THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996 TAG: 9604120091
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICKEY WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
THEY DON'T burst through doors with their instruments at the ready. But the Jimmy Masters Jazz Police do make a stand for the music they've chosen.
Masters, a veteran Hampton Roads bassist and teacher, will lead his quartet in a concert at the Williamsburg Regional Library and Arts Center Saturday night. The band also includes Eddie Williams on saxophone, Howard Curtis on drums and percussion, and Baltimore pianist Steve Kessler.
Masters explained that the group's name was taken from a comment in a recent magazine story on the ``smooth jazz'' phenomenon. A radio executive wondered who had made Masters and other critics of the format the ``jazz police.'' Masters grabbed the phrase as a tongue-in-cheek answer.
``A lot of the time when I meet someone who says he likes jazz, I already known what it's gonna be - something a lot more watered down,'' said Masters. ``That's OK, because it does help get the word out.''
Like many straight-ahead players, though, Masters is frustrated by his music's comparatively small audience.
``It's a difficult thing, because I want people to enjoy it. But I'm one of those people who doesn't want to compromise to any degree. I play jazz, and the jazz we play, which I consider the real music, is not exposed through the mass media.''
He said that some listeners are won over to his style.
``We've played and have been really stretchin' out, and we get this incredible, enthusiastic response. Other nights, we'll play something more conventional and we'll finish, and there'll hardly be one set of hands clappin'. It depends on the frame of mind of the people.''
With few local venues available, Masters sees the Williamsburg library's on-and-off concert series as a positive step.
``I think there's a lot of support in the community, which revolved around events at William and Mary,'' where he works in the jazz studies department. ``And then there's a small jazz society that's really pretty aggressive.''
Jazz education can help, too, he said.
``I think it widens the audience a little bit. The students are out in the community playing gigs, and that kind of creates a little scene.''
While hardly backing away from the fight, Masters has also recognized monetary realities. His day job is in insurance.
``I work this insurance gig because I've come to a place in my musical career, after playing for 30 years, where I realize there's no money in jazz. But I'll have enough money doing this gig that I can rent a hall and produce some-thing.''
Although he plays almost every weekend, he noted that ``for the number of musicians in town, there aren't enough gigs in town. There are enough people to support it, but they don't.''
The advent of CD reissues of classic albums has helped siphon off potential young clubgoers, he said.
``I think a lot of people see it as a recorded medium. They think, do I want to go out to hear the music, or do I wanna stay at home and listen to a CD and then watch a video?''
Near interview's end, Masters pulled himself up short in the midst of his listing of jazz-world woes.
``I'm not a total pessimist about jazz, I'm an optimist.'' ILLUSTRATION: LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
Bassist Jimmy Masters plays with the Jazz Police at the Bienville
Grille in Norfolk.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB