Thursday, June 18, 2009

Less Summer Work for Jazz Musicians

06/16/2009 08:49 PM

By: Bonyen Lee

Jazz musicians who made their way to Rochester for the city's eighth annual International Jazz Fest found fewer opportunities to tour this summer.

Jazz musicians who made their way to Rochester for the city's eighth annual International Jazz Fest found fewer opportunities to tour this summer. A New York Times article recently confirmed one of the country's best known jazz festivals closed because it lost its top sponsor.

"I don't see no people," said longtime jazz musician Chico Hamilton. "I just step on that stage to make some music."

Hamilton's music fills auditoriums and concert halls across the country. His Rochester International Jazz Fest performance at Kilbourne Hall was no different.

"Fortunately, my tours were fantastic," Hamilton said. "I stay on the road at least 48 weeks out of the year."

But new emerging jazz artists aren't as lucky, especially after JVC Jazz Festival ceased to exist this year. It was a series of festivals in New York, Miami, and Chicago.

"Let's put it like this, if it don't be for the festivals, I don't know what most of the jazz musicians would be doing," Hamilton said.

"I think there are those who normally go to that festival knowing that they're not going to see it this year, hear it this year," Rochester International Jazz Festival Executive Director Marc Iacona said.

Iacona can't directly tie increasing attendance numbers to the JVC closings. He believes it might have something more to do with the Rochester's artist lineup.

"We always say it's not who you know, it's who you don't know, is that you're going to come and see someone new that's emerging and not a national act," Iacona said.

The same issue Hamilton believes caused the JVC festivals to end.

"The JVC only booked certain people, every year," Hamilton said. "JVC didn't reach out and establish any new people, give new people an opportunity to do something."

And at the end of the day, no festivals mean less money for the musicians.

"If you were in it, if you got the hit, it means you can make a pay day," Hamilton said.

Rochester International Jazz Festival Homepage