Nicely Complex Here, Unraveling There

It’s time for our semiannual look at jazz on the Web. And with the proliferation of sites taking place, twice a year is barely often enough to cover some of the more interesting destinations.

Record Companies. The news here, unfortunately, is not exactly encouraging, which is surprising, given that the Web has become such a powerful source of information for consumers. But Blue Note’s Web site (https://www.bluenote.com) is cumbersome, generally out of date and often lacking in pertinent detail.

Concord Records (https://www.concordrecords.com) is no better. Its news section, for example, leads with an item from February, and the last update was June 7. The listed new releases date only to July.

Fantasy’s site (https://www.fantasyjazz.com) is an improvement, with some substantial detail on CDs from Fantasy and Milestone, but here too, not enough attention is being paid to maintaining timely, up-to-date information. The Verve Music Group’s site (https://www.vervemusicgroup.com) also has useful potential, but without a DSL line it’s a bit slow and lacks a user-friendly interface. A redesign with a quicker, more intuitive way to move through the site would make much more beneficial use of its information.

ECM’s site (https://www.ecmrecords.com), however, is up-to-date and informative. Information about artists, releases and tours is available at a mouse click, and the visual presentation is clear and to the point, with no extraneous graphics--a fine site. Telarc International’s site (https://www.telarc.com) is also filled with information, but failure to maintain topicality is a problem--”This Month’s News,” for example, includes an item from May--as is the emphasis upon the promotion and marketing of product.

What about the big labels? With one important exception, both the quality and the quantity of the jazz information in their Web sites appear to reflect the general lack of interest at companies primarily oriented toward sales numbers. Columbia’s site (https://www.columbiajazz.com) currently has a opening page marked “Winter 1998/99” with “New releases for 1999,” and even finding jazz on the BMG/RCA sites is virtually impossible.

Warner Bros. Jazz (https://www.wbjazz.com) is the exception. Well laid out, loaded with information, even a bit of humor here and there, timely and detailed, it’s the sort of music site that’s a pleasure to experience; too bad so many others have failed to give the same sort of careful consideration to their Web windows.

Magazines. Two of the major jazz print magazines--JazzIz and Jazz Times--seem to have sites that now are in the process of development. But Down Beat, a much older periodical, has taken the lead with a beautifully designed site that is both topical and informative (https://www.downbeat.com). There is an expansive education section that includes a large number of downloadable solo transcriptions, a database of information about artists, another about festivals, and a large library of jazz songs available on MP-3. As with Warner Bros. Jazz, the Down Beat site is setting a standard that others should follow.

Photos. It’s possible to experience a virtual gallery view of jazz photography via the Web. Understandably, given the ease with which graphics can be moved through cyberspace, each site makes efforts to protect its own copyrighted material. And there’s no denying the quality of what’s available. Among the best: the superbly delineated work of William Claxton at https://www.williamclaxton.com, the extraordinarily expansive catalog of Bob Parent at https://www.jazzpix.com, and the atmospheric, available light studies of William P. Gottlieb at https://www.jazzphotos.com.

Other Stuff. Jazz Online (https://www.jazzonline.com) is a commercial site, but the links are fairly unobtrusive, and the coordination of album reviews with audio tracks and a quick link to Amazon.com makes it a useful destination for jazz fans who don’t have the time to make a trip to the listening posts at Borders or Barnes & Noble. KnitMedia’s https://www.jazze.com is primarily structured around a large database that is accessible via artists, bios, discographies and shows. There is also a largely outdated list of festivals, a jukebox (which requires Shockwave) and a variety of links. But the site is surprisingly slow and outdated for a Web venue associated with the usually topical, even cutting-edge, KnitMedia folks.

Those intrigued with what jazz critics are chewing on these days should log in to https://www.jazzhouse.org, the Web site for the Jazz Journalists Assn. But for basic information, check out https://www.jazzsource.com, which lists everything from jazz birthdays and artists’ pages to airplay charts from Gavin and R&R;, nightclub, record company and radio station information.

Jazz Review (https://www.jazzreview.com) offers a steady flow of new product as it is released, as well as jazz book reviews, features, Webcasts and a long list of links to various jazz resources. The Jazz Institute of Chicago’s site that’s found at https://www.jazzinstituteofchicago.org is devoted to thoughtful jazz writing--appropriate for an organization that was founded by the late Don DeMicheal, a former editor of Down Beat and a fine critic-journalist. It also includes a list of links to jazz societies, foundations and educational organizations.

On Record: Evidence Records is continuing its process of releasing CDs of recordings by the legendary Sun Ra. The current package consists of five albums: “When Angels Speak of Love,” “Pathways to Unknown Worlds”/”Friendly Love,” “Greatest Hits: Easy Listening for Intergalactic Travel,” “Lanquidity” and the two-CD box “The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums: Cymbals & Crystal Spears.” One thing was always sure about any Sun Ra performance--unpredictability--and the music in these CDs is no exception. Capable of producing startlingly adventurous music, he could also switch quickly into musical banalities--perhaps intentionally, perhaps naively, perhaps sardonically. But Sun Ra was never less than fascinating, and for that reason alone, these albums are worth a careful listen.

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Don Heckman can be reached at djh@earthlink.net.