil’ ol’ me

Jason Crane — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:05:54 +0000

The wonderful Willard Jenkins (who was my guest on TJS #123) just posted an interview with me about The Jazz Session.

Check it out over at Willard’s blog, The Independent Ear.

One note: Willard refers to me in his introduction as a “broadcaster-poet.” I think that may be the single nicest description of me ever.

Jazz + basketball = link love

Jason Crane — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:31:43 +0000

My recent interview with basketball writer Nathaniel Friedman is getting some exposure on the Interwebs. It will help to know that Nathaniel Friedman’s pen name is Bethlehem Shoals:

SLAM, the premier basketball magazine: Bethlehem Shoals talks Basketball & Jazz
The Atlantic: The Sounds & The Furies
Stacheketball: Bethlehem Shoals a.k.a. Nathaniel Friedman guests on â€œThe Jazz Sessionâ€ to speak on the ineptitude of the Basketball-Jazz comparison.

RIP, Gerry Niewood

Jason Crane — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:07:29 +0000

Saxophonist and flutist Gerry Niewood died in the plane crash in Buffalo last night. He was a wonderful player whose saxophone was heard most famously with Chuck Mangione and on the Concert In Central Park album by Simon & Garfunkel.

Niewood was one of the first horn players I ever knew by name because Paul Simon yells out his name after a solo on that live album. I’ve always been a huge Chuck Mangione fan, too, and own all the LPs that Chuck and Gerry made together, many of them recorded in their native Rochester.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Gerry Niewood in 2004 at Jazz90.1. He was very gracious, humble and funny. I interviewed his son Adam in the fall of last year. He’s also a very talented saxophonist, and he talked quite a bit about Gerry during the interview.

LISTEN to the interview with Adam Niewood. He starts talking about his dad halfway through.

My condolences go out to Adam and the entire Niewood family. What a sad, sad day.

UPDATE: Here are some of the many press stories about Gerry’s passing:

Buffalo crash silences saxophonist Gerry Niewood
Two Jazz Musicians On Board
Buffalo crash silences Gerry Niewood, Rochester native and saxophonist (From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Gerry Niewood, Glen Ridge Jazz Musician, Perishes In Plane Crash

Reviewing The Jazz Session

Jason Crane — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:42:11 +0000

Blogger David Hill has posted a very nice review of The Jazz Session on his blog, Hot House. Thanks, David!

TJS On The Radio?

Jason Crane — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:55:43 +0000

WXXI, one of Rochester’s public radio stations, mentioned The Jazz Session in a recent broadcast. The male voice you hear is that of Scott Fybush, who runs the indispensable NorthEast Radio Watch.

Listen to the story: .

The Jazz Session featured in City Newspaper

Jason Crane — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 01:56:33 +0000

Photo by Joe Bell

Ron Netsky of City Newspaper, Rochester’s alternative weekly, wrote a nice article on The Jazz Session this week.

Read the article!

The Jazz Session in the news!

Jason Crane — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 12:21:34 +0000

I went to high school in Canandaigua, NY, a bedroom community for the larger city of Rochester. Today’s paper featured an article on The Jazz Session, which you can read here in PDF format:

(Requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader)