[Dixielandjazz] Fw: "Jazz Radio" gripe

Tue Jun 24 09:43:33 PDT 2003

I fully agree with you, Rob. There are many DJ's who go on incessantly
without really adding to the knowledge of the listener or being relevant to
the music. The listener tunes in for the music.

About every 6 weeks or so, I used to do a "disco-biography" of a musician
like BG, Duke, Jack Teagarden, etc. in which I'd present the story of the
musician and play music pertinent to that musician.  For example, Lester
Young was influenced by Bix and Tram's recording of "Singin' The Blues". I'd
play that recording when discussing the early years of Prez.

My show was 3 hours long.  I'd usually begin a "disco-bio" show with about 2
or 3 normal sets of  3 recordings each which featured the particular artist.
The rest of the recordings played on that show were in chronological order
as I spoke about Prez' life. I tried to have no more than 20 - 30 seconds
between recordings although taking a musician from birth to his first
recording might have been 2 - 3 minutes. The bio portion would end about 45
minutes before the end of my show. At this time, I'd play normal sets
featuring listener requests for the artist or other recordings by the
artist. If I didn't have time for all requests, I'd schedule them for the
following weeks.

The DJML was instrumental in providing stories and information about
musicians and their recordings which I often fit into these bios. Don Ingle,
for instance, provided a lot of information about his "uncle" Rosy McHargue.

There was no doubt in my mind that these shows were eagerly awaited,
listened to, and a reason for the support which I received from listeners
during pledge breaks.

Stan
Stan Brager
Trombonist-in-Training
Former Radio Host

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob McCallum" <rakmccallum at hotmail.com>
To: "Stan Brager" <sbrager at socal.rr.com>
Cc: "djml" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fw: "Jazz Radio" gripe

> 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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> >
>