Trying to get some jazz gigs?   Brian Benton is the guru at Herts Jazz who, in his spare time, also plays a mean tenor.   Eschewing the image of a camel-coated, cigar-chomping padrone, his article gives the jazz promoter's perspective and some background and practical advice to tyros searching for some exposure.

© Brian Benton 2006.   You can contact Brian on the Herts Jazz website, accessed by clicking on the image.  

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• One Bar Intro.
• Putting on the Style
• Making Tracks.
• Think about the audience.
• Coda.

One bar intro.   [TOP]

Don’t I hate it when people call me a promoter - it sounds as though I am screwing both the musicians and the public in a grubby pursuit of lining my pockets.   In fact, at the various Herts Jazz venues, nothing could be further from the truth.   Like most jazz clubs we a have dedicated group of workers who run the organisation, they give their time, expertise and effort for no financial return, just to keep our music alive.   A lot of this is donkey work but our reward is a satisfying musical experience on Sunday evening at the Fairway, and seeing contented faces as everyone leaves.   ‘Altruist? Well he would say that wouldn’t he? ‘

Putting on the Style   [TOP]

Seriously though, we have thought a lot about our role as presenters of jazz and believe that we have responsibilities to the musicians, the audience and also to the ongoing success of the jazz club.   Clearly, we want to avoid financial suicide in our attempt to present the highest quality of jazz at a reasonable cost.   We also have a responsibility to the development of the art and we make every effort to give young musicians a stage on which to perform.

We have set out our stall to provide the best in modern and mainstream jazz that is available to us.   We don’t do Dixieland and we don’t do dance jazz.   We have a serious listening clientele who know a lot about the music and can talk intelligently with most musicians about the music that they love.   In my opinion you would have to go a long way to find a more dedicated, appreciative audience.   Unfortunately, the average age is in the middle to older part of the spectrum, but that is a problem in most jazz clubs.

Given that profile, we have to plan hard to provide a programme of events that keeps the audience faithful to us.   The most important thing is 'balance'.   An endless stream of saxophone plus rhythm quartets does not excite the potential customer and music that is too loud or stuff that is not intellectually and emotionally stimulating is a turn-off.   So we try to vary our presentations to include different aggregations from big bands to trios, with different styles (provided they fall within our mantra!).   We do listen to our customers when they have suggestions about performers that they would like to see, but we have to feel comfortable that the gig will be reasonably well attended.   There are few things worse for audience and musicians alike than having a handful of people in the audience so, even if you have someone actively campaigning on your behalf, you may have to wait until the time is right for a gig.

We do know what we are doing! We have been running for 36 years and, during this time, we have presented some of the best players in the world including Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, James Moody, Scott Hamilton, Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis, Art Farmer, Tal Farlow, Bobby Shew, Ronnie Scott, Dick Morrissey, Peter King, Jim Mullen, Eddie Thompson and hosts of others.   We have also created close relationships with many players, who are now established stars, from the days when they were setting out on their careers – people like Dave O’Higgins, Clark Tracey, Rickey Woodard, Gerard Presencer, Nigel Hitchcock, Mornington Lockett, Guy Barker, Mark Nightingale, Pete Long and the new kids on the block like Zoë Rahman, Mark Armstrong, Gwilym Simcock, Simon Allen, Sam Mayne, Andy Wood et al.

Making tracks.   [TOP]

So, is there a place for you at ‘Jazz at the Fairway’ (the Herts Jazz primary venue) and many other clubs providing a similar platform?     Definitely, but there are some things that you can do to improve your chances.

• Remember the mantra – the music must be accessible.   If you want to play a complete programme of original songs, all of which are based on two or three minor chords, then the audience will probably fall asleep and you won’t get invited back.   Build a broadly based programme in which standards and established jazz themes are well represented.   Above all, make it musically stimulating for the audience.
• Prepare a publicity package with interesting information about you, the others in the band and the music.   Include a demo CD – not the one that you are currently marketing, that contains an army of musicians who will not be on the gig, but a real representation of what you and the band will do in a live performance.   You would not believe how many CDs arrive on my doormat that have all the usual suspects in the line-up, though I know only too well that they will not actually perform for us on the night.
• Remember your are in the selling business - keep your website up to date.

Think about the audience.   [TOP]
Think how you can persuade the promoter that he should take a risk with you rather than anyone else.   Even jazz has an element of show business.

• Can you generate an audience?     Do you have a ‘supporters club’ who you mailshot with information about the band, gigs, etc?     Does your website have a giglist on it?     Don’t leave all of the publicity work to the promoter, generate some links with the press and use them.   Tell the promoter what you are doing.
• Remember the audience is paramount, do what can you do to make them enjoy the evening.   A live gig is all about communication.   You communicate through your music but you should also talk to the audience - more than just announcing the name of the next tune, they are interested in you and the music.
• If you are really well organised, maybe bring programme notes that they can read.
• Don’t forget your merchandising - bring a selection of your CDs and plug them during the performance.
• Try and look reasonably smart when you play.   Scruffy T-shirts and jeans maybe your preferred attire, but look at the Americans and our top stars, almost all of them make an effort to look good.   It’s another sign of respect for the audience.
• Lighten up!   This should be fun experience for you and the audience.   If you are enjoying yourself and you show it, so will they.   If you look miserable and show no interest in your colleagues' performance or the customers, there is a strong chance that they will not leave with a warm feeling.
• I know the interval break is your time, but the visit to the bar was not why you decided to accept the gig in the first place.   If you can make yourself available for a chat with members of the audience, either before, during or after the gig, they will be delighted.   You may have to suffer the occasional bore but you will probably make friends who could possibly help you find more work.
• Lastly and most important DON’T BE LATE!!

Coda.   [TOP]
I wish you luck in your career as a jazz musician.   Don’t expect to make a fortune but your acquired skill will make you a bit special in other musical areas.   There is always a demand for good jazz players to play in big bands, media commercials, films, recordings and jazz is no longer a dirty word in education.   But there is the sting in the tail – there are more and more very talented musos chasing relatively few opportunities.   But don’t give up - the music is its own reward, giving you an ongoing challenge of playing the best with the best.