Music Plus with Winston Watusi watusi@thesun.co.nz

I hang out with musicians a lot, so it’s quite possible I don’t have the clearest view of the world.

Aside from the usual conversations – gigs, gear, guitarists – one topic has been popping up repeatedly of late.

It’s a new musical business model that has landed in Tauranga. Not just Tauranga, in fact, but cities across the globe – more than 100 of them.

It’s called “The Jazz Room”. The shows are marketed as musical events, but the music itself isn’t really the point. The model is.

First, you find a suitable venue – ideally somewhere affordable. In Tauranga, that’s the Cargo Shed and Classic Flyers. Then you advertise hard on social media. And only once enough tickets are sold do you hire a band.

The reverse 

You might notice something unusual there. It’s essentially the reverse of how gigs typically work. But that’s the model. Shows run for exactly an hour, which allows for two performances a night. Promoters supply an hour’s worth of charts and a band leader, then recruit local musicians to fill out the lineup.

At the moment, there are two shows: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans and Marvin Gaye: A Night of Soul. Tickets range from $37 to $57. I spoke to people who attended the New Orleans show; they said the ending felt abrupt. The band hit the one-hour mark, finished the final tune and simply walked off. Time was up.

What amuses me most is the way organisers appear to be casting around in the dark for musicians. Kokomo and other bands were surprised to receive emails asking if they’d be interested in playing New Orleans-style music. Even the local jazz society has been approached.

Here’s an extract from one such email:

“We have a jazz concert series called ‘The Jazz Room’, and are looking for bands to play these shows in Tauranga. We have a Marvin Gaye show on 7 August, and some New Orleans shows scheduled for late September and November.

“I wondered if you could suggest musicians I could get in touch with? If you know of a soul singer, and a jazz/swing/New Orleans singer or band, I would be super grateful. I am based in Madrid so unfortunately don’t have any contacts in New Zealand.”

Music legend 

I spoke with Waihi musical legend Liam Ryan, who also runs the youth competitions at the Jazz Festival. His take was typically colourful:

“I am conflicted between wanting to see local musicians working and not wanting to be colonised by invisible aliens. I am a localist. I have been known to prance about here on the outskirts of the kingdom with my middle finger in the air shouting, ‘Cuba Street and Queen Street are irrelevant to me!’ I guess I’d add Madrid to that list now.”

Liam Ryan. Photo / Liam Ryan

I’m inclined to agree. Still, you have to admire the confidence behind the advertising: “This is not just a concert. This is jazz. A celebration of music and culture. Nothing but good vibes, all night long.”

Well… for an hour, anyway.

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