Announcing JAZZ COALITION; Formed By Jazz Industry Professionals to Commission Artists During Lockdown.
Friday, May 15, 2020
Jazz Coalition is a diverse network of jazz industry professionals, artists & supporters dedicated to raising funds and commissioning artists to create new work in response to these challenging times
We have received the following press release;
Announcing JAZZ COALITION; Formed By Jazz Industry Professionals to Commission Artists During Lockdown
GLOBAL JAZZ COMMUNITY UNITES TO LAUNCH JAZZ COALITION - A COLLECTIVE OF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, MUSICIANS, ADVOCATES & FANS CONTRIBUTING TO A COMMISSION FUND SUPPORTING ARTISTS TO CREATE NEW WORK
Jazz Industry Veterans Brice Rosenbloom (NYC Winter Jazzfest),
Gail Boyd (Gail Boyd Artist Management),
Danny Melnick (Absolutely Live Productions)
Join Forces to Form Jazz Coalition
Musicians today face economic ruin unless organizations intervene providing resources and hope. Given the current reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline of resuming live performances worldwide is uncertain. There is an immediate need to keep artists in the global jazz community actively creating and compensated for their work.
For this reason, professionals in the jazz field, spearheaded by Brice Rosenbloom, founder of NYC Winter Jazzfest, Gail Boyd, an entertainment lawyer and artist manager at Gail Boyd Artist Management, and Danny Melnick of Absolutely Live Entertainment, a veteran concert and festival promoter, have aligned to launch Jazz Coalition.
Jazz Coalition is a diverse network of jazz industry professionals, artists, and supporters dedicated to raising funds and commissioning artists to create new work in response to these challenging times.
“With daunting uncertainty now within the live music industry and specifically in jazz,” says Rosenbloom, “we realize the need to selflessly pivot and unite the jazz community in an immediate effort to commission musicians and nurture their creativity,” adds Rosenbloom. “These commissions will create a new canon of work reflecting our collective resilience.”
“Jazz musicians have always composed music to reflect the times we are living in,” Boyd adds. “The idea that musicians will receive a grant to compose music at this time serves the purpose of documenting where they are, what they are thinking, and how they are coping at this very crucial time in our history. I am proud to be a part of the team that is helping to make that happen.”
Melnick notes a mantra of NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan: “Take care of the music and the music will take care of you.” Melnick adds, “With that spirit at heart, we have come together during this unprecedented time to start a global movement in support of, and encouragement for, the jazz artists who create beautiful and timeless music. We know this isn’t a panacea but we hope to uplift as many musicians and listeners as possible.”
Many jazz musicians are also joining Jazz Coalition to support their colleagues in need. “As you know, and as you can probably testify, we are living in some very challenging times. And these challenging times have affected our jazz community,” remarks GRAMMY and TONY award winner and NEA Jazz Master, Dee Dee Bridgewater.
Additionally prominent jazz educators and musicians have donated their own funds already to Jazz Coalition. Founder of Berklee College of Music’s Institute For Jazz and Gender Justice, and 3x GRAMMY-winning drummer, composer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington adds, “We’re all struggling one way or another during this time of social distancing, especially the arts community. It is crucial that artists are able to remain creative and be compensated.” University of Pittsburgh Director of Jazz Studies, flutist and composer Nicole Mitchell continues, “I know that the independent musicians are some of the hardest hit by the Coronavirus because they can’t work, they can’t perform, they can’t help bring people together right now.“
Encouraging others to support the commission fund, saxophonist and GRAMMY-winner and 14-time nominee Joe Lovano values the process “to create new works for the future in this time of need and renewal.” Meanwhile South African pianist, composer and healer Nduduzo Makhathini deeply expresses the artistic responsibility. “This is indeed a difficult time. But also an interesting time. It is a moment to reflect. It is a moment to think about new innovations. It is also a moment to think about new sonic imaginings. More than ever artists’ creation requires a deeper level of deliberateness.“
Major artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, John Scofield and Joshua Redman have contributed to Jazz Coalition and asked others to donate as well.
How It Works;
Individuals and industry members may support artists by becoming Jazz Coalition members. Membership is possible by registering a minimum contribution of $100. Individuals, if they are able, are encouraged to give more to maximize overall impact, and increase the number of commissioned artists.
Coalition members have the privilege of nominating artists to be considered as recipients of the Commission Fund. Selected from the list of nominees through a jury process, grantees will each receive $1000 to commission new work for existing or new ensembles. Artists will premiere their work at Jazz Coalition partner venues, when live concert assembly restrictions are eventually lifted.
Jazz Coalition members are encouraged to recruit fellow colleagues and potential supporters to join the team and help grow the Commission Fund further. All contributions will be collected by the 501(c)(3) organization Search & Restore, and are fully tax deductible.
Jazz Coalition is currently jurying the inaugural 50 commission recipients which will be awarded this week. As more money is raised additional commissions will be awarded.
About Jazz Coalition Commission Fund;
A collective of industry professionals, musicians, advocates and fans, Jazz Coalition identifies needs affecting the jazz and improvised music community, and strategizes response solutions and opportunities. With an initial silent funding goal of $50,000, deserving recipients will receive $1,000 micro-grants through a nomination and jury selection process among coalition members.
The funding pool will have a secondary stage with a public fundraising campaign and additional outreach to grow the fund and increase the number of grantees. Recipients will share their works-in-progress via livestream events, which will be promoted through the Jazz Coalition website, our social media as well as partner email lists, websites and social media. Artists will eventually premiere their commissioned works at partner venues when public assembly is safe again.
Coalition members may support the Commission Fund by contributing to the fund directly and by attracting new donors. Coalition members will participate in the nomination and juried selection process of recipients.
Coalition Members To Date
Aaron Goldberg, musician
Aaron Johnson, Knitting Factory Management
Adam Schatz, Search & Restore
Alexander Threadgold
Amy Pearce, Serious Productions
Andreas Scherrer, Company of Heaven
Ann Braithwaite, Braithwaite & Katz Communications
Anna Becker, On Stage At Kingsborough
Anna Sala, AMS Artists
Ariana Hellerman, Downtown Brooklyn Partnerships
Arturo O’Farrill, Afro Latin Jazz Alliance
Ashley Kahn, Journalist/Educator/Author
Bari Koral, Artist/Educator
Bill Bragin, NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center
Bonnie Wright, Fresh Sound Series
Branford Marsalis, musician
Brendan Rawson, musician
Bria Skonberg, musician
Brice Rosenbloom, Winter Jazzfest
Carine Zuber, Moods (Switzerland)
Chad Fowler, musician
Chris Mees, B Natural Agency
Chris Weller, Big Fish Booking
Cynthia Herbst, American International Artists, Inc.
Dahlia Ambach Caplin, Verve Music Group
Dan Atkinson, Western Jazz Presenters Network
Dan Tepfer, musician
Danny Melnick, Absolutely Live Entertainment
Darlene Chan, Playboy Jazz Festival
Dave Willard, musician
David Bither, Nonesuch Records
Dee Dee Bridgewater, musician
Donna Fritchey, Allentown Symphony
Ed Arrendell, The Management Ark
Ed Trefzger, Jazz Week
Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall
Enzo Capua, Umbria Jazz
Eric Oberstein, artist manager/producer
Erika Elliott, City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage & Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
Esperanza Spalding, musician
Fabian Almazan, musician, Biophilia Records
Fleurine, musician
Frank Malfitano, Syracuse Jazz Festival
Gail Boyd, Gail Boyd Artist Management
Gary Moffie, musician
Glenn Siegel, Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares
Greg Williamson, UpperWest Music Group
Hans Wendl, artist manager and record producer
Howard Mandel, Jazz Journalists Association
Ina Dittke, artist manager and booking agent
Isabel Soffer, Live Sounds
Jack Walsh, BRIC Arts
James Krents, Verve Music Group/Impulse Records
Jan Ole Otnæs, Nasjonal Jazzscene (Norway)
Jana Herzen, musician, Motema Music
Janis Burley Wilson, August Wilson Center
Jason Olaine, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz Foundation of America
Jean-Noël Ginibre, Loop Productions
Jill Davidson, The Cabot
Jill Sternheimer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Jim Fahey, Symphony Center Presents Jazz
Joan Belgrave, musician
Joe Lovano, musician
Joe Pignato, Bright Dog Red
Joel Chriss, J. Chriss & Co.
John Comerford, Paradigm Studio
John Gilbreath, Earshot Jazz
John Murph, Journalist/DJ
John Newcott, WBGO-FM
John Nugent, Rochester International Jazz Festival
Jonas Herbsman, Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber Herbsman, LLP
Josh Feigenbaum, music producer
Josh Jackson WRTI-FM
Josh Kohn, Creative Alliance
Joshua Redman, musician
Julie Lokin New Audiences
Karen Kennedy 24/Seven Artist Development
Ken Druker, Verve Music Group
Kris Davis, musician, Pyroclastic Records
Larry Buchas, supporter
Laura Quinlan, Rhythm Foundation
Lee Mergner, JazzTimes
Lois Gilbert, JazzCorner
Louis Marks, Ropeadope, Renew Music
Luciana Souza, musician
Lukas Frei, Cirquid Music
Lydia Liebman, Lydia Liebman Promotions
Marc Kaplan, SubCulture
Mark Christman, Ars Nova Workshop
Mark Jacobson, UMS/University of Michigan
Mark Rini, Groov Marketing & Consulting
Mark Rochon, musician
Marty Ashby, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild
Matt Merewitz, Fully Altered Media
Maurice Bernstein, Giant Step
Maurice Montoya, Maurice Montoya Artists
Maurin Auxéméry, Montreal Jazz Festival
Meghan Stabile, Revive Music
Meshell Ndegeocello, musician
Michael Dorf, City Winery
Michael Orlove, Rebeca Rodriguez Family
Michele Amar, France Rocks
Mike Bindraban, Good Music Company
Mike Epstein, Epstein & Co
Myles Weinstein, Unlimited Myles
Nels Cline, musician
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Nick Lewis, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (UK)
Nicole Mitchell, musician
Pascal Pilorget, Giant Steps
Paul Siegel, Rolling Fork Music
Peter Schulze, Sendesaal Bremen
Peter Shapiro, Dayglo Ventures
Rachel Z Hakim, musician
Rainbow Robert, Vancouver Jazz Festival
Reiner Michalke, Stadgarten, Monheim-Triennale
Reza Ackbaraly, Qwest TV
Robin Burgess, Burgess Management
Ron Ozer, Arden Concert Gild
Rudresh Mahanthappa, musician
San Jose Jazz
Sara Donnelly, South Arts
Sarah Geledi, Jazz Night in America
Sarah Humphries, ECM Records
Scott McNiece, International Anthem
Scott Southard, IMN Agency
Sébastien Vidal, TSF Jazz
Seth Abramson, Jazz Standard, Rabbit Moon Productions
Seth Rosner, Pi Recordings
Simon Rentner, WBGO
Steve Frumkin, JWP Agency
Steve Milliken, JusticeAid
Sue Auclair, Sue Auclair Promotions
Sunny Sumter, DC Jazz Festival
Susan Brink, journalist
Ted Kurland,The Kurland Agency
Terri Lyne Carrington, Berklee College of Music Instituate for Jazz and Gender Justice
Thomas Rome, artist manager
Thomas Vermynck, J.A.W Family
Toby Tumarkin, IMG Artists
Todd Barkan, Keystone Korner Baltimore
Todd Walker, Outermost Agency
Tom Gaughan
Tom Windish, Paradigm Agency
Tony Zambito, JazzBuffalo
Vijay Iyer, musician
To join please visit;
http://www.jazzcoalition.org