[Dixielandjazz] FW: Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay-- blog

[Jim Kashishian]

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From: Jim Kashishian [mailto:jim at kashprod.com] 
Sent: sábado, 26 de mayo de 2012 19:23
To: 'Norman Vickers'
Subject: RE: Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay--
blog


Ok, I read the whole link, although I'm not a jazz educator nor do I belong
to a Jazz Society.  I do live & work, however, in Europe (Madrid, Spain)
where there is none of this pidgeon holing of different styles, and there
are plenty of people out at night to wander into any joint that has
something going on.
 
So, rather than to discuss the differences between the U.S. & Europe, which
we all well understand already, I would like to look closer at two bits I
pulled out of the text in the link:
 
1.  "How do we make Jazz vital once again?"  
How to make it vital now?  Play it with vitality!  Ok, I'm probably playing
around a bit with that word, but you get the idea.  Even a ballad can be
dynamic if you really get into it.  The audience feels that vitality, and
knows something is happening.  They don't need to know what, they just need
to feel something is going on.  We're the ones that need to know the what of
it!  When musicians play for themselves, most folks don't get it.  Play for
the audience, they'll get that.
 
2.  "Most don't care about Traditional Jazz....music has simply evolved
beyond it."
You can play Traditional Jazz in an evolved manner, not trying to imitate
the originals, but still playing the old tunes.  Playing them with a
lighter, more swinging rhythm is one way of evolving.  Get those fast tempos
up!  Get the front line out of those chairs, up on their feet, playing with
all their body, is another way to make sure it doesn't get interpreted as
being "old" (even if the person playing is!).
 
I fully understand that we, of course, enjoy a lively audience over here
that is open-minded enough to accept any style.  Our audiences don't worry
about what style we are playing or even care about what it is called.  They
just enjoy it as long as we play in a way that causes this enjoyment.  
 
We also HAVE an audience, as there are people out on the streets at night,
walking, looking into joints & wandering by.  However, we still have to play
a lively, happy music that attracts them in, & keeps them in.  This is where
the vitality creeps in.  It is how a group of "older guys" playing Trad Jazz
can draw a young (& older) audience.
 
The audience is just not into worrying about what it is.  Neither are we!
We have little boundaries, and even less hangups (the band is all Spanish
except for myself), so magic can creep in.
 
I wonder if the teacher who wrote the article taught the kids how to enjoy
their music, and to project that enjoyment out into the audience?  I'm
really mentioning (hinting at) what some say is a nasty word:
"entertainment".
 
Jim Kashishian
 
 
 
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From: Norman Vickers [mailto:nvickers1 at cox.net] 
Sent: sábado, 26 de mayo de 2012 13:19
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay-- blog



To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list;  DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

I came across this long blog by “Kokatu.” I’m unfamiliar with the writer or
the blog.  He states that he was a high school teacher who taught jazz to
his students.  He and colleagues enlarged the program, had students playing
jazz but he felt that most did not become jazzfans.  He quotes
Ellenberger—this was a blog on NPR about difficulty of growing a jazz
audience.  Nice discussion which will have limited appeal to most  members
on this list.  However, it should be of interest to those interested In jazz
education and Jazz Society members who hope to increase their audiences.
I’ll be interested in your clear and incisive thinking on this subject.

Here’s the link:

 

http://kotaku.com/5913112/growing-the-jazz-audience-cant-be-done-maybe-thats
-okay

 


 
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