The proverbial "is jazz dying?" story

[ghost of miles]

Seems like this piece runs about once a year now... sadly, I guess, because there's some validity to it. Jazz sales were up last year, but solely because of Norah Jones--take her out of the equation, and they declined again. One bright spot is that concert/live performance attendance seems to be holding steady:

On the Downbeat

These are dismal days for classical music and jazz. And they'd be even worse if it weren't for the runaway success of Josh —Groban—who's not quite classical—and Norah Jones—whose about-to-be released new CD isn't quite jazz. Is serious music an endangered species?

By Malcolm Jones and Jennifer Ordonez

NewsweekFeb. 2 issue - Josh Groban has a lot of respect for classical musicians—just don't call him one. "I always considered myself to be influenced by classical music," says the 22-year-old singer, "but the type of music I do is so much of a hybrid that it's almost genreless." Whatever you call Groban's blend of pop, Broadway and orchestral music, it's mighty successful. Last week he was Billboard's top-selling musical artist in any category. Officially, Groban is listed under "Classical Crossover," a category so elastic that it includes everyone from the well-regarded violinist Joshua Bell to Bond, a scantily clad female string quartet. Bell, who has hits on both the classical and the crossover charts, tells of giving pops concerts where he is surrounded by fans who say, "Oh, I love classical music—I'm a big fan of Yanni."

The old distinctions among art, pop and outright schlock don't matter to some fans. But they matter to record companies, for a simple reason: crossover sells, the pure product doesn't. These are tough times for art music, both classical and jazz, once called "America's classical music"—a sobriquet that sounds more and more like an epitaph. (The jazz world's equivalent of Classical Crossover is the Smooth Jazz of such musicians as saxophonist Kenny G.) Last year traditional classical-music sales dropped 12 percent. Jazz sales were up slightly, but only because the pop-ish singer Norah Jones is classified on the charts as a jazz artist, largely because she records on the jazz label Blue Note. If you subtract the 5.1 million copies her debut album, "Come Away With Me," has sold nationally in 2003, jazz lost ground, too. The labels' solution is to sign artists who appeal to broader tastes. Bruce Lundvall, president and chief executive of EMI Jazz and Classics who signed Jones to Blue Note, says the transition is liberating and necessary. And he's delighted to call Jones, whose new album debuts next week, a jazz artist. "Purists try to define everything very narrowly," Lundvall says. "People who think that way are limiting the future of the music." But if everything becomes crossover, does "the music" still exist?

Two decades ago the advent of the compact disc was a godsend for jazz and classical music: companies could repackage and resell their old recordings. Miles Davis's 1959 "Kind of Blue" still sells 5,000 copies a week. What no one wanted to think about was what would happen after fans had bought every Miles Davis or Glenn Gould CD they wanted. Now we know. Sales of standard classical recordings have "dramatically declined," according to Peter Gelb, president of Sony Classical, "and what's taken their place are more contemporary or so-called crossover classical recordings," such as his artist Bell, one of classical's big success stories. Major companies have cut back on rereleases and new releases alike. And few new artists, unless they can demonstrate crossover potential, are getting signed.

Have things ever been worse for jazz and classical musicians? "This is the worst," says classical composer and conductor—and sometime jazz pianist—Andre Previn. The record companies, he says, "tell you that no one buys obscure composers or pieces, so why not record Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony again? But when you suggest recording Tchaikovsky's Fifth, they tell you there are too many on the market already. You can't win." Previn is even more appalled by the "hysterical" efforts of the music companies to attract new listeners—especially a recent RCA series that repackaged famous performances of the classical repertoire under labels such as "Making Out to Mozart" and "Shacking Up to Chopin." "This is fairly typical," he says, "but it's still shocking."

Jazz performers are no happier. "Jazz was always the smaller part of the labels, but it existed," says the saxophonist Joshua Redman. "Now with the industry not selling much music of any kind, jazz has taken a bigger hit." Trumpeter Terence Blanchard agrees: "People used to get signed because they were interesting musicians. Now if you're not marketable, you don't get signed." And music executives don't argue with that. "I have not signed a traditional jazz instrumental artist in probably three years," says Ron Goldstein, president and chief executive of the venerable Verve Music Group. Instead, Verve is supporting its musicians' efforts to diversify. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove, for instance, is now working on an album inspired by Brazilian samba.

When you're dodging all the record buyers stampeding for the exits, it's easy to miss the bright spots. Attendance at live performances holds steady, both in jazz clubs and concert halls. "There have been lots of ups and downs in 69 years, but this is not a downer," says Lorraine Gordon, owner of New York's legendary Village Vanguard. "When I booked Chuchu Valdes and Wynton Marsalis recently, you couldn't get in the door." Three years ago symphony attendance in the United States hit a record high of 32 million, with only a slight drop-off since. And not all serious musicians get shut out of the record business. Deutsche Grammophon still signs such young classical talent as pianist Lang Lang and violinist Hilary Hahn. Such jazz acts as The Bad Plus and Brad Mehldau push genre boundaries by combining traditional repertoire (Thelonius Monk) with pop music (Nirvana)—as jazz musicians have done since Louis Armstrong. Recordings of classical music played on original instruments still flourish, as do recordings of contemporary classical music.

"My sales are nothing compared to the pop market," says composer John Adams, "but they're very healthy for the jazz or classical world." Adams is one of the lucky classical artists who release new material when they put out CDs. He's also lucky enough to be signed with Nonesuch Records, a division of the Warner Music Group. Decades before other labels got crossover fever, Nonesuch was combining a budget classical line with a gorgeously extensive world-music catalog. Over time the label's roster evolved to include pop (Randy Newman, Emmylou Harris), world music (the Buena Vista Social Club), jazz (Bill Frisell) and classical (Steve Reich, the Kronos Quartet). This idiosyncratic list—which is beginning to look like the future for a lot of labels—succeeds because it reflects the genre-hopping habits of smart, younger music buyers. And Nonesuch gets the occasional windfall: the 1997 Buena Vista Social Club album, by musicians mostly past retirement age, has sold more than 6.2 million copies. If Nonesuch has done nothing else, it's proved that you can produce crossover hits—whether Cuban jazz or Henryk Gorecki's Third Symphony—without watering down the stock. In a musical world increasingly threatened by lowest-common-denominator tactics, that's a sweet sound.

With Jac Chebatoris and Allison Samuels

© 2004 Newsweek, Inc.

[Dr. Rat]

Nothing really new aside from the genre-blending thing.

The old distinctions among art, pop and outright schlock don't matter to some fans. But they matter to record companies, for a simple reason: crossover sells, the pure product doesn't.

But when were the "old distinctions" secure? Are they really so old? What sense did they make in the first place? Weren't they invented just to bring order to record store stock? (Excepting, of course, the distinction between "serious music" and everything else--the old high culture/low culture distinction, but I think most would agree we are well rid of that one.)

Decades before other labels got crossover fever, Nonesuch was combining a budget classical line with a gorgeously extensive world-music catalog. Over time the label's roster evolved to include pop (Randy Newman, Emmylou Harris), world music (the Buena Vista Social Club), jazz (Bill Frisell) and classical (Steve Reich, the Kronos Quartet). This idiosyncratic list—which is beginning to look like the future for a lot of labels—succeeds because it reflects the genre-hopping habits of smart, younger music buyers. And Nonesuch gets the occasional windfall: the 1997 Buena Vista Social Club album, by musicians mostly past retirement age, has sold more than 6.2 million copies. If Nonesuch has done nothing else, it's proved that you can produce crossover hits—whether Cuban jazz or Henryk Gorecki's Third Symphony—without watering down the stock. In a musical world increasingly threatened by lowest-common-denominator tactics, that's a sweet sound.

Nonesuch was indeed "decades ahead of everyone." But were they really so unusual when they were founded?

--eric

[Muskrat Ramble]

Sales of standard classical recordings have "dramatically declined," according to Peter Gelb, president of Sony Classical, "and what's taken their place are more contemporary or so-called crossover classical recordings,"

But look whom they're quoting. Ask Klaus Heymann of Naxos, and you'd get a different story altogether. The old "major labels" of the classical industry have practiced nonsensical business models and are now suffering, while other labels have come in to take up the slack and reap profits by selling pure classical offerings in a rational and cost-effective manner--without bothering with "crossover" stuff.

Along similar lines, see http://www.classicstoday.com/features/f1_0104.asp

[Jim Alfredson]

Josh Groban is fucking terrible. He sounds like every mediocre high-school musical singer I've ever heard. I'm glad they compared him to Kenny G... the two are one of a kind. Musical wallpaper.

So what, they majors aren't focusing on jazz and classical. What's new? American tastes have been falling for decades. People don't want music that has any meat to it. They want instant gratification. We live in a fast-food society: I want it now, I don't want to do much work for it, and I don't have time to even say the name. Just give me a #3.

The music industry has shot itself in the foot by over-saturating the market due to greed. Why does there need to be music in a grocery store? I was shopping with my wife the other day and noticed that our favorite grocery store is no longer playing "the real hits by the real artists" which was bad enough (do I need to hear "Goin' To The Chapel" while I'm buying crackers?) but now they've switched to Muzak... instrumental versions of schlock probably because it's cheaper. But why does it need to be there in the first place?!?

Why does every public place you go to have to have music on? It's become like TV. Almost every place you walk into nowadays has a TV. You can't go to a restuarant without one. Do I really need to watch TV while I'm eating? Lord knows, I might actually WANT to talk to my wife instead of watching the game.

We're constantly bombarded with music from every angle of life and as such it's becomen nothing more than background. People don't pay attention to it... they don't notice it. They take it for granted. It's just there.

I'll finish with a lovely story about a duo gig I did with Joe some years back. It was for a company Christmas party at this new restaurant that opened in East Lansing. They claimed they were a "fine dining" establishment yet you could not look in any direction without seeing a TV. There were even TVs in the fuckin' bathrooms!!!!

Anyway, we're playing this little Christmas/cocktail party. Organ and guitar. We play a whole set and we're about to take a break and the manager asks if we could keep playing. Well... ok. So we play another hour and finally take a break. So two straight hours of music. We get up to take our break and instantly this horrid woman comes over (in a dress WAY too small for her bulky frame) and says, "Are you going to play any real music?"

And that, my friends, is the state of mind concerning music of the average American slob.

[Dr. Rat]

Josh Groban is fucking terrible. He sounds like every mediocre high-school musical singer I've ever heard. I'm glad they compared him to Kenny G... the two are one of a kind. Musical wallpaper.

So what, they majors aren't focusing on jazz and classical. What's new? American tastes have been falling for decades. People don't want music that has any meat to it. They want instant gratification. We live in a fast-food society: I want it now, I don't want to do much work for it, and I don't have time to even say the name. Just give me a #3.

The music industry has shot itself in the foot by over-saturating the market due to greed. Why does there need to be music in a grocery store? I was shopping with my wife the other day and noticed that our favorite grocery store is no longer playing "the real hits by the real artists" which was bad enough (do I need to hear "Goin' To The Chapel" while I'm buying crackers?) but now they've switched to Muzak... instrumental versions of schlock probably because it's cheaper. But why does it need to be there in the first place?!?

Why does every public place you go to have to have music on? It's become like TV. Almost every place you walk into nowadays has a TV. You can't go to a restuarant without one. Do I really need to watch TV while I'm eating? Lord knows, I might actually WANT to talk to my wife instead of watching the game.

We're constantly bombarded with music from every angle of life and as such it's becomen nothing more than background. People don't pay attention to it... they don't notice it. They take it for granted. It's just there.

I'll finish with a lovely story about a duo gig I did with Joe some years back. It was for a company Christmas party at this new restaurant that opened in East Lansing. They claimed they were a "fine dining" establishment yet you could not look in any direction without seeing a TV. There were even TVs in the fuckin' bathrooms!!!!

Anyway, we're playing this little Christmas/cocktail party. Organ and guitar. We play a whole set and we're about to take a break and the manager asks if we could keep playing. Well... ok. So we play another hour and finally take a break. So two straight hours of music. We get up to take our break and instantly this horrid woman comes over (in a dress WAY too small for her bulky frame) and says, "Are you going to play any real music?"

And that, my friends, is the state of mind concerning music of the average American slob.

Theodor Adorno, look out!

People have been writing things like this for a while (about widespread cultural decline on the consumption end of things) and it's been hard to prove because soembody can always come up with equally (or more!) horrid things people used to watch/read/listen to/eat or particpate in.

But a linguist, John McWhorter (a fellow Philly boy) recently wrote an interesting book that focusses on political speeches and other forms of public discourse and the steep decline we've seen in the quality of what our leaders say.

Because a lot of what he writes about is very limited in scope (speeches before congress, say) he can make pretty convincing arguments about decline.

Here's a mixed review from Jonathan Yardley (who tends to be culturally on the conservative side, I think).

--eric

[Muskrat Ramble]

The music industry has shot itself in the foot by over-saturating the market due to greed.

I wonder if that includes the countless reissues of the same old jazz albums over and over and over instead of trying hard to promote today's talent?

[Jim Alfredson]

Why, yes it does, Muskrat. Very astute of you!

[Jim Alfredson]

Here's a mixed review from Jonathan Yardley (who tends to be culturally on the conservative side, I think).

Interesting. I am not a fan of "proper" grammar. I agree that language is constantly evolving, but I also agree with the notion that the art of public speaking seems to have been lost, especially among politicians. I do not think Charles Eaton's words "sound stiff, quaint, outdated..." at all. They are quite beautiful, in my opinion.

That said, you (and I use "you" in a general sense) can't deny that our culture is extremely casual, not only in language and music but in all aspects. My wife commented the other day that no one dresses up anymore. We see commercials on the TV for local "fine dining" restaurants here in Lansing, specifically the State Room which is on the campus of Michigan State University. In their ads they are comparing the menu to places in New York, Paris, etc. Yet in the commercial you see people eating in jeans and baseball caps.

What the hell!??

And that's yet another rant. Baseball caps. I hate them. When did it become socially acceptable for middle-aged men to wear baseball caps constantly? Will the fad ever die? How did such an ugly piece of attire replace something as cool as a Borsalino?

I should start a Jimmy's Rants page on my website!

[Muskrat Ramble]

Why, yes it does, Muskrat. Very astute of you!

Well, when one visits this and other jazz forums and sees the intense focus on old BN material and other "classic" jazz almost to the exclusion of contemporary and non-US jazz, you can't entirely blame the companies for catering to their markets. But then again, maybe if the companies did a better job promoting contemporary jazz artists, more fans would know and care they existed instead of obsessing over the 5th reissue of some 50's BN session.

[tjobbe]

Hi Muskrat,

I see that - the contempory vs. re-release debate- a little bit different as I used to learn to love the "older BN releases" much later in my "music loving career" then listening to contemporary (although often fusion or ECM'ish style music).

To me its often buying both contemporary but also older stuff that was never on radar before. (you normaly buy what you know or what you expect to be fitting into your musical schema)

So would always look-out for those re-reeleases (although I also have a close look to the Fantasy/Concord's)

As a non-US I anyway have no issue with the european jazz scene so that my be one advantage you have over here.

cheers, Tjobbe

Edited January 29, 2004 by tjobbe

[mikeweil]

Josh Groban is fucking terrible. He sounds like every mediocre high-school musical singer I've ever heard. I'm glad they compared him to Kenny G... the two are one of a kind. Musical wallpaper.

That's why I don't have any wallpapers here - I'd vomit every time I entered the room!

[Dr. Rat]

My wife commented the other day that no one dresses up anymore. We see commercials on the TV for local "fine dining" restaurants here in Lansing, specifically the State Room which is on the campus of Michigan State University. In their ads they are comparing the menu to places in New York, Paris, etc. Yet in the commercial you see people eating in jeans and baseball caps.

What the hell!??

And that's yet another rant. Baseball caps. I hate them. When did it become socially acceptable for middle-aged men to wear baseball caps constantly? Will the fad ever die? How did such an ugly piece of attire replace something as cool as a Borsalino?

What's with the ballcap thing anyhow? I remember lamenting the fact that so many men wear ballcaps when I was living in Philly, but then I move to Michigan and everybody has them on (unless they have a tie on, and sometimes even then).

And they never take them off. They might tip the bill up so they can kiss a departed aunt in her casket, but that's about as much as they'll concede to formality.

I don't get it. Maybe they're not really ballcaps, maybe they're a billed subspecies that has emerged up here in Northern Michigan. Maybe they're the next step in evolution, bound to displace everyone who has a cool hat that they take off once in a while.

I don't know, time will tell.

Jim, you should read Paul Fussell's Class (a couple of decades out of date now, but still hilarious--and it makes you feel better about evolution passing you by).

--eric

[neveronfriday]

I see that - the contempory vs. re-release debate- a little bit different as I used to learn to love the "older BN releases" much later in my "music loving career" [...]

Same here, almost.

I grew up with Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Lionel Hampton etc., plus some more "relaxed" bebop and west coast sides my dad had in his collection. I loved the music then and I love it now.

Inbetween, say for 20 years or so, I went elsewhere. My musical taste changed again and again - from rock to punk to heavy metal to fusion to classical and then every which way - and I ended up again where I started. It was only a few years ago I slowly started buying reissues of classic jazz albums again, and the more I buy, the more intriguing it gets.

I still listen to the other couple of thousand CDs I have, but today jazz simply gives me more pleasure ... the same way the other music did whenever it happened to be hip with me.

Cheers!

Edited January 29, 2004 by deus62

[Jim Alfredson]

What's with the ballcap thing anyhow? I remember lamenting the fact that so many men wear ballcaps when I was living in Philly, but then I move to Michigan and everybody has them on (unless they have a tie on, and sometimes even then).

Tell me about it. I hate them. I think they are stupid looking for the most part essentially because they seem glued to people's heads. They never take them off!

I was over at my dad's the other day and his girlfriend had a Christmas card/photo up on the refridgerator. Some family she must know... I don't know who they are. But they have three late teens/early 20's sons. And everyone of them is wearing a ballcap in the photo.

LAME!

[ghost of miles]

Is this a revival of the late 80s/early 90s baseball cap trend--except that this time everyone's wearing them forwards instead of backwards?

The first time I saw somebody (a public figure, that is) wearing a backwards baseball cap was Michael Stipe, of all people, on MTV in 1985 (circa FABLES period). Then it was all the rage for awhile (I always trace it back to Holden Caulfield wearing his hunting cap in reverse in CATCHER IN THE RYE)... didn't realize baseball caps had come round again. I'd rather see a return to vintage 30s/40s hats, which I keep thinking is on the verge of happening, but never seems to quite take off.

[montg]

"I have not signed a traditional jazz instrumental artist in probably three years," says Ron Goldstein, president and chief executive of the venerable Verve Music Group. Instead, Verve is supporting its musicians' efforts to diversify.  Trumpeter Roy Hargrove, for instance, is now working on an album inspired by Brazilian samba.

Maybe why this is why I haven't bought a new release from Verve lately. What bugs me is this "need to diversify" (Lundvall said the same thing) is market -driven, rather than artistically-driven. I feel for Roy Hargrove..."Here Roy, here's some samba stuff to play. it'll be cool man. Here Roy, let's do a tribute album to Al Hirt. It'll be cool. Gotta diversify." Whatever. When it's ALL about profit, the quality of the product often suffers. Doesn't matter if it's McDonalds or a major music label. I'm grateful for the independents. that's where the action is, anyway.

Edited January 29, 2004 by b3-er

[Jim Alfredson]

I'm grateful for the independents. that's where the action is, anyway.

Amen to that!

[Jazzmoose]

That said, you (and I use "you" in a general sense) can't deny that our culture is extremely casual, not only in language and music but in all aspects. My wife commented the other day that no one dresses up anymore. We see commercials on the TV for local "fine dining" restaurants here in Lansing, specifically the State Room which is on the campus of Michigan State University. In their ads they are comparing the menu to places in New York, Paris, etc. Yet in the commercial you see people eating in jeans and baseball caps.

What the hell!??

Okay, here's my take on the situation: no one wants to grow up anymore. We've become so intoxicated with the idea of youth, thanks to the lunatic baby boom generation, that the very idea of dressing up to go out is looked on as some elitest pretense. Manners are considered phony and reprehensible. Hey, do your own thing and to hell with everyone else...

Don't get me started on the ubiquitous television set...

[Dmitry]

That said, you (and I use "you" in a general sense) can't deny that our culture is extremely casual, not only in language and music but in all aspects. My wife commented the other day that no one dresses up anymore. We see commercials on the TV for local "fine dining" restaurants here in Lansing, specifically the State Room which is on the campus of Michigan State University. In their ads they are comparing the menu to places in New York, Paris, etc. Yet in the commercial you see people eating in jeans and baseball caps.

What the hell!??

FYI, the only two places in the world where I noticed people wearing sneakers in the street en masse are the good old US and Russia.

Europe is still holding on pretty well in that aspect.

My Latvian wife makes sure her shoes are shined every time she goes out, even if it's to get a carton of milk around the corner.

[Jim Alfredson]

Yeah, that's another thing I don't get. Sneakers. A good pair of Italian dress shoes are infinately more comfortable than any pair of sneakers, bar none. And they look better, too.

[Muskrat Ramble]

A good pair of Italian dress shoes are infinately more comfortable than any pair of sneakers, bar none.

Then you're buying the wrong sneakers

[Chrome]

Theodor Adorno, look out!

Ah yes, Mr. Adorno ... this guy was so right on about so many things (in my humble opinion) that it amazed me when I learned of his pathological hatred of jazz.

What's really ironic is that he'd probably agree with 99% of what's been posted here in terms of the deterioration of culture, except that he'd consider jazz as part of the problem!

[Chrome]

Theodor says:

Those who have been thoroughly informed lend themselves to thorough utilization.

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The more participation in mass cultured exhausts itself in the informed access to cultural facts, the more the culture business tends to resemble contests, those aptitude tests which check suitability and performance, and finally sport.

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For the citizen the free capacity to produce replaces the idea of a life free from domination and he seeks in the world of achievement the human significance that this realm specifically denies him.

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The dream industry does not so much fabricate the dreams of the customers as introduce the dreams of the suppliers among the people.

[Noj]

Damn, I've got a baseball hat on today, some sneakers, jeans, and a t-shirt...and I love reissues of old albums--I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys-R-Us kid.

[GA Russell]

Okay, here's my take on the situation: no one wants to grow up anymore. We've become so intoxicated with the idea of youth, thanks to the lunatic baby boom generation, that the very idea of dressing up to go out is looked on as some elitest pretense. Manners are considered phony and reprehensible. Hey, do your own thing and to hell with everyone else...

Moose, you feel more strongly about it than I do, but I think you're right about people not wanting to grow up.

But I don't think that has anything to do with the baseball cap. Caps have been popular among the working class for forever, and baseball caps are popular now because they are cheap and because they make a statement (ie, your favorite sports team). As such, I think this fashion will coexist with t-shirts, for the same reason.

It's very possible that we will see a return to the trend of dressing up for certain events like church, but I don't think we will see a return to the days when the well-dressed man was expected to look as if he were in New England in a coat and tie, even if it's too darn hot here in the South.