[Dixielandjazz] FW: Where's the Jazz?
Edgerton, Paul A
paul.edgerton@eds.com
Fri, 23 Aug 2002 12:27:43 -0500
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List mates,
I received the following message which was clearly written by and for
somebody else and then thoughtfully copied and pasted into this reply. Did
anybody else get this?
Leaving aside for the moment the question of how much jazz is present in
this lineup, let me observe that JAS is so proud of their record presenting
jazz this year that they felt no need to do so at their season closer! I'm
flabbergasted that promotional folk would write such a message -- let alone
sending it to an individual responding to the JAS website.
Tom and Steve, I can't wait to hear your take on this.
Paul Edgerton
-----Original Message-----
From: Liz Lasko [mailto:llasko@jazzaspen.com]
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 8:52 AM
To: Edgerton, Paul A
Subject: RE: Where's the Jazz?
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HEAR FROM AN EDUCATED CONSUMER, ESPECIALLY ONE WHO'S
DONE HIS RESEARCH ON THE ORGANIZATION HE'S DISSING. SO, HERE'S SOME INFO
YOU'LL FIND INTERESTING.
OUR SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL IS MERELY THE CONCLUSION OF A SEASON OF MUSIC, WHICH
INCLUDED THIS YEAR, THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS, SOME OF WHOM YOU MAY RECOGNIZE AS
BEING IDENTIFIED WITH JAZZ:
FRI JUNE 21 PONCHO SANCHEZ
SAT JUNE 22 HERBIE HANCOCK, DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC, WITH MICHAEL BRECKER & ROY
HARGROVE (HERBIE'S 5TH PERFORMANCE SINCE '97 IN HIS ROLE AS OUR ARTISTIC DIR
PLUS, THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA WITH PATTI AUSTIN, DOING AN ELLA FIZTGERALD
TRIBUTE.
FRIDAY JULY 28 CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, BENNY GREEN, RUSSELL MALONE, LEWIS NASH
SUNDAY JULY 30 JANE MONHEIT & ALLAN HARRIS, VOCALISTS WITH THE 7-28 BAND.
THOUGH THE FIRST ELEVEN YEARS OF OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE PRESENTED, AMONG
OTHERS...
DIANNE REEVES
DIANA KRALL
CASSANDRA WILSON
WAYNE SHORTER
RAY BARRETTO
ELLIS MARSALIS
RAY BROWN
JOHN CLAYTON
MONTY ALEXANDER
TAKE 6
THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER
BOBBY MCFERRIN
MICHEL PETRUCIANNI
SHIRLEY HORN
WYNTON MARSALIS
THE LINCOLN CENTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA
NATALIE COLE
ARTURO SANDOVAL
BILLY TAYLOR
THERE ARE PLENTY OF MORE NAMES, BUT WHY BOTHER ...... THERE ARE ALSO YEAR
ROUND SMALL VENUE SHOWS WITH JAZZ ARTISTS, BUT WHO CARES, THEY ARE NOT ON
THE WEBSITE AT THIS TIME, SO THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY EXIST .....
WE ALSO SPONSOR, FOR SEVEN YEARS, THE JAS ACADEMY SUMMER SESSIONS, THE
NATION'S ONLY ALL SCHOLARSHIP RESIDENCY PROGRAM OF MASTER CLASSES, SEMINARS
AND CONCERTS, AS WELL AS THE ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON BAND DIRECTOR ACADEMY, A
6 DAY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BAND DIRECTORS.
WE GUESS THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD REASONABLY SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE THE
SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN JAZZ, OR HAVE TAKEN ANY ACTION IN SUPPORT OF OUR
OBVIOUSLY WEAK SENTIMENT.
YOUR RESEARCH DEPARTMENT IS A LITTLE WEAK, BUT THAT'S YOUR LOSS.
NO , MACY GRAY & G LOVE DON'T CLAIM TO BE JAZZ ARTISTS, NOR DO WE MARKET
THEM AS SUCH: THE NAME OF OUR FESTIVAL, JANUS JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS, REFERS TO
OUR NOW WELL KNOWN AMERICAN MUSIC AND DANCE ORIENTED, OUTDOOR OPEN AIR
FESTIVAL, NOW IN ITS 7TH YR, WHICH CLOSES OUR SUMMER SEASON, WHICH IS MOSTLY
JAZZ , IN JUNE AND JULY.
THERE'S ALREADY ANOTHER FESTIVAL HERE, 50 YEARS OLD, NAMED ASPEN MUSIC
FESTIVAL, SO THAT NAME WAS TAKEN, BACK AROUND 1949. WE LOVE YOUR SUGGESTION
ALL THE SAME, IT'S JUST RATHER IMPRACTICAL.
WE SURE WISH WE COULD HOLD OUR HEADS AS HIGH AS YOU DO ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY MAKING BACK IN ....... WHERE DO YOU WORK
ACTUALLY, AND ON WHAT ??????
JIM HOROWITZ, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Liz Lasko
Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Office Manager
-----Original Message-----
From: Edgerton, Paul A [mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 8:03 PM
To: llasko@jazzaspen.com
Subject: Where's the Jazz?
Since Jazz Aspen Snowmass is "...dedicated to the preservation and
performance of Jazz and World music," I would naturally expect to find a
fair proportion of jazz artists on the bill.
While you have booked some big-name talent, the only act even approximating
what the world knows as jazz is the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who appear at
midnight on Saturday. By even the most liberal definition of jazz, this is
very thin coverage of your nominal stylistic range. Indeed, the only jazz in
the entire festival appears to be its name.
I'll grant that you have a legitimate jazzer in your artist-in-residence
Herbie Hancock. Why isn't he scheduled to appear at the festival? I also
note a few familiar names in the paragraph listing previous artists. But
aside from having previously booked Arturo Sandoval or members of the
Marsalis clan, it appears that your dedication to jazz is flagging. I want
to encourage you to try much harder.
You wouldn't have to look any further than Aspen to locate world-class jazz
artists. If you have no desire to promote local musicians, why not
investigate the scene in nearby Denver? There are some truly stellar
musicians playing for the door at El Chapultapec who would be willing to
drive up to Aspen and lend credibility to your presentation. I don't think
many in your audience will notice the difference -- since they are be
willing to attend a jazz festival having no jazz artists, they can't be very
discriminating.
As it happens, there are several other festivals on Labor Day weekend that
offer numerous genuine jazz artists. Why not yours?
Paul Edgerton
EDS - MC Systems
11050 Olson Dr
Rancho Cordova CA 95670
* phone: +01-916-636-4314
* mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com <mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=509001317-23082002>List
mates, </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=509001317-23082002>I
received the following message which was clearly written by and for somebody
else and then thoughtfully copied and pasted into this reply. Did anybody else
get this?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002>Leaving aside for the moment the question of how much
jazz is present in this lineup, let me observe that JAS is so proud of their
record presenting jazz this year that they felt no need to do so at their season
closer! I'm flabbergasted that promotional folk would write such a message --
let alone sending it to an individual responding to the JAS
website.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=509001317-23082002>Tom
and Steve, I can't wait to hear your take on this.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=509001317-23082002>Paul
Edgerton</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=509001317-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Liz Lasko
[mailto:llasko@jazzaspen.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 23, 2002 8:52
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Edgerton, Paul A<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Where's the
Jazz?<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<P>IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HEAR FROM AN EDUCATED CONSUMER, ESPECIALLY ONE WHO'S DONE
HIS RESEARCH ON THE ORGANIZATION HE'S DISSING. SO, HERE'S SOME INFO YOU'LL FIND
INTERESTING.</P>
<P>OUR SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL IS MERELY THE CONCLUSION OF A SEASON OF MUSIC, WHICH
INCLUDED THIS YEAR, THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS, SOME OF WHOM YOU MAY RECOGNIZE AS
BEING IDENTIFIED WITH JAZZ:</P>
<P>FRI JUNE 21 PONCHO SANCHEZ</P>
<P>SAT JUNE 22 HERBIE HANCOCK, DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC, WITH MICHAEL BRECKER &
ROY HARGROVE (HERBIE'S 5TH PERFORMANCE SINCE '97 IN HIS ROLE AS OUR ARTISTIC DIR
</P>
<P>PLUS, THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA WITH PATTI AUSTIN, DOING AN ELLA FIZTGERALD
TRIBUTE.</P>
<P>FRIDAY JULY 28 CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, BENNY GREEN, RUSSELL MALONE, LEWIS NASH</P>
<P>SUNDAY JULY 30 JANE MONHEIT & ALLAN HARRIS, VOCALISTS WITH THE 7-28
BAND.</P>
<P>THOUGH THE FIRST ELEVEN YEARS OF OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE PRESENTED, AMONG
OTHERS...</P>
<P>DIANNE REEVES</P>
<P>DIANA KRALL</P>
<P>CASSANDRA WILSON</P>
<P>WAYNE SHORTER</P>
<P>RAY BARRETTO</P>
<P>ELLIS MARSALIS</P>
<P>RAY BROWN</P>
<P>JOHN CLAYTON</P>
<P>MONTY ALEXANDER</P>
<P>TAKE 6</P>
<P>THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER</P>
<P>BOBBY MCFERRIN</P>
<P>MICHEL PETRUCIANNI</P>
<P>SHIRLEY HORN</P>
<P>WYNTON MARSALIS</P>
<P>THE LINCOLN CENTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA</P>
<P>NATALIE COLE</P>
<P>ARTURO SANDOVAL</P>
<P>BILLY TAYLOR</P>
<P>THERE ARE PLENTY OF MORE NAMES, BUT WHY BOTHER ...... THERE ARE ALSO YEAR
ROUND SMALL VENUE SHOWS WITH JAZZ ARTISTS, BUT WHO CARES, THEY ARE NOT ON THE
WEBSITE AT THIS TIME, SO THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY EXIST .....</P>
<P>WE ALSO SPONSOR, FOR SEVEN YEARS, THE JAS ACADEMY SUMMER SESSIONS, THE
NATION'S ONLY ALL SCHOLARSHIP RESIDENCY PROGRAM OF MASTER CLASSES, SEMINARS AND
CONCERTS, AS WELL AS THE ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON BAND DIRECTOR ACADEMY, A 6 DAY
TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BAND DIRECTORS.</P>
<P>WE GUESS THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD REASONABLY SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE THE
SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN JAZZ, OR HAVE TAKEN ANY ACTION IN SUPPORT OF OUR OBVIOUSLY
WEAK SENTIMENT. </P>
<P>YOUR RESEARCH DEPARTMENT IS A LITTLE WEAK, BUT THAT'S YOUR LOSS.</P>
<P>NO , MACY GRAY & G LOVE DON'T CLAIM TO BE JAZZ ARTISTS, NOR DO WE MARKET
THEM AS SUCH: THE NAME OF OUR FESTIVAL, JANUS JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS, REFERS TO OUR
NOW WELL KNOWN AMERICAN MUSIC AND DANCE ORIENTED, OUTDOOR OPEN AIR FESTIVAL, NOW
IN ITS 7TH YR, WHICH CLOSES OUR SUMMER SEASON, WHICH IS MOSTLY JAZZ , IN JUNE
AND JULY. </P>
<P>THERE'S ALREADY ANOTHER FESTIVAL HERE, 50 YEARS OLD, NAMED ASPEN MUSIC
FESTIVAL, SO THAT NAME WAS TAKEN, BACK AROUND 1949. WE LOVE YOUR SUGGESTION ALL
THE SAME, IT'S JUST RATHER IMPRACTICAL. </P>
<P>WE SURE WISH WE COULD HOLD OUR HEADS AS HIGH AS YOU DO ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY MAKING BACK IN ....... WHERE DO YOU WORK
ACTUALLY, AND ON WHAT ??????</P>
<P>JIM HOROWITZ, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER</P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>Liz Lasko<BR>Jazz Aspen Snowmass<BR>Office Manager </FONT></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Edgerton, Paul A
[mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 22, 2002 8:03
PM<BR><B>To:</B> llasko@jazzaspen.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Where's the
Jazz?<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>Since Jazz
Aspen Snowmass is "...dedicated to the preservation and performance of Jazz
and World music," I would naturally expect to find a fair proportion of jazz
artists on the bill.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=449012001-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>While you have
booked some big-name talent, the only act even approximating what
the world knows as jazz is the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who appear at midnight
on Saturday. By even the most liberal definition of jazz, this is very thin
coverage of your nominal stylistic range. Indeed, the only jazz in the
entire festival appears to be its name.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=449012001-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>I'll grant that
you have a legitimate jazzer in your artist-in-residence Herbie Hancock. Why
isn't he scheduled to appear at the festival? I also note a few familiar names
in the paragraph listing previous artists. But aside from having previously
booked Arturo Sandoval or members of the Marsalis clan, it appears that your
dedication to jazz is flagging. I want to encourage you to try much
harder.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=449012001-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>You wouldn't have
to look any further than Aspen to locate world-class jazz artists. If you have
no desire to promote local musicians, why not investigate the scene in nearby
Denver? There are some truly stellar musicians playing for the door at El
Chapultapec who would be willing to drive up to Aspen and lend credibility to
your presentation. I don't think many in your audience will notice the
difference -- since they are be willing to attend a jazz festival having no
jazz artists, they can't be very discriminating.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=449012001-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>As it happens,
there are several other festivals on Labor Day weekend that offer
numerous genuine jazz artists. Why not yours?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=449012001-23082002></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=449012001-23082002>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4>Paul Edgerton</FONT> <BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman">EDS - MC Systems </FONT><BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman">11050 Olson Dr </FONT><BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Rancho Cordova CA 95670</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Wingdings>(</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"> phone:
+01-916-636-4314</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Wingdings>+</FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><U> </U></FONT><U><FONT color=#0000ff
face="Times New Roman"><A
href="mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com">mailto:paul.edgerton@eds.com</A></FONT></U>
</P></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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