Making Things Easier for the Rising Jazz Stars
Let’s face the facts, the music industry is in real trouble. When it comes to releasing albums and CDs, there just isn’t much money in it. It’s much easier for a new artist, whatever the genre, to release a song on their MySpace page or through their own website than it is to try and release it in some of the more traditional ways.
The problem is that those older ways to have methods of developing the best talent and getting them the best exposure. According to “AllAboutJazz.com” there is an organization out there trying to do things the old-fashioned way and develop some of the talent in the jazz genre. This is known as the Rising Jazz Stars Foundation and their Resonance Records.
The Rising Jazz Stars Foundation has an impressive pedigree. It was formed by George Klabin, who has been working in the world of jazz for decades. He is a guy who has worked with the likes of Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, James Moody, Illinois Jacquet, Keith Jarrett, Albert Ayler, Charles Lloyd and more.
So, Klabin created the Rising Jazz Stars Foundation which is a non-profit organization with a singular goal of seeking out and nurturing the future jazz stars of the world. In the story linked above at AllAboutJazz.com the foundation and Resonance Records has also looked into the future and altered the way it pays its stars. This is a strange time for musicians with so many possible ways to release music, the ways of getting paid have changed.
Check out the story at AllAboutJazz.com listed above. The list of things the Foundation is doing and the things that Resonance Records is doing is impressive. It’s nice to know that some of the greats in the business are trying to make sure that jazz stays alive as a viable genre of music. It’s also nice to see jazz embracing some of the new technology to make sure it stays with the times or perhaps even a bit ahead of the curve.
Tags: Chicago, genre, internet, jazz, music, musicians, performances, Resonance_Records, Rising_Stars_Jazz_Foundation
1 opinion for Making Things Easier for the Rising Jazz Stars
Jan Freijser
Mar 23, 2008 at 11:26 am
Hi Bryan,
Thanks for this post. I found your blog via a search for Esra Dalfidan, and found her debut CD release listed in your 11 March release list. Esra is a young Turkish singer, born in Germany, living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and I was mesmerized by her music when I first heard it over a year ago. I started a Myspace site, and was amazed by the many other young talents out there making really great music, without really ‘breaking through’ in any sense. Because I think Esra is so special I created a wikipedia entry for her, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esra_Dalfidan , as a small step towards putting her on the map, so to speak.
So in that context I am interested in the Rising Jazz Star Foundation.
Although her record company Challenge Records does its best promoting its players, I still find there aren’t enough gigs for these talented players. Of course it’s difficult getting the audiences together. I have visited concerts where I was the only paying one, the rest being family and friends. This may have something to do with the web, and its virtualizing effect, but I believe we should be very watchful that we continue to pay attention to live performance, as that remains the foundation for having a musical experience.
thanks again,
cheers, Jan
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