DownBeat June 1993 [antikvár]

ON THE BEAT June 1993 The Heafs On by Ed Enright t press time, the music industry received some encouraging news from Washington, D.C. The arts were included as a core-curricular goal in President Bill Clinton's education-reform bill, which he presented to Congress in April. The music community hails the inclusion of the arts in the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" as a demonstration of federal support for arts, and music education in particular. "We compliment the Clinton administration for recognizing that music and the other arts are essential to the well-rounded education of any student," said Michael Greene, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. NARAS, along with the National Association of Music Merchants and the Music Educators National Conference, is a major supporter of the National Coalition for Music Education, which is leading a nationwide fight to save public-school music programs from falling victim to budget cuts. The announcement came on the heels of a national symposium that brought together policymakers, business leaders, and arts advocates to discuss the new National Standards for Education in the Arts. "President Richard Riley, Secretary of Education Clinton and I want to develop a new, world-class education system, and the arts must play an important part in it," Secretary of Education Richard Riley said at the March symposium. Bob Morrison, director of marketing for drum manufacturer Pearl Corp., points out that although the standards (like those being drafted for other core-curricular subjects) are to be adopted by each state on a voluntary basis, they'll be integral to the effectiveness of Goals 2000 when it is signed into law. "Realistically, none of this means anything until the national standards are implemented in all 50 states and in every single community," said Morrison, who serves as chairman of the Tennessee Coalition for Music Education. "When those standards are embraced by the 16,000 school districts, then we will have achieved our goal of making music education accessible for every child." What does this all mean for jazz and jazz education? It provides an opportunity for organizations like the International Association of Jazz Educators (lAJE) and the National Jazz Service Organization (NJSO) to muster advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and at local levels throughout the country. "The first thing we needed to have accomplished was to have an arts plank," said Willard Jenkins, executive director of NJSO. "But that's general. The fact of the matter is that the people representing other arts disciplines are taking certain steps to make sure that their disciplines are included. So we need to be very vigilant about that from a jazz standpoint, and make sure that jazz is included in that definition of arts in education." Bill McFarlin, executive director of LAJE, noted that now is not the time for music-education advocates to sit back and claim victory. "We have to keep the heat turned up," he said. "We have to keep this issue on the front burner." Indeed, the goals and the standards have a long way to go before being written into law and adopted by the states. But they're certainly an indicator of better opportunities for jazz, and all the arts, under the Clinton administration. DB Ed Enright is an assodale editor of Down Beat He is also editor o/Music Inc. and Up Beat Daily magazines. DBs sister publications serving retailers of musical instruments and pro audio products. DOWPEAT June 1 9 9 3-Volunie 60-No. 6 PUBLISHER Kevin Maher EOITORIAI. DIRECTOR/ASSOC. PUBLISHER Frank Alkyer MANAGING EDITOR John Ephland ASSOCIATE EDITOR DavB Helland ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ed Enright DESIGN Jay Crawford Design PRODUCTION MGR. Gloha Baldwin PRODUCTION ASST. Isabsl Zack CIRCULATION MGR. Elaine Rizleris CIRCULATION ASST. Ginger Giese PRESIDENT Jack Maher CONTRIBUTORS: Larry Birnbaum. Fred Bouchard, Michael Bourne, Tom Copi, John Corbetl, Owen Cordle, Lauren Deutsch, John Diliberio, Enid Färber, Leonard Fealher, Mitchell Feldman, Andy Froeborg, Elaine Guregian, FrankNiohn Madley, Peler Kostakis, An Lange, John Lilweiler, Howard Mandol, John McDonough, Bill Milkowski, Paul Nalkin, Dan Ouellelte, Ben Sandmol, Mitchell Seidel, Bill Shoemakor, Jack Sohmor, Stephanie Stein, Robin Tolleson, Ron Welburn, Pete Welding, Kevin Whitehead, Josel Woodard, Scott Yanow, • • • CORRESPONDENTS: Albany NY Georgia Urban; Atlanta, Dorothy Pearce; Austin. Michael Poinl; Baltimore. Fred Douglass; Boston, Fred Bouchard; Buffalo, John P Lockhari; Chicago, Jim De Jong; Cincinnati, Bob Nave; Detroit, Michael G. Nastos; Las Vegas, Brian Sanders; Los Angeles, Zan Stewart; Minneapolis, Mary Snyder; Nashville, Dave Jenkins; New Orleans, Joel Simpson; Philadelphia, Russell Woessner; Phoenix, Robert Henschen; Piltsburgh, David J. Fabilli; San Francisco, Michael Handler; Seallle, Joseph R, Murphy; Toronto. Mark Miller; Vancouver, Vern Montgomery; Washington, DC, W. A. Brower; Argentina, Max Seligmann; Australia, Eric Myers; Brazil, Chrislopher Pickard; Finland, Roger Freundlich; Great Brilain, Brian Prieslley; India, Vinod Advani; Italy Ruggero Sliassi; Jamaica, Mauroon Sheridan; Japan, Shoichi Yul; Netherlands, Jaap Lüdeke; Norway, Randi Hullin; Sonogambia, Oko Draimo; Soulh Africa, Howard Belling; Swoden, Lars Lyslodl