There are just not enough people out there supporting jazz musicians and many of the really top-notch ones have to work day jobs. I remember glancing up at the cab driver ID in Atlanta and telling the driver (who asked that I not tell anyone what he was doing) that I had several of his recordings. His response: "There aren't enough of you."
Many places I've lived have a thriving jazz market, if you count smooth jazz as jazz. For someone who courted his wife by taking her to hear Thelonious Monk every week for months, this doesn't cut it as jazz. Jazz is a spontaneous music, often imbued with a great sense of humor. Just listen to Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd (both still in their prime) to get what I mean. If you want to wander futher afield from your current list of pianists (sort of like shooting in a different genre), listen to Herbie Nichols, Elmo Hope and Dick Twardzik (in the Monk vein) or Sonny Clark, Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones (more related to Bud Powell). Like photography, with jazz, there is always more to learn and look forward to enjoying. Larry in Dallas
