Before we go into Part 2, let's address something. Some people are wasting time with personality issues. Who I am; why I'm doing this; what I'm REALLY trying to say, etc. Fuggedaboutit. It's got nothing to do with personalities. Personally I like Willard Jenkins and a good many of the other jazz business folk I've met over the years. But I hate the syndromes they perpetuate, and the bad jobs that so many of them do. And I hate how they've damaged the music by their indifference to, and willing participation in, the patterns of exploitation that provide their incomes.

So stop trying to analyze me, or read "between the lines," and confusing me with what you see in your mirrors. Just try to absorb the information and take it at face value. It's about Issues. Facts. Knowledge. Deductive reasoning. Combined with 32 years of direct experience.

It is not about personalities. 

Last time out I spoke of your power and some basic steps you can take to wield it. First, let's take a good look at the target.

This is the non-profit, "charitable giving" world and a not-for-profit organization is basically a three way partnership between its Board of Directors, the IRS and the American Public. And that's YOU. Now I know that "of the people, by the people, for the people" bullshit -- as though the public runs the country. Yeah, sure. But this is different. Because the people who run this world are all afraid. Afraid of exposure, afraid of controversy, afraid of their bosses and boards, and afraid of their own positions in the overall fabric. It's a fragile structure of insecure, politically correct and personally-motivated phonies maintaining an illusion of coherence by all keeping the same secret together without even admitting it to each other.

As with the far right, this fabric of hypocrisy and fear is what makes them so vulnerable. Everybody snipes behind everybody's back. Everybody preys on everybody else. Controversies are all limited to AIDS, gender issues and censorship -- all politically correct head fakes designed to cover the greed, ambition, self-aggrandizement and manipulation by these left-wing Republicans.

When the culture business became institutionalized in the 60's, a system was established that would separate it from the entertainment business. The central element of this system is the replacement of fiscal bottom-line mentality with the idealistic goals of the tax exempt cultural/educational organization.

Because of the inherent public responsibilities of the charitable sector by law, both the giving and receiving entities must be able to justify everything they do. Controversy is abhorred. It increases scrutiny, and nobody wants that, even if they're 100% on the up and up. When controversy or scrutiny occurs, boards get angry and start pointing fingers, usually at the executive director who WORKS FOR the board. Most boards are a combination of clueless, uninformed and impossible; and most executive directors (the better ones are usually able to manipulate their boards) just try to appease them and hang onto their jobs until they're able to take that next step up (or, at least sideways). Confrontation is highly undesirable and when it occurs it's usually just some irrational asshole indulging his or her ego at someone else's expense, usually the executive director's.

Non-profit or for profit, everybody's answerable to somebody. Even the top jazz daddies have Bosses, but as long as those numbers add up (whether they make or "lose" millions) within the overall corporate bottom line, everybody's happy.

But the funding world is different. The bottom line for big-time funders is in public perception, product promotion and tax breaks. Since the tax breaks are handled through the parent company or family estate, that leaves the non-profit board with public perception/promotion as its only bottom line.

Not only are you the public, but you are also the supposed beneficiaries of all this money shifting. If you start demanding answers, explanations and accountability, you're going to make the people calling the shots very very uncomfortable.

Any show of strength or unity by jazz musicians will have significant impact. If jazz musicians start demanding answers, you'll force them to let you be heard and to keep you informed. But they can't. There's no one among them to answer your questions or give you their plans. Because there's no one among them who knows anything about the music - and there are no plans. Just the appearance of plans to justify the movement of the money and to create a promotional spin that makes the givers and their collaborators look good.

The only people they can get to answer you would be from among a group of professional placebo-advocates who masquerade among you as your representation -- and are sufficiently fluent in the vernacular of both worlds to keep you confused and bored enough to stop asking questions. And I'd be surprised if any of these folks would be willing to emerge from their closets on behalf of these funders, not without heavy pay. But then they'd both have to cop to the scam -- and that would require at least two people to be honest with each other. And that will never happen. Because bullshit leads to more bullshit.

A lie just continues to build on itself until the truth is unrecognizable -- or instills terror.

So there's your weapon - Truth.

It's as simple as that. But how do you use it? And more important, why should you?

That's easy. Because it's the only real hope for a systemic change. And that's the only way this stupidity is going to end. A total transfusion. And it's not as far-fetched as it might seem.

All through the funding world are serious, dedicated people who care about the music and the musicians, and who are appalled at the attitudes of the funders and their inside circle of jazz pimps. They can't speak up - some are too powerless, some afraid, some too cynical. Generally they try to do whatever they can within their means. But some are downright subversive. And strong potential allies.

But there are even stronger allies. (And even I must apologize in advance for the utter cynicism of what I'm about to say.)

There are people at those foundations who couldn't care less about the music or you, but will jump to your cause in a minute if it means some advancement for them. If you actions help them climb that ladder, they'll owe something to you politically. They're not totally heartless. They don't WANT you to fail or the music to suffer. They just don't care. And so what. All we need is their money.

There are so many foundations and corporations that give huge amounts of money to the arts. It only takes ONE to make a real commitment to the art form. If ONE person advances him or herself on this issue. If ONE of those subversives lands in a top spot. If ONE current foundation head takes a serious, committed look at the real issues facing y'all. If ONE athlete or entertainer or philanthropist takes a real interest. 

ONE!

There are already rumblings at the foundations. People in that world are reading the articles on this site. Some are using them for fuel, others are just grumbling, others working on new spins to answer upcoming questions. Some are pissed, some worried, some just arrogant. But they're paying attention. 

Respected journalists are following up on the articles, asking tough qestions -- and getting no answers. Or answers that just support what I'm saying. 

Lawyers are barking. One sure sign of effectiveness.

And most important, others are joining in. Musicians, educators, TRUE activists and dedicated professionals are stepping forward looking for a role in forcing a change.

But there's a whole slew of wannabe passengers on the Gravy Train of the status quo. "Visionary" presenters, Festival fuhrers (Weinees?), never-gigged educators, attaboy activists, jazz society queens and kings, professional professionals, credential-less consultants. 

All lining up for a piece of S.O.S. pie.

As we used to say at Ebbets Field "trow da bums out!"

There are loads of truly dedicated educators and presenters and activists and professionals who are ready and willing to do their part. From Florida to Montana, From Hawaii to Maine. All over the country. 

Musicians must learn the difference between the real and the phoney (and please stop kissing up to those phonies because some day they MIGHT give you a gig. Please!!) 

As to the how.

Ask questions. Send letters or e-mails to these places asking for explanations, reports, accountings, whatever. Ask Holly Sidford (who may be gone by now) or Rory MacPherson at the Lila Wallace Foundation what good their program did. Ask for specifics. Ask Olga Garay at the Doris Duke Foundation what specific impact her new "visionary" 8-figure initiative is supposed to have on jazz. Ask Dean Stein at Chamber Music America (before he leaves) why Duke gave such a fat chunk of jazz moolah to an organization with no track record or interest in jazz, and no personnel who even know what the music or the business is about (until about three weeks ago. Now there's one. We'll see soon enough what she's about). 

You may not get any answers and if you do, they'll be unsatisfactory bullshit. But the power is in the asking. Believe me, these questions will rock these people to the core. 

Confront the "advocates" next time you're at a conference or seminar or any public event where these hustlers strut their stuff. How are they working to improve conditions. Don't ask their advice. It's entirely based on acquiescence to traditional patterns of exploitation. They're not out to help you. They're only looking to better their own positions. The few who aren't will be overjoyed at your confrontation and will feed off your anger. Believe me, we are always looking for allies. 

Take my pieces and others like them from The Pariah and other sources and pass them around to people who can benefit from them. And even more important, forward them to the folks they target. And tell others to do the same. Picture the staffs at Wallace, Duke, Lincoln Center, BET, etc. opening their mail or e-mail and finding 25, 50, 100 copies of the same attacks every day. It will have spectacular effect, especially if you address them to the Board of Directors. The e-mail, fax numbers and street addresses are easy to find. Or e-mail us at Outward Visions, Inc.  We'll give you the info if you want it.

Hey, I'm just one voice out here, folks. It's going to take some action from you to have any lasting impact. The suggestions I've just made are an easy start. If you won't even go that far to help yourselves, you deserve your future.

There's plenty more to come, folks - and new developments are coming every day. On November 12 a panel of eight people will get together to make their recommendations to the Duke Foundation and we'll see which 12 lucky contestants will get a big chunk of Duke dollars. One thing's sure - at least 10 of them will be former members of the Wallace Notwork. So next time we'll probably touch on that, along with the long-promised look at the Notwork. So till then...well, you know. 

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