Other Places

I’ve recently found several interesting sites in my travels around the web. Two of them are the online homes of major figures in Jazz. The third is a source of streaming music.

Jazz In America is the online home for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. The institute and the website are devoted to spreading the message of Jazz through educational channels. The major component of the site is the collection of lesson plans. Teachers are always on the lookout for resources they can use to enhance their teaching. The lesson plans on this site nicely complement cultural, historical and musical programs. When viewing the site don’t overlook the video featuring an animated Herbie Hancock. Educator or just a fan, there are things to be learned at Jazz In America.

The Official Duke Ellington Site is everything the name implies. Operated on behalf of the Mercer Ellington and Duke Ellington estates, this visually rich site is a must see site. Not content with merely housing historical materials, this site contains recent news about the Ellington Orchestra now headed by Duke’s grandson. They’ve just added an online store of Ellington-related merchandise. Well worth a visit.

Pandora, the third site is one of many online music sites. As with most of these sites you can tailor your listening by selecting your favorite artists and allowing the website to suggest additional artists in whom you might be interested. I input Wynton Marsalis and before long was listening to Cannonball Adderley. Since Pandora runs in your browser you must keep a browser window open. If your work takes you off line this could be a problem. Perhaps a service such as Screamer Radio, which is not browser connected, would be a better choice. Screamer features a nice collection of stations playing all varieties of Jazz.