Michael Davis: Performs Saturday at the Hotel Syracuse with the Central New York Jazz Orchestra.
“This album will serve as our calling
card for years to come,” Luttinger says. “It will substantiate our
quality and competitiveness with other big bands, both non-for-profit
and for profit.”
The package includes a formal CD studio
recording and a live DVD that features the band performing at the Hotel
Syracuse plus behind-the-scenes moments. “Many of the arrangements were
specially written to showcase our star soloists such as Joe Carello, Jeff Stockham, John Jeanneret and Rick Montalbano,” Luttinger says.
Luttinger plans to sell the album at
concerts and in a variety of modern ways, including digital formats and
as cell phone ring tones. The consummate jazzer developed that
marketing scheme with some tips from Syracuse University’s music
industry students. “I have not released a recording for many years,”
Luttinger explains. “I found myself getting a current education from
college seniors, which is telling not only of their talents but of
their ability to sense the market that is changing incredibly quickly.”
Luttinger hopes to record more albums,
perhaps even inviting musicians featured during the foundation’s yearly
concert series to pitch in some licks. “We may decide to do an album
bringing back some of our favorite people who have performed;”
Luttinger says. “We’ve also been offered a record deal with Summit Records featuring Tony Monaco, the famous Hammond B3 player.”
Recording albums isn’t cheap, although Then, Now & Again managed to squeeze out a $30,000 grant from the New York State Music Fund,
a sum of money managed by the Rockefeller Foundation that was collected
from anti-payola lawsuits in 2006. Also kicking in was an undisclosed
amount from the Douglas C. Johnston Fund, a grant managed by the jazz
foundation itself.
Luttinger hopes to find more sources of
funding in the future for additional albums. In the meantime, however,
he’s having fun as drummer for the jazz orchestra. “Wearing a lot of
hats is always difficult, in terms of getting the band into the concert
hall and the studio while having to perform in the band,” Luttinger
says. “But once you do sit behind your instrument and strap it on, your
instincts and training kick in and you can get focused on the musical
task.”
Admission to the Michael Davis concert
is $20 to $27 for the general public, with a $5 discount for students.
For more information, call 479-JAZZ.
—Matt Mumau
