Author Archives: The Independent Ear

This is the space where a series of musicians have responded to the burning question: When you read music journalism & criticism what qualities are you looking for in the writer and the writing? TED NASH, saxophonist-composer “It’s important that … Continue reading →

Dominick Farinacci About 15 years ago my old friend, pianist-educator Eric Gould invited me to speak to his students at a Saturday morning music education program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). When I arrived the students were running down a … Continue reading →

Ain’t But a Few of Us… – Black music writers tell their story. by Lofton A. Emenari, III – Part 1 Many years ago I learned that being a so-called “Black” writer on jazz music would be an enriching but … Continue reading →

Thelonious and the Keyboard Bugs by Walter Bishop, Jr. Picture if you may: The scene was Harlem of an earlier day. Bugs and roaches crawling up and down keyboards The whites, the blacks, In and out of the cracks. Check … Continue reading →

In our ongoing series of dialogues with artists on their expectations of music critics & journalists, and the publications they write for, NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson – one of the more thoughtful people in this music – weighed in … Continue reading →