Nik Payton

I’ve just read an interesting article in the New York Times today on Juan Diego Flórez’ performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on Monday. He performed a solo encore after a standing ovation - something not heard there since 1994. In fact, solo encores were common in the 19th century but as the opera grew more ’serious’ they fell out of fashion. Peter Gelb, general manager of the Met, said he wanted to make opera “as entertaining and exciting for the audience as it can be.”

A striking resemblance to jazz, no?

It used to be an entertaining art form before it became an ‘art form’ - whereby everyrone has to wear black and look very serious! Not many bands these days even know what showmanship is, most of them simply mutter a few words now and then into the microphone and believe that will do. After all, you’re here to see them make art right?
Well, it’s a well known fact that jazz audiences are diminishing, mostly due to lack of interest, old age or death! As a result, many of us are looking to the internet for ways to build up new audiences, reach out to fans and try to increase the popularity of the music. But what happens when these people turn out to see your show and are greeted by the tenor sax player who keeps his back to audience the whole time, the drummer who wears shorts and a string vest, the trumpet player who seems to have great trouble in acknowledging that you even exist (remember this is ‘art’)? They might run home and tell all their friends, but chances are it won’t be to rave about your show!

Perhaps it is time to take a step back from our egos and ‘art’ and realise that without an audience we have nothing. Jazz is a living art form, I’m the first to argue that point, but it lives for live performance; for the opportunity to share, with others, our views, beliefs and experiences. You spend hours practicing to perfect your skills, only to shoot yourself in the foot on the gig! Just as Mr. Gelb and Mr. Flórez did, we need to make our performances as entertaining and exciting as possible. It doesn’t mean playing corny crap, or leaping up and down, or wearing stupid clothes with wigs. It means talking to your audience, connecting with them by telling them information about the songs you are playing, spending time and consideration with your programming.

You want these people to come back again and again - would it kill you to put in a bit more effort?

Tags: gigs, Jazz musicians, marketing, New York Times, Performance