With all the "doom and gloom" out there about the radio format, it is interesting to see smooth jazz concerts and ticket sales still remain strong in most parts of the USA. Obviously there is still a market ready to spend money (and sometimes travel) to see shows and support the music. The Smooth Jazz Cruise is adding a Fall Jazz Cruise up the Pacific Coast in October on top of their two one-week Carribean cruises in January. Many of these cruises (like Dave Koz's) are booking up a year or more in advance. Our radio station, WSBZ The Seabreeze, is celebrating our 15th Anniversary this year with the Seabreeze Jazz Festival.
http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com/
We have even created a Seabreeze Jazz Festival Foundation (not-for-profit arm of the event) to award music scholarships to local high school band students and purchase instruments for local band programs with proceeds from the event, which gets kudos from local Northwest Florida listeners and educators.
I wish more smooth jazz radio stations would take a chance on bringing concerts to their market before pulling the plug for good on the format. It's great non-traditional revenue that is NOT dictated by Arbitron or the People Meter, plus it's way off the radar of the Big Box Broadcasters like Clear Channel and Cumulus. It's definitely a "silver lining" for those who see it, and could be an
important part of the revenue stream in keeping this format accessible across the country.
Mark Carter
WSBZ-FM
The Seabreeze
http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com/
We have even created a Seabreeze Jazz Festival Foundation (not-for-profit arm of the event) to award music scholarships to local high school band students and purchase instruments for local band programs with proceeds from the event, which gets kudos from local Northwest Florida listeners and educators.
I wish more smooth jazz radio stations would take a chance on bringing concerts to their market before pulling the plug for good on the format. It's great non-traditional revenue that is NOT dictated by Arbitron or the People Meter, plus it's way off the radar of the Big Box Broadcasters like Clear Channel and Cumulus. It's definitely a "silver lining" for those who see it, and could be an
important part of the revenue stream in keeping this format accessible across the country.
Mark Carter
WSBZ-FM
The Seabreeze