A letter sent this week to Jazz Review subscribers apologises for the non-appearance of the April issue of the magzine, and explainds that Jazz Journal Publishing has acquired Jazz Review. In other words, the two magazines are to merge their activities, into what the new team describes as a “potent new force.”

The first – May – issue of a new publication Jazz Journal Incorporating Jazz Review, has been printed and is being sent out to subscribers over the next few days.

Jazz Review was published every two months by Direct Music in Edinburgh, who confirmed to me that they will no longer have an involvement. Jazz Review’s founding contributor and editor Mark Gilbert is editor of the new publication. The new publication will be monthly.

Jazz Journal International, has a history going back to 1948, and has a more mainstream jazz bias than the more modern/eclectic Jazz Review .

Jazz Journal has not been without its problems: the last issue was in February 2009. Eddie Cook, publisher and former editor of Jazz Journal , wrote at the time to JJI readers that following the death of his wife Janet, publication of the magazine would cease forthwith, and that the magazine was seeking an acquirer. It is heartening that something positive has emerged from this.

Jazz Review, a much younger magazine, started in 1999, was edited for a number of years by walking jazz encyclopedia Richard Cook , who died – far too young- in 2007.

UPDATE: Wednesday 30th. Benny Golson smiles off the front cover. For either new or existing subscribers the place to go is HERE on the Jazz Journal website. The monthly cover price is £4. Conversions into Euro for subscribers who want to pay in Euro work out at £ = EUR 1.30, which might need updating…..

The Press Release gives more background. Prior to editing Jazz Review, Mark Gilbert had worked alongside Eddie Cook as deputy editor of Jazz Journal. Cook in his statement sees Gilbert as “continuing the core philosophy” of Jazz Journal , while bringing “fresh energy” to it.

The resilience, the endeavour, the pluckiness of those actively involved in British jazz is constantly uplifting! As Digby Fairweather has written to me this morning, “

“One of the best bits of jazz journalism news in many a long year!”