Letters to the Editor January 2022

- “Academic?” - To the Editor: Yes, on the one hand, the thorough Tribute to Donald Ashwander was a bit more than I needed to know. But, I did find links to the Paper Bag Players’ performances, which I found quite charming, and I hope my grandchildren will be able to enjoy their videos. Also, after The American Rag’s years of off-topic and bizarre ramblings, I congratulate you on becoming a legitimate academic journal, complete with footnotes. This is not to say that ragtime or jazz need such credentials to be considered a valid art form, but we jazzers yearn for it nonetheless. Keep up the good work. Rick Campbell, Last Call Reed Player, Tigard, Oregon Thank you! I don’t know how many more of those 20000-worders I could even bring myself to run. I did so (and included the footnotes) because I realized the importance of the article. Normally, I run screaming from the idea of extensive endnotes. Thanks to a notable (and I hope temporary) lack of advertising, I was easily able to publish the whole thing. If the Syncopated Times aims to be an academic journal, I'd better look for somebody with academic credentials to take the helm. Until then, I am deeply flattered that you see me as qualified! - Ed. - The “Length and Breadth of Jazz” - To the Editor: The length and breadth of jazz is served better than any history book in your publication. Your stories prese