Hi,
Whenever I go to a jazz concert it seems to be full of old people (no offence people!) but even my Dad and Mum are in the younger category, which is frightening!!!
It's quite upsetting - does anybody else have the same thoughts or problems?
A xxx

Hmmm! I'm guess I'm classed as an "oldie" then!


I think it might depend on what type of jazz you're talking about. Contemporary jazz maybe appeals more to younger people, but the type of jazz I like, ie New Orleans jazz, I guess is followed more by "older" people, some even older than me

Having said that, I also have to say that I have never known any group of individuals enjoy themselves more, and get more out of life, than "older" jazz enthusiasts. At one of the jazz clubs I go to, there is a lady who is 80 or more who is a superb dancer - she is immaculately dressed, she has a figure that a 20 year old would die for, she has more energy than I've seen in many 20 year olds, and she is out to have a good time. Many of the others at that club are the same - I have often said that they certainly know how to enjoy themselves there and it's great fun watching them.

My theory is that New Orleans jazz encourages "dis-inhibition" (is that a word? ) and older people have fewer qualms about being seen to enjoy themselves. It wouldn't be "cool" to the younger generation, but older (jazz) people don't care what other people think - they just want to get the most out of life. Certainly at the New Orleans jazz festivals I go to, people are really friendly, very outgoing, and totally without the inhibition of wondering what other people might think. Younger people are generally much more conscious of the impression they are making, and regard displays of dis-inhibition as embarrassing. So a New Orleans jazz festival would generally not be their scene.

Thankfully there are some young people on the New Orleans jazz scene who do not conform to stereotypes and get as much enjoyment out of the festivals as the "older" generation. And funnily enough, although the performers in the UK are generally older, most of the overseas performers at the jazz festivals I go to are quite young.

By the way, pianoboe, do you go to jazz concerts locally - did you go to see Enrico Tomasso a couple of weeks ago? PM me if you and your parents go to jazz concerts locally - I've probably bumped into you without knowing!

I find that most people my age think there are only a couple of types of music - mainstream and classical. Well we all know that both these can be sub divided into tiny genres! But my point is that most people my age aren't even aware of jazz! I must admit I didn't get into jazz until a few years ago despite there being a jazz festival in my town every year!

I regularly go to jazz gigs where there are all ages from 20s to OAPs present - I wouldn't say that any age group predominates. There tend to be few under 18s, but these are mostly licensed premises, so that's not surprising. Maybe it's because it's London and there are lots of students, maybe it's because the gigs I go to are in the main contemporary jazz. I think there are probably more older people than at the rock gigs I've been to in the last few years, and more younger people than the classical ones.

Totally agree about New Orleans festival-goers! have played at a few, namely Upton-on-Severn, Bude, Lynton, Clevedon - and the audiences are fantastic, but yes they're generally old or oldish in the main. I think it's a problem of genre-fixing, ie when music gets fixed into a genre it attracts a niche audience, and the niche audience tends to be made up of one generation or another.

In Scandinavia it's completely different apparently, especially in Norway where public funding supports jazz as a constantly evolving art-form. There the audiences are a young, hip crowd, and jazz takes in all sorts of influences from pop to electronic - you name it. This just wouldn't be possible if it relied solely on the market-place; public funding enables new, exciting bands to get off the ground and develop into a place where they can generate their own audiences - the opposite of what's happening in America and to some extent here, although it's certainly better here than in the US - at least we do have Arts Council funded tours of new innovative jazz.

This is not to say new always means better! I love the old stuff with a passion and always have, but if jazz is to survive as anything except a relic, it does need to keep developing and renewing itself.

Violinia

That's happening in the UK too. Soweto Kinch incorporates hip-hop and rap into his sets along with blistering Parker inspired be-bop and sweet, soulful alto playing.

Acoustic Ladyland straddle the jazz-punk divide and the very much related Polar Bear use all kinds of electronics in their music courtesy of Leafcutter John. Jazz is very definitely developing and renewing itself in the UK.

Yes you're right, it is - and it's all to the good. So much stuff to listen to and so little time - aaarrgh!

Violinia

I hope it renews itself well and it works properly because as of today I don't see any of my classmates even thinking about going to a jazz concert. They would rather die! In music we watched a video about Jazz and it had Jools Holland presenting it - I was the only one who knew who he was!!!! (well the teacher did) It was shocking!

Skylark - we do go to some jazz stuff but I don't recognise you from your photograph so I don't know if we've met - but you never know!!!

[I don't see any of my classmates even thinking about going to a jazz concert. They would rather die! In music we watched a video about Jazz and it had Jools Holland presenting it - I was the only one who knew who he was!!!! (well the teacher did) It was shocking!

[/quote]

But at least your Music teacher is trying to educate the class! At my kids school they are extremely lucky that they have a Big Band which plays a wide repetoire of jazz, but the kids complain that they dont have to opportunity to work in smaller groups as there is only one person on rhythm every 5 or so years so the opportunity of a small group is usually restricted to the 6th Form A level music group. In the past three years the Big Band has taken over from the Orchestra as the Ensemble to be seen/play in and usually closes the Annual Music Show to huge applause from friends and family. However it has taken time as the school was so entrenched in the classical tradition (albeit excellent) it was the new Head of Music who worked hard to widen the genre and promote jazz to a high standard among the kids, and introduced playing out at venues other than the school hall!

A TSax has said we are extremely lucky in London that there are so many venues that are accessible to under 18s. When Herbie Hancock played at the Roundhouse, 2 mins down the road, the entire school Big Band and other young jazz enthusiasts were able to go to his gig. My daughter (15) has seen Soweto Kinch at the South Bank and recently McCoy Tyner at the Barbican, again these had a very well balanced audience age wise. Although she has played at the Jazz Cafe and the Spitz with the school Big Band, she cant get in there as audience because they have a 'no under 18s' rule. However there is Spice jazz and the Vortex which are licenced but have no problems with under 18s! We usually ring first to check and one of us adult swill go with about 4 teenagers so that they dont feel intimidated.

In the meanwhile continue to listen to as wide a repetoire as you can download/buy

So true - if the Head of Music isn't a Big Band/jazz enthusiast, s/he is not very likely to enthuse their pupils, and conversely, as you say, a Head of Music who is committed to that sound can make it the coolest place to be. The pianist who plays with a semi-professional big band when they perform locally once a month is also the Head of Music at a local school. Surprise surprise - the school has a thriving and extensive big band which sounds excellent.

The learner jazz band I play with has several members who are around teen-age, and we play entirely traditional jazz/big band so there's some hope

Swanage has a thriving jazz festival with a mixture of trad and modern - the few times I have gone to events it has been predominantly grey-haired in the audience.

Heh heh I played there about two or three years ago and you're right, the audience was old but who am I to complain - I'm not getting any younger myself!

Having said all that I've noticed a smattering of younger faces in the audiences at traditional festivals over the last few years - more than there used to be. They could be the offspring (or grandchildren!) of the regular punters, or it could be because the programmers are beginning to widen the content. I've been thinking for a while now that these trad festivals could soon be a thing of the past - you should see the numbers of musician obituaries in the (trad) Jazz Guide...and I doubt too many younger bands will step in to take their place. It's sad but inevitable.

Just realised you pointed out Swanage is a mixed festival - this is true, but I think its image is that of a traditional festival despite the programmers' more eclectic intentions, so the younger crowd tend to stay away.

Violinia

Yep, New Orleans Jazz is played by very old people.

Some as old as six!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITuwZ7UBH20

Steve

hmm, I wonder what's going to happen to him?

Actually, there're Jazz Concerts specially for young children aged 12 or younger.
I recently went to a Jazz Music Workshop and Concert with my 6-year-old sis.

I took my son to see a jazz clarinetist at our local town festival, and we felt totally out of place. We were the only people there who did not have grey hair, and my poor son felt quite embarrassed. He went to a Courtney Pine concert with his school jazz band, and there were a lot of young people there - he even had his photograph taken with Courtney Pine. I took him to see Soweto Kinch, and the audience was quite mixed in age. Out of the three the only concert my son really enjoyed was Courtney Pine. (I enjoyed the Soweto Kinch concert)

Courtney Pine is a great showman - I've seen him playing a gig in a large venue (not my favourite setting for jazz gigs) and he managed to fill it with his personality. I can imagine him being really appealing to youngsters.

I've seen Soweto Kinch playing quite a few times now, I always really enjoy listening to his playing. Was it a hip-hop/rap fusion type set you saw or more straightahead jazz?

So it depends on the location and performer?

Dont give up, eventually you wont notice the audience's age and will just focus on the music. I took my 15 year old daughter to a Fats Waller tribute night at the South Bank and she was the youngest by miles. (The lady next to me looked at least 100!) A few of the oldies came over in the interval to say how impressed that she was there and asked her what her instrument was and chatted away generally.

After the sudden death of Alice Coltrane earlier this year, we have got our skates on to get to gigs regardless of how old the performer or audience are. Go for it and Enjoy!

It was more straightahead jazz, but he did play a couple of rap fusion pieces - Jazz Planet, and the rap pieces from Conversations with the Unseen. I loved his first album, but was not very keen on his second. My son was a Courtney Pine fan before he saw him, so it was great that he got to see him. I'm going to try to persuade him to go and see Alan Skidmore soon, but I hope that there will be some younger people there. I agree with Ayshah, it doesn't worry me when there are older people at a concert, but I think it's a bit embarrassing for a 13 year old teenager to be surrounded by retired people.

I know what you mean about the second CD - I like the concept, but the rap bits aren't really my favourites. I saw him perform it live before I heard the CD and that was a good show. I've found since then that it's not a CD I just want to put on the CD player and listen to casually, but a couple of times I've listened to it on my iPod and find that having the headphones means I get more immersed and involved in the story he's telling. I do intend to get the next volume so I can find out what's happening in Adrian's house!