On February 27, 2010, J4JA! musicians and supporters leafleted (view flyer here) the Blue Note during a performance by Ron Carter, Paul Motian and Bill Frisell. We were able to speak with almost every audience member who went into the club, and we were thrilled to discover that everyone on line for the second set applauded our efforts and agreed to take our literature  into the club.

At no time did we ever discourage audience members from patronizing the establishment, and our cause was helped by the fact that all three of the featured performers had seen our literature in advance and signed off on it!

Before the informational leafleting, J4JA! made sure to contact the Blue Note in an attempt to restart talks around the pension issue. Thus far the management of the Blue Note has not made themselves available to discuss this issue, even for off the record conversations. At this stage, J4JA! remains open to the idea of off the record talks.

Absent substantive progress at the negotiating table, J4JA! expects that there will be more of these activities to occur this spring.

If you are appearing any of the following clubs this year, and support our peaceful efforts to bring benefits to working jazz artists, please contact us at 212 245 4802 X185.

• Blue Note
• Birdland
• Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola
• Iridium
• Jazz Standard
• Kitano
• Lenox Lounge
• Minton’s Playhouse
• Poisson Rouge
• Smoke
• Village Vanguard

Likewise if you would like to volunteer and participate in one of our demonstrations advocating for retirement benefits for jazz artists, email us at [email hidden; JavaScript is required].

Thanks!

J4JA!

J4JA! and AFM Local 802’s Jazz Advisory Committee have struck again! In collaboration with the gifted filmmaker Ron Grunhut, we’ve produced another short and powerful video.

The two minute piece features highlights of the Justice for Jazz Artists! rally & parade that took place in Washington Square Park at Judson Memorial Church on September 29th, and includes excerpts of speeches by the talented and unsung jazz pianist Bertha Hope-Booker, and by Local 802’s Recording VP, Bill Dennison.

The new video underscores the critical need for the clubs and the musicians to come together on the benefits issue; there is inspiring footage of J4JA! musicians and their supporters taking to the streets of NYC’s Greenwich Village to give collective musical voice to their true feelings — Justice for Jazz Artists! Now’s the time! Check it out.

Ask trumpeter Joey Morant who he’s worked with, and he’ll reel off a list of jazz legends including Lionel Hampton, George Benson and Dizzy Gillespie. Those musicians were big draws for New York’s jazz clubs at one time, attracting tourists and paying customers in droves, but some of them retired with paltry pensions — or with no pensions at all.

Morant doesn’t want history to repeat itself. He said that as long as clubs in the city continue to draw customers with live music, they should share the wealth, and start contributing to a pension fund for performers.

“They make money off of it, they got to give back,” Morant said plainly. “You take out, give back.”

…

Some performers in the city have had access to pensions and other benefits for a long time. The city issued an exception in the 1960s that allowed Broadway theaters to sell tickets tax-free, with the understanding that owners would direct the savings into pension funds for performers. Two years ago, musicians and club owners successfully lobbied the state to forgive sales tax on tickets for jazz clubs, too. But according to the union, not a single jazz club so far has used the savings to contribute to artist benefits.

RTWT

Myth #1: J4JA! is giving the clubs a bad name.
We recognize that NYC’s jazz clubs play an important role in our city’s cultural and economic life. These clubs are among the few places presenting the music that is one of our nation’s greatest treasures.

That’s why Local 802 took pains to make sure that our initiative won’t cost the clubs a dime. We lobbied in 2007 for the NY State Legislature to repeal the sales tax on admissions, on that basis, and we succeeded. That means that the repealed sales tax of 8.375% can be redirected into pension payments at no cost to the clubs.

The music needs to be treasured, but we also need to treasure the musicians. When we are able redirect these former tax revenues to musicians benefits, we will be the first to applaud and congratulate the clubs.

Myth #2: The union never contacted the jazz clubs about this issue.
First of all, many of the jazz clubs actively supported our plan when we lobbied the NY State Legislature for the tax credit. After it passed, we were unable to engage them in a discussion about how best to move the tax relief to musicians’ benefit funds. Over the last year, we’ve made a series of phone calls to every club and sent letters, most recently a certified letter sent on September 1. Until two weeks ago, not a single club responded to our efforts to communicate. We believe that a reasoned discussion with club representatives can find a solution that works for the clubs, the musicians and the music.

Myth #3: Most jazz musicians don’t qualify for the pension plan.
Many jazz musicians can’t qualify because their employers don’t make contributions on their behalf. Because jazz and other freelance musicians make a living from many different sources, it is important that every employer make their fair contribution, including the clubs. That’s what we’re fighting for.

The jazz clubs are only one part of the equation. We applaud Jazz at Lincoln Center, the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music program, and a number of small ensembles and bandleaders for making pension contributions on behalf of their musicians. These musicians are now eligible for a pension. The clubs, festivals and other employers need to do likewise. The bottom line: pension payments from the jazz clubs are only one piece, but an important piece in a multi-source pension plan.

Myth #4: Most jazz musicians aren’t in the union.
This assertion misses the point — the Justice for Jazz Artists! campaign is not restricted to union members. If you’re a jazz musician and you have something to say, get in touch! We welcome all participation and feedback. Also, any pension contributions are credited to the musician whether they are a member of the union or not.

Do you have questions or feedback, positive or negative about the campaign? Post it in the comments, or send us a message.

NPR’s A Blog Supreme posted a well-considered article yesterday about the rally and J4JA! campaign. Some of the questions raised in the article are addressed by a comment on the post by Bill Dennison (NOT the anti-J4JA comment falsely attributed to him).

We also garnered an article in the NY Times, with fantastic photos from the rally and jazz parade to the Blue Note. UPDATE: Mentioned in the excellent NY Performing Arts blog.

We have over 2,500 signatures on our petition — now we’re translating that support into action. Be there and bring a couple friends.

Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South (West 4th Street)
Greenwich Village, New York City
2PM today (Tuesday)

We’ll hear performances by Jimmy Owens, Benny Powell, Keisha St. Joan, Bob Cranshaw, Sean Lyons, Bernard Purdie, Rudy Lawless and others. Amiri Baraka will speak. MUSICIANS: Bring your instruments! After the rally we will march on the clubs.

Endorsers

Our 2500+ signers include Mayor Dinkins, William Thompson, Christine Quinn, Amiri Baraka, Judi Silvano, Chris Lightcap, Maria Schneider, Dr. Billy Taylor, Marc Ribot, Regina Carter, Jame Carter, Jason Moran, Wycliffe Gordon, George Cables, Andrew Cyrille, Stanton Davis, Andrew Farber, Paul Motian, Arturo O’Farrill, Reggie Workman.

Summary

Two years ago in New York, Justice for Jazz Artists! (a project of AFM Local 802) succeeded in getting a tax break passed, benefiting NYC jazz clubs like Birdland, the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard and the Jazz Standard. The savings were supposed be directed into pension payments for the musicians that perform at these clubs.

In other words, at NO COST to the clubs, musicians can receive pension contributions for retirement.

Unfortunately, despite early support for the tax break, most clubs have since refused to even discuss the issue with the J4JA! campaign. That’s why we are holding the rally today. We need you to be there and make it real.

Now’s the time!

Momentum is growing — we now have well over 2,000 signatures on our petition — but we still need your help to make Tuesday’s rally a overwhelming success! We need you to be there – and we need you to spread the word by personal contact, email, blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

Our press release for Tuesday’s J4JA! Rally and March to the Clubs (9/29, 2pm) is below the fold… and here’s a printable copy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2009

CONTACT: PAUL MOLLOY

[w] 212.245.4802, ext. 176
[c] 631.965.3324

Local 802 AFM and the Jazz Community Kick Off the Justice for Jazz Artists! Campaign at Judson Memorial Church

On Tuesday, September 29, 2009, The Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM and members of the New York City Jazz community will launch “Justice for Jazz Artists!”, a campaign addressing the plight of New York City’s Jazz musicians, who receive no benefits from the clubs they perform in. A rally and press conference kicks off the event at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South (West 4th Street) at 2:00 pm.

The world’s greatest jazz musicians live and work in New York City. However, many are forced to retire with no income to fall back on in their later years. Some are forced to go on public assistance. The mission of “Justice for Jazz Artists!” is to persuade New York City’s jazz club owners to provide pension benefits to Jazz musicians who perform in their venues.

Since 2006, the Justice for Jazz Artists! campaign has attempted repeatedly to engage New York City’s Jazz clubs in constructive dialogue to secure retirement benefits for the Jazz musicians they employ. Some have agreed to meet with Local 802. Most however, have been unresponsive.

In 2007, Local 802 in partnership with some club owners, successfully lobbied the State Legislature to forgive the sales tax on tickets for Jazz club. That was done in order to allow the sums formerly collected as admission sales tax to go toward Jazz musicians’ benefits especially for retirement, at no cost to the clubs. However, since the law’s passage, no club has volunteered to make any pension fund contributions.

“I don’t think to be a jazz musician you should have to swear an oath of poverty”, says Sean Lyons, tenor saxophonist and jazz recording artist. John Cusick, President of Metropolitan Washington DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, says “Club owners need to act responsibly and realize that paying pension on musicians is not only the right thing to do, but helps perpetuate the art form which keeps them in business. I urge New York club owners to do the right thing and take pride in raising the bar for the treatment of jazz musicians everywhere.”

After the rally, there will be a march to the clubs to deliver a petition bearing signatures of nearly 2,000 professional musicians, urging the clubs to use the forgiven tax dollars for its original intent: to provide pension benefits to their jazz musicians.

Justice for Jazz Artists! enjoys the support of the New York City Central Labor Council, New School Jazz Department Faculty Committee, Jazz Foundation of America, former Mayor David Dinkins and over twenty  elected officials, including William C. Thompson, David Yassky, John Liu and Speaker Christine Quinn.

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