Just got my recent issue of Downbeat and long-time contributor, Michael Bourne, has a short piece and a recommendation that jazz artists should learn to make shorter recordings. He points out that the jazz classic "Body and Soul" by tenor sax great Coleman Hawkins was just 3-minutes long. He sights numerous other examples. Of course, prior to the LP artists didn't have much choice when it cme to length of cuts.

Talking about the loss of market-share (down to 1.9 in 1998) he points out that jazz musicians need to learn "how to get it on and get it off" for a change and perhaps they could realize more "airplay."

An interesting premise and I know that some here regularly remind us that they do not care for "straight-ahead" jazz. But what do you think? Is it possible for "real" jazz to get more "airplay?"

I personally believe that there is a tremendous amount of straight-ahead music that is excellent from artists like Nicholas Payton, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Michael Brecker. Pat Metheny enjoys the best of both worlds and listening to his "Question and Answer" release is to experience some incredible music. The contemporary, but leaning toward straight-ahead, music of the Yellowjackets is another great example.

I would love to hear more of this kind of music on the radio and the kind of exposure that could increase market-share. Could shorter track lengths be part of the process helping this happen?