By Walter Price

Being located in so call "small markets," does not help a jazz fan that would like to see live jazz performances by certain jazz "stars" other than the great local artists. Remember a small market in jazz is any city with a population of 1 million and below. A small market is even more insignificant if you're out of the "touring" range. Sorry Augusta, Maine, Green Bay, Wisconsin, and has Wynton Marsalis ever played in Helena, Montana or anywhere in the Dakotas?

It is a given there are some jazz "road warriors," Sonny Rollins and Stanley Clarke come to my mind as putting on shows at small locales other than festivals. Oh those festivals, yes great jazz when you can either:

a. afford a ticket

b. last through 6 hours of soul, blues, and gospel to hear Nicholas Payton play

c. travel between 100 and 10,000 miles just to see 5 out of 30 jazz acts you like

d. lucky enough if Bob James IS NOT a last minute scratch off

e. be able to stay for more than one day because Greg Osby plays one night, then Chick Corea the next, and finally the Dave Holland quintet on the last night

f. all of the above

So what are jazz fans to do in "small markets" who crave live acts? Well besides just attracting the artists to come to your no account 750,000 city, you have to promise to sell a certain amount of tickets or it will not be worth coming to this city. Better yet, you better worry about the artist canceling in the last week or the day before getting your hopes up that Marcus Miller or a Ruben Blades would actually visit your small pathetic metropolitan area-home to minor league sports, symphonies, Les Miserables, Janet Jackson concerts, and other insignificant events in your "small Mayberry-like market."

But, when they do come to that local college of yours, get out your wallet and pay Metallica like prices for Lyle Mays or Steve Coleman. Hurry to get a decent seat or it will be sold out as soon as they announce these headlining jazz performances that will be performing in an auditorium that seats 500. A lot of times these performances do sell out making you feel quite comfortable to know that there are more jazz fans in your "hick" town besides you.

I just wonder why can't I, living in a city of œ million be able to see artists like Nicholas Payton, Jim Hall, Kenny Garrett without all of the problems of above. Jazz artists really need to take to the road. We as jazz fans, deserve less dry music on CDs and more live performances in front of fans. Is it asking too much for stars like Cassandra Wilson to sing in front of a small audience at a decent price? What Cassandra and a lot of the jazz stars do is that they assume mistakenly that jazz is a BIG MARKET and they and their agents just figure on pleasing the Chicago, New York City, Paris, Osaka, and Los Angeles crowds. This is another example why jazz will be will stay in a very small confined, almost insignificant musical market. There just is not enough push for touring and publicizing their music in most of the United States. This is why the so call local artists and up and coming "rising stars" get so much respect in "small markets." They're the ones in many instances responsible for selling many of those Traveling Miles CDs, but I'm sure Cassandra thinks it is her super stardom and talent that brings her fame and fortune. I'm sure her agent/promoter and jazz industry rat agrees. And I'm sure the next time a jazz artist can't sell enough tickets in Lincoln, Nebraska he or she will blame again, the fans for not supporting their music.