About

The Jazz Post is part of my project to combine my two passions: my piano and my pen. The two are getting even more similar as I venture into each of them – they’re simply two different mechanisms of communication. Writers like Joyce Carol Oates, pianists like Thelonious Monk, and pianist-slash-writers like Marian McPartland all have one thing in common: they succeed at carrying on their unique inner voices.

Unlike these three, I’m still searching for mine.

I’ve been in love with jazz since my freshman year of high school, when I first joined the West Ranch Studio A Jazz Band. At that point, I had no idea who Miles Davis was, and Charlie Parker was…a trumpet player? (silly, yeah?)

I’ve gotten farther than that, though, but I still have much to learn. So by digging through old jazz albums, jazz textbooks, and Downbeat magazine, I’m slowly learning more about jazz — musician by musician, piece by piece.

As for writing? I’ve had a journal since the fourth grade and a blog since the beginning of junior high. (Embarassing, I know.) I’ve got 4 full journals stuffed into my desk drawers – they’re probably full of nonsense, but writing’s my anti-drug. As a junior this year, I’m working as copy editor for the school yearbook and prose editor for our emerging literary magazine program at West Ranch High School.

Favorite jazz artist ever? It’s tied somewhere in between Count Basie and Hiromi Uehara. But I’m always going to be attached to Ray Charles — he was the first guy to introduce me to jazz; I haven’t gone back ever since.

Rachel Cantrell

Contact me at rachelc @ thejazzpost.com.