Alexander Posted January 27, 2004 Report Posted January 27, 2004 Over the summer I wrote roughly a dozen reviews for this magazine. The new issue came out recently (it seems to come out a few times a year) and of the dozen reviews I wrote, only one was printed. No big deal right? These things happen. C'est La Vie. Except that the one review that has my name on it ISN'T THE REVIEW I WROTE. I wrote a middling review of Al Basile's "Red Breath." What was printed was a GLOWING review. It's horribly written too (I'm not claiming that my review was brilliant, but it was better than the crap that replaced it). A few phrases from my review were lifted and used in the rewrite, so I know that whoever wrote it read the original. I'm pretty pissed at the moment. So I don't think I'll be writing anything for "Jazz Improv" in the future... Quote
relyles Posted January 27, 2004 Report Posted January 27, 2004 I would say you have a good reason to be POd. Quote
Muskrat Ramble Posted January 27, 2004 Report Posted January 27, 2004 You might want to check with your attorney if you feel the mag is misrepresenting your work and damaging your professional reputation. I bought one issue of Jazz Improv, and it was my last. A lot of the writing ranged from boring to embarassingly amateurish. "The Webster Dictionary defines record review as writing about records and boy this one is a swingin one! The Duke he sure could play jazz and comppose too! So be sure to swing along to this one because it swnigs! The End.." Quote
chuckyd4 Posted January 27, 2004 Report Posted January 27, 2004 This isn't the first thing I've heard about Jazz Improv soliciting reviews and then sitting on them indefinitely, with little or no response to the respective writer when they wonder WTF happened to it. It is the first I've heard about out and out editorial sloppiness/illegality like that, though. Sad, as the mag's premise has the potential to be a great one in the industry. Truly shameful, imho. Quote
JSngry Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Hey, they were just Improvising... Quote
JSngry Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Seriously, be pissed. Be VERY pissed. Quote
David Ayers Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Alexander's official endorsement of Jazz Improv will appear in the next issue. Here is a preview of the exact, unaltered text: Over the summer I wrote roughly a dozen reviews for this magazine. The new issue came out recently (it seems to come out a few times a year) and of the dozen reviews I wrote, several were printed! Good for me right? Life is wonderful. The one review that has my name on it is the one I wrote. I wrote a glowing review of Al Basile's "Red Breath" and that is what they printed. My review was brilliant, so stylistically they left it unaltered. A few phrases from my review were lifted and used as an example to others how to write great prose! I'm pretty delighted at the moment. So I think I'll be writing more for "Jazz Improv" in the future... B) by Alexander Quote
mikeweil Posted January 29, 2004 Report Posted January 29, 2004 I hope they DID pay you, at the least? Quote
Alexander Posted March 8, 2004 Author Report Posted March 8, 2004 (edited) Wait, wait! It gets even better! I got an extremely P.O.ed e-mail from Jazz Improv this morning, reading in part: "A number of Jazz Improv Magazine's supporters - readers and writers - forwarded the diatribe that you publicly posted about your dissatisfaction with Jazz Improv. I have no record of your contacting me to inquire about your concerns including why we did not run a number of the reviews that you wrote. Since you apparently did not want to discover from the source what the reasoning or truth may be, was your public posting of your "behind-the-back" criticism and dissatisfaction to "punish" or embarrass Jazz Improv Magazine?" Such was my response: "Well, it's your magazine, and you have the right to run anything you please. I'm not so concerned about the reasons why you didn't run most of the reviews I wrote (maybe you didn't like them. It's not really important). What I objected to, and what prompted me to fire off an angry post in a public forum, was having one of my reviews completely rewritten and yet published under my name as though I had penned it. As to why you did this, again it really doesn't matter. If you don't like what I write, it's your right not to run it, but if you feel the need to change my words, at least have the common decency not to put my name on it. Do what you like, but don't expect me to be quiet about it." I don't know which part of this I find more insulting: The fact that they substantially altered my work, or the fact that they expected me to keep my mouth shut and not make my dissatisfaction public. As I said, I'm not planning on writing for them in the future...Not that they'd want me now! I feel like Stanley Crouch! Edited March 8, 2004 by Alexander Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 Were they referring to this public forum? My band is doomed. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 Remember, Jazz Improv supporters: that's "Alexander, Groove Merchant"! And while you're here, why not check out the political forum and really blow an artery? Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted March 8, 2004 Report Posted March 8, 2004 Then be sure to pan the latest CD by the group that created this board in the first place, Organissimo! Quote
GregK Posted March 23, 2004 Report Posted March 23, 2004 well, this is all I need to know about that magazine. I'm never buying it Quote
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