Jazz Now Targets Young Audiences

This week National Public Radio’s jazz blog, A Blog Supreme, launched a project to combat the argument of Terry Teachout’s NEA-citing Jazz is Dying argument (see Teachout’s Wall Street Journal article from Aug. 9, 2009). Patrick Jarenwattananon, managing editor of the blog, started the Jazz Now project to provide the solution: get young audiences interested.

September 18, 2009; 9:10 AM • by Dean Christesen

This week National Public Radio’s jazz blog, A Blog Supreme, launched a project to combat the argument of Terry Teachout’s NEA-citing Jazz is Dying argument (see Teachout’s Wall Street Journal article from Aug. 9, 2009). Patrick Jarenwattananon, managing editor of the blog, started the Jazz Now project to provide the solution: get young audiences interested.

He writes about starting Jazz Now:

…the NEA survey about audience participation in the arts came out, and caused a hubbub in the jazz world about supposedly declining audiences. And whatever you feel about that set of data, we can all agree that jazz absolutely needs to find new audiences — especially young new audiences — in new ways.

Patrick gathered up a handful of young jazz advocates and website operators including myself, and gave us an assignment:

Name five albums you would recommend to somebody looking to get into modern jazz — within the last 10 or so years, with an emphasis on the present moment (considered broadly). What’s some music that’s uncompromisingly musical, but also perfect for those open-eared listeners who aren’t hopeless jazz nerds? Hopefully, it’s a bit more heartfelt than just the “top albums of the current era” discussion: this question not only addresses the root of jazz’s supposed crisis, but also comes from a slightly more personal space.

He is posting the contributors’ lists every day for a week or so, and my list was posted yesterday. My approach, as you’ll see, was to focus on jazz that is based on contemporary rhythms. Each entry is complete with audio files for listening while reading.

Patrick has a large interest and curiosity in the Richmond jazz scene. He spent about four days here a few weeks ago getting to know many of the main players (both on and off the stage), organizations, writers, and so on. His blog is becoming one of the most high-profile jazz blogs on the internet, so any mention of Richmond’s healthy music scene is a huge step towards a greater exposure to our music.

Visit A Blog Supreme and enjoy the other lists!

(Image courtesy A Blog Supreme)

September 18, 2009 9:10 AM 0