How Do You Sell Your Art?

The following letter, ostensibly from pianist/author/guru Kenny Werner, has caused some heated debate in jazz musician circles recently:

Hello Friends,

Please indulge me as I am making a personal
appeal here. This year, I have made strides in my career. I've
been very fortunate in my work. I know that I am
doing very well in comparative terms. I play the music I
want to play. All that I play honors me and my creativity.

There is nothing I have to do just for the money.
But there is a level that I am working my whole
life to achieve. It's not about fame, it's only a
little about fortune, at least enough fortune to be able to stay
home and be with my wife and compose if I want to. No,
it's more about access. Access to the clubs, concert
halls, festivals, compositional commissions, etc.

Projects that actually reach people, where the word gets out
that you've actually created something.
I'm not far from that. But it's like the joke, 'Watch
out for that last step, it's a doozy!'
It is very hard to move up from station to station
to the kind of work you've always wanted to do, thatyou
felt you should do. Along the way there are little
openings, little possibilities.

One upward move happened this year when I finally
recorded for Blue Note Records. This is the Mecca of jazz
music, and perhaps the only company left where they do the
complete job. I have been so gratified to be there, and I
made for them what I think is one of my best CDs ever. It's
called 'Lawn Chair Society.' It has gotten such respect in so many
places. I set out to do something really special and I think
I have. But even if you record God's favorite recording of all
time, we are all still subject to a little thing in
our culture called the bottom line.
As much as Blue Note loves what I did, they are subjected to
scrutiny from larger forces that control their destiny.

Therefore I am calling out to all my friends: I know
that there are at least 90,000 people out there
who've read Effortless Mastery.
Many of you have written me and told me that the
book changed your life. I know that many people have

had similar experiences at one of my performances.
I have been gratified to know that I've helped your
life in some way. But now I need your help. If my
book changed your life, or significantly improved it, if
one of my concerts greatly enriched you and you never forgot
it, if I have taught you and my teaching was a major help
towards reaching your goals musically and otherwise,
to all those out there who have good feelings towards
me.

Please buy Lawn Chair Society.
And for those of you that qualify for the above
statement who belong to NARAS, the Recording Academy and
therefore have a vote for the Grammys,
Please vote for me after you've heard the CD. I am
listed in best jazz instrumental solo for my tune,
The 13th Day. And I am there for best jazz
instrumental album.

If one or both of these things are achieved, sales or
awards, I will have a strong case for doing my next
Blue Note CD, which has been a big step forward in my
career. All that said, I wouldn't ask this if I didn't feel
it's one of the best things I've ever done. But you'll have to
be the judge of that.
That will be a great help to me and you will all be
the producers of my next effort.

Thanks so much for reading this...Kenny Werner

So, the question is, is Werner out of line? Is he begging? Is this message contrary to the philosophy of his book Effortless Mastery, as some have said? Some of the complaints seem sour-grapey, with people saying they aren't as successful as Werner has been, so who is he to guilt his fans into buying the new CD. On the other hand, is there a curious kind of hell some artists inhabit where they are better known for their teaching than their performing? I'm thinking of Julia Cameron, author of the fabulous book The Artist's Way, which I credit for pushing me to launch my singing career after I had my first child in 2000. I was talking to my dad about this last night, and he pointed out that screenwriters such as Cameron are rarely famous. Almost certainly, one could say the same about jazz musicians!

Here's the thing. In order to sell, you must connect with consumers. Presumably, the Blue Note marketing budget for Werner's album is not enormous, although I would also presume it's a heck of a lot bigger than mine! That leaves Werner to supplement any marketing they may be doing with his own. He reaches out with a message, and indeed, the message ends up having legs, by virtue of minor controversy. You know, I hope that gives him the push he needs to make Blue Note happy. I adore the amazing improvisational album he made with Claudia Villela. I'm going to buy Lawn Chair Society.