I'LL SEE YOUR LAMENT, AND RAISE IT :

Say It Isn't So : How Not to Broaden the Jazz Canvas (Gary Giddins, July 3 - 9, 2002, Village Voice)

The unceremonious booting of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band from Carnegie Hall is old news, but hasn't been much addressed in or out of the jazz press, perhaps because George Wein, whose baby the CHJB was, capitulated without a fight to the hall's new executive director, Robert J. Harth. The public excuse, and it's a beaut, is that the hall wants to expand its presentation of jazz by looking to a wide variety of artists rather than one ensemble. Oh joy!-I so look forward to eating the words I'm about to deploy. Harth, the son of two concert violinists who was previously in charge of the Aspen Music Festival, where presentation of jazz was nonexistent, has told CHJB conductor and music director Jon Faddis that he intends no artistic slight. He just wants to broaden the jazz canvas. Apparently, the CHJB's four evenings a year were getting in the way. So much jazz, so little time.

This lament by jazz critic Garry Giddins prompted a letter from our friend Glenn A. Dryfoos, the official jazz correspondent of the Brothers Judd. It appears in the print version of the Voice this week :

To Gary Giddins:

Your article about the demise of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band struck a nerve. First, because I lived in NY when the American Jazz Orchestra launched, and one of the most memorable concerts I've ever attended was the night of Benny Carter music. (Benny is not only a great hero of mine, but I've had the pleasure of knowing him for over 20 years.) After that concert, I was sure that all of the great cultural institutions (such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center) would see the artistic value in supporting full-time (or at least semi-regular) large jazz bands, which could play repertory and new compositions in the big band configuration, or break up into interesting smaller groups. Of course, with only a few exceptions, that hasn't happened on any wide scale basis.

The second cause of my consternation was that the death of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra mirrors the loss of patronage that last year befell another great band, with, coincidentally, the same initials: the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. I lived in Los Angeles from 1987 until 2000, and one of the driving forces in the jazz scene there is the Clayton-Hamilton band. For about 10 years now, the band's roster has remained remarkably stable (although death and relocation has changed things a bit), and John Clayton is talented arranger and charismatic leader.

A few years ago, the LA Philharmonic hired a new, forward-looking general manager. He was a jazz fan and wanted to add jazz to the Phil's mission. Plus, the Philharmonic operates the Hollywood Bowl, and he thought having a "house band" would provide some grounding for the Bowl's summer jazz series (which used to consist of nights where 3 or 4 "big names" would come on stage, one after the other, and play a handful of numbers and then get off to make room for the next big name).

Of course, having the CHJO supported by the Phil was wonderful. It gave the guys about 12-15 regular gigs a year (which made it easier to hold the band together) and gave John Clayton some cushion (in time and money) so he could write new tunes and arrangements. And the concerts were great: the band really added to whoever the guest artist was (whether Milt Jackson or Ray Charles or Diana Krall....come on, they had to sell tickets). And, over the course of the season, the audience began to learn who some of the guys in the band were. I couldn't believe it when a friend I had taken to a couple of concerts actually remembered the names and sounds of Snooky Young, Jeff Hamilton and Ricky Woodard.

Anyway, of course after one season, the forward-looking g.m. got into a fight with his Board and was fired. Although the band got to play out its summer run at the Bowl (Clayton had a 3 year contract) all of the grander plans for jazz via the LA Philharmonic's various programs and venues went unfulfilled.

Happily, the Clayton-Hamilton band is still together...in fact, they're even playing at the Bowl this summer. But L.A. really missed a chance (as Carnegie Hall is doing now) to support jazz in a way that is commensurate with the merit of the music and the people who play it.

Dryfoos and I were in a jazz band together--he was first saxophone; I was third bass drum. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 17, 2002 5:32 PM