Friday, December 9, 2011

Now's the Time: Boxcar


Here's an idea: What if just one out of every ten people who are publicly fretting about the status of jazz clubs on Main Street took a break from complaining on Saturday and went to see a jazz band perform at 18th & Vine? Not only would the Blue Room be packed, people might be reminded that music is far more compelling than the peccadilloes of club owners. Boxcar claims to combine "the panache of New Orleans, and the drive of New York City, with the free-spirited, underground jazz of Minneapolis."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent suggestion! Don't wallow in negativity - get out, support the jazz scene and most important - HAVE FUN!

Anonymous said...

Yeah Bill! Less talk; more Rock! -sam

The Don said...

KCJO concert jam packed! Musicians paid well and quality product.

Tim Whitmer Carol Fest Production last Sunday jam packed. Musicians paid well and quality product.

Tim Whitmer's production last Wednesday night with Everette Devan had several hundred people. Musicians paid well and quality product.

Concert jazz is the future of jazz. Everybody is listening, audiences are dressed up and fully engaged and okay with spending some money on a ticket.

Hanging out in a jazz club is a little like hanging out at a car lot talking to car salesmen standing outside having a smoke.

Whoa is me and whoa is the business.

Being a good player is a prerequisite.
Reinvent yourselves jazz musicians. Treat your profession like a business. Learn to talk on the microphone with clarity and purpose. Learn the business of business. Take a shower, put on some deodorant, buy a dark suit, a couple nice shirts and couple nice ties.

I would think its an honor to be a jazz musician.

Like Art Blakey said frequently, "They see you before they hear you."

Matt Leifer said...

Don...

Your sentiment about adaptation, though very condescending, has merit.

Formal concerts are great but they cannot happen with the frequency required to keep half of the actual number of jazz musicians (locally or otherwise) self sustaining.

Dressing up and playing a gig on a big stage in front of concertgoers, and leaving with a big check feels great. I've done it plenty of times, but even a BIG check isn't enough if it only happens once every month or two. Try filling auditoriums with enthusiastic (albeit conservative and depressing) blue hairs 20 nights a month. That shit won't fly.

Anonymous said...

Matt,
Your reply makes sense, but don't you think you could've left off the last bit: "Try filling auditoriums with enthusiastic (albeit conservative and depressing) blue hairs 20 nights a month. That shit won't fly." Talk about condesending!

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,

The blue hairs have the resources to underwrite recording projects, to buy tickets, CD's and tip generously. Many of them also underwrite scholarships. In addition they can afford to buy expensive cocktails, dinners and bottles of Dom Perignon.

Attracting musicians and family members to your gigs only infuriates the staff. They don't tip, they get comped and they tie up tables.

Matt Leifer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I like that Bill tries to keep things civil at Plastic Sax - any chance we can discuss issues and music without resorting to insults, cheap shots, and one-upmanship? BTW - did any PS readers make it to the Boxcar show? If so, how was it?

Cb said...

*Concert jazz is the future of jazz. Everybody is listening, audiences are dressed up and fully engaged and okay with spending some money on a ticket.

Hanging out in a jazz club is a little like hanging out at a car lot talking to car salesmen standing outside having a smoke.*

I have agreed with this reality for years because that is the way it is - like it or not. It is the times we live in. We can't present the music like it was 60 years ago and expect people of our times to come out consistently enough to make a living. That won't happen. And, it is not happening...

A club like the Blue Room can still put on "concerts"... the 4-set thing was actually dead in most places by the early 1960s. That party was over.

Why not two concerts performed by two different artists in The Blue Room? I go on record here that it will work if it is tried and you will put more musicians to work as well. Then, cats will be rehearsing for concerts not gigs.

Just my $0.02

Peace, Cb

Cb said...

BLOG POSTING DISCLAIMER NOTICE: Any comments that I post in reply to this blog (or any other) are not intended to reflect any official position of any organization that I may be associated with officially as owner, founder, co-founder, employee, educator, associate, contractor, board member or consultant. This disclaimer also includes the following primary points for consideration:

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o If you don't like what I write, that's okay.

o If you do like what I write, that's okay too.

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Peace, Cb