FROM THE CODA ARCHIVES...

Our basic aims and ideas remain unaltered. We will continue to publish reports of jazz activities across the continent and in other parts of the world. We plan on increasing the amount of record reviews in each issue as well as giving a better balance of content between news columns and feature articles.

CODA is the Canadian Jazz Magazine and, as such, gives full coverage of the Canadian scene. Some people feel we should study jazz in Canada alone but such a narrow inverted look would be wrong in our estimation. Jazz in any country of the world is a mirror of the ideas and accomplishments of jazz in the U.S.A. and, as far as we are concerned jazz in Canada is a part of the whole and should be viewed in that light. Despite great expansion in jazz activity during the last few years it is a small minority of the Canadian population who listen to or play jazz. This is reflected in our subscribers. The largest single group (44%) is in the U.S.A. with 36% Canadian readers and the rest scattered around the world.

Our coverage and scope endeavours to encompass all styles of jazz without reference to current trends and tastes in popularity. Jazz isn’t a narrow sect. It didn’t die in 1930 and it wasn’t born in 1940. Our interest centres on the musicians who make the music and the environment in which they work and live. Their musical contributions and influence is of more importance to us than the level of popularity.

Above all else, though, we will endeavour to comment, report and inform without fear and favour and always try to get to the truth of the matter.