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.“
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