MCA Bulletin - Information Notice


Title: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAZZ

Organisation: Insitute of Jazz, Rutgers University

Website: www.jazz.com/encyclopedia

Details: Over the years, I have collected biographical information on thousands of jazz musicians not directly related to my publications. Since about 1998, I have explicitly solicited information by circulating an email worldwide, with the intention of eventually sharing all of this with the public. In this online encyclopedia we post the biographies of jazz musicians from A through Z, giving first priority to younger or lesser known musicians who are currently active. Many of the musicians profiled here are not included in any other reference works, even though they are noted musicians around New York City, or in American states other than New York or California, or in another country. Almost every one of the biographies has contact info such as an email address, and a link to the musicians' website. Often a photo has been provided by the musician as well.

A number of well known jazz figures have been kind enough to send their information as well. Because of the amount of detail that I have requested, these biographies usually include material never published anywhere else.

We will continue to expand this site. Musicians who are not included are invited to send me their biographies for consideration (Lporter@andromeda.rutgers.edu). In addition we may eventually add historical jazz figures, since in many cases I have uncovered unknown details in my research.

Although there are a number of jazz encyclopedias available in book form, they date very quickly, and musicians regularly discover inaccuracies in their own biographies. Such errors could have been avoided if the musicians had been directly consulted. For this site the biographies are in most cases provided directly by the musicians. The site may be searched, as any text can be searched, for instruments, birth dates, locations, etc., allowing one to find exactly what one needs (such as bass players in New York). We believe that this will quickly become a "first stop' for fans, researchers, and fellow musicians looking to contact and learn about other musicians.

 

 

 

Back to the Information Bulletin

 

About Contact FAQ Australia Council of the Arts Australian Government