CHANGES ON THE BOSTON LIVE JAZZ SCENE?

[robviti]

There have been a lot of rumors flying around for the past few weeks. The Regattabar is my favorite place to see jazz - the Blue Note isn't. I'm not panicking yet, but I'm not overly optimistic either. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Blue Note to take over Regattabar bookings

By Steve Morse, Globe Staff | May 28, 2004

Blue Note International Inc., which operates seven Blue Note jazz clubs internationally, is expected to take over booking of the Regattabar in Cambridge. The club has been booked by local promoter Fenton Hollander and his firm, Water Music, for nearly 20 years.

Officials at the Charles Hotel, where the Regattabar is located, did not return repeated phone calls yesterday, but a hotel management source said, "Blue Note is coming in, and everyone just wants to make an announcement at their own pace." Official confirmation is expected within the next few days.

Steven Bensusan of Blue Note International could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Hollander said he had heard the news, adding, "We're presuming it's a done deal." The last Regattabar shows he has booked are Rebecca Parris on June 12 and John Scofield on June 14 and 15. He said he'll start booking elsewhere, especially at local theaters. "We're forced to be competitors now," said Hollander, who just confirmed Carol Channing at the Berklee Performance Center Dec. 5. "I still need to earn a living. I don't intend to stop that,"

Fred Taylor, who books Scullers, the other main jazz club in the Boston area, said he anticipates a "battle of economics" because Blue Note will try to double-book acts into New York and Boston. "It's a scenario that I'm not looking forward to," Taylor said.

The Blue Note club chain, which is not affiliated with Blue Note Records, operates clubs in New York, Milan, Seoul, and four in Japan -- Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Nagoya.

The Boston jazz community is eager to know what changes Blue Note may bring to the local market. "We've had two outstanding impresarios here in Fred Taylor and Fenton Hollander," said Boston-based Ted Kurland, who manages Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, and Gary Burton. "I'd hope that the Regattabar, which has a good tradition, will continue to be active and innovative, because right now I think we still have one of the strongest jazz scenes in the country."

© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

Edited June 3, 2004 by jazzshrink

[Big Wheel]

Oh, shit. While I'm hot and cold as far as Water Music goes, the Regattabar had better not turn into the Blue Note. Still, if all the Blue Note people do is determine which acts play there, it won't be so bad. My beef with the Blue Note is not usually the quality of the music, it's all the other crap--the high prices, stupid NYC drink minimums, extremely cramped seating, and jerky see-and-be-seen clientele--that spoil it for me.

[makpjazz57]

I think one negative change will be a hike in admission prices.

Marla

[robviti]

my best case scenario:

the blue note folks will bring acts that play at their new york club, acts that often don't make it to boston (i.e., horace silver, special projects by the likes of conrad herwig and others). B)

my worst case scenario:

bidding wars with scullers to book the yellowjackets, the rippingtons, and an endless list of boring middle-aged white singers.

[makpjazz57]

Assuming Blue Note can get the "big names/jazz legends" at a price that will not raise the cover and minimum too much. I just don't think the Boston area jazz fans can and will deal with a significant ticket price hike. Having lived in the NY metro area previous to moving near Boston, I was used to paying the high prices to hear my jazz heroes. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that in the two major jazz clubs, Sculler's and the R-bar, I could hear many of the same jazzers I heard in NYC, but pay sometimes 1/2 the cover charge.

Would I pay a $25 or more cover charge to hear Horace Silver in Boston...you bet I would! I just wouldn't be able to afford to go back a second and third time, much like I've been able to in the past.

Marla

[Man with the Golden Arm]

And I just see that our usual, sometimes iffy sometimes spiffy, Globe Jazz Festival has been cancelled (DNC) til next year.

[makpjazz57]

Interesting - Boston Globe Jazz Fest is slated to happen in 2005? I was shocked to find out it was cancelled this year.

Marla

[robviti]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Well, a look at the new Blue Noted Regattabar schedule appears to confirm both the hopes and the fears of many of us who have enjoyed this jazz venue over the years. As I had hoped, it some acts that would regularly play NYC but skip Boston will be making the sojourn to Beantown in the future. Alas, it's going to cost more to enjoy this music (including a $3 per ticket handling charge). Not sure if the Rbar will also institute a per set drink minimum too. Here's a sample from the website Regattabar schedule

7/22-24 Clark Terry Quintet featuring Hank Jones $25

8/5-6 Ray Barretto $22.50

8/17 Bill Charlap Solo $20

9/9-11 Another Kind of Blue: The Latin Side of Miles Davis $20

9/12 Mark Turner, Larry Grenadier & Jeff Ballard $20

10/7-9 Jazz Tribute to Frank Sinatra $25

10/16-17 James Moody Quartet $25

10/27-30 Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Allstars (feat. Randy Brecker, Jackie McLean, Slide Hampton, Mulgrew Miller) $30

Edited July 8, 2004 by jazzshrink

[Guest ariceffron]

if steve morse knows so much about jaz why doesnt he quit deep purple and let blackmoremania reinstate itself

[robviti]

i don't know if i should or

sometimes it's hard to tell with this kid.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

keep extensive notes and over-prescribe!

[robviti]

keep extensive notes and over-prescribe!