Hear from three jazz marketing leaders on successful album launches and all that went into making them happen. Short individual presentations will be followed by Q&A. Moderator: Ashley Kahn. Panelists: Ken Druker (Verve/Universal), Nate Smith (Kinfolk), Robin Tomchin (Motema Music).
For most jazz artists, getting booked outside their hometown or local community can be a real challenge. Musicians who have successfully managed to book themselves at clubs, venues and festivals all over the world discuss the secrets to their success. Moderator: Giovanni Russonello (CapitolBop/New York Times). Panelists: Emmet Cohen, Marquis Hill, Helen Sung, Matt Wilson.
Puerto Rican musicians on the island and in the states have been an integral part of jazz from the beginning, but with infrequent exceptions, their contributions and identities have been marginalized, misconstrued or overlooked. Through the lens of their experiences as working musicians and storm survivors, multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator William Cepeda and others will propose a narrative that presents Puerto Rican artists as extraordinary musicians, innovators, and leaders in their ow...
Presenters in secondary U.S. markets discuss the challenges and rewards of audience development and programming. Moderator: Gene Dobbs Bradford (Jazz St. Louis). Panelists: Robert Ginsburg (Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society), Eric Oberstein (Duke Performances), Terri Pontremoli (Tri-C Jazzfest Cleveland), Jon W. Poses (We Always Swing Productions).
What exactly are the responsibilities of a qualified manager and what can an aspiring manager expect from the role? What does a healthy artist/manager relationship look like? And when exactly do you need a manager? Experienced managers, in an open and frank setting, talk about the business today and why you probably don’t need to hire them. Moderator: Karen Kennedy (24/Seven Artist Development). Panelists: Gail Boyd (Gail Boyd Artist Management), Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski (DDB Productions), Da...
Master rights, mechanicals, compulsory, sync, and public performance licenses. What do these terms mean and why do they matter? Whether you are an artist, a label, or an organization using music in a video you “just” want post to Facebook, you need to know the basics of copyright law and licensing terms and concepts. Join music industry attorneys and Jazz at Lincoln Center's in-house legal team for a conversation to set the record straight. Moderator: Lisa Davis (Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Sel...
A discussion for and about jazz musicians who integrate or expand into other genres of music, while remaining under the jazz umbrella. Moderator: Brandee Younger. Panelists: Terri Lyne Carrington, Donny McCaslin, Meshell Ndegeocello, Aaron Parks.
All too often jazz from NYC and the East Coast gets all the attention from media and the industry. However, the West Coast has a long and strong tradition of presenting jazz going back to the Lighthouse in the 50s. This panel of West Coast festival and concert organizers will discuss the challenges and rewards of presenting jazz in markets of all sizes. Moderator: Tim Jackson (Monterey Jazz Festival). Panelists: Darlene Chan (FestivalWest), Michael Eldridge (Redwood Jazz Alliance), Robert Rainbo...
How does jazz speak to the tumult of today? Can a song change a mind? Is improvisation a political act? A frank discussion about what musicians can communicate in the face of social and political unrest, and how these times affect the course of and context for our culture. Moderator: Larry Blumenfeld (Wall Street Journal). Panelists: Vijay Iyer, Rene Marie, Arturo O'Farrill.
Join transgender and gender fluid artists and an ally for an open conversation about acceptance, support, and challenges to diverse voices. Transgender artists have been present in jazz for decades; has the jazz community evolved in its openness to transgender and gender fluid artists? We will listen to and honor voices and stories often suppressed in this and other communities and explore the concept of being allies. Moderator: Katie Simon (WBGO/Jazz Night in America).Panelists: Jennifer Leitha...
George Wein produced his first Newport Jazz Festival in 1954 at age 28. Today, as part of the non-profit Newport Festivals Foundation, the jazz festival continues in stride alongside its folk counterpart, under the leadership of Jay Sweet and Artistic Director Christian McBride. George has said his motivation in his ninth decade of life is to see the festivals flourish beyond him. In this conversation, he’ll share the stage with Jay and Christian and discuss leadership transitions, succession pl...
Members of the Jazz Messengers reconvened onstage for a once-in-a-lifetime reunion. Moderator: Celine Peterson. Panelists: Terence Blanchard, Randy Brecker, Cameron Brown, Donald Brown, Steve Davis, Leon Lee Dorsey, Essiet Essiet, Kevin Eubanks, Jon Faddis, Benny Green, Billy Harper, Donald Harrison, Eddie Henderson, Vincent Herring, Harold Mabern, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ralph Peterson Jr., Bill Pierce, Lonnie Plaxico, Wallace Roney, Melissa Slocum, Charles Tolliver, Steve Turre, Bo...
The Jazz Congress was honored to present the 2019 Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award to Darlene Chan, a tireless, behind the scenes advocate for so many artists and the music at large. Introduction: Lee Mergner (JazzTimes). Presentation: George Wein (Newport Jazz Festival).
With his September 1, 2018 passing the jazz world lost a truly singular pianist-composer-bandleader and endless seeker of the African essence of music and spirituality. This panel will discuss the unprecedented African Rhythms legacy of this NEA Jazz Master, who in his own words came to be a storyteller, a quest he achieved through a vast sphere of influences ranging from his Brooklyn homeboy Max Roach, to Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, to mystical Sufi masters and global scholars. Moderato...
Members of Miles Davis’ ‘70s electric bands talk about the music of that often-overlooked period. Introduction by Vince Wilburn, Jr. and Erin Davis (Miles Davis Estate). Moderator: Mark Ruffin (Sirius/XM). Panelists: Gary Bartz, Michael Henderson, Dave Liebman, Mtume, Wallace Roney, Lenny White.
With label relaunches, increased release schedules, aggressive new signings and a seemingly increased investment from labels in jazz over the last year, what are these businesses’ visions for the future of recorded jazz? Moderator: Lauren Onkey (NPR Music). Panelists: Jana Herzen (Motema Music), Willie Jones III, Denny Stilwell (Mack Avenue).
Revenue sources for jazz are as broad as other art forms and can vary from public funding, foundations, corporations, individuals and earned income support. Funders and organizations talk about effective tactics, tools and practices that organizations have utilized to raise money for jazz. Introduction: Pamela Butler (Jazz at Lincoln Center). Moderator: Sunny Sumter (DC Jazz Festival) Panelists: Ella Baff, Sara Donnelly (South Arts), Maurine Knighton (Doris Duke Charitable Foundation)....
What does an effective strategic partnership look like? How is it created and what does it take to maintain it? What value does each individual partner see in such a relationship and what can the jazz community learn from this unique partnership between NPR Music, WBGO, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Moderator: Neal Shapiro (WNET). Panelists: Gabrielle Armand (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Anya Grundmann (NPR), Amy Niles (WBGO).
Considering swing as a rhythm or swing as a feeling or a verb, what are the social, cultural, and racial factors that affect individuals’ perception, acceptance or rejection of the concept? Player and thinkers ponder what swing means in 2019. Moderator: Andre Guess (Guessworks). Panelists: Terri Lyne Carrington, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Myra Melford, Nicholas Payton.
Key players from the Turkish jazz community explain how the music has grown its presence and impact. Moderator: Wulf Muller (All-In-Music Service/OKeh Records). Panelists: Pelin Opçin (Istanbul Jazz Festival), Mehmet Ali Sanlikol (New England Conservatory), Orhan Tekelioglu (Sakarya University). Made possible with support from the Turkish Consulate General in New York.
An exploration of the manner in which presenters engage with communities and organizations that are not traditionally part of the jazz audience. Moderator: Gail Boyd (Gail Boyd Artist Management). Panelists: Sheila Evans (Allentown Symphony), Kaisha Johnson (Women of Color in the Arts), Michael Kline (Exit Zero Jazz Festival), Randy Vogel (Mesa Arts Center).
How can labels and artists effectively monetize their recordings? Are physical sales down? Is streaming the future? Are there other opportunities? Moderator: Aaron Bisman (Jazz at Lincoln Center/Blue Engine Records). Panelists: Andy Hurwitz (Studio 1200 Management), Maria Schneider, Denny Stilwell (Mack Avenue).
Why is putting on a good show important? Your artistic skills and musical technique are vital to making it onto the stage and building your audiences, however, a successful artist also cultivates the emotional intelligence inherent in the skill of stagecraft. Bandleaders, vocalists, and their sidemen will offer advice, best practices, and guidance on building a setlist, developing banter, and considering the ever-shortening attention span of the modern audience. Moderator: Jason Olaine (Jazz at ...
Program directors and music directors discuss the various aspects of programming, including music selection, day parting, live studio performances, specialty shows and community involvement. Moderator: Mark Rini (GROOV Marketing & Consulting). Panelists: Derrick Lucas (WGMC); Ken Poston (KSDS); Kayonne Riley (KUCF); Steve Williams (WBGO).
A lively conversation with a few masters of jazz piano. Moderator: Ethan Iverson. Panelists: Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Harold Mabern.
Musicians and composers talk about their creative (and commercial) process in the world of making music for films and television shows. Moderator: Ashley Kahn. Panelists: Terence Blanchard, Mark Isham, Michael Wolff.
A discussion of how presenters can work together in their respective markets to create effective partnership and increase the audience and present for jazz. Moderator: Tim Jackson (Monterey Jazz Festival). Panelists: John Gilbreath (Earshot Jazz), Fritz Thom (Vienna Jazz Festival/IJFO), Shannon Wallace (JazzHubs).
Artists, industry professionals and social activists talk about how jazz can affect political awareness and action in the current political climate and culture. Moderator: Karen Kennedy (24 Seven Artist Management). Panelists: Terri Lyne Carrington, Aaron Goldberg, Wesley Watkins (Jazz and Democracy Project), Wayne Winborne (Rutgers University).
The storied music culture of New Orleans has long defined the city's identity and represented essential jazz history. As New Orleans marks its tricentennial, how does this culture resonate in its quickly changing hometown and for the wider jazz community? Moderator: Larry Blumenfeld (Wall Street Journal). Panelists: Terence Blanchard, Evan Christopher, Sasha Masakowski.
Singers share their insight on the fine art of developing repertoire—from balancing the GASB with contemporary material to doing covers vs. originals. Moderator: Deborah Grace Winer. Panelists: Ann Hampton Callaway, Jazzmeia Horn, John Pizzarelli, Ted Rosenthal, Catherine Russell.
