Is the worldwide economic meltdown beginning to affect the jazz festival world?

It certainly looked that way in Montreal last week, when General Motors of Canada announced that it would not be back as lead sponsor of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, one of the biggest and best jazz festivals in the world, after next year.

The festival said in a statement that “the current presenter of the event, General Motors of Canada, is not in a position to renew the long-term five-year sponsorship agreement which is due to expire” — which, given the well-documented problems of not just GM but the entire automobile industry, must be considered one of the understatements of the year.

GM began sponsoring the Montreal festival in 2000 and signed a five-year sponsorship deal in 2005. It has been contributing an estimated 10 to 12 percent of the festival’s $25 million annual budget, and will do so again for next year’s festival (which has already announced a typically strong lineup including Chucho Valdés, Dave Holland, Buddy Guy and many others). After that it’s anybody’s guess.  Read more »

Roots festival favorites Uncle Earl, the all-female string band, announced that it won't be touring in 2009 so that members can focus on individual projects. Abigail Washburn's duties with the Sparrow Quartet have complicated the band's scheduling the last two years, but the reasons are probably deeper than that, especially because the email announcing the news suggests that she is also slowing down that band's appearances next year while she pursues more travel in China and a duo album with cellist Ben Sollee.

Each of the other members also has outside projects. Kristin Andreassen performs with Sometimes Why and as a solo performer. Rayna Gellert has a variety of things in the works, including work on a documentary soundtrack and collaborations with Toubab Krewe and Loudon Wainwright. KC Groves has a new solo album and is working with two other bands, The Moody Sisters and Dangerfields, where she'll be join by, among others, former G'Earl Sharon Gilchrist.  Read more »

I recently provided answers to some survey questions from a college student about the economics of the live music industry, which gave me a chance to write down some of my thoughts about the underlying appeal of festivals and the likely impacts of the economic downturn on the festival market. It struck me that some of those answers would be interesting to also post to the site. Comments are welcome.

What is it about festivals that intrigues you?

I believe that as our lives become more isolated and mediated by technology, we are seeking out immersive experiences that connect us with "live" communities and give us a sense of participation in a technicolor, multi-sensory world. Festivals are uniquely suited to providing this kind of experience in a contained weekend-long break from our otherwise humdrum, cubicled existence.  Read more »