Three recent developments in the jazz world have inspired
this post. First, the NYT ran a feature
article a few weeks ago describing the booming jazz education industry in the
No matter how anemic the jazz industry may be, there is
little doubt that jazz education has become a mainstay in the music departments
of most high schools and colleges across the country. While sales of jazz recordings only continue
to fall, the popularity of jazz education has boomed. Illustrating this paradox further, it is
ironic that the foundation of jazz education in schools is often centered
around the big band, a format that became largely extinct in the professional
world fifty years ago.
The expansion of jazz education makes me extremely hopeful
for the future of jazz music in general. As a product of an elite high school jazz education program myself, I
have to say that my life would be extremely different if I hadn’t had the
experiences that I did with jazz music in my teenage years. I was extremely fortunate to witness
first-hand the potential of an exceptional high school jazz education as my
high school jazz band placed 3rd overall in the Essentially Ellington competition in
In the context of a thriving jazz education world, why does
the professional jazz world still occupy the fringes of the American music
consciousness? One theory is that jazz
education overwhelmingly presents the music as a historical artifact to be
replicated and emulated, rather than a genre that continues to evolve in the 21st
century. It doesn’t help that the public
face of accomplishment in the jazz industry continues to dwindle. Michael Brecker was a preeminent player who
honed a unique style, and found inspiration from musicians across genres. His death comes as a shock to the jazz
world. Just the other night, I was
talking to the bass player at a
As I’ve written before, the sudden and unexpected success of Norah Jones’ first album, largely inspired by jazz musicianship and tradition, should rejuvenate the jazz industry and provide hope to the professional musicians attempting to make a living playing jazz today. Sure, Norah Jones lacks the brilliant technique of a John Coltrane or Charlie Parker, but she has shown that when pushed in new directions, jazz music still reverberates in the American psyche.
While I respect and admire the avant-garde jazz musicians experimenting in the gloomy basements of NYC bars and college music buildings, I think the future of the genre in general will depend on whether forward-looking artists can figure out how to redefine the music in a way that connects with the public ear. Our high schools and colleges are graduating an abundance of music students familiar with the traditions of jazz music. Perhaps the problem, nowadays, isn’t the demand for this music, it’s the supply. Professional jazz musicians need to understand that if we wanted to hear Coltrane or Bird, we would buy their recordings. There’s no sense in rehashing something that was perfected fifty years ago. Norah Jones understands that, and hopefully others will follow in her success.
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