Can Jazz Be Saved?

[ghost of miles]

Listening yesterday to a Doris Duke Foundation honcho (a tent-preacher popinjay along the lines of an intellectualized Richard Simmons) go on about the state of jazz and outreach and the challenge of technology and building bricks-and-mortar "hubs" and "growing the pie" and learning how to "co-opitate" (I'm not kidding) etc. at the all-day so-called "Chicago Jazz Town Hall" (which I'm told by someone who knows cost $75,000 to put on), it suddenly occurred to me (this fellow having somehow introduced the subject at one point) that the solution to the problem is this slogan/marketing campaign: JAZZ CURES AIDS.

take that $75,000 - and turn it into events - pay local bands $750 per concert - hold one per week - and you have TWO YEARS of musical events (that's 100 concerts). Use concerts receipts to pay for rental and tech.

There ya go. In fact one exasperated musician-grassroots "presenter" (quite successful in both roles) did propose something like this. though he didn't at the time know that $75,000 had been spent on this affair. The people in charge didn't get it/seem to like it. Proposals that were greeted with enthusiasm included creating a "jazz train" (?) and a "jazz district," naming streets after musicians, designating a jazz "czar," and, my favorite, getting celebrities (in particular, I kid you not, Oprah Winfrey) to say that they liked jazz.

Hoo boy, Larry--I'm sorry that you had to sit through that. Somebody should've pulled a fire alarm.

[AllenLowe]

"To modify a point I made early in this thread, the answer to the jazz "problem" is full-service brothels where you get paid by arts funding organizations to use the facilities. Free booze too. And that's where the guys play, for their part of the funding dime. Kind of an inside-out Storyville. And you take the "jazz train" to get there."

I'm in. Point the way.

Edited September 2, 2009 by AllenLowe

[Larry Kart]

Hoo boy, Larry--I'm sorry that you had to sit through that. Somebody should've pulled a fire alarm.

Actually it was quite interesting to see how the reasonably grounded/specific discussions at our four-person table (one of those people was bassist-composer Stafford James) were turned into semi-pablum by the amiable "facilitator" at our table who manned a lap top and then were further homogenized, even wholly transformed, when they reached the front of the room in order to meet the needs and expectations of the guys in charge. It was so smooth as to be almost invisible. On the other hand, I think there may be enough grounded, take-care-of-business guys on the Chicago scene to fend off the worst of this assault and get some of the dough that's left into the hands of real music makers. But $75,000 was spent!

[ghost of miles]

Who here can we get to be "jazz czar"? I nominate Chuck.

[Larry Kart]

P.S. I think they were talking about one "jazz czar" per major urban area, not a national one, but that too may be in their hope chest.

[ghost of miles]

P.S. I think they were talking about one "jazz czar" per major urban area, not a national one, but that too may be in their hope chest.

Hmm... perhaps a chain of fiefdoms? How about "jazz provinces" ruled by various war-lords? In that case, I dibs Bloomington and Whitehall for me and Chuck, respectively. And if the "jazz train" wants to come through, they'll have to pay tribute.

Edited September 2, 2009 by ghost of miles

[Jim Alfredson]

I guess that Nick Payton doesn't spend too much time in "blues' circles. As a blues lover, I can sympathize with his position. But it seems to me that jazz and blues are headed in very similar directions. In fact, it may be the blues that are dying, not jazz. Jazz is sick with the weakening of the blues, but may ultimately recover without the "burden of preservation" of the blues. For now, jazz is in labor.

That's because it is being taken over by lame local blues societies and foundations that have very limited ideas as to what "real" blues is. It's the same problem with jazz. You box it in, away from sunlight and air, and it dies.

The biggest problem I'm having right now in regards to organissimo is the fact that the term "jazz" is a four-letter word to most bookers and management. And with just cause.

[Larry Kart]

The biggest problem I'm having right now in regards to organissimo is the fact that the term "jazz" is a four-letter word to most bookers and management.

Reassure them that "organ" is a five-letter word.

[papsrus]

The biggest problem I'm having right now in regards to organissimo is the fact that the term "jazz" is a four-letter word to most bookers and management. And with just cause.

Try "dance" band ("with a jazzy sensibility" in the fine print).

[Guest Bill Barton]

Sheesh... These morons need to go to a real town meeting at a real town hall in New England and pick up a few pointers on the messy but in the end effective way that real democracy operates.

[blajay]

Sheesh... These morons need to go to a real town meeting at a real town hall in New England and pick up a few pointers on the messy but in the end effective way that real democracy operates.

Does Barney Frank listen to Jazz? That would be awesome.

[John L]

I guess that Nick Payton doesn't spend too much time in "blues' circles. As a blues lover, I can sympathize with his position. But it seems to me that jazz and blues are headed in very similar directions. In fact, it may be the blues that are dying, not jazz. Jazz is sick with the weakening of the blues, but may ultimately recover without the "burden of preservation" of the blues. For now, jazz is in labor.

That's because it is being taken over by lame local blues societies and foundations that have very limited ideas as to what "real" blues is. It's the same problem with jazz. You box it in, away from sunlight and air, and it dies.

The lameness of local blues societies may be more of a symptom rather than the disease. If you go to the heart of the blues where there is still air and sunlight left - the Mississippi Delta - and ask the local blues musicians, THEY will tell you that it is dying.

Edited September 3, 2009 by John L

[Chuck Nessa]

None of this matters.

[Dave James]

P.S. I think they were talking about one "jazz czar" per major urban area, not a national one, but that too may be in their hope chest.

Hmm... perhaps a chain of fiefdoms? How about "jazz provinces" ruled by various war-lords? In that case, I dibs Bloomington and Whitehall for me and Chuck, respectively. And if the "jazz train" wants to come through, they'll have to pay tribute.

How about the Blue Note Street Team?

Up over and out.

[AllenLowe]

actually, I'd like to be the Jazz Fuhrer - find me a nice woman named Eva and settle down -

Edited September 3, 2009 by AllenLowe

[Aggie87]

actually, I'd like to be the Jazz Fuhrer - find me a nice woman named Eva and settle down -

Allen - please don't start up with the Hitler stuff yet again.

[AllenLowe]

That's fine as long as nobody mention The Czar, either; ever hear about pogroms?

Edited September 3, 2009 by AllenLowe

[ghost of miles]

How about the Blue Note Street Team?

They got run over by the Jazz Train.

[JSngry]

People all over the world,

Go stand in a corner and wonder why you're alone.

Start a Jazz Train, Jazz Train.

Edited September 3, 2009 by JSngry

[BruceH]

Saved from what?

[kh1958]

Saved from what?

Conductor Don Cornelius

[Larry Kart]

And Jimmie Rodgers as The Singing Brakeman.

[BruceH]

I love Jimmie Rodgers.

[ghost of miles]

Hobo, don't ride that train!

[Lazaro Vega]

Past amber graves of Wayne....