Dying While Black

Jim Merod points to a series of remarkable teachers who deeply influenced his intellectual career: R.P. Blackmur and Walter Kaufman at Princeton; William Arrowsmith and Harold Bloom at Middlebury College; David Halliburton and Bliss Carnochan at Stanford; and A. R. Ammons, his friend and colleague at Cornell.

In addition to his work as a teacher, critic and writer, Jim has been a jazz and blues recording and mastering engineer for more than twenty years. His recording credits include Tito Puente, Joe Lovano, Tommy Flanagan, Sarah Vaughan, Eddie Palmieri, Wynton Marsalis, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Tolu, Los Lobos, Ozomatli, Luciana Souza and many others. Jim is the co-author of legendary composer-saxophonist Benny Golson’s autobiography.