MAYBE SOME DAY

Maybe we could become a true jazz culture in the Northwest - like we believe we are.  Maybe we could grow jazz and build a future for the jazz fans yet to come.

There are so many facets to the world of jazz.  And so many stakeholders.  There are the musicians, the recording industry, the clubs, the festivals, the student musicians, the parents of the musicians, the festivals, the broadcast media, the print media, and the listening audiences.

The Jazz Society of Oregon would like to help them all.  We'd like to be all things to all people.  We want to connect them in meaningful ways, to create greater jazz in the Northwest.  Perhaps, though, we should consider limiting our scope -- and focus in a different way. 

There is not much we can do for musicians as musicians. Mel Brown will play drums just fine without us.  There's not much we can do for clubs as clubs. We can't pay their rent. 

Similarly there's not a lot we can do for media, parents of musicians, etc.  And for the most part all we've done for student musicians (and their parents) is provide scholarships for a very, very few of them to continue their studies.

What we can do, though, is provide the one thing that the musicians, the clubs, the festivals -- all of the above -- need, and that is audience.

Clubs need paying customers to stay in business.  Musicians need paying listeners, at clubs, festivals and as CD purchasers, to stay in business.  The future of jazz depends on young people learning to enjoy the music and be the audiences of tomorrow.

We now do quite a bit in audience development.  Through Jazzscene we publicize the festivals and other special events.  We let our readers know who's playing where and when through the calendar.  We develop interest in jazz through articles on the music and musicians.

What more can we do?  I think we can focus more on the live music opportunities, and find ways to get people out to the clubs. We can take an advocacy position on allowing young people into clubs to hear the music.  We can find other ways to encourage people to get out and hear live music.

We can do more for the festivals and special events.  We have a growing cadre of volunteers that can help in promotion and leadership.  We can do more to support the independent promoters who bring us visiting musicians.

Above all, we must do more to bring the music to two groups that are not now strong jazz fans: the students in our schools and the 18 - 35 year-olds. The students are both the musicians and listeners of tomorrow, and the young adults -- so far -- are less likely to listen to jazz than any other demographic.

We need to build a better jazz audience in the Northwest!  If this becomes our mission, the musicians, the clubs, the students, and our members will all benefit. 

Please mull this over while enjoying the happiest of holidays! Your thoughts?  Will you help?

Chuck Carpenter
President
Jazz Society of Oregon