[Trombone-l] Jazz CDs

[Stan Brager]

Mike;

Trombonist Turk Murphy when asked about how he programmed what tunes he was
going to play, responded, "first I play something that the audience wants to
hear. Then, I play something I want the audience to hear." Woody Herman did
the somewhat same thing only on the basis of sets with the middle set
devoted to his "popular" stuff.

Yes, you can call that pandering. On the other hand, Turk and Woody were
also educating their audience. After all, isn't this what we have to do in
order to hold and keep the audience coming back for more?

Stan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <mikesuter at adelphia.net>
To: <trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Jazz CDs


> Hi,
>
> Nobody asked this, but I think it should be answered anyway: When one aims
his music to his audience, isn't he pandering?
>
> In many other forms of music, yes. But it's pretty difficult to do it with
jazz. The soloists are simply too exposed to get away with it.
>
> My "housewife in Des Moines" line comes from a conversation with a former
publicist for the Canadian Brass. They've taken their music waaaay beyond
the brass quintet audience. And they play really well. But in my opinion,
they're pandering somewhat - playing down to their audience. But not enough
that they've lost the musician's audience. We still buy their CDs, DVDs, and
music.
>
> There was a lot of talk about Gordon Goodwin recently on the Kentonia
Forum. Some folks accused him of pandering, too. In the end, the consensus
was that some of his music was clearly written to be sold to - and played
by - school jazz bands. But that the solo work - the JAZZ part of the
albums - was top notch. As with the Canadian Brass, they also have not lost
the musician's audience. We continue to purchase their CDs, DVDs, and music.
>
> I'm gonna ramble - now's yer chance to delete. But you might miss
something important.
>
> One of my bosses used to tell our audiences "Music will never be the music
of the masses." Man! That sure sounds exclusive (as in excluding). But he
always left a pause after saying that. And you could almost hear the
audience finishing the thought with "Wow, I like this music. That makes me
someone special."
>
> He was being 'inclusive' by making an 'exclusive' statement. Some might
even cal it a 'con job'. But it elicited a huge ovation every time he said
it . . . and sold records.
>
> I have a huge big band jazz jones. And, even though it's just eleven
pieces, Slidewerke is a big band - a big JAZZ band. But I cannot justify the
enormous amount of money I've spent on it if it isn't going to turn a
profit. This isn't my hobby. It's my life. So Slidewerke will use many of
the same tactics as the CB (lite pandering), Gordon Goodwin (flash & dash +
great soloists), and SK (verbal coercion). Most of the music we'll play is
stuff that I'd program even if we only performed for hard core jazz
audiences. But some of it will be programmed to sell print music to schools.
Some of it will be programmed to sell CDs and DVDs to housewives in Des
Moines (the casual jazz listener). But all of it it will be quality jazz.
>
> Strike yer matches.
>
> End of ramble.
>
> All The Best,  Mike Suter
>
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