By Alexander Stern
Published 2:54 pm, Wednesday, May 28, 2014
It began when Brian Patneaude missed a jazz performance he'd hoped to see.
"My friends and I didn't find out about it until after it was over. I remember thinking, 'There should be something online where people could find out about jazz in the area.' "
It was spring 2002. Saxophonist Patneaude saw a need and, in the spirit of American entrepreneurship, proceeded to fill it. Albanyjazz.com was the happy result.
In the 12 years since the site launched, it has become the go-to Web destination for jazz in the Capital Region. Albanyjazz.com features concert venues, local CD reviews, feature articles, and much more. Patneaude now has a rotating staff of roughly 10 contributors -— writers and photographers — that volunteer their time to provide content.
"I don't get paid. Nobody gets paid," Patneaude says. "It's truly a labor of love."
"I contribute to the site because of the team's commitment to the music I adore," said writer Randy Treece. "Each [contributor] has a unique perspective and I enjoy adding my point of view to the mix."
"The site is unique because of the one-stop regional focus on jazz," said photographer Rudy Lu. "To my knowledge, this is the only site in a non-major metropolitan area in the U.S. that does this."
Musicians appreciate the site as well.
"I cannot overstate that I believe that albanyjazz.com has had a major influence on jazz in the Capital District," said vibraphonist Michael Benedict. "I would say that, outside of New York City, we have the strongest jazz scene in the state. As a jazz musician in the area, I really appreciate the fact that I know where everyone is playing at any given time. Brian has given us an invaluable resource that I hope that all jazz musicians in the area appreciate."
Patneaude says that he has seen the local jazz scene grow in the last decade.
"There are a lot more musicians, younger musicians, and a lot more people gigging," he said. "There's always a handful of places that host jazz. When one closes down, it seems like another one springs up. That's encouraging, to see it continue."
How do Patneaude and the site's contributors see the future of jazz in the Capital Region?
"I would like to see more major jazz acts perform in the Capital District Region," Treece said. "I would like to see more jazz venues as well."
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Albany-jazz-now-has-its-own-dot-com-5510542.php
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