A&R seizes up — quick hit the snooze button.

IT is patently obvious that running a jazz label is not the easiest thing in the world.

Getting stuff to sell when so many of us expect and can get it quite legally for free takes skill.

But that is not the hardest part. What really burns a label because some ‘records’ despite everything actually do find buyers is when a&r (artists and repertoire) ideas dry up.

There are a lot of labels out there where this is happening right now.

The way to tell is when x label signs an artist who you haven’t heard of and yet before you listen because of the way they narrow in on a small area of jazz you know what their ‘type’ is.

You may argue that the ‘identity’ of the label is great  and this is a good thing when this happens: however, what it means to all of us who don’t get hot under the collar and all aroused over marketing minutiae and lovely logos, is that the record is like a one size fits all T shirt.

Of course if your taste is fixed in one micro style then super you know exactly what you are going to get say when you are waiting for the next Criss Cross release as an example — so it will be without being a mystic Meg in the least quality bop and hard bop that corresponds to vintage Prestige or Jackie McLean-vintage Blue Note.

Blaming the dire state of the market is one thing, the popularity of streaming another, the list goes on. However, it is far harder to realise that your signings, your strategy, your taste even needs looking at when the label takes over and there is no wriggle room.

Certainly you need your bearings as a listener when faced with the unknown but labels I think should not work to a template when they are signing new artists.

Few would admit that they do; however the often dull results prove otherwise and the label has suddenly entered the dreaded churn out the same old stuff mode. Taxi!