Marketing Gimmicks in Jazz

[Guy Berger]

A few times I've made "Rudy Van Gimmick" references - not specifically to the engineer, but rather to the use of the "brand" by EMI and subsequently Concord. The guy may or may not be a good remasterer, but it's pretty clear that putting his name on a CD moves units, or at least so the record labels believe.

Do you find this kind of gimmickry objectionable? If so, where do you draw the line? (For example, Mosaic's big-box-style is also a gimmick, but I think most of us would say it certainly is not objectionable in any way.)

While I find the concept and marketing of RVG, Legends of Acid Jazz and Keepnews editions to be annoying (why elevate some dude to primacy over the people who actually CREATED the music?), I guess I am glad if they are creating exposure to music that might not exist otherwise. I'm also less agitated about the Ken Burns documentary (as a marketing campaign - obviously it is seriously problematic as a historical "document") or "for lovers" compilations than I was in the past. I guess I would draw the line at something that I feel fundamentally compromisese the integrity of the music itself.

[JSngry]

Hey, the notion of recording fundamentally compromises the integrity of the music itself, so...

[BruceH]

Hey, the notion of recording fundamentally compromises the integrity of the music itself, so...

...Gol-durn microphones....

[JSngry]

Gol-durn trying to make the moment the forever...

[fasstrack]

What pisses me off are 'tribute' gigs or CDs. Yeah, right. Ruby Braff had it right when he said 'winners don't need tributes'. If the artist's heart is in it it's one thing. But usually it's just using someone's name to get asses in seats. I guess it's OK and in America you figure you need a gimmick. But if a club or recording company (are there any more labels?) has to use a memory to sell product what does that say about their belief in the living musician they profess to be presenting? It gives me the creeps.

[BeBop]

Hey, the notion of recording fundamentally compromises the integrity of the music itself, so...

Yep. And that's why I can't get won't take a recording gig.

[Teasing the Korean]

While I find the concept and marketing of RVG, Legends of Acid Jazz and Keepnews editions to be annoying (why elevate some dude to primacy over the people who actually CREATED the music?), I guess I am glad if they are creating exposure to music that might not exist otherwise.

While I understand your point, this kind of marketing can be useful, even for informed listeners whose knowledge of certain sub-genres may be lacking. For example, I discovered certain artists through the "Legends of Acid Jazz" series whose records I many not have picked up otherwise.

Not sure if this qualifies as a "gimmick," but I am annoyed by these alleged "Blue Note" compilations that contain music originally released on Blue Note, Capitol, Liberty, Roulette, Pacific Jazz, and others. I'm glad that interesting compilations can be made from all this music with minimal legal issues, but it misrepresents the "Blue Note" brand.

[jazzbo]

RVG, Keepnews, K2. . .these don't bother me at all. I think the sound on these releases are excellent and better than what came before. I don't really feel that the name of the series puts these persons as more important than the creators. They signal that the sonics are considered important. I can live with that.

Packaging, even album art, aren't ultimately that important to me. The music and the sound are important to me.

The Legends of Jazz series was a very nice one! I enjoy many of those releases.

[Jim Alfredson]

Are these companies selling a product? If so, what's wrong with marketing?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Are these companies selling a product? If so, what's wrong with marketing?

Until I looked, I thought you were Chuck

MG

[Van Basten II]

At this point , think that anything that can help sell jazz CDs will be appreciated. They can put naked ladies of the cover, it would work with me...

[Big Wheel]

The best marketing trick I've seen was when Blue Note signed a talented young female singer/piano player to make a pop record which proceeded to go platinum ten times over, thus saving their reissue program and making it possible for them to crank out tons of jazz from new artists too. Oh, wait...

[jeffcrom]

It's all been going to hell since Columbia started putting Paul Whiteman's picture on the labels.

[fasstrack]

Packaging, even album art, aren't ultimately that important to me. The music and the sound are important to me.

That's my point, that it's disconcerting that people think the music (and the live artist making it) aren't important enough as 'stand-alones' so they figure they have to resort to gimmicks.

I would disagree on one point: I really miss album art. It gave an added esthetic bonus whenever you bought an LP. In the CD era, the images were, sadly, shrunk. But at least they were there. Now what? There ought to be a digital library for cover art.

[fasstrack]

Packaging, even album art, aren't ultimately that important to me. The music and the sound are important to me.

That's my point, that it's disconcerting that people think the music (and the live artist making it) aren't important enough as 'stand-alones' so they figure they have to resort to gimmicks.

I would disagree on one point: I really miss album art. It gave an added esthetic bonus whenever you bought an LP. In the CD era, the images were, sadly, shrunk. But at least they were there. Now what? There ought to be a digital library for cover art.