What's in a 'name' name?
By John Haughey
WARWICK — A proclamation issued April 10 by the Warwick Town Board declared April to be Jazz Appreciation month and praised local drummer Steve Rubin for his efforts in founding the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival in Warwick.
The jazz fest "has just blossomed" since the first annual event was staged in Warwick in 2010, Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton said.
"The Warwick Jazz Festival was so successful, it is now the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival," Sweeton continued, praising Rubin for bringing "local and world renown Jazz musicians" to Warwick.
But as far as Rubin is concerned, the first four events haven't featured the "name" performer who could elevate the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival's prominence and solidify Warwick's growing status as a community that supports the arts and live music.
In a March 26 letter, Rubin asked Warwick Village trustees to subsidize his quest to bring a "name" jazz musician to the 2014 Hudson Valley Jazz Festival, Aug. 14-17, in downtown Warwick.
"It would be great to have Warwick, the home base of the festival, bring a 'name' artist to the village green as part of the Village Concert Series," Rubin wrote. "It would go a long way toward enhancing the local profile and partner to the chamber's tourism initiative."
Down Beat magazine
This year's festival will be also be covered by Down Beat magazine, the "nation's leading jazz magazine," Rubin wrote. "This is wonderful exposure for local talent and, of course, highlights participating venues and towns."
The Village Board was curious about Rubin's request, but non-committal when it discussed his letter on April 7.
Mayor Michael Newhard said he'd engage in "an on-going conversation" with Rubin about the proposal and gather information on "specifically, who the 'name artist' may be and what the cost would be to the village."
Three nights later at the town board meeting, Rubin was confident he could secure a "name" Jazz musician who is both "affordable" and "ideally, from the Hudson Valley" which, he added, wouldn't be hard to do because "there are many great jazz musicians will live in the Hudson Valley."
Rubin's suggested "name:" Saxophonist Joe Lovano.
'Bring the community together'
Since moving to Warwick eight years ago from Manhattan's East Village, Rubin said he has enjoyed Warwick's small town camaraderie and artistic flair, which makes it ideal for events that "bring the community together."
Rubin said he would like to see Warwick town and village boards work with the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center to co-sponsor linked events. "We could have events there sponsored by a mixture of different organizations," he said.
Getting coverage in Down Beat magazine will be quite a public relations coup for the festival and Warwick, he said.
In addition to highlighting the "name" performer at this year's festival, the article will "raise the profiles of local Jazz musicians who aren't, quote, 'names,' and the profile of places that support live music," he said. "I think the storyline here is this is a statement about small town America coming together to support live music."