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People are being murdered in the streets and chaos is breaking out all over Iran. Andrew Sullivan has continuous updates and video, some of it extremely disturbing, some of it equally inspiring. There’s one clip of protesters managing to relieve the the riot police of their batons. Victory to these brave souls. [Also visit The Lede, Nico Pitney.]

My JJA colleagues and I have produced a special edition of Jazz Notes, available to members and non-members, reporting on the just-concluded 2009 Jazz Awards. PDF available here.

A quick word about Jason Kao Hwang‘s outstanding Spontaneous River premiere, which kicked off the final night of the Vision Festival on Monday. Over 25 string players, including a battalion of unplugged acoustic guitars and six double bassists, plus drums. Sort of a Messiaen-meets-Bitches Brew affair, with truly funky passages but lots of slow, strangely mutating and shimmering harmony, as

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Events around the world to mark her 64th birthday on June 19. Including this event at the UN on Saturday, 1-4 p.m. Submit your 64 words of support here. — BURMESE REFUGEES AND HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS IN NEW YORK CELEBRATE BURMA DEMOCRACY LEADER’S BIRTHDAY… Refugees, exiles, and Human Rights supporters from the Southeast Asian country of Burma will host a

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A slogan surfacing in Tehran, today. Witness the awesome power of nonviolent — silent — resistance. (Via Pitney.)

Anastasia has it right — “It seems very weird and off, somehow, to be writing about the arts of the Muslim world (or anything else, for that matter) instead of what is going on Iran right this minute.” Check Andrew Sullivan, Nico Pitney, The Lede and many others for ceaseless, awe-inspiring updates. Just thought I’d note that Glenn Greenwald is

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My preview of Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy (Jazz Standard, June 18-21), in the current Time Out New York.

Howard Mandel’s Jazz Beyond Jazz, Blog of the Year, 2009 Jazz Awards. Congratulations, pres! Complete slate of winners.