Hi Matt:

I think that you made a very good case for your job and the profitability of your department for Warner Bros. However, it seems to me that you didn't make any case at all for the art form. If you are not in the business of producing artistic works, that is fine. 

The people you have on your label are good to great, IMHO. When you take an artist the stature of James Moody and make a recording like his Mancini date it is clear that you don't have a clue as how to best frame his work. You confirmed this for me with your comments on Kenny G (not Garrett). Just because he improvises, why would you call his pop sound jazz. It's pop.

I'm a saxophonist so I'm personally glad to have the instrument being played by someone who sells millions. But his music is not jazz by ANY definition. I believe I once heard you make a comment at a Jazz Times Producer's panel to the effect that most people can't tell the difference between the young "lions" and the old masters. You should have seen the jaws dropping where I sat. Do you actually believe this?

Your idea for a jazz organization clearly begs the question... where are the jazz musicians? The concept of letting ALL of the foxes run the hen house is ludicrous and I hope that no such organization ever exists. If you and all of the other record execs want to hang out and talk shit, hey, be my guest but don't you think that you guys already have enough power without having to get together and wreak more havoc on the industry? 

Or is it that the changing paradigm of the music industry has you all running so scared that you all feel there is some need to co-opt MORE power. I know you are sincere about what you do so please don't feel that I'm attacking you because you are no threat to me. I will continue to make music on the highest levels possible and if that means ultimately releasing my own material, fine because that is where things are headed anyway. We can all get along as the playing field is leveled.