Panels And Postcards

Among the panels I went to on Friday was one moderated by Yvonne Ervin from the Tucson Jazz Festival. Presenters were discussing the theme of sharing ideas through networks and other coalitions and also talking about visiting other festivals and how and what they check out when they’re visiting other festivals. Panelists included Tim Jackson from the Monterey Jazz Festival, Danny Melnick from Absolutely Live Entertainment, Sunny Sumter from the DC Jazz Festival, and Cory Weeds from Coastal Jazz and Blues and Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Another radio panel discussed the use of streaming and second-streaming using new technologies and social media to gain attention and build an audience. After all, terrestrial radio is going to be dead in a few years anyway. The most interesting and important thing at these conferences though is talking with your peers, sharing ideas and making plans and deals and find out what’s going on. Oh and there was another thing that really struck me yesterday and the day before: the postcards flying around on the tables advertising all the showcases all look like they were done by rookies. Bad bad graphic design and totally unfocused and out of style.

So instead of joining the first night of the Winter Jazz Marathon at various clubs in the village, I joined Detroit singer Kathy Kosins for her rehearsal at Complete Music Studios in Brooklyn where she hooked up with pianist and keyboardist Ondrej Pivec (Gregory Porter), guitarist Jordan Peters (Lauryn Hill), bassist Charlton Gray, and Adam Jackson (Bilal) on drums. So we’re all in for a real treat at her showcase on Sunday. If there is just one single showcase out of the hundreds that are on this weekend, I strongly recommend hers.