[Dixielandjazz] Re: The "Business" of Music

[Steve barbone]

Charles Suhor at csuhor at zebra.net wrote:

> Hey, folks--
> 
> I hear the concern in this thread for the folly of the Baltimore
> Symphony competing for an already limited audience instead of
> imaginatively trying to expand the audience for classical music, etc.

Yes you do hear that concern.
 
> But do I read rightly a disdain for federal, state, and corporate
> grants, and $ for arts dissemination from fundraising campaigns? I
> could cite flaws in all of those kids of gifts--wastefully elegant
> brochures mailed over and over again, grants to dubiously worthy
> individuals and projects, neglect of certain areas, genres, etc.

Yes you do read a certain disdain, but not for the collection of money.

> But on 
> the balance, gifts to the arts and humanities help many people in need,
> serve students and the public well, and sustain arts that don't have
> the support enjoyed, say, by hip-hop stars, gameboys, and porno
> websites.. Supply and demand and the free market aren't the whole
> story. Also, there's both/and rather than either/or. Many artists learn
> to peddle their work skillfully in the public at large, and also go for
> the grants and subsidies with success. Maybe I've misread this, or
> maybe there's a libertarian view being expressed that I happen to
> disagree with.

The disdain that I publish is not so much for the grants and fund raisers.
It is for WHAT IS DONE WITH THE GRANT MONEY AND THE FUND RAISED MONEY, by
most (not all) of those idiots who collect it and then spend it.

E.G. I disrespect the Baltimore folks who use $3 million dollars to open up
a new venue, when there existing venue is only 60% full. Say I, with my
simplistic mind, why the hell don't you folks use that money to fill up your
existing venue? Are you not going from 1 empty hall to 2 empty halls? What
history of successful music marketing is there in Baltimore would lead one
to believe they will do otherwise?

E.G. I respect Wynton Marsalis who is using grant money to FILL UP EXISTING
VENUES as well as build new ones, educate the kids in schools to the wonders
of jazz music, etc., etc.., etc. Is it working? Well if one checks the
vitality of "JAZZ IN NYC" now, after LCJB, vs. before, one cannot help but
be amazed at the progress.

As posted yesterday,  they're even importing Italian Bands now to satisfy
the demand for jazz in NYC. :-) VBG.

Bottom line, I scoff at the fools who treat this music as some sort of
private clubby entertainment for a few "wise old white folks". You know,
those whose raison d'etre is to "PRESERVE" the music. WHAT!!!???

The music is already preserved in much more relevant locations than the jazz
society of Lower Podunk. (EG. Smithsonian, Rutgers, Tulane, etc.., etc.,
etc.) Why waste money on a phony goal like "preservation"? Spend it on
EXPANDING THE AUDIENCE.

And so on.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone