The good thing about this meeting was the number of people who showed up. The bad thing was those who didn't show. Apart from Mike Durham, Keith Crombie, Brian Bennett and the guys from Saltburn, I didn't see any of the more mainstream orientated promoters. Their input would have been valuable.
As it was, it was a constructive evening which, inevitably for an opener, ended up as a work in progress.
Paul Bream spoke well describing the achievements of the now no more Jazz Action, of Jazz North East, Schmazz and the future prospects for Jazz in the region.
Nigel Slee of the newly formed Jazz North waxed eloquent on the future and how the North East, The North West, and Yorkshire would become one. Not everyone was convinced of this and the criteria that would be applied to select - say ten bands - to be funded and promoted and how they would be pigeon-holed style-wise. .In the chair, Chris Hodgkins, assured those present that all bands would be adjudged on merit irrespective of genre. (We shall see!)
Steve Crocker, of Seven Jazz, Leeds, reported on their success story and so the story ended - on a cliffhanger!
Afterwards the various factions intermingled, making full use of the bar, totally oblivious to what Zoe Gilby and Andy Champion were laying down. Let's be honest, the Basie Band wouldn't have been heard above the conversation!
However, once the chit-chat had settled at an acceptable level, Zoe came across beautifully - Our Love is Here To Stay brought the audience down to pin-drop acoustics and it was much appreciated by those with ears.
As I said earlier - a work in progress. Not so Zoe, she's a work progressing so fast Diana Krall is looking over shoulders! In fact Diana said to me the other day in The Jazz Café - "I'm sure glad Zoe doesn't play piano!"
Mind you this was a different Diana.
Mind you this was a different Diana.
Lance.
2 comments :
I was surprised there were not more local young musicians interested enough to attend. Did they all have gigs on a Monday evening? Surely they wish to keep jazz alive in this area?
Then again you only have to look at Splinter on a Sunday evening. Some musicians and vocalists only ever show up for their own gigs.
You're touching on one of my sore points. There are so many fine young musicians coming out of the music schools and colleges yet, as you say, they never show up for other peoples gigs (an exception last night was Michael Lamb of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.)
One wonders if they think that because they've been to college they know it all and can't learn anything from listening to jazzers who actually earn a crust from playing in clubs and bars?
Which brings me to another related area. How do we attract, not just the younger element, but the younger element from a working class, state school, background?
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