Site news: St. Louis jazz videos wanted, plus a Twitter list update

A couple of items of interest to the local musicians among StLJN's readers:

* Do you or your band have live performance videos up on YouTube or Vimeo? StLJN is looking for clips from working St. Louis jazz musicians and groups to include in upcoming editions of the weekly Saturday Video Showcase posts.

As was the case last July and August, the plan is to do some posts over the next few weekends highlighting local musicians and bands, loosely organized around themes such as female singers, saxophonists, big bands, guitarists, or similar.

I haven't locked in to any particular theme ideas yet, but will be scouring YouTube in the coming weeks, looking for clips to include, while also awaiting your suggestions.

Videos don't have to be professionally or elaborately produced, but they do have to be in an embeddable format (i.e., publicly available on YouTube, Vimeo or a similar service) and include reasonably clear visuals and good quality audio of a complete performance of a song or songs.

It's an easy way to get your music in front of thousands of readers around the world who are looking for information about jazz in St. Louis. To submit your video for consideration, you can comment on this post or on the equivalent item on the STLJN Facebook page; Tweet your info to @StLJazzNotes; or send an email to stljazznotes dot com.

* And as long as we've mentioned Twitter, be advised that the St. Louis jazz Twitter list now includes more than 50 feeds from St. Louis musicians, venues and presenters. The latest Tweets from the list (at https://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes/stlouisjazzlist) are now being featured in a widget on the left sidebar of the main StLJN site.

If you're a St. Louis musician, venue, presenter or otherwise affiliated with the local jazz scene, and would like to be added to the list, you can Tweet your info to @StLJazzNotes, comment here or on Facebook, or send an email with your Twitter handle.

Compiling a list of St. Louis jazz musicians and venues on Twitter

When yr. humble editor first set up the StLJN Twitter account a couple of years ago, I also put together a list of St. Louis jazz musicians, venues and others of interest who had accounts on Twitter. At the time, there weren't a whole lot of local users to put on the list, but since then, the use of Twitter, both in general and here locally, has grown exponentially.

So, the plan now is to revisit, revise and update that St. Louis jazz Twitter list, adding as many local musicians (and expats), venues, and any other accounts that seem to fit, in hopes of making it something that might actually be useful for getting an overview of St. Louis jazz via Twitter.

If you're a musician, presenter, venue, provider of products and services to musicians, or someone else who'd like to be included, let me know the URL of your Twitter account, and I'll add it to the list. You can send your information by:

* Tweeting it directly to @StLJazzNotes
* Commenting on this post, or on the link to it over at StLJN's Facebook page
* Email it to stljazznotes at yahoo dot com

When the updates are complete, I'll put up another post with a link to the revised list.

Site news: Spring cleaning, plus several different ways to get StLJN

If over the next couple of weeks, some things on this site seem broken, or intermittently look or act a bit funny, it's likely because of some long overdue spring cleaning.

As time permits, I'll be pruning some dead links and adding new ones, fixing (I hope) a couple of nagging problems with certain sidebar gadgets, and perhaps rearranging things a bit as well. Please pardon the metaphorical dust, and accept my apologies for any temporary inconvenience.

Meanwhile, this seems like an opportune time for a gentle reminder that there are many ways to keep up with StLJN's content besides going directly to the front page of the blog:

* You can use your browser or newsreader to subscribe to the RSS feed.

* You can sign up for the email digest. You'll get an update only on days that there's at least one new post, containing the full text of all new posts for that day.

* Follow StLJN on Twitter. The feed features all the headlines from StLJN, right after they're posted, plus selected reTweets of other items of interest.

* You can "Like" StLJN's page on Facebook. This page features links to all StLJN stories right after they're published, plus "shares" from other jazz-related Facebook pages. Please note, though, that because of Facebook's restrictions, to get all the updates in your personal news feed, you need to not only "Like" the page, but also select from the accompanying list of options "Show in news feed" and/or "Add To Interest Lists" (if you use that feature).

* You also can access StLJN articles on AllAboutJazz.com, Alltop.com, Feedage, and through several other online news aggregators.

* Lastly, all the YouTube content posted on St. Louis Jazz Notes is available separately on StLJN's YouTube page. 

Site news: A new mobile version, gig info wanted, and more

It's been a slow news week in St. Louis, and for yr. humble editor, some gigs and deadlines for actual paying work additionally have made for light blogging over the last few days...so this seems as good a time as any to catch up on a few site-related housekeeping items:

* Blogger has added an option to offer a mobile version of the site, which I've enabled for StLJN. (We've been without a mobile version for a few months, since the previous third-party provider shut down their free service.)

The new mobile site should come up automatically when you access StLJN from a smart phone or tablet. It's not fancy - much like the earlier incarnation, it's basically a re-skinning of the RSS feed. However, if you have any feedback on how well it works (or doesn't work), please feel free to let me know in the comments or via email.

* Once again, a reminder to all the musicians reading this site: StLJN wants your gig information for the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar! To get a free listing, just send an email to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. Your gig will get added to the site calendar, and it also could get featured in a post, mentioned in the "jazz this week" update, or otherwise selected for more extensive coverage.

The minimum information needed for a calendar listing is the name of the band or musician, the date, the place, and the starting time and ending time. Additional information - ticket prices, web addresses, more details on the event, whatever - may be helpful, and will be included in the listing as appropriate, but it's not required.

Again, this is a completely free service - but to continue to make the calendar as complete as possible, I need your help. After more than six years of publishing, I can usually get reasonably good information on performances put on by the larger jazz presenters, venues and concert series. However, information often is harder to come by for gigs like self-promoted concerts or charity benefits, or at places like neighborhood bars, coffeehouses or churches that may not regularly present jazz. That's where it's very helpful to hear directly from musicians; if you don't tell me about the gig, I may not find out about it all. So, send in those listings!

* StLJN is getting close to 500 "Likes" on Facebook, and near 400 followers on Twitter. If you use either service and don't already like/follow StLJN, please consider doing so, thereby helping us to reach those curiously gratifying round numbers.

* Lastly, if the current lull persists for a bit, there may be some dead-link pruning and minor adjustments to the current layout in store - nothing too dramatic, but if the site looks a bit strange on an upcoming visit, it's because you've stopped by while renovations were in progress, and things should stabilize soon.

I also anticipate launching a couple of new recurring features for StLJN in the not-too-distant future, about which I hope to have more later this week.

Site news: Seven ways to get StLJN

With the start of a new year, it seems like a good time to highlight all the various ways you can get the latest posts from St. Louis Jazz Notes. Several new options have been added in recent months, and you can now get all the news on jazz, creative music and improvisation in St. Louis served up more different ways than a bowl of Cincinnati chili:

1) Read the main site at http://stljazznotes.blogspot.com/. You'll see the latest stories, photos & videos as soon as they're posted, plus ever-changing content from the jazz blog & news aggregator; articles, reviews and a free daily music download from AllAboutJazz.com; and the most comprehensive section of St. Louis jazz-related links anywhere.

2) Subscribe by email. At the end of any day where there's at least one new post, you'll get a single email with all of that day's posts. The signup box is located on the right sidebar.

3) Subscribe by RSS and read StLJN in your favorite news reader or on your homepage. The "subscribe" section on the right sidebar also has buttons to automate the signup process for some of the most common news readers.

4) Read the mobile version at http://stljazznotes.mofuse.mobi/ on your iPhone, Blackberry or other portable device.

5) Follow StLJN on Twitter for the latest headlines and links to full posts.

6) Become a fan of StLJN on Facebook, and get posts as part of your FB News Feed.

7) StLJN content also can be found in the news center at AllAboutJazz.com; in headline form on the website of Jazz St. Louis; and via aggregators such as Topix, Wikio, Technorati, outside.in, Fwix, and blogged.com.

Site news: Help compile a St. Louis jazz list on Twitter

If you're one of the many people now using Twitter, you know that the instant micro-blogging service has evolved beyond just a way to find out what your friends are doing into a place to find breaking news from all sorts of sources.

Toward that end, Twitter's new "lists" feature lets users select a group of fellow Twitterers, employing whatever criteria you like, and compile their tweets into a feed. It's a handy way to gather together Twitter feeds on a specific topic or subject area, like breaking news, your favorite team, or even your favorite music.

And so yr. humble editor has recently started a Twitter list devoted to jazz in St. Louis, called, rather unimaginatively, the St. Louis Jazz List. It currently includes a dozen musicians, venues and presenters as well as StLJN's own tweets, but the goal is to try to follow anyone and everyone connected to the local jazz scene. So, if you're a jazz musician, venue or presenter who's using Twitter - or you know of someone in one of those categories who is - please let StLJN know.

You can use the comment feature on this post or on StLJN's Facebook fan page; send a "direct message" tweet to http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes/; or just email the name(s) and Twitter ID(s) to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. Of course, you're also welcome to follow the list; just go to the link above and select "follow" as you would for an individual user.

(Edited 12/9/09 to fix a typo and change the email address to a more spam-unfriendly version.)

Site news: StLJN goes mobile, plus a map of St. Louis jazz venues, and more

It's a new week in a new month, and with it come some new features on this site:

* If you'd like to read St. Louis Jazz Notes using a iPhone, Blackberry or similar gadget, there's now a version of StLJN formatted especially for mobile devices available at http://stljazznotes.mofuse.mobi/. (I'll also be adding a permanent link for the mobile service over on the right sidebar, below the "Subscribe to StLJN" section.)

Essentially, it takes the RSS feed of the site and formats the text in a way that's optimized for a small screen. Lacking the requisite hardware, yr. humble editor hasn't had a chance yet to test the service, but I'm interested in feedback and comments from anyone who does, so please try it out and then leave a comment or send me an email with your impressions.

* Also finally up and running this week is a long-delayed project: a map of St. Louis jazz clubs and concert venues, which can be found at http://stljazznotesmap.blogspot.com/. (I've also added a permanent link to the map in the "Site Navigation" section.)

It's built on Google's map technology, so you can move the map around with your cursor; use the controls at upper left to zoom in and out; toggle between the map and satellite photos; and click on each "point of interest" for an annotations box with additional information, phone numbers, Web site URLs, and so on.

I imagine it's something that locals will use only occasionally, but it should be particularly handy for visitors and new arrivals. Again, please feel free to offer your suggestions, corrections, additions and observations via email or in the comments for this post.

* Meanwhile, the StLJN calendar of events can now be found at http://stljazznotescalendar.blogspot.com/, where it's gotten a makeover to match the map page, allowing for the addition of an identifying banner up top, plus a sidebar with links, ads and a visitor counter. (If you'd prefer to see the larger, unframed versions of the map and calendar, there are links at the bottom of each page that will let you do that.)

* Finally, just another reminder that you can now follow St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes and become a "fan" by signing up on the StLJN Facebook page.

Site news: St. Louis Jazz Notes now on Twitter and Facebook

In keeping with yr. humble editor's ongoing efforts to disseminate this site's content as widely as possible, St. Louis Jazz Notes has set up accounts on both Facebook and Twitter.

For now, both will be used mostly as additional channels for distributing blog posts, but I may find other uses for one or both as we go along.

In the meantime, you can keep up with StLJN-related "tweets" by following the Twitter account at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes; or access the most recent posts, check out a version of the site calendar, and/or become a "fan" of StLJN by visiting the Facebook page. (FYI, both pages also now have permanent links on the StLJN sidebar in the "site navigation" section. )

#jazzlives Twitter campaign to draw attention, demonstrate support for live jazz

The latest eruption of the recurring "is jazz dying? controversy, prompted in part by a recent article in the Wall Street Journal (see previous posts here and here for more) got veteran jazz journalist Howard Mandel thinking about ways to demonstrate the current vitality and diversity of jazz music.

Last week, Mandel emailed an assortment of jazz journalists and broadcasters, websites, bloggers, and presenters, including yr. humble StLJN editor, saying in part:

"Is the audience for jazz aging and diminishing, as Terry Teachout wrote in the Wall Street Journal recently? I don't believe it and don't think you buy it completely either, despite the NEA's 2008 survey data.

I think that survey overlooked a significant segment of the vital audience for live jazz today, and propose a small social networking experiment, asking tech savvy listeners to tweet #jazzlives, who & where, in 140 characters.

If you're a Twitter user, all you have to do participate is 1) Write in a Tweet WHO you heard and WHERE (venue, locale, whatever fits); and 2) MOST IMPORTANT, be sure to include the hashmark #jazzlives.

EXAMPLE: I heard Vanguard Orch at Tanglewood, super! #jazzlives
EXAMPLE: I heard Hank Jones, solo at Detroit Int JF, mighty fine #jazzlives

Include links to your blog or website in your Tweet if you like, like this --

EXAMPLE: I heard Eubanks 5 be great at Blue Note NYC, full revu at www.HowardMandel.com #jazzlive

That's it. These initial tweets will seed the project by getting the #jazzlives out there and giving us some initial content for our widget. We hope this will build to a noticeable surge. Could we get as many tweets and postings as there were people at Woodstock?

Please note: Tweets with #jazzlives are NOT intended to publicize upcoming events or for comments on recordings you're listening to, but rather for reports on LIVE jazz you've actually heard recently. If you heard it live over the radio, that counts!"

The #jazzlives Twitter campaign got underway this weekend, and you can see some of the tweets so far on the campaign's widget, which has been installed over on the StLJN sidebar and will remain there for as long as seems appropriate. (If you'd like a copy of the widget for your own blog or Web site, you can grab the code here.) Yr. humble editor also will be setting up a Twitter account this coming week, the better to participate in the campaign and also to use the burgeoning tweetosphere as another way to make accessible StLJN's regular content.

Meanwhile, if you have a Twitter account, you can take part immediately by sending a tweet that includes #jazzlives, who you heard most recently, and where (venue and/or locale). (For the Twitter novice: Hashtags like "#jazzlives" are a way of marking keywords or categories in Twitter messages (or "tweets") so that they show up in searches. You can send a tweet from any phone that sends text messages, or use a computer to post from the Twitter website.)

There are a number of potentially Tweetable jazz events in St. Louis over the Labor Day weekend, including the opening of the fall season at Jazz at the Bistro, with clarinetist Scott Alberici and pianist Reggie Thomas; the St. Louis Jazz Club's annual picnic, to be held at Concord Farmer's Club with music from the St. Louis Stompers, the Jazz Club All-Stars and The St. Louis Banjo Club; and even the Big Muddy Blues Festival on Laclede's Landing, which will feature a set from a local all-star group of jazz players on Saturday, the funk/jazz/instrumental R&B of the Oliver Sain Revue on Sunday, and much more.

So, jazz fans in and around St. Louis and environs, here's your chance to get out there, hear some live music, and then tell the world via Twitter and #jazzlives. StLJN will have further updates on the #jazzlives campaign as more developments occur...

Jazz world going all a-Twitter

The social media service Twitter seems all the rage these days, and many people from the jazz world - musicians, presenters, record labels, media - are starting to use it. One new Twitterer (Tweeter? Twitter user?) is Jazz St. Louis executive director Gene Dobbs Bradford, who this week began keeping the world informed of upcoming events and current goings-on at JSL via http://twitter.com/JazzGene.

For the true Twitter aficionado, the blog Jazz HQ is making an ongoing project of compiling a comprehensive list of Twitter users from the jazz world. The latest installment includes Twitter IDs for some very familiar names (wyntonmarsalis, prestigerecords, allaboutjazz) as well as some that are a bit more obscure, but since Jazz HQ proprietor Mike says he plans to update the list as he gathers more IDs, you also may want check back on the site's main page for the latest additions.