Letter to Maryland State Arts Council | 04 - 02 - 2013
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." – Aristotle
April 2, 2013
Hi Theresa and Carla,
It’s been two weeks since I spoke at the strategic planning meeting.
As you could tell, my comments that Monday were inspired by frustration. The Maryland State Arts Council’s first “Core Value” is Excellence. As I see it, there is major conflict between that ideal and what actually happens. Albeit unintentional, that fundamental value has been skewed.
I said what I said about Baltimore’s jazz scene, and the Creative Alliance, because it illustrates the catch-22 that me, and similar creative artists like myself experience.
My personal mission has been to create a body of work that would add to humanities cultural heritage. In composition alone, involving both jazz and chamber music, that number is over 500 works. Add the paintings and drawings, photos and videos, and the number approaches 1,000.
While not a concert pianist, I am a fairly decent player. For the most part, my performances and compositions have been well received. My surviving 50+ years as a professional musician has included receiving two MSAC grants, performing my compositions at venues like the Kennedy Center, and being showcased twice in Greenwich Village by American Music Center’s Frank Oteri.
In addition, I’ve promoted the work of my fellow artists. In 1994, I had a 501(c)3 performing arts ensemble, dedicated to promoting Greater Baltimore Area jazz composers. Our debut CD ended up on the Grammy Nominations Ballot and received airplay in Western Europe. In 2005 I conceived and organized the First Annual Baltimore Jazz Composers Showcase, which united the Baltimore Composers Forum and the Baltimore Jazz Alliance in a concert held at the Eubie Blake Center. In 2009, I performed two concerts at An die Musik, where I performed pieces by each of the 18 composers featured in the Baltimore Jazz Real Book.
I’ve done all this in spite of having to deal with a number of issues, especially struggling with mental illness most of my adult life.
Considering all this: artistic vision, dedication, prolific creativity, helping others, and mental health issues (something all true artists MUST have :), one could assume that me or someone like me, would be a likely candidate for Maryland’s individual artist poster-boy, but that ain’t gonna’ happen! – And here’s why …
#1 The Arts vs. The Artists
Inclusion: “a practice of ensuring that people feel they belong.”
The reason the Creative Alliance gave for banning the Baltimore Composers Forum from future performances was that, according to their board, we had to guarantee an audience of a certain size. This was after a meagerly attended performance, due to an ice storm. Since I was vice-president and liaison to the Creative Alliance, I was the one to receive this message.
Afterwards, what our board decided, was that the only way we could “guarantee” an audience would be to have more popular appeal. We’d have to compromise our goal of excellence and lower our standards, something that we were not about to do!
The Creative Alliance claims to promote “edgy” performances. Intellectually, this is exactly what the Baltimore Composers Forum does: with now over 1,000 pieces of new music that are either experimental, involve unique ensembles - sometimes with electronics or computers, sometimes involving improvisation, all of which traces a direct line back to the music of Bach, and even earlier. One would assume this to be a perfect match of ideals.
So, I can’t help but feel that the Creative Alliance neither supports creativity, nor is it an alliance.
What isn’t understood by the Creative Alliance is that innovative and visionary music, by its very nature, is not going to be readily understood upon first hearing. There is an element of risk involved. Composers and performers of new music understand this but nevertheless, we stick to our mission.
It’s understandable that the general public, due to lack of education, would be unappreciative and ignorant of what’s going on, but for organizations whose ideals are supposed to be built on promoting excellence, there is often this huge disconnect between the administrators and real artists, the very ones whom without there would be no “arts” in the first place.
For the past forty years, I’ve seen the growth of interest in, and funding for the arts. It’s rather clear that those who benefit most from this are the administrators. Though I’ve worked hard at my personal mission for over forty years, I find I’m still at the back of the arts support line, begging bowl in hand. While the public has been entertained, at taxpayer expense, they are still ignorant, even after years of pontification about arts “education,” of what excellence really is.
I’m all for arts funding, but I sometimes wonder what would happen if the money suddenly disappeared – who would still be standing? I know I would.
This conflict within the arts, which was brought to light at the strategic planning meeting, is what the Maryland State Arts Council has to face. Is it going to reaffirm and encourage the ideal of excellence in the arts, or is it going to allow the kowtowing to popular appeal to continue?
#2 Maryland vs. Baltimore
One of the things mentioned at the strategic planning meeting, was this vision of Maryland becoming known as a region that supports the arts.
The best example of the visionary artists transforming their world is the Renaissance,
“ … An intellectual transformation that bridged the Middle Ages and the Modern era.”
Its beginnings in Florence are attributed to patronizing and stimulating the arts.
“ … Best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of polymaths.”
Though a Baltimore native, I lived in Silver Spring from 1976-1987. During that time I worked for the fledging Prince George’s Arts Council, administering several concert series, and writing press releases. One of the things discussed, was that with the growth of other cultural regions in the state, the focus on Baltimore as Maryland’s arts hub would lessen.
Then I attended a meeting headed by James Backas, where he adamantly insisted that that wasn’t going to happen. With that in mind …
I have a copy of “Building Community – The Arts & Baltimore Together: A report to the Baltimore Community Foundation” (1992). It claims that “Baltimore can define its own distinctive vision – and in so doing become a model for the nation.” Two of the defining points for this vision are “outstanding human resources”, and “civic commitment.”
After twenty-years, what we have is Artscape as being recognized as the nation’s largest free outdoor festival. However, I think the proper name should be Entertainment-scape.
Starting back from the days of the Schmoke administration, when BOPA was known as MACAC, I’ve pointed out that the real artists are typically sequestered off away from the public. Not a single word is given to the expertise these people possess. It’s all geared to bean counting, doing whatever it takes to reach that 350,000-attendance figure that the city likes to brag about, i.e., “Popularity.”
There is no civic commitment to excellence. Instead of “stimulating” the arts, as in the intellectual transformation of the Renaissance or the initial impetus of the NEA, the intellect is suppressed in a manner that resembles the bread and circuses that proceeded the fall of Rome.
#3 Smooth Jazz vs. Excellence
I enjoy and have played all types of music in my career, including smooth jazz. There is no problem if we’re talking about commercial venues. It’s a different matter though, if we’re talking about taxpayer-funded arts.
In part, the original idea was, in recognition of the value that art has to an enlightened society; the NEA would use taxpayer dollars to help serious artists compete against commercial art and entertainment. Part of that process would involve educating the public by exposing them to excellence in all forms.
As Cheryl Goodman pointed out so eloquently at the MSAC’s meeting concerning the arts, smooth jazz is about popularity. The rationale was that because of that, it, rather then “mainstream,” and other modern and progressive forms of jazz, should be the style of jazz presented.
When the NEA was started, there was no such term as “smooth” jazz, even though it was actually being played in bars and nightclubs. I’ve heard tunes on smooth jazz stations that I use to play in top-40 bands back in the 1970’s and 80’s. However, back then, in the top-40 circuit, even to hint that you played any jazz, was a sure-fire guarantee that you would not be hired!
I was not only drawn to jazz by the individual integrity it offered: there was also the reverence held for its masters: to those who dedicated their careers to the development of what was declared, by joint resolutions of the U.S. House and Senate, as being a National American Treasure.
In the early years, there were performers and composers like Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington. In the world of jazz-rock fusion, there’s Jean Luc-Ponty, John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Zawinul. For me, first influences were Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea. All are recognized for their contributions to the intellectual growth of jazz.
Smooth jazz is a step backwards from this spirit of innovation. While individual performers can appear to have blistering chops, it is because the form, harmonies, and progressions are comparatively simplistic. In essence, it is instrumental pop music.
This dichotomy is due, in part, to the general unawareness of arts administrators. At a meeting in her office, Nancy Harrigan once told me that she knew nothing about the arts: that she was hired by the city for her administrative skills. While she did much for the city, it explains why some of the things she talked about in public didn’t jibe with the reality of the situation.
So where does that leave someone like me?
I began my jazz career in the early 1970’s by studying privately with Jessica Williams. http://www.jessicawilliams.com/introduction.html. She had already written 500 pieces by age 25. Because of her influence, I draw my creative inspiration from many sources and don’t ascribe to any particular genre, but I can assure you, I was beyond the realm of mainstream jazz practically from the get-go.
Jessica left Maryland to gain recognition.
So did Marc Copeland, whom I studied with during the 1980’s http://www.marccopland.com/
And Drew Gress - http://www.drewgress.com/drew.html, whom my late wife studied with, as did his associate, Ellery Eskelin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellery_Eskelin.
If innovators like Thelonious Monk or Ornette Coleman were here today, they wouldn’t stand a chance either.
As a leading “blue” state, you would think that Maryland would be honoring jazz and it’s past masters, and encouraging the spirit that lead to these persons becoming masters in the first place. Instead, we discourage such persons and drive them away.
The result is that what happens in Maryland stands out in stark contrast to the theme of the annual NEA Jazz Masters Honors.
Summary
In reference to Imagine Maryland, so long as our serious and innovative jazz artists have to go elsewhere in order to gain recognition for their work, the stated ideal of “Imagine a state where the arts thrive and every person can fully participate in the arts” is just a pipe dream.
The Maryland State Arts Council has to re-think its strategy. It has to choose between taking risks and promoting artistic excellence, or settling for mediocrity in the name of keeping books in the black.
And it’s not an all or nothing situation either. Popular forms should be included. It’s a way to generate interest, but the emphasis has to be upon excellence as described above. Lest some be tempted to compromise that ideal, which is what is happening now, excellence has to have priority in every respect.
Also, you can’t just talk about excellence and expect it to happen, because you’ll end up with the situation that you have now. Business leaders, administrators, and activists, need to fully understand what that core value of excellence really is: the years of dedication, study, and mastery that it takes to get there.
There are additional specific incidents you need to know about, concerning Baltimore’s less-then-favorable attitude concerning jazz, but that will come at a later time.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Sincerely,
George F. Spicka
Baltimore, MD
April 2, 2013
Hi Theresa and Carla,
It’s been two weeks since I spoke at the strategic planning meeting.
As you could tell, my comments that Monday were inspired by frustration. The Maryland State Arts Council’s first “Core Value” is Excellence. As I see it, there is major conflict between that ideal and what actually happens. Albeit unintentional, that fundamental value has been skewed.
I said what I said about Baltimore’s jazz scene, and the Creative Alliance, because it illustrates the catch-22 that me, and similar creative artists like myself experience.
My personal mission has been to create a body of work that would add to humanities cultural heritage. In composition alone, involving both jazz and chamber music, that number is over 500 works. Add the paintings and drawings, photos and videos, and the number approaches 1,000.
While not a concert pianist, I am a fairly decent player. For the most part, my performances and compositions have been well received. My surviving 50+ years as a professional musician has included receiving two MSAC grants, performing my compositions at venues like the Kennedy Center, and being showcased twice in Greenwich Village by American Music Center’s Frank Oteri.
In addition, I’ve promoted the work of my fellow artists. In 1994, I had a 501(c)3 performing arts ensemble, dedicated to promoting Greater Baltimore Area jazz composers. Our debut CD ended up on the Grammy Nominations Ballot and received airplay in Western Europe. In 2005 I conceived and organized the First Annual Baltimore Jazz Composers Showcase, which united the Baltimore Composers Forum and the Baltimore Jazz Alliance in a concert held at the Eubie Blake Center. In 2009, I performed two concerts at An die Musik, where I performed pieces by each of the 18 composers featured in the Baltimore Jazz Real Book.
I’ve done all this in spite of having to deal with a number of issues, especially struggling with mental illness most of my adult life.
Considering all this: artistic vision, dedication, prolific creativity, helping others, and mental health issues (something all true artists MUST have :), one could assume that me or someone like me, would be a likely candidate for Maryland’s individual artist poster-boy, but that ain’t gonna’ happen! – And here’s why …
#1 The Arts vs. The Artists
Inclusion: “a practice of ensuring that people feel they belong.”
The reason the Creative Alliance gave for banning the Baltimore Composers Forum from future performances was that, according to their board, we had to guarantee an audience of a certain size. This was after a meagerly attended performance, due to an ice storm. Since I was vice-president and liaison to the Creative Alliance, I was the one to receive this message.
Afterwards, what our board decided, was that the only way we could “guarantee” an audience would be to have more popular appeal. We’d have to compromise our goal of excellence and lower our standards, something that we were not about to do!
The Creative Alliance claims to promote “edgy” performances. Intellectually, this is exactly what the Baltimore Composers Forum does: with now over 1,000 pieces of new music that are either experimental, involve unique ensembles - sometimes with electronics or computers, sometimes involving improvisation, all of which traces a direct line back to the music of Bach, and even earlier. One would assume this to be a perfect match of ideals.
So, I can’t help but feel that the Creative Alliance neither supports creativity, nor is it an alliance.
What isn’t understood by the Creative Alliance is that innovative and visionary music, by its very nature, is not going to be readily understood upon first hearing. There is an element of risk involved. Composers and performers of new music understand this but nevertheless, we stick to our mission.
It’s understandable that the general public, due to lack of education, would be unappreciative and ignorant of what’s going on, but for organizations whose ideals are supposed to be built on promoting excellence, there is often this huge disconnect between the administrators and real artists, the very ones whom without there would be no “arts” in the first place.
For the past forty years, I’ve seen the growth of interest in, and funding for the arts. It’s rather clear that those who benefit most from this are the administrators. Though I’ve worked hard at my personal mission for over forty years, I find I’m still at the back of the arts support line, begging bowl in hand. While the public has been entertained, at taxpayer expense, they are still ignorant, even after years of pontification about arts “education,” of what excellence really is.
I’m all for arts funding, but I sometimes wonder what would happen if the money suddenly disappeared – who would still be standing? I know I would.
This conflict within the arts, which was brought to light at the strategic planning meeting, is what the Maryland State Arts Council has to face. Is it going to reaffirm and encourage the ideal of excellence in the arts, or is it going to allow the kowtowing to popular appeal to continue?
#2 Maryland vs. Baltimore
One of the things mentioned at the strategic planning meeting, was this vision of Maryland becoming known as a region that supports the arts.
The best example of the visionary artists transforming their world is the Renaissance,
“ … An intellectual transformation that bridged the Middle Ages and the Modern era.”
Its beginnings in Florence are attributed to patronizing and stimulating the arts.
“ … Best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of polymaths.”
Though a Baltimore native, I lived in Silver Spring from 1976-1987. During that time I worked for the fledging Prince George’s Arts Council, administering several concert series, and writing press releases. One of the things discussed, was that with the growth of other cultural regions in the state, the focus on Baltimore as Maryland’s arts hub would lessen.
Then I attended a meeting headed by James Backas, where he adamantly insisted that that wasn’t going to happen. With that in mind …
I have a copy of “Building Community – The Arts & Baltimore Together: A report to the Baltimore Community Foundation” (1992). It claims that “Baltimore can define its own distinctive vision – and in so doing become a model for the nation.” Two of the defining points for this vision are “outstanding human resources”, and “civic commitment.”
After twenty-years, what we have is Artscape as being recognized as the nation’s largest free outdoor festival. However, I think the proper name should be Entertainment-scape.
Starting back from the days of the Schmoke administration, when BOPA was known as MACAC, I’ve pointed out that the real artists are typically sequestered off away from the public. Not a single word is given to the expertise these people possess. It’s all geared to bean counting, doing whatever it takes to reach that 350,000-attendance figure that the city likes to brag about, i.e., “Popularity.”
There is no civic commitment to excellence. Instead of “stimulating” the arts, as in the intellectual transformation of the Renaissance or the initial impetus of the NEA, the intellect is suppressed in a manner that resembles the bread and circuses that proceeded the fall of Rome.
#3 Smooth Jazz vs. Excellence
I enjoy and have played all types of music in my career, including smooth jazz. There is no problem if we’re talking about commercial venues. It’s a different matter though, if we’re talking about taxpayer-funded arts.
In part, the original idea was, in recognition of the value that art has to an enlightened society; the NEA would use taxpayer dollars to help serious artists compete against commercial art and entertainment. Part of that process would involve educating the public by exposing them to excellence in all forms.
As Cheryl Goodman pointed out so eloquently at the MSAC’s meeting concerning the arts, smooth jazz is about popularity. The rationale was that because of that, it, rather then “mainstream,” and other modern and progressive forms of jazz, should be the style of jazz presented.
When the NEA was started, there was no such term as “smooth” jazz, even though it was actually being played in bars and nightclubs. I’ve heard tunes on smooth jazz stations that I use to play in top-40 bands back in the 1970’s and 80’s. However, back then, in the top-40 circuit, even to hint that you played any jazz, was a sure-fire guarantee that you would not be hired!
I was not only drawn to jazz by the individual integrity it offered: there was also the reverence held for its masters: to those who dedicated their careers to the development of what was declared, by joint resolutions of the U.S. House and Senate, as being a National American Treasure.
In the early years, there were performers and composers like Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington. In the world of jazz-rock fusion, there’s Jean Luc-Ponty, John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Zawinul. For me, first influences were Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea. All are recognized for their contributions to the intellectual growth of jazz.
Smooth jazz is a step backwards from this spirit of innovation. While individual performers can appear to have blistering chops, it is because the form, harmonies, and progressions are comparatively simplistic. In essence, it is instrumental pop music.
This dichotomy is due, in part, to the general unawareness of arts administrators. At a meeting in her office, Nancy Harrigan once told me that she knew nothing about the arts: that she was hired by the city for her administrative skills. While she did much for the city, it explains why some of the things she talked about in public didn’t jibe with the reality of the situation.
So where does that leave someone like me?
I began my jazz career in the early 1970’s by studying privately with Jessica Williams. http://www.jessicawilliams.com/introduction.html. She had already written 500 pieces by age 25. Because of her influence, I draw my creative inspiration from many sources and don’t ascribe to any particular genre, but I can assure you, I was beyond the realm of mainstream jazz practically from the get-go.
Jessica left Maryland to gain recognition.
So did Marc Copeland, whom I studied with during the 1980’s http://www.marccopland.com/
And Drew Gress - http://www.drewgress.com/drew.html, whom my late wife studied with, as did his associate, Ellery Eskelin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellery_Eskelin.
If innovators like Thelonious Monk or Ornette Coleman were here today, they wouldn’t stand a chance either.
As a leading “blue” state, you would think that Maryland would be honoring jazz and it’s past masters, and encouraging the spirit that lead to these persons becoming masters in the first place. Instead, we discourage such persons and drive them away.
The result is that what happens in Maryland stands out in stark contrast to the theme of the annual NEA Jazz Masters Honors.
Summary
In reference to Imagine Maryland, so long as our serious and innovative jazz artists have to go elsewhere in order to gain recognition for their work, the stated ideal of “Imagine a state where the arts thrive and every person can fully participate in the arts” is just a pipe dream.
The Maryland State Arts Council has to re-think its strategy. It has to choose between taking risks and promoting artistic excellence, or settling for mediocrity in the name of keeping books in the black.
And it’s not an all or nothing situation either. Popular forms should be included. It’s a way to generate interest, but the emphasis has to be upon excellence as described above. Lest some be tempted to compromise that ideal, which is what is happening now, excellence has to have priority in every respect.
Also, you can’t just talk about excellence and expect it to happen, because you’ll end up with the situation that you have now. Business leaders, administrators, and activists, need to fully understand what that core value of excellence really is: the years of dedication, study, and mastery that it takes to get there.
There are additional specific incidents you need to know about, concerning Baltimore’s less-then-favorable attitude concerning jazz, but that will come at a later time.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Sincerely,
George F. Spicka
Baltimore, MD