In a recent conversation with a group of high school students, jazz was discussed in terms that should worry us all. The basic thrust was that jazz was music for old people with little or no relevance to these kids. And since these were teenagers who attend some of the best high schools in the city, their attitude is particularly alarming. We all know jazz' reduction in terms of sales and listenership. But what will things be like in a decade when this generation, for whom jazz is a distant uninteresting concept, are the primary movers of the music economy and are transferring their musical tastes to their children? The answer must be jazz education, so in this month that features the 2007 International Association for Jazz Education Conference (IAJE), the above conversation was very timely (see our Special Feature on pg. 14 about some of the folks involved in bringing jazz to the younger generation as well as a special section of CD reviews starting on pg. 38 from participants at this year's conference). Some will present jazz as an American artform that is almost patriotic to support. Others portray it as a cerebral exercise for intellectuals. And still others think of jazz as light entertainment for popular consumption. And there are many shades in between. With so many approaches, it is no surprise that today's youth have no clear perception of the value and spirit and fun of jazz.
Some very frank discussions are needed between musicians and record labels, PR firms and jazz venues, listeners and educators. Marketshare is of course important because no art really can succeed outside economics but jazz is not pop music, concerned solely about profits and hit records. Jazz is a music that has been growing organically since its inception. So for it to continue, it needs constant infusions of new energy and influences to remain relevant. And it needs a knowledgeable listenership in order to appreciate its development.
Unless we can break through the preconceptions today's kids have about jazz, soon this artform will become even more of a niche genre. That bodes poorly for all of us. While we have jazz education on the front burner, let's all mull over how we can keep the issue a current one, not one that we missed addressing before it was too late. We'll do our best...
For more information contact All About Jazz.
