Hello Kansas City Musicians ( And Audiences)

[thriftylefty]

KC, Minneapolis, and Columbus is part of a consortiun of presenters called MAAA, Mid-America-Arts-Alliance and Arts midwest. They have a conference every year. You could gain exposure in multiple states across the Midwest and upper midwest by attending one these conferences. It would probally cost an artist around $1000.00 or more; for travel, conference fees, exhibit booth, show case fees, and promotional material. Confrencing is still a cheap way to get your talent out there and the concert fees that performing arts presenters pay will be around 10 times that of a bar gig. There are many Jazz musicians who play the festival and concert circut and bypass the bars altogether.

[xenokc]

Good KC article posted the other day about the challenges with the jazz label and how it's used broadly. Responses accuse the movement as media hounding and unnecessary policing of jazz.

A controversial proposal would redefine ‘jazz’ - KansasCity.com (http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/13/3367081/a-controversial-proposal-would.html - broken link)

[woodthrush]

This is excellent info thriftylefty and I thank you for it!. I also look forward to reading the article xenokc.

[thriftylefty]

Originally Posted by xenokc

Good KC article posted the other day about the challenges with the jazz label and how it's used broadly. Responses accuse the movement as media hounding and unnecessary policing of jazz.

A controversial proposal would redefine ‘jazz’ - KansasCity.com (http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/13/3367081/a-controversial-proposal-would.html - broken link)

Duke Ellington also thought the term "Jazz" was racist or at least slanderous. Bobby Watson is right guys like Winton should just play and let thier music do the talking. One musicologist wrote years ago that american musicans wear a "harness" around their neck. This harness represents their aspirations for acceptance in European or Classical music circles. Charlie Mingus was haunted by this also, I think it drove him insane. I think these musicians who complain about the jazz label would be happier if they identified themselves as Classical Musicians and take that career path. Classically trained musicians are always welcomed in the Jazz world and are not considered a novelty as Jazz musician is in the Classical world

[xenokc]

Calling a jazz inspired musician a Classical musician sounds too structured compared to jazz label though. Jazz usually implies improv, not structure. Is the funny thing about using labels to describe anything. The attributes of a label means different things to different people but one thing I won't subscribe to is that Kenny G is jazz. Many think if there's a sax in it, it's 'jazzy'. Sigh.