Downbeat vs. Jazz Times

[Jazz Kat]

I'm curious to see what is the more popular mag. I just started subscribing to Downbeat. What do you? And I'd like to discuss the pros and cons of each mag.

[mikeweil]

I subscribed to both after buying them at the newsstand for many years - subscribing saves me 50%!

I kind of dislike to see downbeat focussing on their own glorious past in recent issues, though ...

[Jazz Kat]

I recently ran into a guy selling old issues of Downbeat. 6 bucks, starting off, then they get lower as you buy more. I bought a couple. My dad wanted the ones with a couple of musicians from the Tijuana Brass in it. I particularly like the Hugh Masekela article in the most recent issue, and the Blindfold tests.

[Jim Alfredson]

Downbeat VS. JazzTimes... A FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!!!!!!!

[gslade]

You might want to check out Cadence from

North Country Audio/Cadence

[Dave James]

I used to get both magazines. Now I don't get either one. Each had their strengths and weaknesses. I liked Downbeat for the Vinyl Freak column, the rated reviews and panel reviews and their column devoted specifically to reissues. Jazz Times was a little slicker, I think the writing was a little better. Giddens was good. I even enjoyed Stanley while he lasted. Downbeat had gotten to the point where they were trying too hard to be all things to all people, and that kind of soured my on them. Some of their cover stories, at least to me, had little or nothing to do with jazz. Jazz Times wasn't a turn off for any particular reason I can recall. I just decided I didn't need it anymore.

What I'd really like is a magazine devoted to reissues and to guys who are mostly dead.

Up over and out.

[Jazz Kat]

I most love them because it's where I find out about the new RVG reissues. And this place too. A year ago, I was on my own with jazz, no one to talk to, ask questions...

[clandy44]

I used to take Jazz Times and Jazz Review. Quit JT, just too much to read. Still enjoy JR.

[47 West 63rd N.Y.C.]

I used to subscribe to Downbeat but now all I get is Coda and Signal to Noise.

[ajf67]

I get Cadence and like it for the most part. Lots of reviews of people I've never heard, which has led me to some people I would otherwise never have known about. I also like their reviews of re-issues.

Awhile back I bought a bound copy of all the Down Beats from 1965. It was from a university library and it is neat to read through and see views of now classic albums and performers from that time. I don't think I have read a new Down Beat for at least five years. Nothing against it, but I just don't ever pick it up.

I also get The Absolute Sound, and they have some decent reviews.

[BbM7]

There are better mags (Cadence, Coda, Signal to Noise, Shuffle Boil) and worse (Jazz Journal?). I subscribe to virtually all of them.

[Jazzmoose]

I used to subscribe to Jazz Times, but after a while didn't feel I was getting enough out of it to justify the cost. While I tried a few single issues of Downbeat, it never appealed to me. It seems to me that online jazz sites have more meat than the magazines anymore...

[EKE BBB]

I buy both of them occasionally (as for Spanish magazines Revista de Jazz and Más Jazz). And I buy every issue of Spanish magazine Cuadernos de Jazz.

[1ngram]

Here in Scotland I rarely see Downbeat but those I have seen haven't impressed me much. Jazz Times is available and I've bought a few but they just seem full of puffs - lots of words not actually saying a great deal. In that sense its similar to Jazzwise here, in my opinion, lots of stuff only bordering on the kind of jazz I like and always too fullsome in its praise. Jazz Review I hardly ever see anymore but Jazz journal International I subscribe to. Its like walking into a musty old Club in London, full of aged jazz aficionados. Even when 90% of the issue is about people you never heard of and, once read, probably wont suffer too much if you never hear of them again, its interesting in a geek sort of way. But the reviews are excellent, worth the cover price alone.

[Jazz Kat]

I think the most thrilling reading comes from old issues, like from the 50's and 60's. But yeah, its important to read the latest, also.