Jazz Services Ltd: This is the most comprehensive UK database of current jazz contacts; over 7,000 contacts, including musicians, bands, promoters, venues, education contacts, media contacts, marketing contacts, etc. Their subsidiary, Jazz Newspapers, publishes the largest circulation jazz magazine in the
UK, Jazz UK. Their Web site not only provides comprehensive information on jazz, but also has links to over 1,700 jazz sites internationally. Jazz Services ltd is funded by the Arts Council www.jazzservices.org.uk Buy their book Jazz bands at £5.80 or their book Jazz musicians at £7.50
Absolute Musicians offers a big range of UK Jazz bands ranging in styles from 1920's jazz, swing, blues and big bands, to salsa, and latin jazz. www.absolutemusicians.com
www.jazzmoods.co.uk this booking agency site is excellent, showing 16 top artists
www.musicforlondon.co.uk just what it says about 20 goups or individuals are listed
www.wedding-services.demon.co.uk To get all your wedding services including jazz bands
Jazz festivals world-wide – for when you go on holiday
A USA site is best for finding jazz festivals everywhere. Type in the region you want to search. www.jazztimes.com
Read a jazz magazine
Online free is Jazz UK. Go to www.jazzservices.org.uk www.allaboutjazz.com is a US Jazz magazine and a resource, with a browsable directory of artists' profiles, photos, gigs, festivals, news, reviews, and interviews. A good US magazine is at www.jazzonline.com and another is at www.jazztimes.com At www.jazzimprov.com the site is designed to help everyone learn about and improve their jazz playing. Really serious mission statement this. 4 issues a year, big magazine for $89 subscription. Good stuff. Britain’s best hard copy www.thejazzrag.com Good quality bi monthly jazz magazine
Evaluate and buy jazz cds
I still like www.amazon.co.uk best The site for contemporary jazz musicians where mucisians can sell their own cds is at www.jazzcds.co.uk www.lordisco.com This site is very good for buying CDs and for its 900 or so jazz links, neatly arranged. If you want to buy someone a present relating to jazz then goto www.ejazzlines.com which is a one-stop jazz music website featuring jazz CDs, videos, books, sheet music, posters, play-alongs, and big band arrangements. It is a very comprehensive source.
Downloading free jazz
If you want to get a lot of pop ups then use the well known www.Kazaa.com Millions of people open up their computer music files and will allow you to use the Kazaa search facility to download the songs or artists you search for to your computer. You are expected to do the same for others, otherwise you’ll get a limited service. Its all illegal.
A much better free download site, free of the pop ups and less hype about it is Limewire. www.limewire.com or go to Download.com and download their installation software. You may need a bit of Java as well, but the site will get it for you. (Sun Microsystems will, as well, if you hit difficulty). This is a good site with a good jazz station on it www.digitallyimported.com