While I was down there I caught two great acts - the Bad Plus at the Blue Note, and Darcy James Argue's Secret Society at the Galapagos Art Space. They were both excellent shows and well worth the price of admission (and airfare and transit fare and bar tab). I also met up with a few movers and shakers on the scene and was able to pick their brains a bit about jazz venues, where jazz is headed and what makes the New York scene so important.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to invigourate Toronto's jazz scene. I know comparing it to New York is hardly fair, but what exactly is the difference between the two scenes? They have world-class musicians; we have world-class musicians. They have excellent post-secondary jazz programs; we have excellent post-secondary jazz programs. They have a vibrant cultural scene overall; we have a vibrant cultural scene overall.
And so, in what could be one of the most hyperbolic oversimplifications in history, I'd like to suggest two main reasons why we're different: population and tourism. New York City has a population of over 8 million and in 2008 they had an estimated 47 million tourists visit; Toronto has a population of 2.5 million and in 2007 we had 10.5 million tourists visit. With four times the population and tourist visits, New York City is dealing with much higher demands for culture, transit (i.e. a way to get to culture), restaurants, etc. (According to everyone I spoke with in New York, for example, the Blue Note depends almost entirely on tourists - that's two shows a night, 200 people per show, every day of the year...)
However, these statistics don't tell the whole story. If we were really operating on a 1:4 ratio, we'd have at least 6 full-time jazz clubs in Toronto. And, as I talk to more and more people on the local jazz community, it's the number of jazz venues that seems to be the major challenge to this city's jazz scene.
The question is, can Toronto sustain more full-time jazz clubs? Two spaces that I saw in New York particularly intrigued me: the Galapagos Art Space and Le Poisson Rouge. Neither space is dedicated to any one art form. The Galapagos presents music, film, theatre, dance, acrobatics and more, and concentrates on presenting emerging and mid-career artists. Le Poisson Rouge primarily presents music, but that includes classical, contemporary, jazz, folk, electronica...and on Friday and Saturday nights the space is converted into happening dance parties. These models allow the space to be booked every day of the week, every week of the year, often times for two shows each day (especially at Le Poisson Rouge), without sacrificing the overall artistic integrity of the acts they present.
It's not clear to me if these models would work in Toronto, though the more I speak to people in a variety of arts organizations the more I think this is exactly the model that this city needs. What is clear is that we need more places for our outstanding jazz musicians to play. And, if that means creating a shared space, where great art of all kinds can be presented, then I think we should give it some thought.
What do you think - how can we give the local community the year-round support it needs?
Josh
P.S. - I had the pleasure of taking in Caitlin Smith's Tiny Alligator Large Band at the Music Gallery last night. It was an excellent night of creative writing and outstanding performing, featuring a great mix of established and emerging local musicians. Keep your eyes and ears open for this band...
P.P.S. - The Rex Hotel continues to program a great mix of the best in local and international jazz talent. Next week is their Power Jazz Guitar Trio Festival featuring Wayne Krantz with Tim Lefebvre & Keith Carlock (April 21 & 22) then Oz Noy with Will Lee & Anton Fig (April 23 & 24). Then, on Monday night April 26, catch John MacLeod's Rex Hotel Orchestra, which features twenty of this city's best jazz musicians.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteThese are issues that a lot of us often think about.
It is obvious that New York city is a unique place. I always had that special thrill every time I would go there for a jazz convention. In addition to the size and attraction that you point out, there is the sheer personality of the city that is so inviting. Other cities in history have been able to make their mark as well such as Kansas City, Chicago, and Los Angeles among others.
I agree that we need to present Toronto with more places for musicians to play but the city as a whole needs to be more supportive. City government needs to do more and be more accommodating to the arts in general (rather than only focus on zoning the Lakeshore for more condos). Montreal can have a whole block in the downtown area closed to traffic during festival time. Hopefully a future Jazz Performance and Education Centre will be a great step for the jazz community, the city, and the international reputation that could emerge.
In addition, some Torontonians seem to enjoy jazz perhaps only during festival time. Creative marketing must take place to promote the music and the talent more effectively and to bring people to jazz performances throughout the year. Fine print in concert listings will not work.
If we play enough, they will come to hear :)
Alain
Hey Josh just found your blog today, very nice, thanks for spreading your thoughts and ideas.
ReplyDeleteI played Le Poisson Rouge with an Indy Pop artist from toronto, we played a set while they had a timed art competition on canvases behind us. It was very cool. Something like this in Toronto would be awesome.
One frequently overlooked venue is Lula Lounge. I suppose it's a world music venue mainly with salsa or brazilian music in a semi club atmosphere friday/saturday. They've got the wednesday jam now, that is way more happening then you will find anywhere else in the city, and it's common to hear some of the finer toronto acts like Rinse the Algorithim, Monsoon, or even the NY'ers Keita Hopkinson brings in. People should be talking about this venue it's really the place, and they have owners who love music, a strange combination.
I'm not sure the issue in Toronto is number of venues, there's a million places popping up that are booking jazz frequently yet, don't want to give the musicians anything more then the "opportunity " to pass the tip jar around. Truly sad, you're better off trying to do a concert at your house, you'd think they'd want to work with musicians to make their businesses work.
We need to build a jazz culture. We need a real monthly magazine dedicated to it. We need the mainstream press to cover the shows. We need time dedicated to the music on television. I'm trying to get some press for The Heavyweights Brass Band at the TD Jazz fest, and it's hard to even get bloggers to cover it.