Most Jazz Artists Are Unsigned

When I was coming up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Jazz Studies Program offered at the college-level was still a relatively new development. Yet, back then, many universities still did not even offer jazz-related courses of instruction, and many faculty instructors were actually unqualified to teach jazz in an advanced context of preparations toward an actual pro career.

Fast-forward to today and you will find a "jazz program" being offered at most all college-level music departments of any significant size. With support from such organizations like the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and others; both, teachers and students are benefiting from top quality and relevant resources. So, naturally, the results have produced a great number of technically proficient individual jazz musicians embarking on individual active professional careers in the music each year.

With the above factors under consideration alone, it is likely that there will be numerous gifted jazz artist who may likely go unknown to those who rely upon traditional mainstream marketing, publication, and media distribution channels for their jazz recordings.

Signed Jazz Artists Are Not The Only Ones Making Great Music

In the modern "jazz family tree", the recording musicians of note seem to come from having a direct personal connection with a few specific artists - or their eventually significant "sidemen". Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis are probably the most prolific producers of "off-spring" musicians who went on to develop their own careers. On the production side, Quincy Jones has had an enormous impact upon who has emerged in the world as recording jazz artists as well.

Being realistic about this lineage, not every musician could or can have benefit of such associations - regardless of the significance of their gift. However, not having benefit of starting one's career with a Miles Davis-type figure does not necessarily dismiss an artist as less than those who did benefit from such noble experiences.

The point here is that jazz will always be considered a living and continually developing musical art form. Jazz has been alive long enough now to have a significant history and legacy as well. However, it is also important that those who appreciate this music make a point to seek out "new and unknown" artists, if the music is to remain vibrant.

Paying due tributes to the past is necessary, while also looking at the present and future is vital to the perpetuation of jazz. This is the vibrancy and spirit of jazz, not to be relegated to performing the collected works of a relative handful of masters. Charlie Parker is also significant in this regard, because he literally came "out of nowhere" in the sense of what seems to be the normal A&R within music industry terms. So, it stands to reason that the next great innovator will too. He or she may just be out there now - maybe you already have heard them online somewhere and don't even know it.

Online Music Distribution Is A Positive Factor For All Artists Now

OMD has given unprecedented opportunity to countless thousands of professional-level jazz artists who choose to utilize these resources. I'll say one positive thing for sites like MP3.com though. These are places online where a significant and global audience can hear "unknown" independent musicians.

Most musicians create and record music CDs for other people to "hear" what is being communicated - why else do a record? Although, I still have copies doing doorstop duty, at least the MP3 site has brought actual listeners to my music, solved the dilemma of expensive marketing costs (which actually sells anyone's CDs), and even provides a form of distribution that was not even available unless you were signed with a major label distribution deal.

The digital platform for distributing music is the way things are going. It still may eventually "lock out" the "unknowns", but until then we have a platform to distribute our music too. During a life in jazz, I guess I am sort of used to looking at unconventional ways to get things done musically. I would probably not have stayed this far in the journey if I was not mostly focused on just the music and had only looked at what wasn't available to me. It is cool to see other independent jazz artists along this same parallel too.

Best Keep Secrets In Jazz - Ernie Mansfield

The next article in this series will introduce you to another relatively unknown in the jazz world. Until then, check out Ernie Mansfield's work - also give any independent jazz artist a listen sometime too. There are many of us out here with music worth hearing.

Cb has also made many musical friends online and would love to hear from you too. Stop by for a free tour, listen to some Cb tunes, and say hello at http://www.burnettmusic.com.