Jazz News: Jazz Congress 2025; Allan Harris hosts Jazz Marathon; American Tourism Act; Call him Sir Kenny Barron

This is Jazz News, a look at what’s news in jazz, music and the arts.

KUVO Music Director Kim Berry is attending this year’s Jazz Congress at Lincoln Center in New York, a real gathering of the jazz tribe. Immediately following the Congress, Allan Harris is hosting a “Jazz Marathon ‘ 2 Great Days of Jazz” on January 11 and 12 at the New York Midtown Hilton. I’m talking about two 10-hour days of music, including NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater, Michael Wolff, Berta Moreno, and some of the newer artists you hear on KUVO, like Jumaane Smith. (SOURCES: Jazz Congress; Allan Harris / 2 Great Days of Jazz)

Vocalist Andromeda Turre opens the Marathon with selections from her opus suite to environmental and climate justice, “From the Earth.” The project runs just over an hour, with spoken word audio from West Oakland and that part of Louisiana called “Cancer Alley.” Ms. Turre directed a horrifying animated video on YouTube for the hard-swinging track “Finger on the Trigger.” (YouTube Video: Andromeda Turre – Finger on the Trigger)

Your tax dollars…working for the music! Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper sent word last week that the American Music Tourism Act has passed the Senate with help from co-sponsor across the aisle Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. The aim of the Act is to support and increase music tourism for both domestic and international visitors.

Colorado and Tennessee have a pretty big stake in the entertainment sector. Music tourism nationwide in the next eight years could add up to more than $11 billion. The Act would require the incoming Commerce Department Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism to implement a plan for music tourism, and then report to Congress on how it went.

A few of the groups supporting the measure: are Colorado Creative Industries, Denver Arts & Venues, Colorado Music Hall of Fame, Youth on Record, Underground Music Showcase, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, Swallow Hill Music, and eTown.

The bill now awaits passage from the House of Representatives before being signed into law by President Biden. (SOURCE: Hickenlooper Senate / American Tourism Act)

NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron received the prestigious Medal du Chevalier des Artes – the Chevalier Medal of Arts from the French Ministry of Culture during his European tour last month. Barron, at just 81 years young, said he’s got “20 good years” of world tours ahead. It is technically a knighthood so that you may refer to the Maestro as “Sir Kenny Barron.” (INSTAGRAM REEL: Kenny Barron)

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