These days, if you’re under the age of 35, odds are you’re not a jazz fan. Which doesn’t mean you don’t like jazz music—some of your favorite music likely takes samples or at least inspiration from jazz. It just means that you aren’t actively seeking it out, and that it isn’t being marketed to you. Think about it. Have you heard about Moran? Maybe. Troy Andrews, also known as Trombone Shorty? Doubtful. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble? Probably not, but you no doubt know one of their clients, Mos Def, who hired the musicians as his backing band for recent tours where they continually stole the show. Jazz, beyond the backing band or hip-hop sample, just isn’t out there with today’s pop music.
Just because jazz isn’t marketed doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or isn’t thriving. It does mean, however, that expectations for success have to be tempered. Moran’s last album, Artist in Residence, for example, sold about 3,000 copies. The merchandise-minded Bad Plus can sell upwards of 100,000—still a far cry from is-that-jazz superstars like Norah Jones, who outsell all jazz labelmates on the order of millions of copies.
GOOD Magazine | Adam Spangler on 21st-century Jazz
It has just occured to me that the feeder market for jazz fans — aging college rock dudes — is totally gone!
Said dudes no longer have to give up on the music they loved in the halcyon days — the bands keep throwing reunions and they tour and headline festivals and record kids’ albums. So there’s no reason for your average, aging intellectual white guy to like, grow up, sell all his post-punk records and listen to jazz instead.
