Our Story

JazzWeek got its start in 2001, shortly after the now long-defunct Gavin Report announced that it was dropping its jazz and smooth jazz charts. Over the years, JazzWeek transitioned from collecting airplay reports to publishing monitored data from Mediaguide, and launched the annual JazzWeek Summit, which in 2012 moves to Detroit.

But over the past decade, the industry has changed. Some labels that were mainstays of the jazz format have cut back or disappeared, while independent labels and musicians have more than filled the void. Radio has changed, too: NPR news has displaced jazz on some stations and streaming stations have come onto the scene. Meanwhile, social media, smart phones, the iPod, iPhone and iPad, the mobile web, and modern web browsers have changed technology drastically.

To continue to be relevant and even more useful to labels, promoters, artists and radio, JazzWeek needs a major relaunch: our last web update was more than six years ago. But web development work can be expensive, especially database programming and modern effects.

Our update will include the following (and more):

• Online display of all charts: jazz, smooth album, smooth singles and world music
• A more modern user experience in desktop browsers
• Mobile site or application for phones/tablets
• For each charted release, a link to its own page, with CD and download purchasing and "crowd-sourced" reviews
• More detailed week-by-week data
• How-to and best practices guides
• Music reviews
• Artist, industry and radio programmer features
• Industry news
• Artist news
• Radio station news and updates
• More comprehensive user-updated databases: radio stations, promoters, labels, music director addresses and call times
• Spreadsheet downloads for databases and charts
• Online radio player/tuner for stations in each chart format
• Improved add date submissions and listings
• Playlist posting and submission for non-monitored stations
• Tight social media integration: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
  
• RSS feeds of site content
• Easier subscription signup and renewal
• Improved Jazz Programmers' List software to allow browser- and email-based posting
• Online chats and webinars between JazzWeek Summits

The Impact

Without this update, it will be difficult -- if not impossible -- for JazzWeek to keep going much further into the future, certainly not past 2012. The limited amount of services we're now able to provide do not generate enough subscriptions or advertising income to support the operation, and JazzWeek has lost money more years than it has made money. The cash flow is just not there to pay for the upgrades needed.

This relaunch will allow JazzWeek to become more useful and self-sustaining into the future, providing more useful tools for labels, promoters, artists and radio -- both terrestrial and online. The new site will also provide more advertising opportunities for artists, promoters and labels: targeted messages to reach radio programmers and hosts.

In addition, by building the new "JazzWeek 2.0" on a modern platform, future upgrades and additions will be  a far less labor- and resource-intensive undertaking.

What We Need & What You Get

If we were to hire all of the web development, programming and design work required, the costs could top $10,000 or more. But we're committed to keeping costs down and to gratefully accept the offers of those willing to donate time to the cause. Thus, we've been able to constrain the budget for this relaunch to $5,000.

All of the contributions received will go toward paying for the web development, database programming and graphic design costs for the new site. We anticipate that JazzWeek's publisher, Ed Trefzger, will contribute at least as many hours without compensation as the web developer labor costs paid for by contributions. As mentioned above, we have also had offers from those willing to donate their time in development and non-development areas.

All contributors of $25 or more will receive perks equal to or exceeding the value of the contribution in discounts, advertising, subscriptions or event sponsorships. In addition, all contributors will be part of the focus group helping to determine the content and direction of JazzWeek going forward. All contributors also will be listed on a permanent basis on the JazzWeek website with a link to their site.

Other Ways You Can Help

Please tell your friends and colleagues about this campaign and our desire to relaunch JazzWeek to better serve the industry: those who make a living playing, publishing, promoting, producing or programming jazz, or just do it out of love. Please make use of the social media tools to spread the word on Twitter and Facebook.