Blogs and Stories
Can Michelle Save Jazz?
But here’s the thing: Brown says he’s drawing crowds because Fat Cat also offers billiards, ping pong, chess, scrabble, and other games. “We bring them in because we have tons of things other than jazz, and once they hear it, they like it,” he says. “The new generation is all over the place, doing several things at one time, and jazz is more mellow. They have to have other activities.”
“I brought my own family with me today because I want to keep them alive and aware of all kinds of music other than hip-hop,” Michelle Obama said.
It’s the same plague that threatens many of the arts. “We have a whole culture suffering from attention-deficit disorder,” says Todd Barkan, programming director for Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. “That affects people’s ability to concentrate and seek out high-quality music.” Like others, Barkan also says that hip-hop has cut into a traditional fountainhead of jazz audiences, African-Americans. “It has been challenging for jazz to maintain its identify in depth and breadth when another indigenous art form has manifested itself,” he says.
It’s a point Michelle Obama made, too: “I brought my own family with me today because I want to keep them alive and aware of all kinds of music other than hip-hop,” she said.
That’s why her entrance on the scene has fans of classic jazz excited (along with the fact that the president, who has said he has John Coltrane and Miles Davis on his iPod, is an equally avid listener). The White House gathering she honchoed included jazz royalty, the Marsalis family, was timed to coincide with Washington’s Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, and used students from programs sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Jazz at Lincoln Center helped produce the event.
“Michelle Obama even talking about jazz is just so helpful,” says Barkan. Now many fans, citing the appearance of Herbie Hancock at the inauguration concert, are hoping for more. No one ever documented it, but when Bill Clinton pulled out his saxophone, interest in jazz among the young seemed to spike a bit. The Obamas, being way more cool, would have a much bigger impact with young people. If they keep jazz alive at the White House, and gain media attention for it, they could help replace jazz’s aging audience. As Brown says he’s found out, “If you just bring people to the table, they’ll come back.”
Judith H. Dobrzynski, formerly a reporter and a senior editor at The New York Times and at BusinessWeek, as well as a senior executive at CNBC, is a writer based in New York. She blogs about the arts at www.artsjournal.com/realcleararts.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Stars Celebrate the Super Bowl
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
Magnum: The Next Generation
Judith H. Dobrzynski, formerly a reporter and a senior editor at The New York Times and at BusinessWeek, as well as a senior executive at CNBC, is a writer based in New York. She blogs about the arts at www.artsjournal.com/realcleararts.
Georgia O'Keeffe's Love Letters
Judith H. Dobrzynski, formerly a reporter and a senior editor at The New York Times and at BusinessWeek, as well as a senior executive at CNBC, is a writer based in New York. She blogs about the arts at www.artsjournal.com/realcleararts.
Obama's New Arts Czar: His Wife
Judith H. Dobrzynski, formerly a reporter and a senior editor at The New York Times and at BusinessWeek, as well as a senior executive at CNBC, is a writer based in New York. She blogs about the arts at www.artsjournal.com/realcleararts.
exploora
I think what happens, if a person who wouldn't normally get exposed to jazz becomes curious due to Michelle's introduction of musicians she could help to inspire interest. I think people though need some disposable money or vouchers to buy the music. People don't buy music the way they used. When I was a kid, I would save up get an album once a month. I think now people get songs off the internet, not whole albums. I might be wrong. I think people buy songs now and then it is harder to learn to appreciate musicians individually. Getting the whole album, looking at the album cover, that is a lot different, than just buying one song and possibly going to the artist's web site. Concerts and cds are a lot more expensive now.
I am starting to like classical music, I actually own a couple of CDs now, and have some the tunes on my mp3 player.
exploora
I also think some clubs and restaurants that have musicians play, turn the music up way too loud.
It is a danger to a person's hearing if it is too loud, and it is no longer background music. Whereas when they play music from the radio or a cd, they don't turn the volume up as loud, so people can talk to teach other.
I don't think people now really want to make things nice the way they used to. It seems like more people are money grubbing, looking for ways to charge fees for this and fees for that, and give far less value for what they do and I am not just talking about banks, and of course speudo banks like credit unions which pretend to be for the members, but would take your last thirty dollars too, and don't train their new staff to maintain the relationships they have made with members.
I know in my town it is terrible for being money grubbing, and the talent reflects that whole attitude. People can't get beyond the materialistic to get passionate enough to get good at their art. They think shock is enough.
Everything seems over priced where you go to listen to live music, people are pushing trying to sell you things, and then sometimes they make you feel, as soon as they have your money they want you out of the door, maybe that is why they turn the music up so loud.
The money grubbing mentality I think is just like the way so called democracy has gone, it is more about quantity than quality. and it shows up in everything.
exploora
I think it makes a big difference going somewhere, and there is free wifi, it sounds crazy I think it is true, that having other things to do while listening makes a big difference. In the old days people used to smoke in clubs, it isn't like they were just sitting there doing nothing, now people don't smoke, and technically should have more money if they are working to do more things.
frenchyjoe
Today's Jazz is uninspired. Most Baby Boomers make good instrumentalists but bad musicians playing scales and rhythmnic repetitions. Old Jazz is best - even Dixieland. Maybe the next generation will pick up the torch. In the meantime it's best to go back to old Jazz and Classical music. What a treasure trove they are.
Also Jazz is downgraded when colored people claim it as "their" music as if they invented it. But American music has always been a mixture of influences and peoples and for the Blacks to claim it is to denigrate the contributions of the Whites who have been there from the begining. Maybe in the future when Blacks get over their pride and low self-esteem Jazz can again become a force in American culture.
Ritarita
Wow.
I guess there are still
People like you around.
ajsd76
Huh! Jazz, not invented by black people? Downgraded by the claim of ownership? Do you understand the history of Jazz? Really? You can think whatever you want but that doesn't change the facts. Whites have had a great contribution towards Jazz, and Bill Evans comes to mind, but to denigrate the fact that Jazz was preponderantly a black invention is to decry history at the least, and hint at racism (I'm sorry I have to say this) at worst. Name me 10 artists that come to mind when you think of Jazz...Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Ornette Coleman, Lester Young, Benny Carter...see the pattern...Please accept and acknowledge what is as it is.
Ritarita
That's a great list
But it's just for starters.
And Louis Armstrong should be
Right at the top.
thommie
I would guess that the reason Jazz is beginning to decrease in popularity these days is because many young people, particulary in urban areas, are not exposed to musical instruments in school the way many of us, who are in our 40's or older, were exposed to in school. There has been a steady attack on music and art appreciation in most inner-city schools as a result of "budget cuts", regardless of which party was in office.
As a result of the deprevation of art, music & performing arts in the schools, our kids brillant as they are, created rap which reuses or recycles old music in a new way (our kids were green before it became hip). Having jazz jams is nice but it cannot replace the way you feel when you experience playing an instrument with a group and having that sound be beautiful and appreciated by others--and I might add there is a life lesson in that, team work, blending, harmony and math to boot. If you want to deal with youth violence and other maladies of society, I say we should start by "PUTTING ARTS & MUSIC BACK IN THE SCHOOLS"
janet1003mn
Bingo. Amen. And well said. And may I add that music education, in general, has been proven to improve school performance in other subjects -- particularly mathematics. We used to provide a well-rounded education, understanding that all each subject was important individually, but also in connection to others. What we choose to fund (and not fund) in schools prove that priorities are quite sad, and our children are suffering for it.
exploora
You beat me to it, connecting the math to the music, and of course there is less support for math too even though everything which derives from change is technically a derivative. Currency, futures, to hedge is not a bad thing, i think the best people at business are able to balance the ups and downs with markets that tend to work in opposite situations, so they can compliment risk instead of over regulate risk the way governments tend to do.
cenerentolo
jazz is dying????
HAH!!!!
opera anyone?
joel2400
The melody of jazz is disappearing, being replaced by the technical mastery of the individual performers who are unbelievable players but alienate themselves from the listening audience. The music must come first if you want to keep jazz lovers interested. The same goes for getting our young people involved in the jazz genre.
crnkovic
"Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny." Frank Zappa: Be-Bop Tango (1973)
tbagshaw
Jazz has been left to become a highbrow art form that is now taught in the collages and university's. Musicians a now learn there skills in "Jazz School" Nobody starts from the bottom and learn there playing skills from going to jam sessions or from there elders. Thats why jazz does smell a little funny at the moment and will for a long time to come the new stuff is a little stale in some cases or sounds a bit to academic. Most of the best new players seem to gravitate towards playing with the last of the elder states men still playing ( Brian Blade with Wayne Shorter anyone?). Awareness is always good but it may take a more than Mrs.Obama to revive this great music that it founding country has forgotten.
Ritarita
Still you have to admire her
For doing it-
And don't underestimate the power of FLOTUS.
She puts on a sweater and it sells out
In 30 minutes.
She's now the most photographed
Woman in the world.
If she likes jazz so will a LOT
Of other people.
downbytheriver00
I don't know why Jazz no longer sees the popularity it used to. Like everything else I'm sure it's due to a variety of things, but the one that irks me is that it seems that the vocalist has been pretty much dead on the jazz scene for decades, and I'll bet this has a lot to do with it's lack of appeal to the younger set. The human voice is naturally easier to bring emotion to the performance as compared to any instrument, and more importantly the emotion that is brought through the human voice is so much more understandable by the average listener, yet most modern jazz is devoid of voice. Some of the best recordings in the history of music are of Billie Holiday who was able to tell so much through her voice. My personal favorite jazz recording of all time is Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane doing "My One and Only Love". Coltrane, as usual, is his unbelievable self, but Johnny Hartman's voice in that song is so pure and so true and sounds as if God himself is singing. It is the most beautiful and haunting sound I have ever heard in a recorded song. Bring a singer with the quality of Johnny Hartman into jazz again and I've got to believe at least some of the younger set will notice (if properly marketed).
As far as The First Lady's efforts, I say "You go Girl!". I love jazz and want to see it prosper, especially since it is the real original American art form (if I may be a bit jingoistic!)
ajsd76
Ritarita,
Thanks for mentioning Louis Armstrong...funny thing is, he was the one that I had an intention to start with in the list. And as you put, that's just for starters...
exploora
I went to one school where playing the recorder was madority, and though, and we practiced a song for a few weeks, for twenty minutes, not long. Studying music does not have to be expensive. Of course having a full symphony for a school band would be ideal, but to cut music out of school I think is as stupid as blocking an entrance off a main road into a business, and expecting everything to be the same for the economy. Take away the sense of rhythm and harmony, and then what do you have left, a sense of depth is gone and it shows up all the time.
ftapache
Jazz Is not dying. Jazz Is dying on the radio. Jazz is all over the internet, it is an integral part of our school system, it is in commercials and provides the backdrop for many movies. Jazz needs a greater presence on terrestrial radio where it is rapidly losing ground to news, opinion and any variety of talk shows. We need more music and less talk to wash away the dust of everyday life we face in today's world. Again, jazz is not dying. Thanks Michelle Obama for standing up. Now will someone make Quincy Jones our culture czar and spread our American art form around the world as well as here at home!?
Jannula
Jazz is nonmusical. It is a jumble of notes without rhyme or reason. It does not soothe you but makes a person nervous. I do not like to listen to jazz because I do not like it. I like music which is melodious and easy to listen to. Just because Mich Obama likes it and wants to revive it is not going to change my mind. Now the Obama's want to jam Jazz down our throats. Well, not here! It is a waste of time and Jazz can die for all I care. Hard Core Jazz is a Cacophony and a real waste. Anyone who listens to that noise does not appreciate real music. High class music.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.