“JAZZ LIVES!” – A FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM MARK OSTEEN

After serving as a founding member and president of the BJA for 12 years, Mark Osteen is stepping down to pursue other projects. Below, he gives a brief history of the organization, lists some of its accomplishments, and offers recommendations for its future direction. at Monday night’s board meeting, Mark was given a certificate of recognition for his service to the BJA.

In June, 2003, an unruly group of jazz musicians, promoters and fans, called together by Barry Glassman, met at a downtown Baltimore bar. The musicians complained that the city lacked sufficient venues for jazz; the fans declared that they could never figure out who was playing where; the venue owners lamented the lack of publicity and low turnout. Out of this array of ailments emerged a hardy cadre who formed what became the Baltimore Jazz Alliance. I was among the group, along with Glassman, tenor saxophonist Bob Jacobson, clarinetist Darryl Harper, venue manager Bob Brinkman, guitarist/vocalist Earl Wilson, promoter Cheryl Goodman, pianist George Spicka, vocalists Marianne Matheny-Katz and Rhonda Robinson, drummer Larry Williams, cultural tourism entrepreneur Tom Saunders, and Camay Calloway Murphy, distinguished member of the Baltimore jazz royalty. Although the first meetings were often fractious and rambling, and several members dropped out, we managed to forge an alliance. Harper was elected president; I was named vice president and Glassman treasurer. By the next spring Harper had moved away and the presidency devolved to me. And there I’ve stayed—until now. Effective January 1, 2016, I am resigning as President of the BJA.
Although I am certainly not the only one responsible for creating and sustaining this organization, I burst with pride when I review the list of all that have accomplished since 2004. In that year we incorporated; we received official 501 (c)3 status in 2012. We have published this newsletter since 2005; we’ve maintained our website and interactive jazz calendar since 2008; we have been a presence at Artscape since 2005, and even created and booked our own jazz stage for a few years; we’ve released two compilation CDs spotlighting Baltimore jazz artists (2006 and 2009). We’ve edited and published the Baltimore Real Book, sponsored a summit on the business of jazz, held two Baltimore Jazz Composers’ Showcases (2005 and 2013), presented several performance series and the Saxophone Colossi event (2013), and sponsored the BJA Big Band (2011-14). That’s not even the full list (you can view it by visiting our website: https://www.baltimorejazz.com/about/). See why I’m proud?
None of these events and programs could have happened without our board members and the support of our members. Thank you all!
It’s lovely to look back and bask in the glow of successes, but those moments aren’t enough to keep an organization alive. I hope and believe that the BJA will thrive without my presence in the driver’s seat. However, it can do so only by renewing its vision, leadership and goals. As my parting gift, I offer here some ways to do that.
1. The BJA needs more support, energy, and initiative on the part of its members. This will require more interaction between the board and the membership and members’ more active participation. Members: please volunteer, write to the board, offer suggestions!
2. The BJA needs to recruit new board members with vision, energy and persistence who will not just attend meetings, but also present new goals and ideas and put them into action.
3. The BJA should review its priorities, reaffirm those that remain viable, and replace those that do not. I believe the organization should sponsor more performance opportunities, perhaps by partnering with other non-profits and venue owners to produce a series. Such events not only get the music to the public and provide opportunities for artists; they also bring the whole jazz community together as nothing else can. After all, we’re here for the music.
4. The BJA needs to enlist more musicians as members. One source of frustration for me is that the BJA has never managed to gain the full participation of Baltimore-area jazz musicians. Why not? One reason is that too many musicians still adhere to the mentality of “how will this get me a gig next week?”. This short-sighted attitude fails to grasp that building audiences, advocating for jazz, fostering better communication and working together elevates jazz’s profile for everyone. The BJA has worked hard to overcome this attitude, but it’s up to musicians to start thinking differently.
5. Baltimore is a city marked by enduring racial, social and economic divisions that create immense challenges for organizations such as the BJA. Nevertheless, the BJA should create partnerships with other non-profit and educational organizations to create more cohesiveness in the jazz community.
These challenges may seem daunting, but the impressive accomplishments listed above suggest that with drive, vision and perseverance, the BJA can continue to grow and advance the cause of Baltimore jazz. I will certainly continue to support the BJA, perform this music that we all love, and volunteer at BJA events. But it’s time for me to move on to other projects and activities. I also believe that the organization is ripe for the revitalization that only new leadership can bring.
Keep swingin,’ BJA. I wish you well. Thanks to everyone!

Yours in jazz,
Mark Osteen