The founders were jazz writer (and former editor of The Wire) Richard Cook and Roger Spence of the talent management agency Direct Music Limited of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Major artists — including Keith Jarrett, Lee Konitz, Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck, and Wynton Marsalis — gave interviews to the magazine; historical surveys have included the Modern Jazz Quartet, Fletcher Henderson, Oscar Peterson, and Andrew Hill.
Contributors included Simon Adams, Ronald Atkins, Emma Baker, Garry Booth, Jack Cooke, Tim Dorset, Rick Finlay, Mike Fish, Derek Gorman, Fred Grand, Hugh Gregory, Andy Hamilton, Martin Longley, Alan Luff, Chris Parker, Catherine Parsonage, Mike Rogers, Bill Shoemaker, Roger Thomas, Anthony Troon, Jim Weir and Barry Witherden.
Alongside interviews and articles, regular features included "Posted Notes" (reader's letters), "Now's The Time" (a musician diary piece), "ANEC-Dotage" (Alan Luff remembers...), "The Test" (a musician is given records to comment on without knowing what they are), CD reviews, "Fast Taste" (shorter reviews) and "Yesterdays" (a prominent musician writes about a major turning point in his or her career).
A rival monthly publication, Jazz Journal International, was presumed to have ceased publication in January 2009, after the death of its associate editor, but its holding company, which changed ownership, absorbed Jazz Review around April 2009.