THE PERMANENT UNDERGROUND
Australian Contemporary Jazz in the New Millennium
Peter Rechniewski
Review by Lynette Irwin
Peter Rechniewski’s paper provides an overview of the history of Australian contemporary jazz, the media’s neglect of the art form and the successes of Australian jazz artists in the national and international arena. It also highlights the limited infrastructure and government funding for jazz, and the challenges facing the jazz community in the new millennium. Finally, it proffers suggestions for increasing the profile of, and generating growth for, the contemporary jazz sector.
Within the limits for arguing his case in this essay, Peter has identified a number of valuable points that conceal the Australian jazz scene in a permanent underground.
Peter correctly states that the coverage of jazz in Australian newspapers is “shameful” given “the growing impact of Australian modern and contemporary jazz … widely acknowledged overseas”, an impact enhanced by touring ensembles and the successes of our jazz artists at international competitions. This acute and woeful fact relegates the jazz art form to an almost zero presence in the public sphere in our country.
The reasons why there is only limited coverage of jazz in the print media and non-commercial radio (“…ABC Radio…cut jazz broadcasting by 35%…” in 1991), and why commercial stations exclude jazz altogether, are debatable.
Peter writes that serious coverage of the arts in the Australian press has been pushed aside by “pop culture trivia and celebrity gossip”. Is jazz too un-groovy, unfashionable to report on? Are arts writers ignorant of the national and international jazz scene and limited by time to research it? Do jazz musicians hinder their own promotion by not transferring information to those willing and/or available to support them? Do our jazz musicians have the skills to write a media release and or the time and resources to distribute these to media outlets?
Certainly jazz musicians have limited financial resources to pay for the cost of a publicist to announce to the media their achievements, gigs, CD launches and tours. In Melbourne, the Australian city Peter identifies that “…can boast a jazz scene with the highest profile …” jazz musicians fees for “…four to six performances …. may still only generate a total of $350 – $500.”
Jazz artists spend their time creating and rehearsing mostly for no pay and often play for door deals and meals when venues choose to engage a jazz band. Time and money are in short supply. Musicians usually need an extra job to buy reeds, strings, drum heads, manuscript and other equipment necessary to create and play their music, as well as to feed themselves and their children, pay their rent or mortgage and bills. This all adds to the difficulty of paying for a publicist or doing their own publicity in order to actively promote their work.
“Lacking the financial clout that comes from having a mass audience like that enjoyed by pop/rock music, and without the cultural prestige of classical music that attracts relatively generous levels of funding and corporate sponsorship, jazz finds it hard to acquire the public profile it deserves,” is an honest observation.
Peter correctly advises that national touring of jazz ensembles “…is rarely profitable, and in too many cases the musicians themselves end up out of pocket.” This is also the case for international tours where funding from the Australia Council allows for up to $20,000. Given the cost of international travel, accommodation, freight, ground transport and meals, other expenses plus contingencies and, excluding rehearsals and composing fees, a
five-piece jazz ensemble travelling to Europe, for example, would need to generate a substantial amount from other sources to break even or, god forbid, make a profit! Without a benefactor (government or private), a jazz musician would not consider leaving their stable place of employment unless money was no object. I suggest that this is the exception rather than the rule.
In Australia, jazz has been fostered not only by non-profit jazz organisations but also by individual teachers who feel it is important to share their love of the music and inspire their students to pursue jazz within secondary schools. This is particularly the case within the Western Australian and Queensland public education systems that have many jazz ensembles, and also within tertiary institutions that support a jazz department.
Having intimate knowledge from my work in Melbourne of the many jazz artists who supplement their living by teaching, I am aware of the private education system in Melbourne that supports jazz ensembles, though I lack information on the public education sector.
Peter writes that “at present only Melbourne’s jazz scene (and perhaps Brisbane’s) seems to have consolidated all the gains made in the last decade, learnt from the failures and is enjoying a period of stability and development.” I suggest that what distinguishes these flourishing scenes is the ability of dedicated and passionate musicians and organisers to work together to foster development and raise the profile (although not always successfully) of contemporary jazz.
The affordable cost of liquor licenses in Victoria has increased venue numbers and made it possible for owners to deliver live music to patrons. Other states need to lobby their governments to replicate Victoria’s astute decision.
These circumstances however do not achieve for Melbourne, or for that matter any place where contemporary jazz music is performed in Australia, a successful outcome or income for jazz artists or for the organisations supporting jazz performances.
Peter’s essay rightly highlights that “…the Australian jazz sector is… financially unstable, with a frail jazz culture and weak infrastructure.” I understand him to mean that the contemporary jazz scene is in a weakened state that can be easily broken or damaged, and that its potential is unlikely to be realised. In my view he is correct in his thinking.
The quandary for all jazz artists whether they be emerging or established within the Australian scene is how to financially survive and continue to create within a society that has limited performance opportunities and infrastructure, diminishing funding, less access to jazz broadcasting and a media that considers jazz a negligible art form.
For those too young to have knowledge of contemporary Australian jazz history or those new to the art form, Peter’s understanding of the scene (particularly in Sydney and Melbourne) is insightful. Pertaining to the rise of Brisbane’s jazz profile, the Music Arts Club initiated a contemporary jazz movement and the legacy continued with the Pinnacles Music Festival from 1993 to 2002.
Peter’s information regarding the demise in funding of infrastructure for New South Wales and Victoria is intriguing and interesting. His suggestions to rectify the insufficient funding of the sector are timely considering the collapse in performance opportunities and neglect by media and government to fully recognise the valuable contribution of Australian jazz to our culture. Peter’s contribution to debate on the Australian contemporary jazz scene requires further reflection and consideration.
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Lynette Irwin has an extensive history within the Australian music scene. Over the last 22 years she has directed, produced, presented, promoted and toured local, national, international jazz and contemporary music artists and ensembles in Australia and toured Australian artists internationally. She has worked in production, stage management and as artist’s liaison officer for many festivals in Brisbane and regional Queensland, including the Queensland Biennial, Brisbane Festival, Ambiwerra Jazz, Warana and Heat Festivals. She has served on Playing Australia’s Contemporary Music Touring Program Committee and for Arts Queensland and the Australia Council as a peer assessor. In 2004 she was appointed Artistic Director of the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival is currently Presidents of Jazz Queensland and Secretary of Q Music. Lynette is a jazz broadcaster on 4MBS Classic FM Community Radio, runs the CD label Pinnacles Music and is Creative Director and Producer at Absolute Events Pty Ltd.
