I agree with the comments saying we shouldn't be too concerned about how many units our favorite artists move. the ability for them to make and distribute records that we can listen to and buy should be the main concern. and i really don't think there has been a better time for that then now. it seems as if there are at least 3 full lengths and 5 (import) 12's a week that i'd be happy to support. that is quite enough for my bank account. add that to the list of archived radio shows available to listen to at work, and i can not level too many complaints at outlets for our type of tunes... for those who know where to look (and i think that essential, is your real complaint).
similarly, if you really are concerned with getting these artists and djs more well known, i think it has been happening... albeit at a frustratingly slow pace. but look at who's really running the rap/soul game right now - its the neptunes. i think we have to acknowledge how special a moment it is, when a crew like that (depite their obvious pop orientation) is calling shots. I would also argue that having Jay-Z and Timbaland on the charts is not such a bad thing. But the bottom line is fuck the US radio stations, they've lost any legitimacy years ago. We don't need em. Jazzanova is blowing up, Zero 7 did very well, Jill Scott and the rest of the neo-soul have found bank, Cinematic Orchestra and Koop did well. Gilles Peterson has comps coming out every few months it seems.... and just about all our other selector heroes have had comps as well - Patrick Forge, Ross Allen, Skitz, Faze Action, duplaix, darge, dr. bob jones, snowboy, etc. etc.
It took a long time to get a worldwide population that can support these types of quality urban underground soul music, but its here. this is the glory days i would even say. maybe not stateside, maybe not in phoenix, but definately internationally.
and finally, i don't think we want to get to the point where we wished west london was right here. i love chicago because of its own history and its own vibe - one that influenced and now is intersecting with much of what we like today. these original artists and those carrying the torch (like terry callier or young AACM jazz musicians like Nikki Mitchell and Savoir Faire) can still be found playing every week at great historic jazz shrines that londoners only wish they had (green mill and velvet lounge). We got people like Pevan Everett doing his own thing weekly at an "acid jazz" night at another jazz place, along with a live house band covering songs like "its yours" and "wish i didn't miss you" alongside chicago classics. Our djs are original and are stamping their own imprint on music - unlike many europeans who simply call up the latest charts and CDRs from the usual suspects and cane those tunes without regard to personality or history....sorry, enough Chicago worship!
ping. but my point is that many areas of this country are doing their own thing, which should be respected, and we shouldn't worry too much that we don't have the club nights that london has... no other city does.
by the way, i saw a sweedish rock group called Soundtrack of Our Lives the other night, and i must say they perked my interest in guitars quite a bit for the first time in years. look out.
matt
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