Lee Mergner
Editorial Content ProducerFor over 27 years, Lee Mergner served as an editor and publisher of JazzTimes until his resignation in January 2018. Thereafter, Mergner continued to regularly contribute features, profiles and interviews to the publication as a contributing editor for the next 4+ years. JazzTimes, which has won numerous ASCAP-Deems Taylor awards for music journalism, was founded in 1970 and was described by the All Music Guide, as “arguably the finest jazz magazine in the world.”
From 2018 to 2021, Mergner also was a co-organizer of the Jazz Congress in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center, which brought together hundreds of industry professionals to discuss trends, issues and ideas in the international jazz community. Before that, he founded and produced the Jazz Connect Conference from 2012 through 2017, co-produced the Jazz Industry Track at the IAJE conference from 2001 through 2008 and produced the JazzTimes Convention during the ‘90s.
Mergner currently serves as a consultant for Jazz Cruises, which produces numerous jazz and music cruises, including Blue Note at Sea and The Jazz Cruise. And he advises or volunteers with various jazz organizations and events such as Jazz House Kids, Montclair Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz Philadelphia, Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired, Exit Zero Jazz Festival and several others. He also contributes interviews and stories to TIDAL magazine.
Mergner appeared regularly as a guest and host on over 100 shows on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the BET on Jazz cable channels. He appeared regularly on the radio show "Favorite Things" on WDCU FM in Washington, DC as well as other regional and national radio shows, including Sirius/XM, WCPN, WBGO, Public Radio East, CBC and many more. He has also appeared frequently as a moderator or panelist at several music industry conferences and seminars, including those sponsored by MENC, NAIRD/AFIM, NJSO, IAJE, WAMA, AMA and the New Music Seminar. He created and produced the podcasts JazzTimes Spins & Riffs and Jazz Cruise Conversations.
Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Mergner obtained his BA in Psychology and Math from Dickinson College and an MBA in Marketing from Temple University. He currently resides in Silver Spring, MD and Emerald Isle, NC.
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Stream of live performance by the Ben Allison Quartet as part of the Yamaha Concert Series co-presented by WBGO -
Photos from the 2022 Monterey Jazz Festival featuring Gregory Porter, Artemis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chucho Valdes and many others
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WBGO shares photos and interview with the late saxophonist
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Suite to be performed by The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, with special guest clarinetist Ye Huang
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Photos of Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force, Archie Shepp & Jason Moran with Cecile McLorin Salvant, Terence Blanchard with the E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet, Buster Williams and Something More, Nikara Presents Black Wall Street, and Vuyo Sotashe.
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Drummer (from Vital Information and Journey) hosts five week residency playing the music of John Coltrane, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk
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On October 7, 2022, Wordsmith and Danny Simmons will present A Tribute to Amiri Baraka at Newark Symphony Hall.
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The screwball comedy features a jazz soundtrack that includes classic tracks from the Blue Note catalog, including “Moanin’” by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, “Senor Blues” by Horace Silver, and “Let’s Get Lost” by Chet Baker.
