2 | Jazz Is Dead with Dr. AJ Kluth
I talk with Dr. AJ Kluth about the vibrant LA jazz scene, the Jazz is Dead phenomenon, and how this music helps us think about—and calls into question—the distinction between “jazz” and “popular music.”
Read on Substack
If you’re into thinking about popular music and cultural theory but your’e not reading Cry Baby yet, you’re doing it wrong. The blog of Dr. Dan DiPiero, Cry Baby is a view onto his ongoing work as a researcher and musician at the intersection of music and cultural studies, trying to figure out how and why pop music remains so significant in our changing world; how and why this music hits us in the feels.
I’m feeling lucky that DiPiero invited me to speak with him about my work on his new podcast “branch” of Cry Baby. We discussed themes from a soon-to-be-published article (keep an eye out for JSAM in spring ’26) as well as my book ongoing project–White Zombie: Beyond Jazz, Race, and Revenant Culture. Because he’s doing THE MOST (writing a blog, supporting a newly released academic book (Big Feelings: Queer and Feminist Indie Rock after Riot Grrrl), and finding his feet in Boston as a new Assistant Professor at BU) he made a Spotify playlist. I mean, when does dude sleep?
In any case, tune in to play the game of “Can AJ Collect His Thoughts?” as I try to respond to his questions related to the “jazz is dead” phenomenon I’m studying, the relationship of jazz to popular music studies, issues of race, necropolitics, genre, and class, etc. Fun stuff. THANKS, Dan – cry hard!
AJ Kluth 