[jja-announce] please nominate sooner than later -- and register for the JJA at LA's NCC conference, too

[Jazzmandel at aol.com]

Dear JJA colleagues -- 

2 things:

1: -- please fill out nominations ballots for the 9th annual JJA Jazz Awards, 
winners to be announced June 14, 2005, at B.B. King's in NYC -- major 
developments this year include televison production by BETJazz (details to follow). 
You're asked for 4 nominees in some 40 categories -- top vote getters in each 
category will be winnowed down to four finalists, all representing top 
achievement/accomplishment in jazz and jazz journalism. The JJA depends on the 
nominations and votes of its full professional members (no support members may vote) 
for credibility of the Jazz Awards. Please e-mail complete ballots to 
jjaballot2005 at yahoo.com by 6 p.m. EST February 28. For suggestions of worthy nominees, 
see Jazzhouse.org bbs posting. . . and also, I'm asked to suggest that 
nominees in "Up and Coming" artists focus, if possible, on those entering 
professional gigging and recording circles in the past 2 years. 

2 -- The JJA is attempting to attract a significant presence of members to 
the National Critics Conference, May 25 through 29 in downtown Los Angeles. This 
will be the first convention bringing together (mostly print) journalists 
covering jazz, classical music, dance, visual arts and theater, and the JJA is 
arranging to have its part culminate in the West Coast Jazz Awards Party, 
probably at the Jazz Bakery, honoring Kenny Burrell, Gerald Wilson, Wadada Leo 
Smith, and others on Sunday night. Prior to that JJA members including Willard 
Jenkins, Sharony Andrews Green, David Adler, John Litweiler, Bill Minor, Fred 
Jung, Lawrence Donohue-Green and myself will participate in panels and seminars on 
criticism in modern culture,ethics, African American perspectives, What's 
Avant Garde now, resources for arts journalists and arts journalism on the Web.

You may register online -- well, you've actually to download a pdf and print 
it out and send a check by snail mail. But you can see the evolving programs 
and get a registration online, <A 
HREF="http://ascweb.usc.edu/asc.php?pageID=379, ">Nat'l Critics Conference registration</A> . 

The JJA's 4 day programming is currently in development, though panels 
representing all five arts journalists organizations are set. Contact me if you're 
curious about attending and participating. . . Air fare discounts available 
from American West, room shares at the Omni and some limited dorm rooms through 
the USA/Annerberg Center for Communications are available. Link to the NCC site 
via Jazzhouse.org. 

that's 2 -- (get those nominations in, please please please)

Howard