JAM: April/May 2001 Issue: First Take

Mike Metheny

The Survey Says...
If you've visited JAM on the web (www.jazzkc.org), chances are you've seen our monthly "Jazz Lover's Poll" on the site's main page. It's totally unscientific, but so far we've learned that Kenny G had more of an impact on jazz in the 20th century than did Clifford Brown and Ornette Coleman (the meteor that reportedly hit the earth 65 million years ago had quite an impact, too), and that hopes are high for the survival of jazz in the 21st century, as long as nightclubs featuring live jazz can survive.

In February we asked visitors this question: "Of the following, which best describes Ken Burns' "Jazz" series?" Here are the survey results.

a) Well done and very enjoyable -- 42 votes (25%)
b) Good, but with glaring omissions -- 35 votes (21%)
c) Educational for the jazz novice -- 23 votes (13%)
d) Informative, even for the aficionado -- 11 votes (6%)
e) 1960-2000 got screwed -- 21 votes (12%)
f) Way too much Wynton -- 39 votes (23%)

Again, it's an unscientific poll, but the top three vote-getters seem to validate much of the buzz that occurred during and after the series. (There was also this from one surfer: "Actually, all of the choices are true.")

Even though a couple of months have passed since "Jazz" aired on PBS, there's still quite a bit of talk about it in the jazz world. So, in this issue, we offer a survey, mostly (but not exclusively) drawn from members of the KC jazz community. The replies we received were thoughtful, honest, and just as diverse as our feature stories about "Jazz" by Floyd Levin and Don Rose.

Napster(ed)
For the past year or so, Dean Hampton has been keeping us up to speed on current developments in the constantly changing world of internet audio. Of all the mind-boggling things evolving in that arena, Napster and its progeny are what people seem to be worrying about the most, what with everyone from metal bands and rappers to the most obscure jazz musicians as fair game.

Speaking for the latter, it was a mixed bag to see a screen shot of a Napster moment when several cuts from old recordings were there for the taking. (And without a penny going into Mike's little piggy bank.) It was flattering that someone would care enough to rip (off, and otherwise) the tunes, and it was also sobering in that, with a new CD coming out this summer, such technology might make it necessary to someday say, "Would you like a CD with your fries?"

One thing is certain: This is a genie that's way out of its bottle. And everyone from Eminem to this m&m can only hope that the inevitable is forestalled for as long as possible. (Would you like fries with your CD and fries?)

Coming Attractions
Is it just me, or was last winter nothing less than a stone-cold, cluster-jumping freeze-o-thon? Bring on the summer, I say. Tank tops, sweltering temps and great jazz. Next issue we'll preview the coming festivals as well as the Jazz Lover's Pub Crawl on June 21. And we will also give some well-deserved ink to many of the area musicians and bands who are out there in the clubs doing so much to keep Kansas City jazz alive. It's bound to be a "Kansas City Jazz Spectacular." And the summer of 2001 should be another swinging chapter in the history of a swinging town.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"...the series ended with a shameless glorification of (Wynton) Marsalis himself as savior of jazz -- and it did far more to widen the racial divisions among jazz musicians than to narrow them." -- The Washington Post's Jonathan Yardley on Ken Burns' "Jazz.."

RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 2001 MAIN INDEX

© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Mike Metheny The Survey Says... If you've visited JAM on the web (www.jazzkc.org), chances are you've seen our monthly "Jazz Lover's Poll" on the site's main page. It's totally unscientific, but so far we've learned that Kenny G had more of an impact on jazz in the 20th century than did Clifford Brown and Ornette Coleman (the meteor that reportedly hit the earth 65 million years ago had quite an impact, too), and that hopes are high for the survival of jazz in the 21st century, as long as nightclubs featuring live jazz can survive. In February we asked visitors this question: "Of the following, which best describes Ken Burns' "Jazz" series?" Here are the survey results. a) Well done and very enjoyable -- 42 votes (25%) b) Good, but with glaring omissions -- 35 votes (21%) c) Educational for the jazz novice -- 23 votes (13%) d) Informative, even for the aficionado -- 11 votes (6%) e) 1960-2000 got screwed -- 21 votes (12%) f) Way too much Wynton -- 39 votes (23%) Again, it's an unscientific poll, but the top three vote-getters seem to validate much of the buzz that occurred during and after the series. (There was also this from one surfer: "Actually, all of the choices are true.") Even though a couple of months have passed since "Jazz" aired on PBS, there's still quite a bit of talk about it in the jazz world. So, in this issue, we offer a survey, mostly (but not exclusively) drawn from members of the KC jazz community. The replies we received were thoughtful, honest, and just as diverse as our feature stories about "Jazz" by Floyd Levin and Don Rose. Napster(ed) For the past year or so, Dean Hampton has been keeping us up to speed on current developments in the constantly changing world of internet audio. Of all the mind-boggling things evolving in that arena, Napster and its progeny are what people seem to be worrying about the most, what with everyone from metal bands and rappers to the most obscure jazz musicians as fair game. Speaking for the latter, it was a mixed bag to see a screen shot of a Napster moment when several cuts from old recordings were there for the taking. (And without a penny going into Mike's little piggy bank.) It was flattering that someone would care enough to rip (off, and otherwise) the tunes, and it was also sobering in that, with a new CD coming out this summer, such technology might make it necessary to someday say, "Would you like a CD with your fries?" One thing is certain: This is a genie that's way out of its bottle. And everyone from Eminem to this m&m can only hope that the inevitable is forestalled for as long as possible. (Would you like fries with your CD and fries?) Coming Attractions Is it just me, or was last winter nothing less than a stone-cold, cluster-jumping freeze-o-thon? Bring on the summer, I say. Tank tops, sweltering temps and great jazz. Next issue we'll preview the coming festivals as well as the Jazz Lover's Pub Crawl on June 21. And we will also give some well-deserved ink to many of the area musicians and bands who are out there in the clubs doing so much to keep Kansas City jazz alive. It's bound to be a "Kansas City Jazz Spectacular." And the summer of 2001 should be another swinging chapter in the history of a swinging town. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY "...the series ended with a shameless glorification of (Wynton) Marsalis himself as savior of jazz -- and it did far more to widen the racial divisions among jazz musicians than to narrow them." -- The Washington Post's Jonathan Yardley on Ken Burns' "Jazz.." RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 2001 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.