I feel it in my bones. We lost our home because we were successful, and the landlord, seeing that, kept increasing our rent. So I'm producing concerts in different places, to stay alive until we find a new place we like. It's been more than a year now. We've done well with David Murray, and a lot of other musicians who otherwise don't get to Chicago, who Joe doesn't book, like Don Byron, Abdullah Ibrahim and Henry Threadgill.
Most new clubs are interested in bop, post-bop, the young lions, cabaret and torch singers.
Things that are inside. I've learned that to book so-called 'marginal' acts we need sponsorship or subsidizing. The gate won't pay for them. I'd be one of 10 at an AACM concert, and now 250 to 300 people will show up at the club for one. They're comfortable with all of it.