Anthony Dean-Harris
Editor-in-Chief
anthony.deanharris@nextbop.com / @retronius

Quite often, I find myself having to legitimize the job I do. I am well aware that at my core, in my heart of hearts, I am a cultural critic. I have always described myself as a critic. I have always considered my intermittent curmudgeonly nature to be primed for my life of criticism. I have argued quite stridently for the acknowledgement of the critic in regards to interpretation and the hermeneutic circle proposed centuries ago by Ghanan philosopher Anton Wilhelm Amo. Yes, I am indeed a critic, however this publication is not one of criticism and I am more than glad that it has that status at this time. Nextbop is a publication of advocacy for musicians and the ongoing musical creation that is jazz music. We fight quite stridently for the life force of this genre, but it is rather apparent that criticism is an essential element for the tending to an artform, jazz especially. Criticism has its place and Nextbop is incrementally moving toward accepting that form in its role as advocate.