I think I get where you’re coming from when you talk about jazz being background music and us needing to reclaim our cool. We’ve all been in that restaurant where the jazz band is just going through the motions and not adding anything to the moment.

However, that’s not how I approach restaurant gigs, which I do play from time to time. Even if we are expressly told that we are “background” music, I still try to bring life to my performance. And I can’t tell you how many CDs I’ve sold, fans I’ve made, and future audience members I’ve cultivated through those gigs.

And beyond that, I think one of the larger problems we face as jazz musicians is that people are exposed to jazz on a regular basis anymore, unless you call 30 seconds of nondescript swing in a commercial or Kenny G in the elevator exposure to jazz. Anything we can do to get the real deal in front of people is good, as far as I’m concerned. It just needs to exemplify all that is good in the music and not be fluff.

But I do agree that we need to promote ourselves better, market ourselves better, and distinguish ourselves better.

What you y’all think?

I’m going to try to give my take without starting my own blog. I think the main problem is the fact that we (jazz musicians) play in restaurants. Jazz clubs are great, and I don’t think we have any chance of being museu-fied. The only way that could happen is if it stopped growing, and after living in NYC for a while you see that the music continues to progress whether people pay attention or not.

The problem is the economic reality of trying to make a living as a jazz musician these days. Jazz clubs are dying out and background music in restaurants usually pays decent. Add to that the different business model that jazz musicians have – individuals vs. bands in the rock/pop world.

Of course MMW and the Bad Plus are bands, which is unusual in jazz, and what we need more of – but they also can attribute much of their success to their musical hybrid, which goes over better in different venues rather than say Hank Jones for instance.

But if we’re only talking image and not musical differences my prescription (as unrealistic as it sounds) would be for everyone to stop playing in restaurants (or in situations where the music is not fully appreciated), and focus on playing more concerts which are promoted well. Hire a good graphic designer who understands the music and the box we’re try to break out of. Release recordings that don’t look like every other CD on the rack. We need to reclaim our cool, and we don’t need to cover rock tunes to do it… not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Basically, this is a huge problem and to change it we all have to invest one way or another.

And I checked out Steve Lawsons blog, whoa! GREAT stuff. Thanks for hipping me to that.