[Dixielandjazz] Critics

[Steve Barbone]

LeslieMRag at aol.com
 
> So then why do musicians send review copies of CDs to publications, and why
> do they protest when they aren't mentioned in festival reviews? Why not just
> take out an ad? Running reviews is the pits as far as publishers are concerned
> because there's always someone who doesn't like a recording that gets a rave
> review and always someone who loves a recording that gets a lukewarm review.
> I've even had musicians complain when they got a rave review because they
> didn't 
> think the CD was that good, and I've had to pass on CDs sent to us by good
> musicians who sometimes send us inferior CDs not indicative of their usual
> performances. It's a really difficult situation for the publisher....a free
> service provided with the potential for landmines all over the place.

Beats me Leslie since I personally neither send CDs out for review nor worry
about Festivals. And I agree with you, the complainers should take out an ad
instead of bitching about a free service. They should learn how to market
themselves, and to whom.

I sympathize with the dilemma it presents to publishers but think it can be
overcome with reviewers who know what they are doing. In the case of the
"Pirates" movie, clearly it was going to be a hit, yet panned by the
reviewers. Why? Because they were not on the same page as the public.

The movie reviewer said in answer to the question why do you review movies.
"We do it for you." If that is the the case, then they should do it right.
Not just one or two people disagreed with that review, millions did.

Mississippi Rag CD reviewers are generally very good. Some others are not.
I remember a Band about 7 years ago getting a one star review (out of 5) by
a famous reviewer who did not like the style. (Uptown New Orleans like
George Lewis) Panned the band like "why should a band play in the style of
George Lewis" etc., etc., etc. The musicianship in that band was and still
is superb, at least in my jazz musician ears.

Today, that same band is goes all over the USA playing Swing Dances, club
dates, weddings, and more for young people who absolutely adore their music.
Playing in George Lewis style. But, they play precious few Festivals since
that nasty review went a long way towards killing that market for them.
Being smart businessmen who work Dixieland for a living, they figured out
how to get an audience. And they don't send their CDs out for review anymore
either. :-) VBG.

That was a case of an elitist reviewer who reviewed records in order to
satisfy his own ego, claiming that he knew what the audience wanted.
Clearly, he didn't know what the audience wanted and was way out of line
with a one star review.

That's what I mean when I say "Critics? Who needs them?"

Cheers,
Steve Barbone