THE GIG

Bring Out Your Undead

Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Undead Jazzfest

Brooklyn, June 25 and 26

As Country Does

Critics' Choice: New CDs

Dolly Parton, "Better Day"

Doing the Math

Mylan Cannon/The New York Times

Roy Hargrove Quintet / The Badwagon

Prospect Park Bandshell, June 24

Caribou Narrows

Jennifer S. Altman for The New York Times

Erik Friedlander's Bonebridge

Joe's Pub, June 16

Lady Cab Driver

Chad Batka for The New York Times

Gett Off: Meshell Ndegeocello Covers Prince

Highline Ballroom, June 15

Undead Bread

Updated: Search and Restore / Boom Collective Respond

 

Has the Undead Jazzfest been taking advantage of musicians? That's the unspoken question behind this recent development, involving the demand of a coalition of artists for minimum rates of pay. It's a labor story, still unfolding, and I was initially ambivalent about bringing it to light. But the issues it raises are important, worth public discussion.

The Undead and Winter Jazzfests both celebrate profusion: their scheduling and marketing make a clear virtue of musical overload. (See the promo video above.) I have long wondered about the sustainability of this approach, given the scale, the modest ticket price and the absence of corporate money. Unlike Winter Jazzfest -- which coincides with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference, and thereby functions partly as a trade show -- Undead is for the civilian festival-goer. The work-for-exposure angle doesn't quite apply.

It's a good thing, the Undead Jazzfest, and I hope it continues to thrive. I can't wait to get out there and submit to the blissful delirium. 

Updated: On Thursday night, after the story broke, I received an email from Adam Schatz (Search and Restore), written with Brice Rosenbloom (BOOM Collective). Some of those comments have been added to the ArtsBeat post. Also included is a statement from Rosenbloom, sent on Friday afternoon.

I thought it would make sense to post the text of the email that has been making the rounds among musicians. A rep with Local 802, AFM would not confirm that it was written by Marc Ribot, but the wording strikes me as his. The full text is below the jump, along with an I'll-be-watching-you photo of Ribot.    

Be Good to Yourself

Critics' Choice: New CDs

Ledisi, "Pieces of Me"

Central Park Groove

Chad Batka for The New York Times

Medeski Martin & Wood with Josh Roseman and the King Froopy All-Stars and Jim Black's AlasNoAxis

Summerstage, June 11

Veiled Shade

Playlist, June 10

Aaron Goldberg and Guillermo Klein, BB&C,

Woods, Diskjokke, Youssou N’Dour

Roscoe Mitchell's Day Off

If you're reading this, you probably know it's a busy time for jazz. So I'll keep this brief. On Sunday evening at 6 p.m., I'll be moderating a conversation with saxophonist, composer and AACM heavyweight Roscoe Mitchell, at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. The talk (which is free) will precede an 8 p.m. performance by his Sound Ensemble (which isn't). It's part of a weekend-long Mitchell residency, within a larger AACM series, presented by Ars Nova Workshop. 

Roscoe Mitchell is, of course, a fiercely individual thinker and creative force, and while I haven't yet had the honor of interviewing him, I have heard him speak on a few occasions. The most memorable of these was during a symposium in Guelph, Ontario, in 2005. That was for a 40th-anniversary celebration for the AACM; during the same weekend, Mitchell also performed with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and in duo with Pauline Oliveros. (I wrote about it in JazzTimes.) 

Incidentally, the other night I was at the Vision Festival speaking with Yulun Wang of Pi Recordings, which has released albums by the Art Ensemble as well as Mitchell's collaboration with two fellow AACM stalwarts, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams and George Lewis. The subject of AACM commemoration came up, and I naturally mentioned the classic John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Yulun didn't know what I was talking about, which led me to believe that this bit of trivia might not be as well-known as I'd thought. 

A few years ago this movie was on TV and I caught a little detail in the Chicago parade scene above. Look at the banners that go by during Matthew Broderick's slow ride on the float. It's hard to make out in this grainy YouTube transfer, but they read "AACM 20," next to an image of a bassist -- Fred Hopkins? Anyone have the DVD? Anyone?

This makes sense, as the movie was filmed in 1985, when the city of Chicago would have been celebrating the AACM's 20th anniversary. So we have serendipity and location shooting to thank for the only mention of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in a top-grossing Hollywood movie. (Of course I'm not counting the Anthony Braxton cameo, as a blackjack dealer, in Ocean's 12.)

 No, I do not plan on discussing this with Roscoe Mitchell. 

While we're on the subject of jazz commemoration, though, I should also note that tomorrow, Saturday, marks the 15th annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards. It's at City Winery, and I believe tickets are still available. In addition to the bestowing of awards, the event will feature performances by Randy Weston, Wallace Roney, Gregory Porter, Jane Bunnett and others. I'll be there. How about you?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? ...Bueller? ...Bueller?