Jazz Forward Coalition launches

Principals of AllAboutJazz.com, DLMedia, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, Thirsty Ear Recordings and THIS IS RED Agency have announced formation of the Jazz Forward Coalition, an ambitious attempt to “coordinate and maximize” media and resources across the music’s many dimensions, focusing first off on “Business of Jazz.”

“Jazz is a vital as ever, with vibrant local scenes, active educators and thousands of jazz recordings released each year,” asserts a press release sent by DLMedia, the jazz speciality public relations firm headed by Don Lucoff, one of the JFC signatories. “[T]he jazz community . . . must take a mainstream new media approach through social and professional networking.”  Organizational goals. include “creating a central hub for the jazz industry, a global brand for jazz, and leadership voice for the jazz community.” The coalition plans to develop a business-to-business website, “marketplace solutions” for its membership base and “strategic partnerships.” It has published Business of Jazz as its first newsletter, featuring two dozen articles which originated in diverse publications, posted by AllAboutJazz.com. Michael Ricci, AAJ founder, is another JFC collaborator.

The JFC release states the organization will raise funds through grants, music industry partnerships and via its online presence; it is not at present a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. According to Don Lucoff, “The JFC is a coalition of evolving entities . . . I do stress the word ‘evolving.'”

Other organizations of somewhat different scopes currently at work on similar projects and/or themes are the Jazz Educators Network and the jazz wing of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, both of which have major conferences January 7-9, 2011, in New Orleans and New York, respectively.