Yellow Dog Jazz Report 2002 Workshop Keynote

Delivered at the opening session, June 6, 2002

On behalf of myself and Yellow Dog Jazz, I would like to welcome you all to the first annual jazz summit. It is a great honor for me to be asked to give this welcoming address. In the past we have met at the Gavin, the Jazz Times, and the IAJE to discuss pertinent issues relating to the business of jazz such as how to make radio better, how to sell more records, and how to support our artists. But it seems that all we do is talk. After the conventions we return to our individual offices and nothing is changed. We have gathered here today at a very critical junction in the history of the business of Jazz. Although jazz is thriving as an art form, unfortunately it is floundering as a business. It is time to make changes. We must finally begin to walk the talk.

It may seem that there are few of us gathered here today, but today we are planting the seeds of the future. The people in this room can begin to make the necessary changes. Therefore, it is imperative that we assemble on a yearly basis for this convention where we can take a step back and really focus in on the business of jazz: what works, and the things about it that need to be changed. We have the IAJE every year, but that is no longer enough. The state of jazz today requires a forum where people from the industry can gather and really get to the core of issues within the industry.

I have been in the business of promoting jazz music for the last 16 years, six of those as the vice president for promotions at a record label, and more than ten years running my own company specializing in the promotion of straight ahead jazz, smooth jazz, and world music. The business of independent promotion allows for a very unique perspective of the jazz industry. Being a liaison between the record companies and radio stations has allowed myself, as well as other independent radio promoters, the ability to see the problems that exist on many different levels within the jazz community. This weekend, the people in this room must begin to find a way to remedy these problems. This convention will allow us to really get in each others faces and lay all these issues out on the table.

I believe that one of the central missions of this conference is to find out how we can light a fire under retail. How can both radio and the record labels work together to help increase sales? As we all know, many label bosses are looking for proof that healthy airplay can sell music. They currently are unwilling or unable to spend the dollars necessary for promotions, underwriting, and tour support because it seems to be a one way flow: everything goes out and nothing comes in. At the same time we have the radio station GMs asking why the labels are not supporting radio. They ask "where is the underwriting support?" "where is the promotions support?" and "where is the tour support?" As the jazz world scales back on its signings and marketing dollars, we need to use the potential that lies in the economic power of jazz radio to bolster sales. We are in a Catch 22. Labels say they can't spend money until they see sales, but for sales to occur someone has to spend money.

It is not my intention to stand up here today and tell people how to do their jobs. I will not tell you how to program your stations, what artists to sign, or what to promote, although most of you who know me know that that is exactly what I would like to do. [smiles] I do have very strong opinions of how to make this business really work, but that, my friends, is for another time. This time is about us working together for the common goal, which I see as the ability for all of us in this room, and for people across the country whom make their living through jazz, to be able to grow and prosper.

Each segment of the jazz industry has its own problems, and those problems are worthy of discussion this weekend, but they are merely pieces of the puzzle. We also need to look at the big picture. After being in the trenches for the past 16 years, I have noticed one recurring and overlapping issue: how can we impact retail through radio and records? Where does art meet commerce? I believe this problem is one that concerns each of us and it is an ongoing issue that I hope we will address at this convention, and really begin to act upon. That said, I would like to share a few of my thoughts about some things that radio stations, record labels, and Yellow Dog can do to affect commerce.

For radio we need to look at several issues, such as rotations, building listenership and tie-ins with the community and with retail. How can we use rotations to increase listeners' awareness of new releases? Is there any benefit to playing a CD 2, 3 or 4 times a week? Does it help the artist, the label or the station? Isn't it better to play fewer CDs more often? Why can some stations sells product by playing a CD 8-10 times a week while other stations may play a CD 20-30 times a week with no retail impact? Will we increase listeners' awareness of certain CDs if we find one track that stands out and play the hell out it? I have not heard any complaints about the good old days when we had jazz hits such as Les McCann and Eddie Harris' "Compared To What," Ramsey Lewis' "The In Crowd," Coltrane's "My Favorite Things," Ella's "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," or Dave Brubeck's "Take 5." The singles or one track emphasis mentality is very controversial and it is only within the last few years that I have come to support the concept. Some may say it is self-serving, but I truly believe that it can help build a bridge between radio and retail. Creating super stars within the jazz community is another topic that has been batted about over the last few years. Again, in the good old days everyone knew who Ella, Frank, Miles, Coltrane, and Billie were, even if you weren't a jazz fan. The creation of super stars in any genre enhances the status of that genre. What is our aversion with super stars? Why do we work so hard to help a Diana Krall become a household name and then criticize her when she crosses over into mainstream formats? I was amazed at the number of negative comments about her last release on the JPL [Jazz Programmers' Mailing List] postings. Some folks want to disown her as a jazz artist just as they did with Harry Connick, Jr. There is nothing wrong with jazz being a stepping stone for artists. We should lay claim to them and be proud of our support.

One of the reasons that Smooth Jazz has had success is that they have marketed themselves as music that fits a certain lifestyle. What can we do to market ourselves so that Jazz music is also about who are listeners are, what they do with their leisure time, how they perceive their lifestyles? We can use good old marketing strategies ... You don't need to have a large marketing budget to make sure that your station is at as many events as possible especially in the summer, just take a booth at the street fairs or the county fairs. Find out where your listeners and potential listeners hang out. Pass out bumper stickers or other inexpensive promotional giveaways. Capture their attention and weave yourselves into their lives. We need more listeners.

It's one thing to get more listeners and to familiarize them with the music, it's another to get them into the stores. But even if we succeed how do they know where they can buy the music that they've heard on your station? I don't want to get into the problems of distribution at this time but I have a suggestion which has become sort of a mantra for me over the last several years. Every jazz radio station in the country should find either a small local outlet or a strong independent retailer in their market and work with them in setting up a section in their store that displays your stations top 20 or 25 CDs for the week. Go into the store with your PD, MD, and promotions person and strike a deal with the owner or manager there. This will work because the radio stations and stores can benefit each other in a very simple way: they can promote each other. The radio station can promote the store by mentioning its name on the air several times a day, and include the fact that much of the music they hear on your station can be found there. The store can carry the top 20 or 25 CDs in a section marked with the station's call letters, and they can update it weekly. This will build community with retail and help your listeners because they won't have to run all over town to find the newest Oscar Peterson or Medesky, Martin, and Wood.

So what do I see as the record labels participation in this process? First and foremost, talk to the folks at radio and find out how you can help them. Communications is a key. Even though you may think you know what the stations need, don't assume, ask. Obviously underwriting is a direct way to help, but other things can be done that are less costly. Promotional giveaways for fund drives is a common practice, but why not offer promotional product for stations that are doing community events as well? Why not put together promotional CDs that have five or six songs from your current releases and give them to radio to use as giveaways for events and concerts? A few labels have done this, and my feedback from radio has been very positive. When you have an artist in town, make sure that you are in contact with the station far in advance. Get your artist to the station on time for interviews and make sure that the station has all the information that they need about the artist and the event. I know this must sound like promotions 101, but you would be shocked at the number of times that I have heard from stations about labels not helping the station prepare for an interview. Give the stations as much information as you can about your artist. The connection with the listeners is as much your responsibility as it is the station's. A bio that is limited to the current project and lists the artist discography is only marginally helpful. The interviewer as well as the listeners want to know about the artist as a person not only as a musician. What do they do when they're not playing music? Do they like to trout fish? Do they paint? Do they play sports? What type of charity or community work do they do? The more information the interviewer has the more likely they can foster the connection on a personal level weith the listeners not just a musical one. Another major issue that I hear about is the artists' attitude. Too many artists come off like they are doing the station a huge favor by showing up. I know that the labels and that the management can't always be responsible for their artists behavior, but you need to emphasize to your artists the importance of this connection with the listeners. If you set up instores for your artists then include the radio station in the promotion. Let them co-sponsor the event in exchange for on-air announcements. It's a win-win situation.

Record labels can play a major role in helping the Yellow Dog Jazz charts to have an impact on retail. In fact, I believe that the ultimate success of the Yellow Dog chart depends on its ability to market itself to online record outlets. I challenge the labels to help set up meetings for Tony and Ed with the people at places like Amazon.com, Buy.com, CD Now, Tower online, etc. We need to be able to post the chart on these sites in their music sections. This is something that labels can do that won't tax them financially and will provide information that these online retail outlets and their customers can use. In these days of cyberspace it would be easy for Yellow Dog to send graphically appealing and informative weekly or bi-weekly charts so that if someone is looking to buy a Jazz CD they can click onto one of these sites and see what's hot on the radio and if they are interested they can buy it right there. Bingo-radio airplay impacts retail sales. Record labels start to sell more product based on airplay and then they start to spend some marketing dollars with Yellow Dog Jazz, with the stations, at retail and hopefully with the independent radio promoters.

I just want to touch very briefly on the subject of payola. Yellow Dog Jazz editorially and I agree that payola is affecting our format indirectly, particularly with the major labels, in so much as dollars that use to go to Jazz promotions and marketing are now being spent to buy airplay in most of the mainstream formats. Hopefully the soon to start investigations in Washington DC will put an end to this illegal and unethical practice. Please,speak up against this madness.

And now for the final topic of my pontification. I did say earlier that I wasn't going to do that didn't I? Oh well, I am in promotions, so a certain amount of embellishment is allowed. Tony, Ed, and Barry, and all the folks at Yellow Dog Jazz you guys have the opportunity to be a major factor in this paradigm. Although Yellow Dog Jazz is not a weekly trade, it has the potential to accomplish everything technologically and more that a traditional weekly magazine, such as the Gavin did. One of your tasks is to symbolically be able to sell the idea ofthe Yellow Dog Jazz chart as a replacement for the Gavin chart. The Yellow Dog Jazz chart has the opportunity to accomplish what Gavin was not able to do and that is to fuse radio, records and retail activity to the point where they all compliment and help each other close the circle, connect the dots-generate commerce. A major element for Yellow Dog Jazz's future success and growth is credibility. You must be accurate with your report taking and have diligent guidelines for reporting stations. And finally Yellow Dog Jazz with the support of the industry must grow this convention each and every year. Hopefully future conventions will include not only radio, records, and artists but publicity, retail, concert and festival promoters, management, and all of the members that make up this wonderful and passionate family of jazz.

Although we are at a critical junction in the business of Jazz, all is not doom and gloom. Now a days the new records sound and look better than ever; new artists are breaking onto the scene. The radio stations from coast to coast are preserving the music and the art form and many are stronger than ever. Although we sell only 3.4 percent of all CDs (that does include Smooth Jazz) stores still devote way more than 3.4 percent of their floor space for our music. The reissues, box sets and anthologies keep the history of our music available to all and are better than ever—remastered and sparkling in their sound. Labels have some younger A&R ears that are willing to step out a bit and search for that fresh sound. The festivals are successful and attendance is growing. And those of us who work in jazz maintain our close relationships and strong bonds. Our passion is unmatched in any genre of music.

And so my friends and colleagues let us use these next few days to plant the seeds of today so that we may enjoy and bask in the fruits of our labor tomorrow.