I'd already heard a lot of great music in 2011, but Joe Lovano's concert Saturday at the Folly Theater topped it all. Startlingly innovative, Lovano and his Us Five band demonstrated that jazz still contains entire universes of untapped potential. (It's astonishing how much I concur with this review of the concert.)
Only about 400 people attended. Empty seats outnumbered patrons. And a significant portion of them, displeased by Lovano's aggressive approach, walked out. The Folly Theater's failure to utilize free promotional tools continues to disappoint me, but the problem is far more complex than that.
I was rattled by the reaction I received when I shared my excitement about Lovano's concert with friends during the previous day's First Friday celebration. One owns a record label. Another specializes in music marketing. A third books bands. A fourth works in radio. Not one of them had even heard of Lovano. He may lack the charisma of his frequent collaborator Esperanza Spalding, but within the jazz world, Lovano is a giant. When one of jazz's most important and compelling artists doesn't even register as a blip on the radar of music professionals, jazz is in a world of hurt.
Why the disconnect?
It's not the economy or competition from other forms of entertainment. Three rock-oriented concerts- Bright Eyes at the Uptown Theater, Three Days Grace at the Midland Theater and Henry Rollins at the Record Bar- drew capacity audiences the same night as Lovano's appearance. I have to believe that a least a few hundred fans at those events would also be attracted to the adventurous new sounds produced by Lovano. Rollins, for instance, issued a Matthew Shipp album on his 2.13.61 record label.
I realize, of course, that I'm preaching to the choir. I spotted several of Plastic Sax's 37 readers at Lovano's concert. Even so, it's come to this- jazz is so far removed from music's mainstream that active consumers of rock and hip hop have virtually no awareness of vital artists like Joe Lovano.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
18 comments:
There's a big difference between people who are willing to listen to jazz while drinking at a bar and people who are willing to buy and ticket and sit in a theatre with nothing else to do.
You might see a full room at Jardine's or the Blue Room. But you're actually not seeing very many true fans.
Can we please stop being so surprised?
No.
The Folly needs a 21st Century heads upmarketing person who is aggressive, current and a salesman. They also need to dump the union that runs the stage.
Could be worse. You could be in Cincinnati, where national acts almost never come through. The Blue Wisp is too cash-strapped to spring for A-listers (although we were treated to Robert Glasper and Benny Golson recently) and there is not even close to an answer to the Folly Series, the Jammin' at the Gem Series, or the always-stellar We Always Swing series in Columbia. It may seem depressing in Kansas City--but I assure you, it's more depressing elsewhere.
I have few complaints about the quality and variety of live music options in Kansas City, Michael. It's the paucity of "true" jazz fans (excluding fellow musicians) under the age of 50 that upsets me.
Even one day of hands-on training and guidance from a guy like Michael or KCJazzLark, Anon 1033, could point the management of the Folly in the right direction.
The Folly has volunteer ushers. Maybe they could have a volunteer marketing team that got free tickets or better yet, back stage passes.
That's a great idea, Anon 805.
I've been reading the blog for a few months now and this is my first comment.
I was also at the (excellent) Lovano concert and was also surprised by the turnout and the lackluster response to the music (at least in the balcony, where ushers were whispering to each other during much of the first set). But the problem might be more than just marketing & outreach.
The Folly announced next season's lineup, and it included the Yellowjackets. I'm not sure that a series with both Lovano's latest group and the kings of smooth crossover fusion makes a whit of sense.
"Better to stay away," quoth the confused concertgoer. "Am I getting freaky drum-heavy rhythmic & harmonic abstraction? Or am I gonna get a bunch of dudes running scales over the backdrop of something I used to hear on the Quiet Storm?"
At least with Henry Rollins you know what's coming.
One more thing: The sound mix in the balcony was atrocious. You could hardly hear any of Joe's horns during the first set, the bass was inaudiable, the piano was tinny, and though the bass drums dominated the mix, even they were muddy. So you might fault the sound-men (or lack thereof) for failing to mix for the whole house. If my ears were less attuned to the sounds of these particular instruments, I might have left early too. I've certainly left rock shows because of a poor mix. Or at least retreated to the bar.
I got you, Happy, but it can be presumed that at least part of the reason other cities (in this case, I'm speaking of Cincinnati but I think it could apply to several other small-to-medium-market cities) don't have as many A-list acts coming through is that the audience is even more sparse than it is in KC. Or maybe not--maybe it's just a lack of initiative among arts patrons and entrepreneurs, I don't know. I guess what I am saying is, it might be an alarming trend in Kansas City but I have to say it's significantly worse here. In fact, it's a tough task to even get other musicians out to hear the music. So as hard as it may be to believe, I think that Kansas City is actually ahead of the game, comparatively. Which...is bad.
You know.. he may be a "vital artist" and all, and obviously is head and shoulders above my level of technique but no matter how hard I try I am always going to think his tone sucks. I've given his pr machine my money in the form of 4 albums buys hoping my mind would change but, no.. his tone still sucks. Which is why I chose not to go.
And every time you bemoan something beyond your control this is what I hear Happy, "THE SKY IS FALLING THE SKY IS FALLING THE SKY IS FALLING" You can't make other people's choices for them, and of course, there is no accounting for taste.
The sound at the Lovano concert improved after intermission, GL. I didn't complain, however, because Lovano was always loud and clear. Unlike Kyle, I like his tone.
Thanks for checking back in, Michael.
I want to share my love of this music with everyone, Kyle. I can't, as you suggest, "make other people's choices for them," but I'm not about to pretend that everything is wonderful when that's obviously not the case.
such a confuscian thing to say. "there's obviously something wrong, and it wasn't like this in the past, so if we could somehow get back to the past then everything will be hunky dory again?"
No, that's not it at all, Kyle. I don't expect people to forsake Radiohead and Lil Wayne for Count Basie. Instead, I hope that the same people attending this weekend's Middle of the Map festival and Kool Keith concert will eventually discover the Bad Plus, Black House Improvisors' Collective, Roy Hargrove, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Lionel Loueke, Joshua Redman and Snuff Jazz.
Fair enough. But like you always say, isn't the onus on us to make them want to be interested in our music? Besides, I shouldn't complain, you always advocate for local and regional talent. It's like you secretly want to be a cynic, but just can't find it in your heart to give up. and so turn into the unabashed apologist. Which I'm pretty sure we all enjoy reading.
Plastic Sax blog readers have a great opportunity to help directly affect the Folly's ability to strengthen both its marketing and its sound operations. How? By signing up to play in the 2011 Folly Golf Classic on Monday, May 23rd. This annual fundraiser includes a round of golf on the classic Oakwood Country Club course, Jack Stack barbeque lunch, silent auction and other terrific features and giveaways. Best of all, it's for the direct benefit of your Folly Theater, to help with advertising and marketing as well as operating costs like stage and auditorium sound. So put down your pen and pick up your clubs for your Folly Theater, and help make a positive difference in the life of this enduring showcase for jazz in Kansas City. go to http://sites.google.com/site/thefollygolfclassic and download the Team Application Form or call the Folly office at 816-842-5500 to find out how you can be a part of this fun and worthwhile afternoon for the Folly. Thanks.
I have seen thier events listed on many different forums and think they do decent at getting the word out there. Being a former marketing person myself,I know there are not that many "free" promotional options out there. I believe the Folly is a not for profit, so they most likely do not have the funding to bring in big name artists or do much promotion. Most people do not have a clue how much performers charge, and it is difficult to even break even these days. I have seen some great shows here, Marty Stuart, Stefon Harris, Dave Brubeck to name a few, and would love to see this theater prosper. With donations & funding for the arts getting smaller every day, I fear they might not last.
Kyle--have you listened to early Joe, like when he was in the Mel Lewis band as a 20-something? Check that out. If you can get ahead of The Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 1, Joe sounds great on that and his sound is drastically different (read: more conventional). OK, I've reached my comment quota on this thread.
Michael- thanks for the tip. I am willing to give it another try.
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