[Dixielandjazz] American Rag, RIP; welcome, Syncopated Times

[Charles Suhor]

Many of you were subscribers to “American Rag” (AR) the traditional jazz tabloid edited by Don Jones. He retired, and the new name for the publication is “The Syncopated Times” (TST), edited by Andy Senior. An  editorial stance stated in the third issue (May 2016, p. 38) is that TST “has a point of view….it is that good music, intelligent discourse, and levity are…necessities of a happy life. Partisan contention has no place in this paper. The published of its predecessor [AR] did not feel that way. I am certainly here to honor and continue his commitment to continue promoting traditional jazz and ragtime….I do not share his taste for controversy, nor his willingness to intrude political ad sectarian commentary into a music publication.” 

The rest of the piece (titled “Can Rhythm Really Save the World?”) is worth reading as a model of sobriety and good humor, and the first three issues have had a cleaner look and feel to them. For more info and subscription rates go to https://www.facebook.com/syncopatedtimes/

Addendum: Our listmate, Pensacola jazzmeister Norm Vickers, has several book reviews in TST.  

Charlie