| Vol.
I, No. 2 | Thanksgiving | Nov.
17th, 2000 |
Links
to Music & Sound On-Line The
amount of info on the web is enormous, as anyone who's ever tried to run a
search can attest to. And, to put it all in context, best estimates say
that only a fraction, maybe 20 - 40 % of what's out there is actually making its
way to the search engines.
Well ...
Here at DownStreet, we'd like to try to help. So each issue, we
post a few links in Music & Sound to sites that might interest you.
Sometimes the links will be related to one another ... sometimes
we'll just offer up a somewhat random sampling. In either case, we think
we might be able to help you find the kind of site you've been looking for.
Of course, while we can't vouch for the fact that every link we provide will be
of interest to everyone, we do our best to filter out the noise and the
bustle. ...
We hope you enjoy the following sites as
much as we do. Jazz, plus The Local Music
Scene: On-Line ... There's an old saw that says
just about everywhere else in the world appreciates jazz more than we do here in
the US, where it was born. To underscore that fact, when we did a quick
search through MSN {mostly out of curiosity, since we'd already had lots of
sites to offer up}, the top 3 'Featured Sites' were all about the Utah Jazz!?! DownBeat.com
If
you know jazz, then you DownBeat, the magazine that's been both
publishing and making the news about jazz for a long while. {I still
have my first copy upstairs from 1964.} The DownBeat.com
site keeps up the tradition. From the main page, you can link to
sections on Artists, News , Festivals, Education, Message Boards, the
Magazine {with archives going back to early 1999}, and the DB Store.
In addition, you can also listen to DownBeat Radio, or take advantage of
DB's Digital Downloads, a nice collection of jazz, blues, and international
stuff.
The site is quick enough. And you'll want the latest
Windows Media player to take advantage of DownBeat Radio. So, if
you're a jazz hound, don't hesitate. The DownBeat is well worth the visit.
Rating:
****1/2 [4-1/2 stars]
All
About Jazz Jazz Magazine and Resource
The All About Jazz site is a
solid offering. There's info on News, Reviews, Interviews, Artists,
Festivals, a Gallery, a Timeline, and even a Quiz.
Among the
specialized sections, there's Getting Started, Audio Downloads, and a
section for those New to Jazz. In addition, you'll find Articles &
Opinions, includingan Ask Ken link, as well as info on Jazz Journalists and
Jazz Radio. The Lists and Links section includes Desert Island Picks,
Editor's Choice, and links to Jazz Clubs, other Jazz Site Links, Radio
Stations, and Record Labels. Of course, you can also Shop, place
Classifieds, and download Jazz Screen Savers, too.
The most curious
listing was something called Gigs From Hell, where musicians can and have
posted stories about "unappreciative audiences or employers,"
"lousy pay or working conditions," "horrible/inappropriate
song requests," "personnel problems, equipment problems, [or]
screwed-up logistics," and "strange but true stories."
But Gigs from Hell aside, for jazz enthusiasts, this site is Heaven-sent.
Rating:
****1/2 [4-1/2 stars]
BIG
HEAVY WORLD Burlington, Vermont USA
Big Heavy World [BHW] is a
Burlington-based site that covers "The Burlington Music
Scene." The site isn't limited to jazz, so fi you're into folk or
rock, whatever ... you can find out what's happening locally. Be
aware, however, that parts of the site were listed as 'under
construction'. Even still, some sections were up-dated as recently as
the Friday prior to our visit. The site offers up a
number of sections, including a Burlington Band Guide that listed no less
than 7 jazz venues and 10 Blues venues. In addition, there's a
"Nightclub Listings" page that links {in new windows} to a number
of local places, including Higher Ground, Pickel Barrel, 242 Main,
Borders, Deerleap Books, La Brioche, Vermont Pub & Brewery, and the
Urban DJ Network.
BHW isn't the music site to end all music
sites. But for the local scene, it's a solid bet, both for listeners
and for musicians.
Rating: ***1/2 [3-1/2 stars]
*******
******* If you know of any
links that you think are worthwhile, why not send them along to ...
links@downstreetmagazine.com
... If we agree, we'll be happy to include
them in an upcoming issue to pass the word along. ...
Thanks. *******
******* .
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