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If the smooth jazz outlets are gone what does that mean for concerts?

I

icycool7227

I'm concerned since many markets have gone out of smooth jazz that the musicians won't be coming to concert anymore. Is this true or will they still come? And another question, does the loss of smooth jazz radio in many areas uninfluence the new smooth jazz music coming out? Would like to know.

And in case anyone is interested I found KIFM 98.1, WGRV? 93.1 The Groove, and WSJW 92.7 to be good alternatives to stream online. Wish Hawaii's 101.1 would come online too along with the other ones not streaming.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. I've talked to a number of artists who aren't worried in the least about the loss of all these terrestrial outlets. I hate to say it, but unless you like Top 40, CHR, classic hits, or talk, radio is dead, pure and simple. Radio will continue to cater to the lowest common denominator of listener, and all of the fringe formats will go to the internet, satellite, etc. Unless someone is very old-fashioned with their head in the sand, they've discovered that they can get their fix of quality smooth jazz on Sirius/XM, cable radio, internet radio, or on their smart phone. No one except very low-tech people care with these stations go off-the-air. Case in point. There was a huge uproar when WJJZ in Philly went off-the-air. Then a kind of big uproar when New York City went off-the-air. Then a slightly less uproar when Miami went off-the-air. Now, stations go off-the-air, and you see maybe 2 or 3 upset people on-line. Who really cares anymore? The format is far from dead and is actually more alive and well than ever via these other methods. The concerts will still happen, the new music will still come out.
 
I-78 is 100% correct. There are TONS of viable outlets for this music outside of the FM dial. The show will go on. Artists continue to fill venues around the country and sell out costly Smooth Jazz cruises. Sure, the down economy has had an impact. But artists are busier than EVER. And you know why? Because they are making great music and have come to the realization that after years of catering to big corporate radio, consultants, and the recording industry WHILE alienating base listeners, the rubber truly meets the road and pays the bills at live performances---where base listeners and broadcasters passionate about the genre continue to support them unconditionally.
 
What happened here is that the promotion of our main CJazz events was taken over by stations that had more listeners and younger listeners which has resulted in much larger crowds that average at 35 instead of 55. These people are discovering and buying the music. To tell the truth after they see a fired up performance it's probably better to not have them get in the car, check out the station that promoted the event, and hear a slow cover of a song that is older than they are because that turned them off for good. Now they can troll around the internet and find some stations that have some life to 'em.
 
I want to know what Kool aide everybody here is drinking. The concert business is terrible. promoters want to pay less and less to artists. Clubs are in chaos and sponsorship for festivals are down.
There are a few artists who are working but on the whole this is not a great time. promoters who did a lot of concerts feel that they have difficulty promoting concerts with little or no radio outlets. As far as the cruises go-Same artists every year (which makes many fans happy) but no breakthroughs for new vibrant artists. It caters to a small demographic compared to the real audience that is out there. I am starting to think that the aging audience doesn't want anything new and just wants to keep it status quo
 
I've talked to a ton of those smaller, non-mainstream smooth jazz artists and they all tell me they're having no problem making money selling albums at small venues they perform at like jazz night clubs and smaller events. While you're partially right that the older folks will keep going to see Boney James and Brian Culbertson on the cruises, I think the younger folks are keeping the jazz night clubs busy with up-and-coming artists. There's one such club not far from where I live and they have tons of smaller, non-mainstream artists, and they pack the house every week.
 
Forgot to mention one such case-in-point. I heard a small radio station recently interview Ken Navarro, one of the premier smooth jazz artists, who has something like 20 albums out. Navarro had no qualms about saying in the interview that he long grew tired of having to cater to making 3 minute songs for commercial radio, and now he makes his CD's sound the way he wants them to sound, and while he may not get airplay on the huge stations (if there are any left anyway), he is doing just fine on all the smaller stations and making a perfect living selling albums at events and digital copies on-line. I doubt Ken Navarro would lie, so I don't think we're drinking any Kool Aide like the one poster said. The format is alive and well. By the way, Navarro's latest album "Dreaming of Trains" is another one of my recent favorites.
 
I do not dispute that concert business is down relative to the so-called "heyday" of this genre. But I look at this more as a necessary and inevitable market correction rather than a failure of older audiences to embrace new artists. Corporate radio tried to make this genre into something it never was...a HUGE moneymaker...both on radio in their playlist selections and at events (by charging way more than the market could bear for shows). The Smooth Jazz cruises no doubt cater to a small and exclusive demo, and I can tell you I cannot afford to go on those things. All I know is the artists are busy both making new music and touring around the country, because they tell me as much. The venues may be smaller, as is the take at the gate. But like I-78 said, I don't hear the artists complaining in the least. They are getting work and doing something they love to do, and there is still plenty of enthusiasm for this music in the studio and on stage. And the festivals in my area, to include Berks, Capital Jazz, and Rehoboth Beach continue to do well. Maybe promoters need to be more selective about venues, talent lineups, and the such to adjust to the change in market conditions and terrestrial radio flips. But it is indisputable that artists make more money by touring than they do selling CDs these days.
 
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