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Post by Jazzluvva on Oct 6, 2004 0:18:23 GMT 10
I heard a very exciting rumour today... the great Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko is keen to come to Australia and a promoter has offered to him (and band ) to the Melbourne Jazz Festival or what ever it is going to be called from now on.
Then I heard something that is about as depressing as the current electoral situation... the directors of the festival passed.
Stanko is now 63 years old and truly one of the most original and exciting exponents of the instrument. If the rumour is true then it's a puzzling decision... not least given his albums have been winning the Bell Awards for best international album of the year.
Can anyone out there confirm or refute these rumours or shed any light...
Do Carlo or Albare ever visit this site? Or anyone on staff at the festival... what's going on guys??
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Post by Tinky on Oct 6, 2004 9:09:55 GMT 10
God if thats true, what the fuck is going on. Stanko would be be a great person for any Festival to get. Not only is he artistically full of cred, he has a high profile being an ECM artist and Im sure hed get a strong crowd. Its sad to hear that even someone in his position, at the top of the tree so to speak, still gets shafted by people who have no idea. Lets hope the "Umbrian Jazz in Melbourne" crew do at least fill the bill with something of interest, where's Wayne?
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Post by Dicko on Oct 7, 2004 9:19:27 GMT 10
Apparently all the festival had to come up with was a fee for Stanko as all the flights were paid for by the Polish Gov, and thay still said no. It appears that the powers to be dont actually like Stanko.
I cant understand why they wouldn't want Stanko at the festival even if they dont like his style. It would seem a wise decision to have a highly regarded player who will draw heads.
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Post by Kenny on Oct 7, 2004 15:11:55 GMT 10
I'm just guessing ... but it could be that the festival was simply unable to take the offer up because of its newly forged link with Umbria. So, presumably, when Stanko plays Umbria there's a good chance he'll play Melbourne, too.
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Post by Dicko on Oct 7, 2004 16:18:24 GMT 10
That would seem a little bizzare too. I assume there will be some locals ( Australians ) performing at the fest and my guess is there are few ausies who have played at Umbria, though I know there are some.
The other thing is if Carlo doesn't want him here why would he have him in Umbria?
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Post by Kenny on Oct 7, 2004 16:20:28 GMT 10
No, my supposition is that each year's bookings for Melbourne will be tied in with those of the previous or forthcoming Umbrias.
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Post by Lurker on Oct 7, 2004 19:46:00 GMT 10
another possibility is that the festival had already finalised it's international bookings and didn't have room in the budget...
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Post by karnt on Oct 8, 2004 13:29:20 GMT 10
Nuh it is just that the MIJF people don't know who he is.
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Post by Kenny on Oct 8, 2004 13:37:02 GMT 10
Nuh it is just that the MIJF people don't know who he is. You may think that, but you don't know it. I have an open mind about where the MIJF is going, but ... I suspect it is incorrect to suppose that the festival or its board have any say in major international bookings. And as far as the famous Italian being "artistic director of the Melbourne International jazz Festival" goes, again I suspect that it's only true to the extent that a certain number of Umbria headliners will thus become MIJF headliners. I doubt he'll be starting scratch for MIJF every year. |
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Post by galaxian on Oct 9, 2004 2:25:42 GMT 10
smells all too much like that mafia friend we all know and love. vito vito vtio....... but lets hope not. i shouldnt be so asuming.
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Post by Reality Chek on Oct 9, 2004 17:48:07 GMT 10
I reckon we all just should FORGET the MIJF, forget the BELL awards, the Mo awards for Jazz, the ARIAS for Jazz etc. I am only gonna say this once so I am gonna yell so you all hear me
NONE OF THE PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISIONS KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT MUSIC, ESPECIALLY JAZZ.
JAZZ MUSIC DOESN"T HAVE MUCH OF A FUTURE UNDER THE LABEL 'JAZZ'.
I SUGGEST EVERYONE WHO PLAYS CONTEMPORARY JAZZ TELLS EVERYONE THEY ARE NOW PLAYING MODERN CLASSICAL AND WE ALL FORGET ABOUT THE MIJF AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE SEEN WITH PEOPLE THEY THINK ARE COOL.
thats it from me on this subject
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Post by Kenny on Oct 9, 2004 19:26:54 GMT 10
Regarding the "J" word: Makes sense in a way, but it reminds of what the Penguin authors said of the equally troublesome term "hard bop" - "more useful than significant". Yep, the "J" word has a lot of baggage, but you're kidding yourself if you think its removal would make even the slightest difference. Your ideas are interesting - tis a pity you don't seem to be inclined to stick around and discuss them. I don't mind in the least that there are many more lurkers than participants on this board. But it does shit me when one of them, anonymously, arrives to loftily issue pronouncements - and YELLS while doing so, just in case we are so collectively dense that we may not understand So my reaction to your edicts .... I am only gonna say this once ... thats it from me on this subject ... is simply: FUCK OFF. ;D |
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Post by Reality on Oct 10, 2004 21:29:53 GMT 10
Maybe reality chek was a little over the top but there's a lot of pissed off musicians in the Melb scene and with good reason... the Melb jazz fest, which was developing into an interesting festival with a bit of heart has been taken over by fuckwits and is being turned into a celebration of cultural jazz cringe...
As for the fact that chek's post and many of the other posts are anonymous might have something to do with the fact that musicians have to somehow try to make a living in this town... we haven't got a pay check coming from the Herald Sun each week and so maybe it's wise to put opinions out there without putting your name to them. This doesn't invalidate the opinions, and this is not meant to diss you Kenny but to defend reality chek.
And as for the decision not to take Stanko... the argument that maybe it's because Stanko has't appeared at Umbria is frankly one of the most laughably fucked things I've heard for a while, and if true just proves beyond a doubt that this concept for a festival - which under AJ's, directorship was primarily about music - has become an arselicking farce.
Here's what will happen... they will attract lots of sponsorship money with their slick arse corporate bullshit and spend way too much bringing out mediocre 'international' artists that no-one gives a fuck about... they will lose the support of the local music community, the festival will stiff two years running then the sponsorship will be retracted and the festival will fold and all the people who put money into it will say 'what a dog' and there will be no more festival. And next time someone tries to start it people will remember what a shamozzle it was last time.
I'd like to add something else to reality chek's observation that people who organise jazz events often don't know much about music, and say that in this case they don't know much about anything. People who aren't musicians who I've mentioned this to have looked in disbelief when I tell them the festival's going to be called 'Umbria Jazz in Melbourne.'
This ain't going to work 'cos it's got no heart and people will know it... they'll smell it a mile off.
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Post by Kenny on Oct 10, 2004 21:45:14 GMT 10
1. Let me repeat, hopefully for the last time, I can fully understand people posting here anonymously. What irks me is that people slash in for a quick shit and then disappear. Gee thanks.
2. A lot of pissed off musicians? Fine - here's one forum to thrash things out, anonymously if you so wish. In my experience, there are also more than a few musicians who are slack about their own music and supporting the music in general.
3. As I'd hoped I'd made clear, I was not and never will support any decision to turn down an excellent booking such as Stanko. I was merely trying to understand the business processes that were in play.
Is business a dirty word in your world? It need not be - there's good business and bad business. What is really pathetic is the sort approach that means no business. Even the most brilliant and creative and exciting musicians in the world need to take care of business.
4. Just which of those - good or bad - the new-look MIJF turns out to be remains to be seen. I share your fears and misgivings but am trying to remain open-minded.
5. I work for the Sunday Herald Sun, not the Herald Sun. There's a big difference - to me anyway!
6. Like you, I'm not sure it's the way to go, but I think the "Umbria In Melbourne" concept has several successful forerunners. Whether they're the sort of event you, I or anyone else would want to attend I don't know.
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Post by Reality on Oct 11, 2004 0:02:12 GMT 10
Yeah Kenny points taken...
And sorry about the Herald Sun confusion there is a huge difference and you do a great job for the scene.
Out of interest, what are the successful forerunners you mention?
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