[Dixielandjazz] Fw: "Jazz Radio" gripe

[Rob McCallum]

Hi Stan and everyone,

I agree that it's important to provide information about what's being played
and certainly the best d.j.s have a persona and rapport with their
listeners.  I would guess that's almost an art form unto itself.  I've also
heard some d.js who banter on so long that I find myself talking to my radio
telling him to play the next tune!!  That reminds me of a club show I
attended a couple of years ago that had a house band featuring a ragtime
pianist who specialized in unearthing obscure rags and playing them for the
public.  Well, the house band (after starting late) played a full set
themselves before bringing in and introducing this pianist.  I kid you not,
the guy who introduced her (himself a well known player - though not for
ragtime) took almost a half an hour to introduce this person (I know because
I kept looking at my watch).  The intro was almost like an intro to Early
Jazz 101 lecture and the crowd (it was a small packed place) was just going
stir crazy.  Then the pianist played 3 or 4 short rags and everyone took a
break!!  Certainly in this case the guy doing the introductions was
preaching to the choir anyway, when everyone just wanted to hear the music.

All the best,
Rob McCallum


----- Original Message -----
From: Stan Brager <sbrager at socal.rr.com>
To: Larry Weil <kc1ih at mac.com>; DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 6:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fw: "Jazz Radio" gripe


> The reason for the lack of detail is simply that most in the listening
> public want to hear wall-to-wall music without interruption from an
> announcer. When I had a show playing jazz, I felt that my audience wanted
> title and artist information including names of pertinent players. In the
> interests of those who didn't care for that information, I'd play about
10 -
> 15 minutes without any break but would announce the first number and
artist
> and back-announce after the "set" was complete. I would also set aside a
> short period of time to announce where and when various bands were
playing.
>
> However, station management was always on my back to say less and less -
to
> be more like the commercial stations.
>
> My own feeling is that radio plays a major role in the career of every
> artist, informing the public of the artist's name so that the buying
public
> would purchase their recordings and go to concerts featuring those
artists.
> In a way, it's a form of advertising. Often listeners would call to
inquire
> about a tune or an artist. Today, many stations use the internet to
publish
> their daily playlists.
>
> Many record collectors would take a chance on a new CD by an artist whom
> they had heard when that musician was playing as a sideman with another
> band. This is how, for instance, Harry James and Gene Krupa were able to
> parley their "stardom" with Benny Goodman into their own big bands.
>
> In my case, at a public radio station, the support for my show increased
> steadily from year to year. I believe that it was the listening public
> valued these services which were done for the public and the musicians.
>
> Stan
> Stan Brager
> Trombonist-in-Training
> Former Jazz Radio Host
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Larry Weil" <kc1ih at mac.com>
> To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 12:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fw: "Jazz Radio" gripe
>
>
> > At 11:52 AM 6/23/2003 -0700, Robert S. Ringwald wrote:
> >
> > > > Several decades ago, innumerable pop and easy listening stations
> decided
> > > > it was fashionable to play several tracks in a row without
announcing
> the
> > > > names of the songs and artists until the end of the set. The boast
was
> "We
> > > > play more uninterrupted music." That's okay for Top 40 tunes or
music
> to
> > > > chew gum by in an elevator or a supermarket. But unfortunately, it
has
> > > > become standard practice on many jazz radio programs.
> > > >
> > > > The effect is not a trivial matter. Jazz fans are deprived of basic
> > > > information. The name recognition of jazz musicians is diminished.
The
> > > > viability of record companies is threatened. This is especially true
> in
> > > > the case of lesser known artists and small labels.
> >
> > Some of this may have to do with copyrights and internet broadcasting.
> The
> > rules governing internet broadcasting prohibit announcing a song before
it
> > plays, so as to prevent an internet lister from digitally capturing a
song
> > as soon as starts since the listener knows it's coming.  Thus, if the
> > station is streaming, they can post-announce but they can't
pre-announce.
> >
> > Since much jazz is broadcast on non-commercial stations, and they are
the
> > ones that are still streaming in many cases, this could be a significant
> > factor in this problem.  Of course, what was originally posted is
probably
> > still part of the problem, I just thought this additional info might
cast
> > some light on the situation.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Larry Weil
> > Lake Wobegone, NH
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
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