Jazz Multimedia

One of the problems with online videos is the simple fact that they’re online. Until the day comes when the output of websites such as You Tube is available on the living room television, online video will remain out of the mainstream.

That being said, a jazz fan searching for videos on the web stands a great chance of having a less-than-satisfactory experience. The search engines of the major video sites rely extensively on the tags assigned to the videos by whoever posted the clip. It is hit or miss as to what a search on the word Jazz will turn up. One time the results will point to an Ellington video. The next search will point to a Kenny G clip.

I say all this by way of introduction to the Jazz Tube website. Actually, Jazz Tube is a group of websites. Here on one rather lengthy page are viewers from the You Tube and Daily Motion video sites. You’ll find links to jazz videos categorized by genre (Mainstream, Hard Bop etc.)

Along the right side is a column of artist websites produced by Jazz Tube’s creator Harvey Bloomfield. The individual sites have a well-researched biography of the artist and a selection of videos.

A couple of caveats about the site. The web page is way too long and requires an inordinate amount of scrolling to see all the content. The site designer would have done better to have created multiple short pages.

Secondly, there are numerous advertisements and links to commercial sites scattered throughout Jazz Tube. It can be a challenge to differentiate between ads and actual content.

Obviously a lot of work went into this site and everyone connected should be commended. I heartily recommend Jazz Tube.