Porter, 1
Lewis Porter
As of 5/06
86 Birch St.
Port Chester, N.Y. 10573
Phone and fax: 914-690-1022
e-mail: Lrpjazz@gmail.com
Specializations: Jazz (all eras), discography and filmography (all types of music; specialty in "live" and
unissued items omitted in standard reference works), classical and ethnic musics, film and film history.
Education:
Brandeis University. Ph. D. in Musicology, 1983
Tufts University. M.A. in Music Theory, 1979
Northeastern University. M. Ed. in Counseling, 1976
University Of Rochester. B.A. in Psychology, 1972
(including studies at Eastman School Of Music)
Teaching Positions:
1999-present
Professor of Music, Rutgers University, Newark campus. Founder and director of
unique M.A. program in Jazz History and Research since 1997.
1990-1999 Assoc. Prof. Of Music, Rutgers University, Newark campus. Music
Program
Coordinator 1993-1999.
9/05-present.
Instructor, Jazz at Lincoln Center, jazz history course; moderator and planner,
Jazz Talk panel series.
1994-1996 Visiting Faculty, New School University. Jazz history
for undergraduate jazz majors.
1990-1991 Visiting Faculty, Manhattan School of Music. Graduate seminar
in jazz
scholarship, two sections.
1986 - 1990
Asst. Prof. Of Music, Rutgers University, Newark campus.
Courses in jazz and theory, graduate jazz course at New
Brunswick campus, and supervision of M.M. students.
(1989-90 On leave as a N. J. Governor's Fellow in the Humanities.)
Spring 1989
Visiting Asst. Prof. Of Music, New York University, Ph.D.
program in Musicology. Graduate seminar in jazz scholarship.
Summer 1988
"Teaching Jazz: An Institute for College Teachers," funded by
New Jersey Department Of Higher Education. Held at Rutgers.
1982-1986 Asst. Prof. Of Music, Tufts University. Courses in jazz, graduate
and
undergraduate; direction of jazz, classical, and marching
bands;
advisor of an M.A. thesis.
July 1985
Tufts University, director of "Teaching Jazz: An Institute for
Secondary School Teachers," funded by the Mass. Council On
The Arts and Humanities.
Part-time teaching positions at Tufts University from 1977-1982 and at Brandeis University (concurrent
with activities at Tufts) from 1980-1982.
Porter, 2
PUBLICATIONS
NOTE: See additional review excerpts in the section REVIEWS
Theses:
John Coltrane's Music of 1960 Through 1967: Jazz Improvisation as Composition. Ph.D. thesis,
Brandeis University, 1983. Directors: Joshua Rifkin,
Brandeis, and Lawrence Gushee, U.
of Illinois. 341 pages.
The Jazz Improvisations of Lester Young. M.A. thesis, Tufts University, 1979.
Director: T.J.
Anderson. 262 pages.
Books, Sole or Primary Author:
John Coltrane: His Life and Music. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, January 1998. New
biographical and genealogical research. Musical analysis of improvisational techniques. Supported by a
New Jersey Governor's Fellowship in the Humanities, and a Rutgers Research Council Grant. Winner of
The ARSC (Association for Recorded Sound Collections) 1999 Award for Excellence in Historical
Recorded Sound Research in its category "Recorded Jazz or Blues." Nominated for the Jazz Journalist
Association Award. Gene Lees wrote that it is "the finest analysis of a jazz musician's art I have read";
Down Beat said it is [O]utstanding...rectifies errors and gaps of the previous Coltrane biographies." Jazz
Times writes, "Porter has topped himself this time…[W]hat will he do for an encore?“ Jazzwise
(London, March 2006) writes that it is "justifiably regarded as classic."
John Coltrane: His Life and Music. French edition of the above will be published in 2007 by Outres
Mesure, Paris. I'm working with Parisian scholar Vincent Cotro, who is translating my book. (I have a
good knowledge of French.)
John Coltrane: His Life and Music. Italian edition of the above will be published in 2007 by ------------------------Jazz: From Its Origins to the Present, by Porter and Ullman, with Ed Hazell. Englewood, New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, 1992. History text, 600pp., with music examples, used at Columbia, Harvard, Brown,
Wm. and Mary, Williams, U. of Oregon, Germany, Italy, elsewhere. According to Down Beat, the
leading magazine in the field, "This is the one to buy."
Jazz: From Its Origins to the Present. French edition of the above will be published in 2007 by Outres
Mesure, Paris.
Lester Young. Boston: Twayne Publishers (division of G.K. Hall/Macmillan), 1985. Also published in
the U.K. by MacMillan, 1985. Analysis and research.
Lester Young. Revised Edition, Ann Arbor: U of Michigan Press, November 2005:
http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=8748
Jazzwise (London, March 2006) said that this revision "is a worthy restoration to the list of essential
books about key jazz figures."
Book, Author and Editor
Jazz: A Century of Change. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997. My new essays on jazz historiography
(30,000 words, over one-fourth of the book) illustrated with historical reprints (1919-1995, and 1856).
MLA Notes, June 1999, wrote: "…a fine collection of interesting readings, with commentary by an
intelligent, reasoned, and openminded guide."
Porter, 3
Books, Editor
Editor and compiler/researcher, International Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians. Is currently being
published as an online website, linked to the IJS website (will be completed during the summer of
2006).
WEBSITE: http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS/porter/
In progress: TheJohn Coltrane Reference (N.Y.: Routledge, 2007), by Chris DeVito, Yasuhiro
Fujioka, Wolf Schmaler, David Wild and
General Editor: Lewis Porter. This large (ca.800 page) book will represent the state of the art of
Coltrane research as assembled by an international team of scholars, under my direction.
A Lester Young Reader, edited by L. Porter. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991.
Anthology with some new material.
Journal, Coeditor with John Howland:
Jazz Perspectives. In 2005, I founded the first peer-reviewed journal devoted to jazz, and I asked John
Howland to coedit with me. The publisher is Routledge (UK journals division). The editorial board is a
"who's who" of jazz scholarship today, with faculty from Harvard, Yale, U of Chicago, U Penn, etc., as
well as scholars in England, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. It will begin publishing two issues a
year in Jan. 07. (This journal makes a fine complement to the Annual Review of Jazz Studies, issued by
our own IJS.)
WEBSITE: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/17494060.asp.
Book, Assisting Author and Editor:
John Coltrane: A Discography and Musical Biography, by Yasuhiro Fujioka with Lewis Porter and YohIchi Hamada; a reference book. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1995. Part of the Institute of Jazz
Studies Jazz Monograph Series. Foreword by Porter as well.
Chapters in Books and Reference Works:
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. New York: Gale Publications, December 2000. I
compiled 1000 jazz entries (short biographies), incorporating extensive new research.
“John Coltrane,” in Jazz: A Reader’s Companion (Oxford U. Press, 2000)
"Lester Young," in The Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, edited by William
Ferris and Charles Wilson. Chapel Hill: U. of North Carolina Press, 1989.
In The Grove Dictionary of Jazz, edited by Barry Kernfeld (London: MacMillan, November 1988):
New articles:
"Saxophone"
"Oboe"
"Flute"
"Clarinet"
"Bassoon"
The following articles are revised versions of those in The Grove Dictionary of Music in the United
States, 1986:
"Barney Bigard"
Porter, 4
"Art Blakey"
"Jack DeJohnette"
"Dexter Gordon"
"Coleman Hawkins"
"Johnny Hodges"
"J.J. Johnson"
"Wes Montgomery"
"Tony Williams"
"Lester Young"
In The Book of Days 1987 (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Pierian Press, 1986), pp. 107-109: "Jazz." (An
annotated list of resources for educators.)
In The Grove Dictionary of Music in the United States, edited by H. Wiley Hitchcock (London:
MacMillan, 1986):
"Barney Bigard" in 1: 213-214
"Art Blakey" in 1: 230
"Jack DeJohnette" in 1: 593
"Dexter Gordon" in 2: 246-247
"Coleman Hawkins" in 2: 351-353
"Johnny Hodges" in 2: 404
"J.J. Johnson" in 2: 582-583
"Wes Montgomery" in 3: 262-263
"Tony Williams" in 4: 533-534
"Lester Young" in 4: 581-583
In The New Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia (New York: Funk and Wagnalls,
19: "Jazz." (History, and stylistic discussion.)
1983) 15: 13-
Forewords to Books:
Foreword to Charlie Christian: Jazz Guitar's King of Swing, by Wayne Goins and
Craig McKinney, Mellen Press, fall 2005. I also fact-checked the book.
Foreword to Warne Marsh, by Safford Chamberlain. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow
Press, 2000. Part of the Institute of Jazz Studies Jazz Monograph Series.
I also edited this book.
Foreword to J.J. Johnson, by Joshua Berrett. Jazz Monograph
Series, Scarecrow Press, 1999. I also edited this book.
Foreword to Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation by Henry Martin.
Jazz
Monograph Series, Scarecrow Press, 1996. I also edited this book.
Foreword to John Coltrane Plays Giant Steps, by David Demsey. Milwaukee: Hal
Leonard,
1996.
Foreword to "A Herb Snitzer Portfolio," boxed limited edition, Boston: Palm
Press,1996.
Foreword to You Got To Be Original, Man! by Frank Büchmann-Møller. Westport:
Greenwood
Press, March 1990. Reprinted in You Just Fight For Your Life
by Frank Büchmann-Møller.
Westport: Greenwood Press, March 1990. I
Also fact-checked both books.
Journal Articles (Refereed)
"The 'Blues Connotation' in Ornette Coleman's Music—And Some General
Porter, 5
Thoughts on the Relation of Blues to Jazz," Annual Review of Jazz
Studies 7, 1996, 75-99.
"Louis Armstrong," co-authored with Michael Ullman, in Jazz Educators Journal,
(Convention 1990), 36-38, 92-93.
"Jazz In American Education." College Music Symposium 29, 1989, 134-139.
Crescendo International (London), August, September 1989.
"Some Problems In Jazz Research," in Black Music Research Journal 8/2 (Fall
206. (Revised version of "Guidelines…" below.)
"The Long Song of Sidney Bechet," with Michael Ullman, in The Black
Perspective In Music, 16/2 (Fall 1988), 135-150.
"Guidelines For Jazz Research," in Bulletin of The Council For Research In
Music Education 95 (Winter 1987): 3-12.
"John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme': Jazz Improvisation as Composition," in
American Musicological Society 38/3 (1985): 593-621.
"The Early Style of Lester Young," in The Black Perspective In Music, 9/1,
(Spring 1981): 3-24. Reprinted in Bulletin of Hot Club of France (in
French), 2006.
"An Historical Survey of Jazz Drumming Styles," in Minority Voices, 3/1 (Spring
XXII/2
Reprinted,
1988), 195-
Journal of The
1980): 1-19.
Journal and Other Articles (Not Refereed)
"Charlie Parker on Film and Television," in Musica Oggi (in Italian), 2006
"Evidence: A recently discovered high-quality live recording featuring
Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane sheds new light on their brief
partnership." Feature article, Jazz Times magazine, October 2005, 34-39.
"John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme,'" in Unitarian Universalist World, a
magazine, October 2005.
"A Love Supreme," Down Beat, 2/98
"Giant Steps" (in Italian), Musica Oggi 17 (1997), pp.14-19.
"Lester Young," in Musica Jazz XLV/3 (March 1989), pp. XXXIV-XLII. In Italian.
with examples, and biography; short section by Ullman.
Style analysis,
"She Wiped All The Men Out: A Re-Evaluation of Women Instrumentalists and
Composers In
Jazz," in Music Educators Journal 71/1: 42-52, and
71/2: 42-51 (September and October 1984).
The above was nominated by the journal's editorial committee for a National Educational Press
Association award as one of the best articles of 1984.
"An Historical Survey of Jazz Drumming Styles," in Percussive Notes 20/3: 42-43, 70-72, and 21/1:
46-47, 78 (June and October 1982). Revised version of Minority Voices article, with music examples.
Essays to Accompany Recordings:
Essay to the 6-CD set, John Coltrane: Fearless Leader (released Fall 2006)
Essay to the CD, SFJAZZ Tribute to John Coltrane, with Joshua Redman (released fall 2005)
Porter, 6
Essay to the CD, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall, 1957 (released September 2005)
Essay to the 4-CD set John Coltrane: Legacy, selected by his son Ravi. Verve/Impulse Records,
published Oct. 2002.
Essay to Ascension by John Coltrane. Impulse records, 2000.
"John Coltrane: The Atlantic Years," pp. 5-29 in the book that accompanies John Coltrane: The
Complete Atlantic Recordings, boxed set, Rhino Records, August 1995. Nominated for a 1996 Grammy
Award.
Reprinted in Carl Woideck, ed., A John Coltrane Companion (Schirmer, 1999)
Essay to Michael Rabinowitz, Bassoon on Fire, Cats Paw Records, 1995
"Bloodlines and Beginnings: The Early Years," in the booklet that accompanies John Coltrane: The Last
Giant, 1993.
Essay to Discovery: Monk and Coltrane at the Five Spot. Blue Note Records, 1993
"Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet in New York, 1923-1925," eight page essay, with music examples,
to accompany LP reissue of the same name, Smithsonian R026. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian
Institution, 1981.
Reprinted in Joshua Berrett, ed., A Louis Armstrong Companion (Schirmer, 1999). Reprinted in
Bulletin of Hot Club of France (in French), 2006.
Recordings:
Piano and Composer: Lewis Porter Quintet. Second Voyage (Manno, Switzerland: Altrisuoni ASD 120,
April 2002), featuring the renowned saxophonist David Liebman. Eight of the ten pieces are Porter's
compositions. The CD is regularly featured on WBGO and WKCR and has received positive mentions.
For example, in a review for the leading British magazine Jazzwise (July 2002), jazz scholar Brian
Priestley wrote that Porter is "a fine pianist and bandleader... a strong ensemble player and versatile
soloist." Recorded June 22, 2000, partly supported by a Rutgers Research Council Grant.
Drums: "Zahav," Jewish music band, recorded Feb. '91, privately issued cassette.
Saxophone: Matt Glaser: Play Fiddle Play, recorded April 1986 at Berklee College, Boston (Flying
Fish Records 70555, 1990). Saxophone solo on “Foggy Mountain Special.”
Director: Brandeis Jazz Ensemble "Peripheral Road" (Azure Records, 1982).
Professional quality demo tape of original music, recorded at Rutgers-Newark Television and Radio
Media Center, March and April 1987. On this recording I play saxophone, drums, piano, and sampling
keyboard, through overdubbing.
Booklet:
Instructor's Manual for Jazz: From Its Origins to the Present, prepared camera-ready by Porter, with
assistance from Ullman and Hazell, 1992. 96 pages.
Porter, 7
Reprint:
The Glossary of my Prentice-Hall jazz history textbook was reprinted in Jazz For Teens, NJPAC
Curriculum Guide, 2002-3.
CD-ROMs (not refereed):
Jazz: A Multimedia History. CD-ROM version of Jazz: From Its Origins to the
Present, with
addition of MIDI sound files, video clips and searchable
index, all prepared by Porter. EBook, Inc., 1992.
"Jazz," an article on jazz history in the Microsoft Encarta multimedia
encyclopedia, 1994 and 1996;
revised 2000.
Music Commissions:
In 2002 I received commissions to compose music for the following groups:
Williams College (for the student ensembles)
William Paterson U (for the jazz majors' big band)
Brigham Young U (for the faculty jazz quintet)
Southern Conn. State U (for the Creative Music Orchestra)
Commissioned Report:
"The State of Jazz," a 108 page report commissioned by the National Endowment For The Arts, March,
1988. This report was the basis of the jazz section of the NEA report to Congress in Fall 1988.
Reviews of Books, Journals, and Theses:
In the International History Review (Canada):
Vol. XXVII, September 2006 issue. Review of McKay, George. Circular Breathing: The
Cultural Politics of Jazz in Britain.
In Coda (Canada):
Issue 300/301 (Winter 2001-2), pp. 55-56. Review of American Pop
From Minstrel
to Mojo: On Record, 1893-1956, by Allen Lowe, and
accompanying CDs.
In The Annual Review of Jazz Studies:
Vol. 7 (1996). Four Works by David Liebman
Vol. 7 (1996). Training the Ear for the Improvising Musician, by Armen
Donelian
Vol. 6. Hal Leonard Artist Transcription Series
Vol. 5 (1991). Essay review of The Swing Era, by Gunther Schuller.
In Bulletin of The Council For Research In Music Education:
1993. Review of “Glenn Gould,” Ph. D. dissertation by Elizabeth
Angilette (later published as a book)
No. 103 (Winter 1990): 89-92. Review of "The Early Years of Edward
Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington," Ph.D. dissertation by Mark Tucker.
In Piano and Keyboard:
1994. Review of The Duke Ellington Reader by Mark Tucker, Beyond
Category by
John Hasse, and Too Marvelous For Words by James Lester
In The Black Perspective In Music:
Vol. 6 (1978): 233-237. Jazz: A History, by Frank Tirro (Norton); Understanding Jazz,Leroy Ostransky
(Prentice-Hall); Listening to Jazz, by Jerry Coker (Prentice-Hall); Jazz Styles, by Mark Gridley. Essay
review.
Porter, 8
Vol. 7 (1979): 121-123. Jazz in the Sixties by Michael J. Budds (University of
Iowa Press);
Jazz Music in Print, by John Voigt (Hornpipe Music);
Introduction to Jazz Theory, by
Kenneth Stanton (Crescendo).
Vol. 9 (1981): 101-104: The Making of Jazz, by James Lincoln Collier (Houghton
Mifflin); A
Jazz Nursery: The Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Bands, by John Chilton (London: Bloomsbury Book
Shop); The World of Count
Basie, by Stanley Dance (Charles Scribner's Sons); The Record Collector's
Handbook, by
Alan Liebowitz (Everest House).
Vol. 11 (1983): 85-86. Jazzforschung/Jazz Research (overview of journal
volumes to date). Jazz research journal.
Vol. 14 (1986): 195-196. Annual Review of Jazz Studies (overview of journal
volumes to
date).
Vol. 14 (1986): 314-316. Tradition Afrikanischer Blasorchester und Entstehung
des Jazz, by
Alfons Dauer (Graz: Akademische Druck-u.Verlagsanstalt).
In American Record Guide:
Vol. 48/2 (1985): 86-87. Big Sounds from Small Peoples: The Music Industry in
Small
Countries, by Roger Wallis and Krister Malm (Pendragon Press).
In Popular Music :
Vol. 2 (1982): 296-300. Straight Life, by Art and Laurie Pepper (Schirmer);
Trane 'n Me, by Andrew White (Andrew's Music).
In Tufts Criterion (Tufts University):
March 1981: Jazz Lives, by Michael Ullman (New Republic Books).
Reviews of Music Recordings and Films
In this listing, the recordings that are reviewed are identified by artist and catalog number, not by album
title. When two or more items are reviewed together they are separated by semi-colons.
In Jazz Times: Three DVD reviews, January 06 issue
In Signal to Noise, a "new music" magazine; four reviews in the Summer 2001 issue and one feature
review in the Fall 2001 issue.
In Coda (Canada):
Issue 222 (October-November 1988): 32. Teddy Charles and Shorty Rogers
(Original Jazz
Classics 122); Kenny Dorham (Original Jazz Classics 113
and 134); Shelly Manne (OJC 172);
Red Norvo (OJC 155).
In The Black Perspective In Music:
Vol. 7 (1979): 272-274. Art Ensemble of Chicago (Arista/Freedom 1903);
Anthony
Braxton (Delmark 415); Andrew Cyrille (IPS ST002); Joseph
Jarman (Delmark 410); Roscoe
Mitchell (Delmark 408).
Vol. 7 (1979): 274-275. Louis Armstrong (Time-Life J01); Duke Ellington (TimeLife J02);
Billie Holiday (Time-Life J03); Bix Beiderbecke (T-L J04).
Vol. 7 (1979): 113-114. Ry Cooder (Warner Brothers).
Vol. 7 (1979): 114-115. David Amram (Flying Fish 057).
Vol. 7 (1979): 115-116. Air (Nessa 12).
Vol. 7 (1979): 116-117. Ben Webster (Nessa 8).
Vol. 8 (1980): 260-261. Sidney Bechet (T-L J09); Benny Carter (T-L J10).
Vol. 8 (1980): 261-262. Von Freeman (Nessa 11); Leo Smith (Nessa 19).
Vol. 8 (1980): 123-124. Art Blakey (Blue Note LA-473-J2); Jackie McLean (Blue
Note LA-483-
Porter, 9
J2).
Vol. 8 (1980): 124-125. Coleman Hawkins (Time-Life J06); "Jelly Roll" Morton
(Time-Life J07).
Vol. 9 (1981): 236-237. Howard McGhee (Zim 2006); Nat Pierce (Zim 2003).
Vol. 9 (1981): 237-238. "Fats" Waller (Time-Life STL-J15); Henry "Red" Allen
(Time-Life STL-J16).
Vol. 9 (1981): 107-108. Lester Young (Time-Life STL-J13); Earl Hines
(Time-Life STL-J11).
Vol. 10 (1982): 124-126. James P. Johnson (Time-Life STL-J18); Johnny Hodges
(Time-Life STL-J19).
Vol. 11 (1983): 95-96. Teddy Wilson (Time-Life STL-J20).
Vol. 13 (1985): 238-239. Dizzy Gillespie (Fanfare 46-126); Coleman Hawkins
(Fanfare 33133).
Vol. 13 (1985): 239-240. Kenny Barron (Xanadu 188); Sonny Criss (Xanadu
200); Earl Hines (Xanadu 203); Thelonious Monk (Xanadu 202); Lucky
Thompson
(Xanadu 204).
Vol. 14 (1986): 318-319. Edmond Hall (Circle 52); Bunk Johnson (GHB 101);
Ben Webster (Circle 41); Ben Webster (Circle 42).
Vol. 14 (1986): 318-319. Ida Cox (Rosetta 1304); Lil Green (Rosetta 1310);
Dinah Washington (Rosetta 1313).
Vol. 14 (1986): 319-321. Sidney Bechet (Mosaic MR6-110); Tina Brooks (Mosaic MR4-106); Charles
Mingus (Mosaic MR4-111); Thelonious Monk (Mosaic MR4-112); Ike Quebec and John Hardee
(Mosaic MR4-107).
Vol. 15 (1987): 126-127. International Sweethearts Of Rhythm (Rosetta 1312);
Valaida Snow
(Rosetta 1305).
In American Record Guide:
Vol. 48/3 (1985): 42-43. Kecskés Ensemble, "Ancient Turkish Music in Europe"
(Hungaraton
2560). Recreation of Turkish music from the 17th
century.
Vol. 48/3 (1985): 48. Lauren Pomerantz, "Jewels of the Sephardim" (AEA 1401).
Songs of
Sephardic Jews.
Vol. 48/5 (1985): 76-77. Eddie Duran (Original Jazz Classics 120); Steve Lacy
(Original Jazz
Classics 130); Harold Land (Original Jazz Classics 146);
Oscar Pettiford (Original Jazz
Classics 112); Various Artists, "Autobiography In Jazz" (Original Jazz Classics 115).
Vol. 48/5 (1985): 77-78. Art Ensemble Of Chicago (ECM 25014-1); Gary Burton
(ECM 250241); David Byrne (ECM 25022-1); Chick Corea (ECM
25013-1); Egberto Gismonti (ECM 25015-1); L. Shankar (ECM 25016-1).
Vol. 49/1 (1986): 12. George Gershwin (Fanfare DFL-7007).
Recording of newly discovered Gershwin compositions.
Vol. 49/1 (1986): 84-85. Bill Coleman (Swing 8402); Coleman Hawkins and
Benny Carter (Swing 8403); Jonah Jones (Swing 8408); Willie Lewis
(Swing 8400/8401); Eddie South (Swing 8405).
In Journal of American Folklore:
98:389-390. "Indiana Ragtime: A Documentary Album" (IHS 1001); David
Laibman
"Classical Ragtime Guitar" (Rounder 3040).
PUBLIC APPEARANCES
Conference Presentations, Lectures, Panels and Workshops
Porter, 10
"Special Guest Lecture," Siena Jazz Workshop, Siena, Italy, July 25, 2006
"Charlie Parker on Film and Television," Milan, Italy, July 14, 2005
Speaker at Coleman Hawkins Symposium, Columbia U, Nov. 9, 2004
Lecture, "Recent Coltrane Discoveries," William Paterson U, 12/8/04 and 12/14/05 (annual lecture
summarizing new research)
Panelist, "Monk and Coltrane," at the International Association of Jazz Educators convention, Jan. 13,
2006, Manhattan.
Master class, "Performing free improvisations" for students at New England Conservatory, with
Daniel Carter, 11/30/05.
Lecture-demonstration on "free improvisations," performing and talking with Daniel Carter, at Boston
University, 12/1/05
Lecture, "The Hidden Sources of Coltrane's Compositions" at Berklee College of Music, Boston,
12/1/05.
Session Chair, Historic Brass Society conference, "Early Twentieth-Century Brass Idioms: Art, Jazz
and Other Popular Traditions," co-sponsored by the IJS, 11/5/05
Lecture, "Recent Coltrane Discoveries," William Paterson U, 12/10/03
(annual lecture summarizing new research).
Lecture, "Rare Dave Brubeck on Film," Emory University, October 4, 2002
Lecture, "Myths About Jazz History," S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook, May 13, 2002; part of the Stony
Brook Jazz Festival.
Lecture, "John Coltrane," Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wash., D.C.,
February 16, 2002
Lecture, "John Coltrane: Recent Findings," William Paterson University, December 12, 2001.
Lecture, "The Significance of John Coltrane," S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook, May 12,
2001; part
of the Stony Brook Jazz Festival.
Lecture, "John Coltrane: The Filmed Legacy,'" William Paterson University,
December 13, 2000
Lecture, "John Coltrane: Recent Findings," William Paterson University, December 12, 2001
(forthcoming)
"John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme,'" William Paterson University, December
13, 2000
"John Coltrane's Religious Beliefs," Presbyterian Conference on Jazz and the
Church, Stony
Point, N.Y., October 9, 2000
"The Future of Jazz," Panel Discussion (with Donald Byrd, Jon Hendricks,
others) at the
Congressional Black Caucus annual convention,
Washington, D.C., September 14, 2000
"Myths About Jazz History," Southern Conn. State College, April 26, 2000
"John Coltrane—Research questions still unresolved," William Paterson University, November 17,
1999
Two-day residency including a concert and three classes—"Jazz Player's Workshop," "Myths of
Jazz Historiography," and "Thoughts on Human
Emotion and Music"—at Williams College,
Mass., Nov. 2-3, 1999
Porter, 11
"Historiography in Jazz," Carnegie Hall Workshop for Teachers, Oct. 25, 1998
"John Coltrane—Rare recordings," William Paterson University, November 18, 1998
Interviewed by Larry Appelbaum of the Lib. of Congress at Borders Books,
Wash. D.C., Feb.
18, 1998.
William Paterson College, Dec. 3, 1997. Lecture.
Lectured and performed at Ohio State University, Nov. 8, 1997.
Lectured and performed at Ohio State University, 11/7/97.
Lectured on Coltrane to an overflow audience as chair of a panel at the
International Association
of Jazz Educators conference in N.Y., 1/8/98.
Interviewed by Larry Appelbaum of the Lib. of Congress at Borders Books,
Wash. D.C., Feb.
18, 1998.
Lectured at Institute of Jazz Studies research meetings, 7/17 and 9/18, 1997.
William Paterson College, Dec. 3, 1997. Lecture.
John Coltrane Symposium, University of North Carolina, February 28, 1997.
Lecture and
performance
La Salle University, Philadelphia, July 1996
William Paterson College, "Recent Research on John Coltrane: An Update,"
November
1994 and December 6, 1995
“Ornette Coleman and the Blues,” Hartt College of Music, Theory Forum, U. of
Hartford,
April 27, 1995
“John Coltrane,” Hunter College, April 1994
Greenwich (CT) Film Series, November 1994 and November 1995
Presented four evenings of Films on Jewish Identity at the American Jewish
Congress, E. 84 St.
Manhattan, 1994
"New Findings in John Coltrane Research," at New School of Social Research, 11/22/92
"Studying 1920s Jazz by Comparing Alternate Takes," presented as part of jazz
history
symposium at Newark Public Library, Newark Jazz Festival,
produced by George Wein Festival
Productions, November 14, 1992
"Coltrane, Freud, and Plainchant: Case Studies in Historiography," colloquium at
New York
University, April 18, 1990.
"Coltrane, Freud, and Plainchant: Case Studies in Historiography," colloquium at
Wesleyan
University, April 17, 1990.
"Modern Jazz--Performance and Discussion," honors colloquium, RutgersNewark,
February 22, 1989.
Four day course on jazz saxophonists. November 19-22, 1988. Copenhagen,
Association
Of Danish Jazz Musicians.
Workshop for Jazz Educators. November 23, 1988. Rhythm Conservatory,
Copenhagen.
Jazz Improvisation Workshop; co-director with three other educators. October
3, 1988. Newark Symphony Hall.
"Ornette Coleman and the Blues." International Association For the Study Of
Popular
Music, October 2, 1988, Yale University.
"A John Coltrane Birthday Tribute," lecture and concert. September 23, 1988.
New England
Conservatory, Boston.
Berklee College Of Music, Boston, September 20, 1988. Jazz improvisation
workshop, and
a lecture on jazz of the 1920s (to 500 students).
North Texas State University, February 15-16, 1988; two lectures on John
Coltrane, one
on Louis Armstrong, and two performances with
students.
"Ornette Coleman and The Blues." First International Conference On Jazz
Porter, 12
Studies.
Trento, Italy, November 14, 1987.
"Vladimir Horowitz and The Romantic Piano Tradition," honors colloquium,
Rutgers-Newark, November 4, 1987.
"Jazz and Gershwin," session chairperson, national convention of the American
Musicological
Society, New Orleans, October 16, 1987.
"Jazz and The Music Business," panel with Ornette Coleman. Tufts University,
April 1987.
Broadcast live on WMFO-FM.
"Needs In Jazz Research." Conference On Jazz. U. Of Minnesota, Feb., 1987.
"Lester Young on Film." Festival Of American Folk Cultural Films. N.Y.U.,
December 13,
1986. With musician Buck Clayton, producer Phil
Schaap.
"Jazz Research," panel. Society For Ethnomusicology. Eastman School Of Music,
October,1986.
Newburyport High School, February 1986. Big band workshop followed by
performance
with professionals.
Stuttgart Staatliche Hochschule Fur Musik Und Darstellende Kunst, December
18, 1985: Lecture on Lester Young and John Coltrane; performance and
jazz workshop with student musicians.
Berlin University: Musik Hochschule, December 16, 1985: Lecture;
improvisation
master class for piano students, followed by short
performance with recording artist Walter Norris, jazz pianist.
Hamburg University: Musik Hochschule, December 11, 1985: Lecture on Lester
Young and
John Coltrane. Performance and jazz workshop with
students. "The Soul Of A People: An Historical Survey of Music In New
England," American Experience Program, Tufts U., Summer 1984,
and 1985.
"Teaching Jazz Improvisation," National Association Of Jazz Educators, National
Convention,
Kansas City, January, 1983.
"Teaching Jazz Improvisation," College Music Society Convention, Boston, 1982.
"Ethnomusicology and Racism," panel, Society For Ethnomusicology, New
England
Chapter, Tufts University, April 17, 1982.
"John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme': Jazz Improvisation As Composition,"
American Musicological Society, National Convention, Boston, Nov. 14,
1981. Also at
New England Chapter, Mt. Holyoke College, 1980.
"Four Studies Of Jazz, Its Nature, and Its History," a series of lecturedemonstrations at Leverett House, Harvard University, Fall,1981.
"An Introduction to the History and Structure Of Jazz," Harvard U., 1981.
"Development Of The Jazz Soloist," New England Conservatory, 1981.
"Jews and Jazz," presented in 1981 and 1982 at M.I.T. Hillel, Israel Cultural
Center Of
Boston, North Shore Community Center, Norwood Temple,
Lawrence Center, Tufts University
Hillel, and Brookline Temple.
"Why Jazz?," panel moderated by L. Porter, with George Russell, Ran Blake, T.J.
Anderson,
Michael Ullman; Tufts University, February 1980.
"Jazz And Race," International House, Tufts University, 1979.
"The Early and Middle Styles of Lester Young," Society For Ethnomusicology,
New England
Chapter, Brown U., April 1979.
"Jazz Research--Problems and Methods," New England Conservatory, 1979.
Sponsored by
Ran Blake, Director, Third Stream Department.
"A History Of Big Band Jazz," narrated concerts with the Jazz Ensemble, Tufts
University,
Porter, 13
April 1978, and November, 1978.
Jazz Educators Panel, Medford Public Library, taped for local cable TV, 1977.
Radio, Television, and Film Appearances
Interviewed in June 05 by actor/producer Kim Fields for a BET-TV documentary about Monk and
Coltrane (aired nationally 9/05; short excerpt at monkzone.com).
Interviewed in June 05 for a WBGO radio documentary about Monk and Coltrane (aired nationally
9/05).
Interviewed live on WNYC radio, by John Schaefer, 9/27/05.
Feb 28, 2005. Live radio interview, WCBQ AM, North Carolina, with Dr. Alvin Jones
BBC radio production about Coltrane's A Love Supreme, hosted by Courtney Pine, includes interview
with me; broadcast 12/04
Interviewed by BBC-TV director Lol Lovett for a Coltrane documentary, aired on
BBC in June 2004. Prominently featured in film. Also consultant to film and credited as such.
Consultant during 2003-4 for Leonard Bernstein PRI radio series, hosted by
Susan Sarandon, which aired in Jan. and Feb. 2005.
Radio interview about Coltrane, WKCR-FM, March 24, 2004.
I am interviewed on screen during the public television program, "Carolina
Bebop Kings,"
aired in March 2002.
Interview for the full hour of the national radio program Public Interest on May 31, 2002, also carried
on wamu.org. It was rebroadcast 9/27/02
and archived at the website.
Interview, August 6, 2002, one hour on WBGO-FM and on wbgo.org.
July 3, 2002, I was the guest host, with Evan Spring, of the Musicians' Show
on WKCR-FM and on www.wkcr.org, playing a broad variety of "my
favorite CDs" (jazz, classical, and pop).
Interview excerpts with Porter were heard throughout the four-part BBC Radio series about Charles
Mingus, broadcast througout the United
Kingdom in March 2002.
Interview excerpts with me were broadcast on National Public Radio's fivepart radio series on
John Coltrane, produced by Steve Rowland, throughout the month of September 2001; rebroadcast
every
September since (2002,3,4). I was also script consultant for the series
(primarily editing and fact-checking the narrator's script).
Interview excerpts with me were broadcast on National Public Radio's twopart radio series,
"Jazz Profiles: John Coltrane, produced by John
Diliberto, during the last two weeks of
September 2001; rebroadcast
every September since (2002,3,4). Excerpts online at:
http://www.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/coltrane_
1.html
I appeared as a live interview guest on Powerpoint Radio, a nationally
syndicated AfricanAmerican news program, May 20, 2001.
Interview recorded for National Public Radio "Top 100," October 11, 2000;
broadcast
nationally on All Things Considered, October 23.
Porter, 14
Interview "sound bites" broadcast on National Public Radio Weekend Edition,
April 8, 2000
Interview excerpts broadcast on BBC Radio "Ascension" series, a four-part
study of John
Coltrane, June 2000
Interviewed on New Jersey News 12 TV, August 31 and September 14, 1998
(the latter a 5-minute live interview).
Interviewed on BET on Jazz cable television channel on 1/7/98 and 2/20/98.
News item about the M.A. program read on WINS and WCBS news radio
stations on August 30, 1998.
Interview on WBGO-FM, Sept. 16, 1998
Interview on WKCR-FM, N.Y., March 27, 1998
Interviewed on radio KBEM 7/31/97
Minnesota Public Radio, 8/2/97
Leonard Lopate talk show, WNYC-AM, 1/28/97
WPFW radio, Wash., D.C., 2/11, 2/15, and 2/18/98.
WNYC-FM, Manhattan. Live performance and interview, June 9, 1995
Rostar Satellite Television, "Arts in New York," broadcast on cable to 23
countries.
"Sound bite" of Porter talking and at the piano. Oct. 1994.
WRTI-FM, Temple U., phone interview, 9/19/95, 3-4pm
BBC Radio, program on Swing Era, prod. Sheila Tracey; "sound bite" by Porter.
National Public Radio, October 1992, documentary on Dizzy Gillespie, prod.
Eugene
Holley; "sound bite" by Porter.
International Channel, "Jewish Music Hour," performance as drummer with the
group
"Zahav," October 1991.
"The Miles Davis Project," National Public Radio, October and November 1990.
Porter appears
in short interview segments, and was also consultant.
WHRB-FM, Harvard University, telephone interview, January 1990.
"Lester Young: Song of the Spirit," video doc. "Sound bite" of Porter. 1988
Danish Radio, November 21, 1988, interview with Roland Bagganaes.
WNYC-FM, November 11, 1988, interview on "Around New York."
WKCR-FM, November 8, 1988, interview on Ted Panken show.
WGBH-FM, September 22, 1988, interview on "Music America" show.
WNJN-TV, "State Of The Arts" feature on Porter's summer course for jazz
educators at
Rutgers, aired September 12-19, 1988 (taped July 18).
KLCC-FM, Eugene, August 11, 1988, interview with Michael Canning.
KBOO-FM, Portland, August 10, 1988, the Don Manning show.
KLCC-FM, Eugene, August 7, 1988. Coltrane special with Carl Woideck.
KPLU-FM, Tacoma, July 31, 1988, three hour show with Ken Wiley.
WGBH-FM, April 22, 1988, interview along with Buddy De Franco, Terry Gibbs.
Nationwide NPR stations including WBGO, "Remembering 'Trane," John Coltrane
documentary,
includes brief Porter interview, broadcast Fall 1987.
WNYC-FM, September 23, 1987, John Coltrane special (rebroadcast 1988)
WNJN-TV, "State Of The Arts" feature on Illinois Jacquet, brief comment,1987.
WKCR-FM, Lester Young tribute with Phil Schaap. March 1987.
Nationwide NPR stations including WNYC, "Women In Jazz," segment of "A Note
To You" with
Roland Nadeau, broadcast Fall 1986.
WMBR-FM, Cambridge, Mass., live performance, January 17, 1986
BBC Radio London, Black Londoners Show, live performance, January 1986.
Independent Radio Victory, Portsmouth, England, December 31, 1985.
BBC Radio 2, Peter Clayton show, December 29, 1985.
Porter, 15
BBC Radio Solent, Southampton, December 27, 1985.
BBC Radio Merseyside, Liverpool, Steve Voce show, December 25, 1985.
BBC Radio London, Brian Priestley show, Dec. 21, 1985.
WBUR-FM, Boston, Tony Cennamo show, October 27, 1985.
WMFO-FM, Medford, Mass., three hours on Lester Young including live
by Porter, October 20, 1985.
WKCR-FM, New York, Loren Schoenberg show, September 19,1985.
WGBH-FM, Boston, Music America program, July 1, 1985.
WBUR-FM, Boston, Steve Elman show, January, 1980.
WBUR-FM, Boston, Steve Elman show, taped performance, 1979.
Cable Television, Medford, Mass., Jazz Educators show, interview,1977
WGBH-FM, Boston, Collector's Corner, 1975
NBC-TV(KRON), San Francisco, Community Program, performance, 1974
performance
Selected Performances
(This very selective list only includes my work with well-known recording artists, and my performances
in Europe.)
Residency:
I was in residence at Williams College on March 13-14, 2003. A student group rehearsed and
performed my compositions, and I performed with them on two pieces.
Concerts:
1992-present (piano exclusively)
Concert with Furio DiCastri, one of the leading bassists in Europe; Siena, Italy, July 29, 2006
Cambridge, Mass. Lily Pad Gallery. Duet concert with Dan Faulk, 3/17/06
Rutgers-Newark concerts 11/9/05, 2/8/06, 3/22/06
Lester Young memorial festival, on the bill with Billy Taylor et al, St. Peter's Church in Manhattan,
3/12/06
Concert with Daniel Carter, Artists At Large Series, Boston, Nov. 30, 2005
Concert with Brad Jones, as part of service dedicated to John Coltrane, Unitarian Church of
Huntington, N.Y., July 30, 2005
Rutgers- Newark concerts 11/10/04; with Chris Forbes, 3/30/05; concerts with Leo Johnson, 2/23 and
11/9/05
One Station Plaza, Peekskill, NY, Jan 29, 2005
Concert for chemistry conference at Rutgers-Newark, June 20, 2004
Rosendale Café, Kingston, NY, June 19, 2004
PERFORMANCES in Manhattan June 14, 21, August 23, Oct 16, 12/20, March 14/04, 6/19/04, etc.
Concerts on campus 11/7, 3/3/04, 3/31/04 (solo), 6/20/04
Porter, 16
Concert, accompanying French tap dancer Stephanie Larriere, Barbé’s, Brooklyn, June 14, 2003
Eight performances in Manhattan in 2003.
Concert, as part of Matt Lavelle Quartet, Music NOW Festival, Manhattan, June 14, 2003
My piece "Irish Mantra" was set to choreography by Williams College faculty for a dance
performance on April 26, 2003
Concert, Lester Young Memorial Concert, as one of many artists participating, St. Peter's Lutheran
Church, Manhattan, March 16, 2003
Concert, CBGB Gallery, Manhattan, Nov. 24, 2002.
Solo recital, Duke Ellington Society Symposium, held in Dana Library, Nov. 2, 2002.
Concert, Oct. 26, 2002, Triad Theater, Manhattan
Concert, Sept. 28, 2002, at the public library in Old Bridge, NJ
Concert, August 7, 2002, Trumpet's nightclub, Montclair, NJ.
Concert, outdoors at Park Place, Newark, August 13, 2002. Broadcast "live" on WBGO-FM and on
wbgo.org.
Concert with musicians from Wash., D.C., "Jazz Night in Southwest D.C.," February 15, 2002.
Concert, Newark Museum, August 9, 2001. A color photo of the group was in the Star-Ledger; the
concert was standing-room only and very well
received.
Concert, Southern Conn. State College, April 26, 2000
Concert, Williams College, Mass., Nov., 1999.
Concert, William Paterson College, Feb, 11, 1999
Performed at Twins, Washington, D.C., 2/19/98.
Concert, Ohio State U., Nov. 7, 1997
Solo piano concert, Studio 5C, Manhattan, Sept. 18, 1997
Concert, University of North Carolina, February 28, 1997.
Performed at Artist's Quarter, Minneapolis, 8/1 and 8/2/97.
Concerts, William Paterson College, 10/5/95 and 2/11/99
Trumpet's (jazz nightclub), Montclair, NJ, July 20, 1995
Two concerts at Cornelia Street Cafe, Manhattan, April and July 1995
1986-1991 (piano and alto saxophone)
Concert at Hastings High School, Hastings-on Hudson, NY, March 23, 1991
Composed and performed piano music to Wellwater, a production of the Theater
Speech Dept. directed by Glenda Dickerson, December 1991
Knitting Factory in Soho, Manhattan, 12/26/90.
Leader of quartet with Don Friedman and Barry Altschul, Birdland,1989.
Leader of quartet with Don Friedman, Rutgers-Newark, March 30, 1989.
Duet with Don Friedman, sponsored by Rutgers and NJIT, February 22, 1989.
Leader of quintet with Tom Varner and Mike Richmond, Rutgers, Feb. 9,1989
Concerts in Copenhagen and Odense, Denmark, November 23-25, 1988.
Leader of quintet with Steve Nelson and John Goldsby, Monmouth County Jazz
November 16, 1988.
Leader of quintet with Tom Varner and Hank Roberts, Kraine Gallery,1988.
Duet concert with Don Friedman, Newark Public Library, October 9, 1988.
Concert at Yale University with Don Friedman, IASPM Conference, Sep. 30, 1988.
Concert at Brandeis University with Tom Varner, September 22, 1988.
Concerts for Rutgers classes with Ran Blake (May and June 1988) and Milt
22, 1988).
Three concerts in honor of Eric Dolphy, Rutgers-Newark (March 1988), Rutgers-
Arts and
Festival,
Hinton (June
Busch (March
Porter, 17
1988), and Knitting Factory (June 14, 1988).
Concerts as part of Rutgers Jazz Professors with Kenny Barron, in New York and
December 20, 1987, and May 15, 1988.
Lester Young memorial concert, St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Manhattan, 1988.
Member of Butch Morris Orchestra, Tufts University, April 23, 1988.
Two concerts in Trento, Italy, leading an Italian group, November 1987.
Concert with Guido Manusardi at Capolinea, Milan, Italy, November 1987.
Regular performances in Newark and vicinity with Frank Lowe, Anthony Brown,
Calvin Hill, and others.
Concert in honor of Ornette Coleman, with Mr. Coleman present.
Tufts University, April 22, 1987.
New Jersey,
Ed Schuller,
1982-1986.
Regular performances in Boston area with Alan Dawson, Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson, Terri Lynne
Carrington, George Garzone, Joe Cohn, and others.
Duet with Jimmy Lyons, Tufts U., May 1, 1985.
Workshop with Ornette Coleman, and performance in his honor, Brandeis
University,
April 26, 1985.
Duet with Butch Morris, Tufts U., April 18, 1985.
Sitting in with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Tufts U., February 15, 1985.
With the Butch Morris Ensemble, Tufts U., February 11, 1985.
Performed "Intermezzo" by T.J. Anderson, Tufts U., August 31, 1984.
Concert with Jimmy Maxwell and James Williams at Tufts U., Feb., 1983.
1974-1981
Boston area. Leader of jazz quartet. Concerts at universities, jazz clubs (Michael's, Storyville), and
elsewhere.
1973-1974
New York City. Full time performer, leader of quartet. Concerts at Stryker's, other jazz clubs, with
Cameron Brown, John Abercrombie; also with Paul Quinichette at the Jazz Museum.
1972-1973
San Francisco. Full time performer, leader of jazz quartets, and of Indian
Improvisation
Ensemble with faculty of Ali Akbar Khan school. Also
solo piano recitals of modern "classical" improvisation. Performances at
1750 Arch
Street, U. Of Cal. at Berkeley, clubs, NBC-TV.
1969-1972
Rochester, N.Y. Leader of trio.
Solo piano recital of modern "classical" improvisation, U. Of R., Dec., 1971.
"Piece For Solo Piano" performed by Professor David R. Williams at Eastman School, April, 1971.
GRANTS, AWARDS, AND SERVICES PERFORMED
Fellowships
New Jersey Governor's Fellowship in the Humanities, 1989-1990. One of 17 appointments given to
support one year of release time for scholarship.
External Grants:
New Jersey Department of Higher Education Grant, $31,500 to offer "Teaching
week institute for college teachers on jazz education,
1988.
Jazz," a five-
Porter, 18
Massachusetts Council On The Arts and Humanities "New Works" grants
(totalling $40,000) to commission music. Tufts University, 1987,1988.
Massachusetts Council On The Arts and Humanities Grant of $10,000 to Tufts
University
Summer School for my course, "Teaching Jazz: An Institute
For Secondary School Teachers,"
July 8-12, 1985.
Internal Grants:
Rutgers Research Council Grants, 1989-1990, 1995-6, 1996-7, 1998-9, 2000-1, 2002-3, 2003-4.
TEC grant, 1997-8, $1500 to offer a series of five workshops for PTLs, graduate students and interested
undergraduates on incorporating a variety of music into the curriculum. Coauthored and coproduced with
Bill Bauer.
One semester FASP leaves, Fall 2006, Fall 2002, Spring 1999, Fall 1995, Spring 1992, Fall 1988.
Henry Rutgers Research Fellowship, 1986-1988.
Rutgers University Merit Salary Adjustments, July 1987, 1990, 1992, and 1997.
Rutgers University Travel Grants, February 1998, November 1997, February
1997,
February 1987, February 1988, and August 1988, to lecture and
perform at conferences.
Rutgers University Performance Grants from the Conklin Fund, September 1986,
March 1987,
and March 1988,
Rutgers Research Council Grants, 1989-1990, 1995-6 and 1996-7.
Tufts University Faculty Research Fund Award, 1985.
Tufts University Faculty Research Fund Award, 1983.
Gordon Fellowship, Brandeis University, 1981-1982.
Remis Fellowship, Brandeis University, 1979-1981
Prizes, Awards and Honors:
ARSC (Association for Recorded Sound Collections) 1999 Award for Excellence
in Historical Recorded Sound Research in its category "Recorded Jazz
or Blues," for the book John Coltrane: His Life and Music.
Grammy Nomination, January 1996, for contribution (booklet essay and project
The Complete Atlantic Recordings of John Coltrane
(boxed
set, Rhino Records) in category of Best Historical Reissue
Award from the Tufts University Senior Class, 1984, for outstanding service to
community.
National Association of Jazz Educators, Certificate of Appreciation, 1983.
Affiliate (Honorary Member) of Dudley House, Harvard University, in
recognition of service for teaching a course there.
Listing in Outstanding Young Men of America, 1988 edition.
Services to the Profession
Manuscript Reviews for Publishers (ONGOING):
National Endowment for the Humanities (1 review)
National Endowment for the Arts (2 reviews)
Oxford University Press (11 reviews)
University of Michigan Press (12 reviews)
Prentice-Hall, Inc. (8 reviews)
consultant) to
the Tufts
Porter, 19
Schirmer Books (1 review)
U of California Press (2 reviews)
Wadsworth Press (2 reviews)
Canada Council On The Humanities (1 review)
American Quarterly (1 review)
City University Of New York (1 review)
Smithsonian Institution Press (3 reviews)
Greenwood Press (2 reviews)
Wayne State University Press (1 review)
G.K. Hall (1 review)
U of Illinois Press (1 review)
University of Iowa Press (1 review)
University Press of Mississippi (2 reviews)
Viking books (1 review)
Scholastic Books (1 review)
Consulting for Media, Universities, Dissertations, etc.:
Consulting For Film Projects:
For the following two film projects, both in development, I have been asked by the respective
producers not to provide details to anyone until contracts are signed:
-I am working as consultant to a major music "superstar" on a major Hollywood motion picture,
whose script is being based on some of my published work.
-I am working as a consultant for a proposed cable TV series on jazz.
Other Films:
Consultant to feature film Dark Streets
Consultant to a series for BBC television about words, phrases and the
English language; program on jazz slang.
Other Consulting:
Consultant to Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y. During Feb. 2001, I visited the Performing Arts
Department twice, met with faculty, students, the Provost and the Dean, and then wrote a detailed
report on the current state and future possibilities of the department.
I reviewed one candidate for tenure for the U of Michigan (Dec. 2002).
Evaluated candidates for tenure at Indiana U., C.U.N.Y., U of New Hampshire, and Brooklyn College.
I wrote a report on Andy Sugg's thesis for the University of Adelaide, Australia (8/2001).
I have been reader and adviser of the following theses and dissertations:
Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Music (report completed 8/2001)
M.A. Thesis, Ben Anderson, William and Mary College (completed 2005)
Co-supervisor of Gloria Sandiford M.A. thesis, Liberal Studies, Rutgers-Newark
Ari Poutianien, PhD dissertation, Sibelius Academy, Finland
NYU; American Studies (in progress)
CUNY; Music (completed 1996)
Porter, 20
NYU American Studies (completed April 1991)
Consultant for Jimmy Lyons boxed set; provided concert tape for remastering
Consultant for World Musicians book, H.W.Wilson Company, 1999; listed on
Consultant for the NYC Transit Authority (re designing a new Metrocard with
it) 1/98
Consultant to Carnegie Hall (for Coltrane tribute program 2/12/98)
Conducted and recorded oral history of Jimmy Heath for the archives of the
Institution Jazz Oral History Project, March 1995.
United States Postal Service, consultant for John Coltrane stamp, August 1995
NPR Jazz Profiles, consultant for "Jazz Violin" program, Fall 1995, broadcast
5/96
Consultant to Marcus Miller, credited on his CD Tales (PRA Records, 1995).
Consultant to jazz hour of NPR series "Wade in the Water" 1993.
Consultant to NPR Dizzy Gillespie series 1993.
Composed questions for the GRE Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ,
in music.
Historical and musical consultant for major Miles Davis radio series for
National
Public Radio, 1989-1990.
Consultant to Toby Byron Productions for film documentary on Coltrane, 1990.
Consultant to Herb Paloff Productions for Atlantic City Jazz Festival.
Consultant to Berger and Steingut law firm, music copyright infringement
Consultant for the film "Lester Young: Song of the Spirit," produced by Bruce
1988
BBC Television documentary, Prez: A Jazz Opera (1985), also shown on Bravo
U.S., lists Porter in the acknowledgements
Consultant for "Remembering 'Trane," John Coltrane radio documentary,
National Public Radio, 1986
title page
jazz history info on
Smithsonian
graduate exam
case,1988
Frederickson,
channel in the
Editorial Positions:
Fall 2005- Founder, and coeditor with John Howland of Jazz Perspectives, the first peer-reviewed journal in
jazz. First issue Jan. 2007.
Feb. 2002-present. Editor, Jazz Perspectives, a major series of books on jazz by various authors, for
the U of Michigan Press. I am selecting, commissioning, recruiting, and editing books for the series.
We get about one manuscript to consider each month, so this has been quite busy.
2003- present. Accepted invitation to join the Editorial Board of the French journal Les Cahiers du
Jazz (Ed. Laurent Cugny)
Advisor, allaboutjazz.com, leading jazz website.
Guest editor of four books in the Institute of Jazz Studies Jazz Monograph Series:
Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation, by Henry Martin,1996.
J.J. Johnson, by Joshua Berrett (1997)
Warne Marsh, by Safford Chamberlain (1998)
John Coltrane: A Discography and Musical Biography, by Yasuhiro Fujioka with
Lewis Porter and Yoh-Ichi Hamada (1995; listed under Publications
Porter, 21
because I was coauthor as well)
Annual Review of Jazz Studies--Co-Editor with Dan Morgenstern, Ed Berger,
of issues 5 (1991), 6 (1993) and 7 (1994-5)
The Black Perspective In Music--Jazz Editor, 1979-1990 (ceased publication)
Field Editor, Wayne State University Press, 1987-1993
Panelist, Merit Aid Program, Mass. Council On Arts and Humanities, 1985-6
Current Musicology--Corresponding Editor, 1980-1982, 1985
David Cayer,
Professional Organizations
American Musicological Society
College Music Society
Music Educators National Conference
National Association Of Jazz Educators
International Association Of Jazz Record Collectors
New England College Band Association--Chair, Commissioning Project, 1983-1984
Contributions To Rutgers University:
Sept. 1997-present. Director, M.A. Program in Jazz History and Research. I am primary advisor and
thesis director for all 28 graduate sudents. I also meet with them regarding career counseling, and
supervise them in teaching undergraduate courses.
Teaching Beyond the Assigned Load:
I take on two to five Independent Studies every semester, and I take them seriously. For example in
Spring and Fall 2005, I met 8 times each semester with three Ind Study students (we met as a group).
Even though I was on leave in the fall of 2002 I advised 9 Master's theses that semester.
I often teach Independent Studies for Mason Gross Master's or PhD students.
2005-present. Member of Advisory Board of American Studies PhD Program.
Member, Executive Committee of the Graduate School, since Fall 1997
Member, Advisory Board to the Institute of Jazz Studies (1986-present; Vice
Chair, 1989).
1998-present. Work with Undergraduate Music Program Coordinator to plan the PTLs and course
schedules each semester and for the summer.
My M.A. course Historiography I and II is required for Mason Gross M.M. students; I add 5 or 6 of
them to my course every semester.
June 12, 2002. Volunteered my services and performed at the Tribute to Norman Samuels.
Sept. 1998-present. Designed the first distance learning courses on our campus, using
videoconferencing and speakerphones. All students and program faculty are part of a very active
listserv (a discussion group, not just a mailing list) which we use to continue discussions begun in
class, share essays written for homework, post announcements, etc.
Porter, 22
1993-Dec. 1998. Music Program Coordinator. Revised music curriculum, hired
adjuncts to teach instruments not previously offered, revived jazz concert
series, initiated faculty recital series, initiated regular meetings for majors,
minors and PTLs.
1996-98. Designed the 12-course curriculum for the world's first MA in Jazz
History and Research. Began directing the program, recruiting students and teaching courses Sept. 1997.
Final approvals completed May 1998.
Member, Appointments and Promotions (A&P) Committee of the campus (Humanities Division)
Member, Dean's Honors Task Force Committee, Fall 1998
Member of Teaching Excellence Committee (Sept. 97.-2000)
Member of jazz (fulltime position) search committee within the dept., Spring 98.
Member of PEC Committee within the dept., Spring 98.
1995-6. Helped design, initiate and program the Jazz Research Roundtable
series at the Institute of Jazz Studies, offered the debut lecture (Feb.
1995) which was attended by 50 people—the largest audience to date—and moderated three
additional meetings.
June 1994. Performed music for the Law School commencement 92-93. Taught
four independent studies in spring 93, and one independent study in fall
92.
92-93. Member of Budget and Planning Committee
Spring 93 semester. Member of Theater search committee in the department.
Spring 93 semester. Member of Music search committee in the department.
Feb. 93. At the invitation of the Teaching Excellence Center, offered a workshop
on Teaching
Large Classes, attended by about 20 faculty.
Arts Task Force, Fall 1991 semester.
Search Committee for a Chair of the Arts, Spring 1992 semester.
Member, Courses of Study Committee, Spring 1989, and 1990-91 school year.
Member, Dana Library Committee, Spring 1989
Secretary, Admissions Committee, 1987-88
Member, Committee on the Integration of Research on Gender, Race and Class Into the
Curriculum, 1987-88
Designed and taught "Introduction To Graduate Studies: Jazz," at Mason Gross, Fall 87, Fall 90. This
course was singled out for praise in the 1987-88
External Review.
Supervised three Independent Study Courses, one in Spring 87, two in Sp.1988.
Honors Colloquium, November 4, 1987, about performance issues raised by
Vladimir Horowitz
and his predecessors, illustrated with rare recordings.
Sunday On Campus, taught a jazz class for prospective applicants, Nov. 22,
1987.
Proposed and designed, along with Theater and Fine Arts faculty, a Science,
Technology, and
Society course, "Technology and the Arts" for Fall 89.
Assisted in researching and writing budget narrative for Kenneth Wilson's successful proposal for a
Computers in Curricula grant from New Jersey
Department of Higher Education, 1988.
Contributed suggestions for the M.M. jazz exams at Mason Gross School, and
designed suggested
forms for evaluation of the jazz program.
Direction Of Concerts, Festivals, and Workshops:
Porter, 23
Rutgers-Newark: With funding from the Cultural Programming Committee and before that the Provosts'
Office, planned, hired and advertised year-round series of jazz concerts, workshops and demonstrations
every year since 1993.
Director and primary teacher of "Teaching Jazz: An Institute for College Teachers," funded by the New
Jersey Department Of Higher Education. Intensive five week course bringing in Gunther Schuller,
David Baker, Lawrence Gushee, Milt Hinton, Ran Blake and other distinguished guest speakers. Also
performed with Frank Lowe at Rutgers, Spring 1987, and Ran Blake, May 1988.
Tufts University Jazz Festival: Co-produced festivals for 1984, 1985, and 1986. Assisted producers of
festivals for 1983, 1982, and1980. Conducted two concerts at each festival featuring guest artists and
student groups, and arranged workshops with the guest artists, who included Billy Taylor, B.B.King,
Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Maxwell, Toshiko Akiyoshi. Personal contacts with the artists
and their agents.
College Band Festivals: 1979-1986, organized invitational concerts for college jazz bands of Harvard
University, M.I.T., Lowell State University, Brandeis U., Boston University, at Tufts, once every
semester. Also classical band exchange concerts with Lowell State, Boston University, and Brandeis
University.
Contributions to Society at Large
(see also Conference Presentations, Lectures, Panels and Workshops)
Co-produced and chaired a multicultural Martin Luther King Tribute at the American Jewish Congress,
E. 84 St. Manhattan; keynote speaker Dr. Billy Taylor, 1993. A short clip of it was shown on ABC news
and a five minute report about it appeared on Monitor Radio, WNYC-AM.
Governing Council of the Metropolitan Chapter of the American Jewish
Congress, spring 1992.
National Committee on Campus Affairs of the Anti-Defamation League, 1992.
Article on Leonard Jeffries for the Rutgers Observer, campus paper, 11/91.
Article on anti-semitism for the American Jewish Congress Newsletter, 3/92.
PUBLISHED MENTIONS OF MY WORK AND CAREER
(except for short passing references)
General Articles About Me and My Work
Interviewed and photographed in special New Jersey Jazz section of Star Ledger: Great Day In
Jersey, 8/28/03. Additional photos of me were on the accompanying website.
Profiled in a separate article in the Star Ledger jazz section of 8/28/03: "Keeping the music alive," by
Alexander Lane, with a photo.
"When They Write the Book: Pianist Lewis Porter's Creates an Encyclopedia of
Jazz," by Matt Rand; Squidsear.com
Porter, 24
"A Music Teacher Makes Music: Larchmont's Lewis Porter Leads the Band," by R.J. Marx, in
Westchester County Times, December 2002.
Porter was quoted at length in "The Miracle of Coltrane: Dead at 40, Still Vital
Ratliff, New York Times, December 7, 2001.
I was quoted at length in "Jazz in the Catbird Seat: It Wasn't Always So," by
York Times, Jan. 6, 2001, B9, B11.
at 75," by Ben
"Lewis Porter," brief biography, in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, second
leading work of its kind.
edition (2001), the
A brief interview with me was published in the Star Ledger (with color photo)
in anticipation of my concert at the Newark
Museum,
August 9.
"Lewis Porter, " two-page article, in Contemporary Authors, Gale Publishing,
George Kanzler, "Author Unearths New Details About Life Of John
Coltrane," Newark Star-Ledger, July 12, 1998 (with photos)
Kijun Lee, "Lewis Porter Interview," Jazz Hipster (Korea), August/Sept.
Douglas Frank, Rutgers Focus, “Lewis Porter: Jazzman to the Roots,” twostory with photos, January 24, 1998.
Carla Danziger, Rutgers Focus, February 24, 1989
Francis Burns, staff writer, UPI News Story, June 16, 1988
The Observer, Rutgers Newark, September 16,1986
Bright Moments, Newark, September 25, 1986
The Observer, Rutgers-Newark, February 24, 1987 (photo only)
Continuing Education Newsletter at Tufts Univ., November 1985
Tufts Journal, story on my role in jazz education, with photos,1985
Tufts Journal, Porter's career in jazz, with photo, 1982
Tufts Observer, my involvement in performance and research,1980
Jewish Advocate, profile and lecture review, with photo, 1981
on August 3, 2001,
Ben Ratliff, New
2000.
1998
page
Periodical articles that include interview excerpts with me
"From Archive to Classic," by Alan Bergman, Jazz Education Journal, 38/4, January 2006
David Yaffe, "Andrew Hill," The Nation (June 2006)
"Jazz Enthusiasts Pick Up a Few Lingering Echoes," by Ben Ratliff,
February 21, 2005, NY Times
"A Jazz Discovery Adds a New Note to the Historical Record," by Ben Ratliff, April 25, 2005, NY
Times
"Monk and 'Trane--Together at Last," by Malcolm Jones, Newsweek 9/26/05 (also online at
monkzone.com)
"Two jazz giants, one long-lost recording," by Zan Stewart, Sunday, September 25, 2005, Star-Ledger
(interviews and photo of Porter)
Porter, 25
"Masterpiece: Coltrane and Monk, Together," Wall Street Journal, by Nat Hentoff, October 1, 2005
"In the Lions' Den" (profile of the IJS), by Annette John-Hall, Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 17, 2004
"New Monk and Coltrane CD," by Jason Koransky, Down Beat magazine, October 2005
"WBGO documents Monk-Trane magic," by David Hinckley, Daily News, September 26, 2005
"Dusting Off the Record Of a Classic Collaboration," by Will Friedwald, The New York Sun, August
30, 2005
"Celebrating John Coltrane," by Terrell Kent Holmes, All About Jazz, October 2005
"Rare jazz find sweet music for registry," by Glynn Wilson, Hollywood Reporter, April 06, 2005.
Also archived online at:
http://thehollywoodreporter.com/thr/music/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000866347
One paragraph by me is in "Steve Lacy 1934-2004," All About Jazz, July 2004
"Worth of the Cool," by David Gillen, March 05, Bloomberg Markets, (a monthly financial magazine
published by NYC Mayor Bloomberg's company). Includes interview with me.
Terrell Holmes, "Celebrating Coltrane," All About Jazz, September 2005, p.17
Yasuhiro Fujioka mentions me in the liner notes to the Japanese editionm of the Monk and Coltrane
CD, and in articles in the Japanese magazines Swing Journal, and Jazz Critique (all 2005)
Marcelle S. Fischler, N. Y. Times, February 15, 2004. Long Island Journal: Saving A Jazz Great's
Home From Oblivion
Ben Ratliff, N.Y. Times, December 7, 2001. The Miracle of Coltrane: Dead at 40, Still Vital at 75
Lewis Porter, Letter To The Editor, N.Y. Times, October 7, 2001.
John Coltrane: Not Myths
Ben Ratliff, N.Y. Times, January 6, 2001. Jazz in the Catbird Seat: It Wasn't Always So
Mentioned/cited in Mary Lou Williams's Hymn "Black Christ of the Andes"… in Musical Quarterly
86/4 Winter 2002, 591-629 (Porter on 619)
Interviewed in Peter Goodman, "A haven, a home, for Trane," in Newsday, March 28, 2004
"Trane Legend Still on Track, by Al Hunter (Philadelphia Daily News, 10/17/02, pp.36ff), includes an
interview with me.
Article in Boston Globe, 4/3/2000
"A Sax Divine," July-August 1999 issue of Utne Reader; the article
Porter, 26
first appeared in the March/April issue of The Other Side, in Toronto.
Howard Mandel, “Louder Than Words: The Enduring Legacy of John Coltrane,” Down Beat June
1998. Includes a full page of interview with Porter.
Ben Ratliff, "With This Composer, The Work is Never Done" (April 22, 1998,
N.Y. Times)
George Kanzler, "For Wayne Shorter, it's music to his years," Newark StarLedger, July 1997
N.Y. Times online article by M. Mirapaul April 10, 1997
San Jose Mercury News article by Rich Scheinin 7/12/97
Don Diorio in the Herald and News (NJ), 11/16/97.
Owen Cordle, “Reflections on John Coltrane,” News and Observer (Chapel Hill,
N.C.), March
30, 1997
Michael Futch, Fayetteville Observer-Times, N.C., 8/11/95, section E, pp. 8-9,
16, "Theme From Hamlet."
Jazz Critique (Japan) 1997 no. 91, photo and news item
Jazz Critique (Japan) 1995 no. 3, photo and news item
Swing Journal (Japan) 1993; photo and news item
Jazz Critique (Japan) 1992 No. 3, two photos and news item
Jazz Critique (Japan) Dec. 1991, photo and news item
Fred Shuster, “Miles To Go,” L.A. Daily News, Aug. 22, 1992
Bill Shoemaker, "John Coltrane After 25 Years," Down Beat magazine July 1992.
Extensive
interview with Porter.
Rich Shelhorn, "Avant-Garde Jazz," UNC Journalist (campus paper), April 1992
Clive Davis, "Jazz: Brassy, But Becoming Boring," in The London Times, July 3,
1990.
Quotes extensively from interview with Porter.
Timothy McKenna, "All That Jersey Jazz," in News Tribune, March 11, 1990.
George Kanzler, "AJO Revives Classic Lunceford Sound," Newark Star Ledger,
May 15, 1988.
Articles About Me and the Jazz M.A. Program
"A Master's Degree in Jazz Studies," by Terry Ripmaster, in Jersey Jazz, March 2001, 18
An Informal Interview with Lewis Porter. Perfect Sound Forever (online music magazine)
http://www.furious.com/perfect
Spanish translation of the above at: http://www.tomajazz.com/perfiles/investigacion_jazzistica.htm
Eugene Holley, Down Beat, Dec. 1999. Feature article. This is by far the largest circulation jazz
publication, reaching about 250,000 people each month worldwide.
Deepti Hajela, Associated Press (with photo). This half page article with photo appeared on August 30,
1998 in the Star Ledger, The Record, Asbury Park Press, Herald and News, and other papers. A
shortened version was read on WINS and WCBS news radio stations and on New Jersey 12 news TV
station the same day.
Publications that quote me or list me among their acknowledgements (These include many scholarly
books and articles on jazz since about 1990; some but not all are listed here.)
BOOKS AND WEBSITES THAT I HAVE ENDORSED:
Porter, 27
My "blurbs" appear at JuliusTolentino.com and IanCarey.com
Dong-June Lee, leading Korean film composer, credits my help on his latest soundtrack CD.
Numerous books list me in the Acknowledgments--I help authors worldwide with research,
finding interested publishers, etc. This is only a sampling:
Brian Priestley, Chasin' the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker (London: Equinox
Publishing Limited, 2005; NY: Oxford, 2006).
Jeffrey Magee, Fletcher Henderson (Oxford, 2004)
Henry Martin and Keith Waters, new edition of Jazz: The First Hundred Years (Wadsworth, 2004)
Booklet to CD set, The Complete Jazz at the Philharmonic on Verve, 1944-1949 (Verve 3145238932)
ALSO the following authors:
Masaya Yamaguchi, David Demsey, Greg Fishman, Carl Woideck (3 books), Bill Kirchner, Gary
Carner, Joshua Berrett (2 books)
MORE Acknowledgements:
Mervyl Cooke and David Horn, Eds., The Cambridge Jazz Companion (Cambridge U Press, 2003)
Ashley Kahn, A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album (N.Y.: Viking, Oct.
2002), cites me throughout (see index) and thanks
me in the acknowledgments.
Ralf Dombrowski, John Coltrane: Sein Leben, Seine Musik, Seine Schallplatten (Waakirchen,
Germany: Oreos Verlag, 2002), cites me throughout and
thanks me in the acknowledgments,
saying my work was his
"grundlagenarbeit" (groundlaying work; foundation of his work).
Jazz In American Culture, by Peter Townsend (University Press of Mississippi, 2000)
Andrew Clark, Riffs and Choruses (London: Continuum, 2001)
Linda Dahl, Morning Glory: Mary Lou Williams (Oxford U. Press, 2000)
Interviewed for the book Birth of the Cool by Lewis Macadam (Free Press,
2000)
Acknowledged in Bernardes, Julia-Miguel and Isabel, A CD Discography of Musical Compostion in
Portugal (Lisbon: Imprensa Nacional, 2003)
Noah Baerman, Jazz Keyboard Harmony (Hal Leonard, 2000)
Hafez Modirzadeh, "Spiralling Chinese Cyclic Theory and Modal Jazz Practice Across Millenia,"
in Journal of Music in China, 2/2, Oct. 2000
Ashley Kahn, Kind of Blue (Da Capo Press, 2000)
The Complete Lester Young on Verve (CD set, 1999)
World Musicians, H.W.Wilson Company, 1999; listed on title page
Carl Woideck, Charlie Parker: His Music and Life; ed., A Charlie Parker
Companion;
ed., A John Coltrane Companion
Jacques Ponzio and François Postif, Blue Monk (France, 1995)
Bill Kirchner, ed., Big Band Renaissance ((Smithsonian Insititution Press, 1996);
ed., Eric
Dolphy: The Complete Prestige Recordings
Porter, 28
Ingrid Monson, Sayin’ Something: Interaction in Jazz
Bill Kirchner, A Miles Davis Reader
Gary Carner, A Miles Davis Companion
Chip Deffaa, In the Mainstream; acknowledgement and endorsement on back
Krin Gabbard, Jammin' at the Margins; acknowledgement and endorsement
Krin Gabbard, Representing Jazz and Jazz Among the Discourses
Gerhard Putchogl, Jazzforschung 18
Will Friedwald, Jazz Singers
Paul Berliner, Thinking in Jazz, several citations (indexed as well)
John Chilton, Sidney Bechet
John Chilton, Coleman Hawkins
James L. Collier, Jazz: An American Theme Song; favorable mention of my work
Thomas Owens, Bebop, several citations
David Such, Playing Out There
Chris Sheridan, Count Basie
Jan Lohmann, Miles Davis
Gary Carner, Jazz Performers: An Annotated Bibliography (1990).
Frank Büchmann-Møller, You Got To Be Original, Man! (Greenwood Press,1990).
Frank Büchmann-Møller, You Just Fight For Your Life (Greenwood Press, 1990).
Martin Williams, Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, revised edition
Insititution Press, 1987).
Mark Gridley, Jazz Styles, all editions since the second (Prentice-Hall,
1985,1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003).
Jack Chambers, Miles Davis (University Of Toronto Press, 1985).
John Chilton, Sidney Bechet (Oxford University Press, 1988).
(Smithsonian
Reviews (partial listing, with excerpts)
Reviews of Second Voyage (CD):
Brian Priestley, Jazzwise, July 2002):
"a fine pianist and bandleader... a strong ensemble player and
versatile soloist."
Cadence magazine (Nov. 2002): " Porter is one of the heaviest hitters in the academic jazz world... a
strong leader's debut...The potential for a dual career near the forefront of jazz is there."
Allaboutjazz.com, posted 10 June 2003; by David Adler
Jazzreview.com
Reviews of John Coltrane: His Life and Music:
Essay review in ARJS 11 (2002), by Alexander Stewart
Adam Bresnick, London Times Literary Supplement, June 19, 1998;
"thoroughly engaging…Porter tells it with brio."
Thomas Owens, Jazz Times, June 1998, wrote that "Porter is one of our
scholars…Porter has topped himself this time…[W]hat
an encore?“
Gene Lees, Toronto Globe and Mail, wrote that it is "the finest analysis
of a jazz musician's art I have read"
finest
will he do for
Porter, 29
Brian Priestley, Jazzwise (England), May 1998; “a monumental volume”
Howard Mandel, Down Beat, June 1998, wrote in the course of an
article on Coltrane that the book is “[O]utstanding...rectifies
errors and gaps of the previous Coltrane biographies."
Andy Hamilton, The Wire (London) June 1998; "heroic…an awesome
achievement—the definitive biography."
William F. Gavin, Washington Times, June 21, 1998
Matt Snyder, 5/4 Magazine (Seattle), July/August '98; "…sets the
standard for all biographies of jazz musicians to come…{T}he
last
word."
David Demsey, Saxophone Journal, July/August 98.
Bret Primack, Jazz Track (online magazine), March 2, 1998
Nate Chinen, City Paper (Phil.), April 17, 1998
Y. Fujioka, Jazz Critique (Japan) No. 95 (April 1998)
Joe Vanderford, The Independent, Chapel Hill, N.C., June 24-30, 1998
David Johnson, Bloomington Voice, March 19-26, 1998
Pete Barlas, Investors Business Daily, 4/5/99
April/May 1999 issue of the Boston Book Review
Pre-publication endorsements by Richard Crawford, Jimmy Heath, Dan
Morgenstern
Reviews of Jazz: A Century of Change:
Stephen Kelly of Carleton College, MLA Notes, June 1999, Vol. 55 Issue 4, p944, writes that Porter
is one of the scholars who "brought to the field of jazz history new standards of scholarly and
analytical rigor. …a fine collection of interesting readings, with commentary by an intelligent,
reasoned, and openminded guide…it allows the reader to benefit from Porter's considerable
insight…Porter knows what issues might spark interest among students, and he introduces them with
just the right amount of guidance while still leaving room for differences of opinion. Especially
valuable are the excerpts he has included from African American newspapers and periodicals….[A]
valuable addition to the resources in jazz history."
Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1998, wrote that “the material is never less than fascinating,
an in-depth view of thoughtful, often scholarly jazz writing…by primarily black writers….a fine
collection of interesting readings, with commentary by an intelligent, reasoned, and openminded guide."
Thomas Owens, Jazz Times, October 1998, wrote that "it is a fine addition to the ever-expanding library
of high-quality jazz literature"
Reviews of John Coltrane: The Complete Atlantic Recordings that mention my essay:
Bob Blumenthal, Atlantic Monthly; Porter’s essay is “the jewel“
Jim Macnie, Down Beat November 1995
Jazz Times
Reviews of Jazz: From Its Origins to the Present:
Tom Owens (CD-ROM version) in MLA Notes, March 1994; “Lewis
Porter is a shining light in recent jazz scholarship.”
Paul DeBarros, in Down Beat 8/97, wrote that "this is the one to buy,
by far the best effort since [the 1950s]."
Porter, 30
Lee Bash, Jazz Educators Journal, Jan. 1998
Stanley Dance, Jazz Times, Nov. 1993
Frank Buchmann-Moller, Jazz Special (Denmark) 1993, no. 12
Maurizio Franco, Musica Jazz (Italy), 1997
Que Guide to the Best CD-ROMs
Bret Primack, “The Birth of a New Media” (CD-ROM reviews), Jazz
Times May 1994
Reviews of John Coltrane: A Discography and Musical Biography, by Yasuhiro
Fujioka with Lewis Porter and Yoh-Ichi Hamada:
Thomas Owens, Jazz Times June 1997; “a magnificent achievement. It
be the standard of excellence…”
Ken Dryden, Cadence October 1995; “may very well set the standard
for discographies.”
Gary Giddins, Village Voice, 1995
Mark Gilbert, Jazz Journal International (England), April 1996
Stuart Kremsky, Int. Assoc. Of Jazz Record Collectors Journal, Summer
1996
A. David Franklin, ARBA, 1996
Arne Astrup, Jazz Special (Denmark) June-July 1995
should
Reviews of A Lester Young Reader:
Val Wilmer, Jazz FM (England), March 1992
Francis Davis, London Times Literary Supplement, June 12, 1992;
reprinted in his Bebop and Nothingness (Schirmer Books)
David Demsey, American Music, 1993
Jazziz, June-July 1992
Helen Oakley Dance, Jazz Times, April 1992
The Wire, 2/92
David Thomas, MLA Notes, June 1993
Rob Bauer, Int. Assoc. Of Jazz Record Collectors Journal, Summer 1992
Ray Olson, Booklist, October 15, 1991
Washington Post, Book World, Jan. 5, 1992
Robert Armstrong, Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 8, 1992
Laurie Wright, Storyville (England) 149, March 1992
Graham Colombé, Jazz Journal International (England), June 1993
C. M. Weisenberg, Choice, May 1992
James Perone, Library Journal, Nov. 15, 1991
Antiques and Americana, Mid-June 1992
Past Times, Spring 1993
Excerpted in New York Times Book Review section, 12/91, under
"Noted With Pleasure"
Reviews of my book Lester Young:
Brian Priestley, Jazzwise (London), March 2006:
"Porter’s great strength is his concentration on the actual music… I’d forgotten how effortless
Porter’s writing is and, if the above description sounds rather academic, you wouldn’t think so to read
it…. this is a worthy restoration to the list of essential books about key jazz figures."
Porter, 31
H. Wiley Hitchcock, Institute for the Study of American Music
Newsletter, November 1985; “a virtuoso performance—dazzling, deep,
original, coherent, cohesive, and convincing.”
Robert Palmer, New York Times, November 6, 1985 (brief discussion
an article on Billie Holiday)
Bob Blumenthal, Boston Phoenix, November 26, 1985
Roland Baggenaes, Jyllands Posten, Denmark, December 27, 1985
François Postif, Jazz Hot, France,1986
Gary Giddins, London Times Literary Review, 1986
Frank Driggs, Jazz Times, January, 1986
K. Whitehead, Cadence, January, 1986
Laurie Wright, Storyville, England, January-February 1986
Steve Voce, Jazz Journal International, London, January 1986 and
February 1986 (brief discussions in monthly columns)
Dave Gelly, Jazz Journal International, London, March 1986; profile
R.L. Greenhaw, Choice, February 1986
Steve Paul, Kansas City Star, February 9, 1986
Valerie Wilmer, The Wire, London, March 1986
Eileen Southern, The Black Perspective In Music, Spring 1986
Unsigned, Gem The Swinger, England, April 1986
John McDonough, Down Beat, May 1986
Alan Barrell, Footnote, England, April 1986
M. Jennings, The Musician (England), April 1986
Jacques Lubin, Bulletin Du Hot Club De France, June 1986
Unsigned, Come All Ye, Winter 1986
David Horn, Popular Music, England, 6/1, January 1987
Douglas Daniels, American Music, 1987
Coen Hoffman, Names and Numbers 7, Amsterdam (unpublished)
Pino Candini, Musica Jazz (Italy), August-September 1988
Albrekt von Konow, Orkester Journelen (Sweden), October 1988
Robert Palmer, New York Times, favorable mention
Pre-publication endorsements by Dizzy Gillespie, Martin Williams,
Dan Morgenstern, John Hammond, and Lee Konitz.
within
Reviews of Annual Review of Jazz Studies that specifically mention my contributions:
Stanley Dance, Jazz Times, September 1992
Reviews that refer to my essay that accompanies "Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet in New York,
1923-1925":
Joe Klee, Mississippi Rag, November 1981
Mike Joyce, Washington Post, October 22,1981
Cadence,1981
IAJRC Journal,1981
Chris Albertson, Stereo Review, February 1982
Review of my article, "The Early Style of Lester Young," in The Black Perspective In Music, 9/1: Ron
Byrnside, Black Music Research Journal 1986, 14.
Reviews of My Concerts and Lectures
Porter, 32
The Duke Ellington Society wrote of my solo piano performance (Nov. 2002): "Something
new and different came to the fore in each piece Lewis played."
Bob Blumenthal, "The Means Of Conduction," Boston Phoenix, May 6,
Bob Blumenthal, “Stayin’ Alive,” Boston Phoenix, Feb. 26, 1985.
Ed Hazell, Coda April/May 1985
Ed Hazell, Coda Aug./Sept. 1985
Maurizio Franco, “Una Scienza Nuova: L’Ornettologia,” Musica Jazz,
Jan. 1988. Includes two papragraphs about my lecture in
Trento.
James Hale, review of Miles Davis Conference, Jazz Notes, 1995
1988
Other print mentions
Nat Hentoff in Jazz Times (August 2000) cites Porter as someone who has "set high standards for this
genre of writing."
Advertisements for The Grove Dictionary of Jazz list me among the
"world's leading experts" who contributed articles.
Notes by Dan Morgenstern and Loren Schoenberg to Louis Armstrong: Portrait
of the Artist As a Young Man (CBS/Sony) cite my work on p. 10.
Advertisements for Mosaic Records quote my review.
Gene Lees Jazzletter, 5/4 (April 1986), "Collier's Controversy," p.3.
Chris Sheridan, review of Lester Young recordings, Jazz Journal
International, August 1988: 31, mentions my book Lester Young.
Gary Carner, "Whose Flim-Flam?," American Book Review, May-June 1988:19.
Joe Morris Trio LP "Human Rites" (Riti 02 and 03, 1988), liner note thanks me.
Tom Varner, "Julius Watkins, Jazz Pioneer," The Horn Call, 19/1 (October
1988) acknowledges me.
END