Today at 2 pm (PDT) Hermann’s Jazz Club of Victoria, BC is live-streaming Maria Manna’s Sunday Gospel, normally hosted monthly, as an Easter Sunday special. Hermann’s is in its 35th year of operation (or was…). Until March our 140-seat venue hosted upward of 400 live shows a year.
I don’t want you to imagine what closing down Hermann’s felt like – though I am sure you are acutely aware. Not only did we have to lay off all of our staff – we are witness to a large community of musicians that is in true jeopardy.
In response we moved quickly into setting our stage up for live streaming (lots of cleaning/personal microphones only/discrete entrance and set-up and mandatory distancing). And it is working!
People can donate what they wish to attend a show – through a PayPal link on our site – and 100% (less PP service charge) goes to the performers. You can see our previous casts on our facebook page.
The Arts on View Society, of which I’m executive director, is a non-profit that took over the operation of Hermann Nieweler’s place, opened in 1985, when he passed away on June 10, 2015. We lease the space from his children. We operate as a “social venture” because we do operate liquor licenses, though all of our profit is reinvested to the benefit of performers and performance. I’ve worked in this venue for 20 years, and really believe it’s important to have a fundraising ability. We have an awesome, hard working board of directors and an incredible community.
Moving ahead we have agreed that this is how we will curate. First pick goes to the person who was scheduled (and we are/were booked through to September 2020 and beyond), then we will fill other spots with people who have performed at Hermann’s in the past, which comprises a great roster. We are also hoping to try streaming from home studios when that is the best decision, allowing the musician to re-engage their regular followers through our virtual venue.
The most beautiful part is what we’ve launched is the feedback from the performers that what they have needed most is to give their music to people, to help raise people’s spirits and contribute to good in the way they know best. Some have talked about how difficult it was to show up, and how turned around they feel from performing — a positive result. They have been able to perform for their families in other countries. The lack of applause haunts me, but the stream of comments is truly beautiful.
We hope continues to work for everyone, and that we have found a small way to help protect the audience that these musicians have worked so hard to build. Please check out our upcoming events on our website.
The next week (4/13-20) is impressive: John Lee is a young prodigy (full scholarship Berklee, brilliant on five instruments); David Vest has won virtually every blues award available in North America; Kelby Macnayr has chosen family over fame – he is a central figure to our Club and a talented jazz curator; Pablo Cardenas, a brilliant pianist, recently immigrated to Canada from Cuba – his talent and the guests he brings are truly great. We hope we can continue and add more creativity as we proceed.
Unbelievable to witness what is happening. I feel for the performers. I also feel for the venues. I see many streams from well established artists, even wonder if some people imagine this becoming the new normal. Where will we be in 20 years without venues to incubate talent??! Especially for jazz! It is quintessentially a social musical platform . . . Crazy.
