here’s a clip from a show i just did with jonathan goldberger on guitar and jeff davis on drums. we played on 12/20/09 at the rose in williamsburg - no compositions, just improvisation.
i finally figured out how to post video on my blog! this is from earlier this year at brooklyn’s bar 4…
so rather than worrying about the implications of giving up a portion of my publishing rights to the music on “siLENT Z - live” (not to mention my sense of control over its release) by working with a label, i’m just going to put it out myself. i’ll be starting a “label” called hate laugh music.
the whole dilemma is a funny one. here’s the old, outdated model: make an expensive record at a nice studio, pay your sidemen really well (because they certainly deserve it - can’t argue with that), and find a label to put out the record. before my time, my understanding is that labels regularly put thousands of dollars into jazz records not so different that the ones i make. labels almost certainly didn’t recoup their expenses on most of these ventures, though maybe they came close on a good number of them. right now, it seems, i can really only think of one label that will do that. all the others enter into a partnership with the artist by either providing limited funds for certain things (publicity, recording expenses, etc.) and then asking the artist to come up with the rest. this model works - i’ve used it before, and i’ll use it again. and why should labels act differently? they’re businesses, not charitable organizations, and people aren’t buying recorded music like they used to. the market has dictated this change, and it’s here to stay.
there remains a stigma among certain musicians, though, that you’re somehow not legit or “famous” or “making it” or something if you can’t find a label to put out your record. it’s understandable to be drawn to the feelings of self-satisfaction and accomplishment that getting a “record deal” might bring, given the associations out there in the ether with getting “signed”. but musicians need to back up a step and realize that, just like record labels make business decisions in determining whether or not they’d like to work with different artists, musicians need to make business decisions about whether a given record label is the right partner for them.
another idea i’m struggling with: pouring thousands upon thousands of dollars into a studio recording and the requisite publicity (whether i’m speaking as an artist or a “label”), without ever having a prayer of making that money back. doesn’t seem worth it, except as a labor of love, which i guess has meaning that can’t be quantified. but the market is SCREAMING: make cheaper recordings and don’t expect much money to come in from selling them!!!! and the sideman dilemma: great musicians want to get paid accordingly for doing recording sessions, but where is this money coming from exactly??? independent wealth, perhaps, or incredibly virtuous saving practices, or the occasional old-school benefactor record label. but if a bandleader and/or label doesn’t have any of those luxuries, what’s he/she to do? spend $10,000-15,000 to make a record that will sell 500-1500 copies (and downloads, etc.)? but the flip side, of course, is that great sidemen are making their living by touring and recording (and teaching), and deserve every penny they ask for…and if enough people pay them what they ask, then that’s the market speaking as well…
anyhoo - “siLENT Z - live” comes out on may 25 on hate laugh music - cd release concert at cornelia street on may 29.
-about to pull the trigger on putting out “siLENT Z - live” myself…the question is: is it better to put up the extra money now and keep all the rights to the music for later? i’m leaning toward “yes”…
-I really need to figure out how to get video and audio up on here…any help out there?
-listening to the mixes of the trio record I did with Mario Pavone & Tyshawn Sorey @ Firehouse 12 (New Haven, CT) - it’s gonna be a really great record…completely improvised…
So the label that was going to put out “siLENT Z - live” is going through some major financial turmoil and won’t be able to put out the record any time soon, if at all. I’m now seriously thinking about putting out the record myself. That way I can keep all the publishing rights, be in control and in contact with everyone all the time (which, let’s be honest, we all kind of want), and do things at my own pace. Kind of exciting…
Hi, everyone - been too too long, as usual, since I’ve written a blog post…
So, let’s see. Played a couple of great dates earlier this month at the Stone with Tyshawn Sorey’s Oblique, with Todd Neufeld on guitar, Jesse Stacken on piano, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Tyshawn on drums. Ty’s music is absolutely incredible - it’s dense and complex and never repeats itself, but it’s highly melodic and conjures up a very unique and compelling harmonic universe with each piece. It’s obscure and modern but usually maintains a rhythmic pulse, which makes it a lot more accessible and agreeable for most listeners. Pretty amazing stuff. And challenging to play, to say the least.
Did a gig at the Stone on the 15th with siLENT Z (myself, Jesse Neuman on cornet, Mike Gamble on guitar, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Tommy Crane on drums). It was Tommy’s third performance with the group, and he really “gets” the music now - we were taking things in some pretty cool new directions, which was fun and refreshing. And I feel like I get better as a musician every time I play with Thomas.
The new record “siLENT Z - live”, by the way, comes out on Fresh Sound in November worldwide and January in the States. Darcy James Argue is writing liner notes, which are turning out pretty fantastic, and Peter Richards is doing the cover art again - I’m really excited about that project.
More soon!
“Waits and Measures” - 4 stars on the Swiss site Jazzhouse.ch
Well, so much for getting in the rhythm of writing regular blog posts…
Got two shows in June that I’m excited about. On the 18th I’ll be Dakar Cafe in Clinton Hill (285 Grand Ave, Brooklyn) with Dan Weiss and Miles Okazaki. It’s been a while since Dan and I have played, since I’m not really being active in booking Centric these days - it’ll be great to get back into it a bit (and enjoy some great Senegalese food between sets). It’s been a REALLY long time since Miles and I played together - probably five or six years since we did a gig of mine at Detour!
Then on the 22nd I’m at Bar 4 (444 Seventh Ave @ 15th St., Brooklyn) with siLENT Z (Jesse Neuman, Mike Gamble, Aryeh Kobrinsky, Tommy Crane). We’re getting ready for an August gig at the Stone (with Thomas Morgan on bass) and an appearance at the Tudo e Jazz Festival in Ouro Preto, Brazil in September (with Eivind Opsvik on bass guitar). I’m REALLY happy with how this group is sounding - can’t wait for all the shows!
More soon on some July Europe dates…
Two weeks ago, I did a gig with Mario Pavone and Tyshawn Sorey at Firehouse 12 in New Haven (AMAZING place to play and record). Playing with those two guys in an absolute pleasure and a quite a privilege - we’ve done about 4 or 5 performances now, and it’s been pretty incredible from the get-go. The day after the concert, we did a few hours of recording at F12, and we’re now in the process of sifting through the material to put a record together. Really exciting stuff…
I just found out that my second album, Waits and Measures, was named a top release of 2006 (across genres) by writer Gregg Wager. Did I not Google these things back then?
http://www.furious.com/Perfect/2006writerspoll.html