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Interviews
Kenny Barron: Pianist Who Opens Eyes and Ears
R.J. DeLuke
R.J. DeLuke is an indefatigable jazz fan and arbiter elegantiarum who aspires to ultimate hipness; also an upstate NY freelance writer for various media."The thing that's changed is touring possibilities in the states have really dwindled. We used to be able to go out on the road in the states for months. You can't do that now. If you can book a tour, for a jazz artist, for three weeks, you're doing great. When I was with Dizzy, we'd be out for four months at a time. That's unheard of now. In that respect, it's changed. You could go to a club and be there for one month or three weeks. Now it's three days, maybe."
The recording scene is also hurting, he said. Record companies are no longer owned by people concerned with the music. Record executives of old, like Norman Grantz, "loved the music. But now it's big business. You have people in control who aren't necessarily big fans of the music."
"A lot of the companies now, major jazz labels if you want to call them that, are now basically recording vocalists. It seems to sell for them," he says. "They are businesses and it is about money. That is the bottom line. How many records will you sell? Unfortunately. I don't like it, but that's the way it is. If somebody like Norah Jones sells 14 million records, then obviously that is a great formula. Let's try that again. Whereas, most major jazz artists, if they sell 20,000 or 30,000 copies of a CD, that's a lot."
Barron has been involved in teaching for some time at Rutgers University. It helps him spread the word of jazz and helps him keep busy. "I don't know if I'm influencing anybody with my music. But as far as teaching, I think I have had an influence on people I've come in contact with. That is satisfying. Some I've been able to help."
Modestly said. Barron's playing is one of the exquisite pleasures of jazz and young piano players facing the challenges of the music would do well to listen to this master at work.
