The latest news about Ronnie Scott's is that Leo Green, the "Artistic Director", has resigned in a fit of pique, having a real go at the club's management for ignorance. What makes it so sad is how the one of the world's great jazz clubs, with nearly 50 years of history, is going into free fall, compared to what things were like just a couple of years ago.
In part, it's because of the style in which it was refurbished and hopes. Putting on an image that was decidedly "retro" and building on the phenomenon of Parky jazz, as epitomised by Jamie Cullum's success a few years back. This is now no longer as fashionable any more. And certainly it's proving impossible to get people to pay the prices required to make this venue viable for the sort of artists involved. There's an unholy alliance against the club of the jazz lovers, disappointed by the programme and the prices, and the accountants who probably think the programme too "jazzy".
It would be great if Ronnie's doesn't die in jazz terms. We have had too many London venues close recently - the Spitz and Pizza On The Park to name but two, while the Pizza Express programme is patchy. (Who wants THREE weeks of Acoustic Alchemy in December? However, watch out for a F-IRE festival and Dutch jazz festival in January!) Less jazz at Ronnies really dilutes the options to hear jazz in London in the short term at least. However, extending a point that Howard Mandel makes about the changing New York venue scene, rents mean that jazz may well be impossible to run in the centre of town and it's going to be more and more in places a little bit away, such as 606 or the Vortex, where consistent jazz will take place. Other West End venues will dabble in good quality jazz, such as the newly reopened Marquee which intends to have jazz on Sunday evenings. Though, sad to say, the Museum of Garden History, which has put on some great gigs over the past two years, has also finally closed its jazz programming
Jazz music, and its proponents, know how to survive, and find the wherewithall to do so. Just because Ronnie Scott's is failing, or that Jamie Cullum's last album sold a fraction of the previous, doesn't signify its failure. Look at the scene and energy in the colleges, and at the small venues. I am really excited by the programme at the Vortex over coming weeks (Andy Sheppard, John Taylor, David Torn, Dave Liebman in January) and the release schedule for Babel in early 2008 (Outhouse, Bourne Davis Kane, Paula Rae Gibson, Big Air), not forgetting the runaway success of Portico Quartet over recent weeks.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily bode well for certain bigger scale collaborations in the future, but that's something for another posting...
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Portico Quartet on BBC London TV tonight
The Portico Quartet will be on BBC London news on BBC 1 tonight at 6.30 p.m. as part of the coverage of the London Jazz Festival. They played outside National Theatre earlier today and Will Gresford, the new hunky face of London jazz (and manager of the Vortex) was also interviewed.
I feel really proud to be associated with the sort of publicity that the Vortex has achieved this week, along with the opportunities given to the band.
Meanwhile, the Guardian has just published 1000 albums to hear before you die. There are 4 on Babel - Acoustic Ladyland's Last Chance Disco, Polar Bear's Held On The Tips Of Fingers, Billy Jenkins' Scratches of Spain and Christine Tobin's Your Draw The Line. I am amazed and flattered to have been associated with so many albums on such a list as it covers everything from Spice Girls to Beatles and Rokia Traore with all points between.
I feel really proud to be associated with the sort of publicity that the Vortex has achieved this week, along with the opportunities given to the band.
Meanwhile, the Guardian has just published 1000 albums to hear before you die. There are 4 on Babel - Acoustic Ladyland's Last Chance Disco, Polar Bear's Held On The Tips Of Fingers, Billy Jenkins' Scratches of Spain and Christine Tobin's Your Draw The Line. I am amazed and flattered to have been associated with so many albums on such a list as it covers everything from Spice Girls to Beatles and Rokia Traore with all points between.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Live gigs - on the up? Hmm
With the London Jazz Festival it's been great to get some good articles about the Vortex in both Time Out and the Evening Standard. Certainly we have had great audiences over recent weeks at the club, not just during the festival (where we have had 5 sold out gigs in a row so far) but also before, with The Necks and Evan Parker/Barry Guy/Paul Lytton last week.
But I have also found it saddening to talk to some musicians who are telling me that it is getting hard to get gigs or tours for some of their slightly larger line-ups. Certainly a decade ago there was a touring circuit of perhaps 7 or 8 venues which could take such gigs, and funding more easily available. Meanwhile the record company could assist in giving a bit of an extra fillip through some publicity and having the CDs available for sale at the gigs.
Now, it is harder. More competition for gigs from a range of incredible musicians (not so bad in itself) but the venues are not there to that degree any more. It's great to celebrate the Vortex, but Ronnie Scott's is moving towards less and less innovative jazz (an oxymoron?), The Spitz has closed and there are no guarantees of anything anywhere.
I actually think that part of the problem is that the record industry is no longer willing or able to provide the lubricant or incentive any more. Bands would play for free or cheaply with the chance of a recording ahead, or indeed the possibilility of some sort of record deal. No longer. The deals offered are, when they come, less generous and often indeed rely on earning from live gigs. The causal link is going in the opposite direction to previously.
I am concerned that this could easily mean that venues which already were offering little to musicians, such as the indie pub circuit, could dry up completely.
However, on the other hand, we have the chance to hope that there will be more and more return to a focus on quality rather than quantity, though it's difficult to identify that quality from the number of demos that are received. Venues will have to become cannier and more imaginative in getting their music out. For example, the London Jazz Festival has a strong media link with its support from BBC Radio 3, while at The Vortex is taking advantage of its name and close links with Babel (i.e. yours truly) to start its own label. The Portico Quartet effect on the club has been dramatic. It has meant that we could have a more than sold out venue yesterday for the band and the audience was then exposed to the driving free improv of the Gannets.
But I have also found it saddening to talk to some musicians who are telling me that it is getting hard to get gigs or tours for some of their slightly larger line-ups. Certainly a decade ago there was a touring circuit of perhaps 7 or 8 venues which could take such gigs, and funding more easily available. Meanwhile the record company could assist in giving a bit of an extra fillip through some publicity and having the CDs available for sale at the gigs.
Now, it is harder. More competition for gigs from a range of incredible musicians (not so bad in itself) but the venues are not there to that degree any more. It's great to celebrate the Vortex, but Ronnie Scott's is moving towards less and less innovative jazz (an oxymoron?), The Spitz has closed and there are no guarantees of anything anywhere.
I actually think that part of the problem is that the record industry is no longer willing or able to provide the lubricant or incentive any more. Bands would play for free or cheaply with the chance of a recording ahead, or indeed the possibilility of some sort of record deal. No longer. The deals offered are, when they come, less generous and often indeed rely on earning from live gigs. The causal link is going in the opposite direction to previously.
I am concerned that this could easily mean that venues which already were offering little to musicians, such as the indie pub circuit, could dry up completely.
However, on the other hand, we have the chance to hope that there will be more and more return to a focus on quality rather than quantity, though it's difficult to identify that quality from the number of demos that are received. Venues will have to become cannier and more imaginative in getting their music out. For example, the London Jazz Festival has a strong media link with its support from BBC Radio 3, while at The Vortex is taking advantage of its name and close links with Babel (i.e. yours truly) to start its own label. The Portico Quartet effect on the club has been dramatic. It has meant that we could have a more than sold out venue yesterday for the band and the audience was then exposed to the driving free improv of the Gannets.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The changing shape of recorded music
This is going to be a bit of an ongoing post, as my thoughts clarify. But I am giving a lot of thought as to how recorded music is going to get through to people over the next few years. Changes are definitely afoot, as we move to a world where you can not just get "physical" product but also via download.
For the CD it's what they get in addition to the small silver disc. For the download it's still what quality they get and how the tracks link together that remain a major problem. As well as how people pay for them.
On the way that they look. For the past 20 years, we have had CDs try to emulate in small size the look of vinyl. There was a wonderful period of around 30 years - when LPs first arrived to their replacement by CDs - when artists could have a field day, designing covers which were around 13 inches by 13 inches, in order to make an impact. The cool covers of Blue Note, the pop artists, and everyone could have a great time. Not all were successful. (Selwyn has a great time with his monthly art failures for Jazzwise.) But they were a great opportunity.
CDs were developed as a data transmission format with digitised sound. First, people thought that they could shrink the artwork. But we don't have magnifying glasses and put brochures in the jewel case (developed as a means of protecting the silver disc). Then we have had all sorts of other digipaks and so on.
Shops loved them, as they could put in more CDs per square metre. We record companies loved them, as they are much cheaper to ship than vinyl.
The public put up with them, but up to a point, because the moment that digital download began, they went for it. Even if the sound quality was rubbish, they were of course free, courtesy of Napster.
More soon.....
For the CD it's what they get in addition to the small silver disc. For the download it's still what quality they get and how the tracks link together that remain a major problem. As well as how people pay for them.
On the way that they look. For the past 20 years, we have had CDs try to emulate in small size the look of vinyl. There was a wonderful period of around 30 years - when LPs first arrived to their replacement by CDs - when artists could have a field day, designing covers which were around 13 inches by 13 inches, in order to make an impact. The cool covers of Blue Note, the pop artists, and everyone could have a great time. Not all were successful. (Selwyn has a great time with his monthly art failures for Jazzwise.) But they were a great opportunity.
CDs were developed as a data transmission format with digitised sound. First, people thought that they could shrink the artwork. But we don't have magnifying glasses and put brochures in the jewel case (developed as a means of protecting the silver disc). Then we have had all sorts of other digipaks and so on.
Shops loved them, as they could put in more CDs per square metre. We record companies loved them, as they are much cheaper to ship than vinyl.
The public put up with them, but up to a point, because the moment that digital download began, they went for it. Even if the sound quality was rubbish, they were of course free, courtesy of Napster.
More soon.....
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Babel download site now active
The Babel Label now has its own download site! Music is available as high quality (320Kbps) mp3. A larger proportion of the money comes to us than via Itunes and so it means that we can keep the prices down, distribute more to the musicians per track and reinvest.
Of course, given the efforts that musicians make to produce top quality recordings and packaging, it's a bit of an approximation of the "real thing", as Billy Jenkins has described. "Music has become impotent". Nevertheless, it is essential at least to get such music out in this form.
There are a few intriguing benefits still. First, you can hear samples of all tracks lasting a minute, giving a better flavour of what's to come. Also, we can be really flexible about the timing of what tracks go up, for how long and getting up less widely available music. (A few albums such as those by Steve Arguelles and some of Billy's where I am short of physical stock are up there.) For example, the new Portico Quartet arrived yesterday afternoon and I have already put it on the site!
The full catalogue should be up within the two weeks. Already about half is there. The constraint is time. (It takes around 2 hours to get a complete album up.)
More thoughts about it as time goes on.
Of course, given the efforts that musicians make to produce top quality recordings and packaging, it's a bit of an approximation of the "real thing", as Billy Jenkins has described. "Music has become impotent". Nevertheless, it is essential at least to get such music out in this form.
There are a few intriguing benefits still. First, you can hear samples of all tracks lasting a minute, giving a better flavour of what's to come. Also, we can be really flexible about the timing of what tracks go up, for how long and getting up less widely available music. (A few albums such as those by Steve Arguelles and some of Billy's where I am short of physical stock are up there.) For example, the new Portico Quartet arrived yesterday afternoon and I have already put it on the site!
The full catalogue should be up within the two weeks. Already about half is there. The constraint is time. (It takes around 2 hours to get a complete album up.)
More thoughts about it as time goes on.
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