Jazz News: Ella graphic novel; Big 3 music companies talk AI; new stamp for certified “human” music; Dazzle’s new piano
This is Jazz News, a look at what’s news in jazz, music, and the arts.
Ella Fitzgerald: The Official Graphic Novel, published by L, is now available.A based animation studio and book publisher, Fantoons. Illustrators Larissa Rivero, Lindsay Lee, and Jorge Mansilla are paired with storytelling from Brooklyn-based writer, filmmaker, and painter Ngozi Nwadiogbu. The writer says, “experimenting with ways to unspool her celebrity and the popular media narratives of her rise was as challenging as it was rewarding.” The First Lady of Song’s orphanhood, her homelessness, her triumph at the Apollo Theater, the discrimination she faced, it’s all there in warm and cool tones.
It’s the second graphic novel in Fantoons’ “Women In Jazz” series, a collection of novels celebrating female artists of color – the first issue covered Billie Holiday. Studio director David Calcano said, “These groundbreaking artists fought for their survival through art and left some of the most inspirational music of all time.” (SOURCE: Hello Merch / Ella Graphic Official Novel)
The fight between artificial intelligence companies and artists has turned another corner.
Not long ago, the “Big Three” music companies (Universal, Warner, and Sony) opposed letting their catalogues get ingested into massive AI engines for training. But now, reports are that the same “Big 3” music companies are now negotiating with AI music companies Udio and Suno to allow the music they control to assist the machine makers of music. Some suspect the Big 3 will try to gain some ownership in the AI music field.
In the end, some predict rights holders will get paid even less, and they will have no opt-in or opt-out rights when it comes to training these AI programs. Shout out to Andy Price, Music-Making editor at MusicRadar.com, for his coverage, and we’ll post a link to his article. (SOURCE: musicradar.com/)
Is it “live,” or is it Skynet? There is a company that offers to certify music as human-created, kind of a “non-GMO, organic” stamp. Founded in 2024 by a couple of Nashville-based music publishers, the company Humanable is trying to build a resistance movement. Their plan is to certify songs or masters as “Generative AI free” through affidavits, and by issuing a trust mark and certification number. (SOURCE: Humanable.com)
One of my jazz spies in the community told me that Dazzle has switched its piano in the El Chapultepec Lounge. The six-foot Steinway is out. They’re rocking an upright piano now, specifically a Yamaha U1 from Classic Pianos. Space is a premium there at the back of Dazzle, and Kelley Dawkins told me they’ll be able to get duos and trios on the small stage there. (SOURCE: Arturo Gómez’s image on the Facebook Group – "Denver & Front Range Jazz Scene"
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