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I'm not sure more "major jazz clubs" are the answer

Looking at the calendar of Avram Shelton (sort of picked at random but I knew he had California connections) he has played at Mama Buzz, the Uptown and Disco Volante in Oakland, the Ivy Room in Albany and the Makeout Room and the Luggage Store in SF all within the past six months or so. I know nothing about these venues or how successfully he is making even marginal a living but the fact that he has opportunities to play argues to me that the Bay area is doing much better than most American urban areas.
In Chicago it has been rock bars, coffee houses, bookstores, galleries, lofts, dive bars, etc. that have provided venues for most of the younger (both audience and musicians) jazz crowd. Despite rapidly approaching geezerhood I actually tend to like these sorts of places and small (100 - 400 capacities) halls better than the often expensive, conservative and stuffy "major jazz clubs".
I suspect that in addition to these sorts of venues the existence of community radio or college stations that program jazz in non-"preaching to the choir" contexts can help to build an audience.
I totally understand that musicians in their forties, fifties and sixties may not be overly excited about gigs where they might only take home $50 to $100 each or in touring out of van but if the younger guys can do this it might ultimately be good for everyone.
"There are political consequences to remembering things that never happened and forgetting things that did." Ariel Levy


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  • I'm not sure more "major jazz clubs" are the answer - plantsman 09:10:28 03/21/11 (0)

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