In the “Swami Galper See’s All” department, I’d taken the IAJE to task about it sell-out to the major labels.Like MP’s transparent wish to support the music, these companies sang the same song “we want to help!” Help who? I warned the jazz community that their offer to print and send free jazz sampler CD’s to expand the jazz audience would be bogus and self-serving.

I quote from Jazz bassist and Faifield University’s Music Program Director, Brian Torff’s column in the latest issue of the Green Mountain Jazz Messenger: “One wonders if we can even tell the difference between popularity and genuine artistic expression. A recent example would be the double CD”Instrumental History Of Jazz Collection” issued by the company N2K, and endorsed by the IAJE. The placing of easy-listening, lite jazz alongside Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane smacks more of a business deal than an honest representation of an art form. This type of bizarre packaging only furthers to muddy the waters; an art form of the magnitude of American Jazz deserves more accurate representation.”

Those of us on the distaff side know how this is translated into power-speak: “but,we’re helping educate the public and preserve the future of jazz.” Yeah, in formaldehyde.