Suzanne Vega

[JSngry]

Not really a shot a Shocked, just a relative comparison in terms of being signed to BN. Vega's had some tangentally "jazz" related elements in her music over the years, and, to my knowledge, Shocked hasn't.

[fasstrack]

Lots of good points here and maybe when I have some real time, I'll try to address some of them individually if you care. There seems to be a lot of different things happening now in the jazz world. Certainly there is the push to institutionalize it, treat it like classical music, make it about performing classic repertoire a la Jazz at Lincoln Center and that seems to be working. People are dressing up to see Ellington performed for the millionth time but what's wrong with that, you see Beethoven's 9th performed a million times why not Ellington and Armstrong? Perhaps the problem is that it's too soon? Or is the problem that Jazz at Lincoln Center is becoming the face of Jazz for many (more so for the uninitiated of course) and if this repertoire stuff is becoming the face of jazz, what of the new music that is happening out there. How much talk is there of new classical material, for example. Is this leading jazz down the same road? A concern certainly. But there are young jazz artists that the youth seem to flock to (and just not music students), Kurt Rosenwinkle, Brian Blade and Chris Potter to name a few have huge followings and young too. What they play is some semblance of jazz so there is a future there and what can you say about most of the guys I mentioned? They don't wear there influences on their sleeves so it doesn't sound like some rehash of the same old, same old. JSngry is right, twenty years from now (or actually just ten as ten years have gone by already) I don't think we are going to be listening to Harper Brothers records as the creative voice of that generation but perhaps we will listen to Ralph Peterson's V or even Wynton's Black Codes From the Underground or Rodney Kendrick's Dance World Dance or a few others that don't come to mind at this particular moment. There were some very good records being made the last 20 years that will stand the test of time and be of some importance in the overall history of this music. I just hope time will sift these out over the years just like every other classic record rose to the top over the years (remember Speak No Evil got a ho hum 3 star review in DownBeat when it came out).

Now, Blue Note, yes signing Suzanne Vega should make some eyes roll to the back of our collective heads but yes, Blue Note is now part of a huge corporation so if you succeed with Norah Jones, they are going to want more of those. Who knows how this is all going to turn out and if Anita Baker, Al Green, Dr. John or any of them make a splash and make them the money they are expected to make. If they don't, then what? However, in the overall scope of things and with all that's going on in the business today, it's remarkable that Blue Note is still going strong. They are the only major label left that is still recording new acoustic jazz with very few exceptions and for this alone, they should be applauded. As far as I'm concerned they can sign all the Suzanne Vega's they want as long as they keep the re-issues coming and make a sincere effort to find the best jazz acts out there and sign them as well. One new signing in five years (Glasper) is a pretty sad track record perhaps but hopefully they are just being cautious. There are a few other emerging artists that they should perhaps have taken the plunge on in the last few years (and five to ten years ago would have) but no clear cut no-brainers. Besides, as I've mentioned elsewhere, they did sign the Charles Tolliver Big Band so that makes them the smartest label in the world at the moment to me.

Uh huh. You can also walk into places away from that venerated 'jazz scene' and hear music that'll blow you away. It doesn't have to be jazz, but you'd be surprised how much of it is. Go to St. Mark's Methodist Church any Sunday. 11 AM at 137th and Edgecombe in Harlem, Big Mango. For the cost of a semolian in the collection plate you will hear music of the caliber they're asking $50+ in certain concert halls and clubs.

As long as someone has a story to tell, expertise on an instrument (voice is also an instrument) and the fire to tell it you're gonna hear something worth hearing. All anyone needs is the temerity and the stick-to-it-ness to get out there and take their case to the people. Word spreads fast, and our, ahem, esteemed colleagues in the 4th estate have nowhere near the power their sad self-important asses con themselves into thinking they do.

As I said before, and it seemed to go unnoticed or at least uncommented on, it's a mistake to invest so much of this argument on the machinations of record companies or even to try to make a CD for the majors. But if they make you a sweet offer, go for it dudes and dudettes. (Just don't give away rights to your songs. Ever. For any amount of money). Record companies are dinosaurs. Finito. Get a priest and close the eyes. Just a matter of time. The killer? Their own greed and a little thing called the Internet. If you want to get your music disseminated do like I'm doing: put it out yourself, get a marketing monkey to help, pay google to direct folks to your little dog and pony show on CD Baby or wherever. But most of all get gigs. Get a buzz around the band. Recordings should be documents of a working band, and they rarely are in the world of commercial recording. Anyway, as little as jazz records sell you need gigs to sell them at so as to at least break even.

And I wish Ms. Vega and others in that boat luck. Those waters are rough right now.

Edited June 17, 2006 by fasstrack

[montg]

(remember Speak No Evil got a ho hum 3 star review in DownBeat when it came out).

Genuisus are rarely recognized in their own time. But I wonder if Wayne had self-produced SNE and released it on CDbaby--would Speak No Evil still be unrecognized? It seems to me that the labels (mega or even some of the independents) still serve a function by drawing our attention to particular works and promoting them.

[david weiss]

(remember Speak No Evil got a ho hum 3 star review in DownBeat when it came out).

Genuisus are rarely recognized in their own time. But I wonder if Wayne had self-produced SNE and released it on CDbaby--would Speak No Evil still be unrecognized? It seems to me that the labels (mega or even some of the independents) still serve a function by drawing our attention to particular works and promoting them.

This does seem to be THE question doesn't it, there seems to be a lot more stuff to go through for the cream to rise to the top these days. Only time will tell, but I do have my fingers crossed.

As much disdain as I might have for the majors, they will get you out there in a hurry and get you firmly established. What you do with it and for how long is perhaps more up to the artist but signing to a major is still the biggest and best way to make a splash. You're not going to do a world tour and have your CD release party at the Vanguard if your first CD is self-produced and only availible at CD Baby. Not yet anyway.....