The data represent the answers of jazz musicians in New York and the aggregate answers of jazz musicians in New Orleans, New York and San Francisco in the study using the Respondent-driven sampling method. A parallel study of union musicians provides data for Detroit as well as the three cities listed above.

The work was carried out by the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Columbia University's Teachers College, under a cooperative agreement between the National Endowment for the Arts and the San Francisco Study Center. The data here represent the answers of Jazz musicians in New York and the aggregated answers of jazz musicians in the 3 study cities. They cover questions about instrument and musical style preference, employment, musical inspiration, health coverage and professional goals.

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Contents:
Instrument Preference  |   Employment  |   Musical Inspiration  |   Health Coverage  |   Personal Goals

Instrument Preference

The piano and the drums are the instruments of choice for the aggregate musicians while New York musicians prefer the piano and voice. Fourteen percent of the aggregate jazz musicians play piano/keyboard and 13% play the drums; 15% of the New York area jazz musicians play piano and 14% use their voices.

3. What is your primary instrument?

Aggregate NY 1 — alto sax percent 6.1% 7.2% count 41 19 2 — banjo percent 0.7% 0.0% count 5 0 3 — baritone sax percent 0.6% 0.4% count 4 1 4 — bass percent 11.4% 11.0% count 77 29 5 — bass clarinet percent 0.1% 0.4% count 1 1 6 — cello percent 0.1% 0.4% count 1 1 7 — clarinet percent 1.9% 1.9% count 13 5 8 — cornet percent 0.9% 0.0% count 6 0 9 — drums percent 12.5% 11.0% count 84 29 10 — effects ( washboard, whistles, etc.) percent 0.0% 0.0% count 0 0 11 — fluglehorn percent 0.4% 0.0% count 3 0 12 — flute percent 1.6% 2.7% count 11 7 13 — guitar percent 9.1% 4.9% count 61 13 14 — harmonica percent 0.3% 0.0% count 2 0 15 — percussion percent 1.3% 1.5% count 9 4 16 — piano/ keyboard percent 14.4% 15.2% count 97 40 17 — saxophone percent 11.1% 12.5% count 75 33 18 — trombone percent 4.5% 4.9% count 30 13 19 — trumpet percent 6.8% 6.1% count 46 16 20 — tuba percent 0.3% 0.4% count 2 1 21 — vibraphone percent 0.1% 0.4% count 1 1 22 — violin percent 1.2% 1.1% count 8 3 23 — voice percent 11.3% 14.4% count 76 38 24 — xylophone percent 0.0% 0.0% count 0 0 25 — other (please specify) percent 3.1% 3.8% count 21 10 Missing 0 0 total # of respondents who answered the question 674 264

Fifty three percent of New York area musicians chose "other" rather than the selections offered on the survey. For musicians from the 3 cities combined, 44% of the respondents chose Bop as the dominant style in which they played their instruments.

4. In what style do you play this instrument?*

Aggregate NY 1 — avant-garde percent 30.0% 25.0% count 202 66 2 — acid jazz percent 15.7% 2.7% count 106 7 3 — blues percent 35.5% 9.5% count 239 25 4 — boogie-woogie/honky-tonk percent 9.3% 2.3% count 63 6 5 — bop percent 44.4% 22.3% count 299 59 6 — contemporary percent 33.7% 15.5% count 227 41 7 — cool percent 26.3% 4.2% count 177 11 8 — free jazz percent 34.6% 25.0% count 233 66 9 — funk percent 32.9% 8.0% count 222 21 10 — fusion percent 22.4% 6.8% count 151 18 11 — hard bop percent 29.4% 8.7% count 198 23 12 — Latin percent 36.5% 11.7% count 246 31 13 — mainstream percent 31.0% 20.5% count 209 54 14 — regional style (please specify) percent 11.1% 6.8% count 75 18 15 — rhythm and blues percent 27.6% 6.1% count 186 16 16 — scat percent 8.2% 2.3% count 55 6 17 — ragtime/stride piano percent 6.5% 3.0% count 44 8 18 — swing percent 39.5% 14.8% count 266 39 19 — traditional percent 40.1% 35.2% count 270 93 20 — world music percent 18.7% 9.8% count 126 26 21 — other (please specify) percent 30.6% 52.7% count 206 139 missing total # of respondents who answered the question 674 264

Employment
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Fifty-two percent of aggregate musicians and 56% of New York area musicians earned their major income in the last 12 months as musicians.

12. From which occupation did you earn your major income in the last 12 months?

Aggregate NY 1 — musician percent 51.5% 56.4% count 347 149 2 — music teacher percent 11.1% 8.0% count 75 21 3 — jazz teacher percent 6.5% 6.8% count 44 18 4 — arts manager or administrator percent 1.0% 0.8% count 7 2 5 — other music-related occupation percent 7.9% 8.7% count 53 23 6 — non-music related occupation percent 24.2% 18.9% count 163 50 7 — other percent 10.7% 5.3% count 72 14 missing Total # of respondents who answered this question 674 264

A large percentage of New York area musicians (47%) and aggregate musicians (36%) make 100% of their income from their music.

16. What percentage of your income comes from your music?

Aggregate NY 1 — none percent 8.1% 2.3% count 53 6 2 — 25% or less percent 24.3% 21.9% count 159 56 3 — between 26% and 50% percent 11.9% 13.3% count 78 34 4 — between 51% and 75% percent 8.7% 6.6% count 57 17 5 — between 76% and 99% percent 10.6% 8.6% count 69 22 6 — 100% percent 36.3% 47.3% count 237 121 missing 21 8 total # of respondents who answered this question 653 256

Musical Inspiration
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In the effort to understand the early musical development of survey respondents, a number of questions regarding their early education and training were asked. When asked where they were first inspired by music, 37% of aggregate musicians and 47% of New York area musicians said they received their initial inspiration at home.

22. Where did you first get inspired by music?

Aggregate NY 1 — church percent 10.6% 5.4% count 71 14 2 — community center percent 0.3% 0.0% count 2 0 3 — festival percent 1.6% 0.8% count 11 2 4 — film percent 0.9% 0.0% count 6 0 5 — friends percent 9.7% 3.8% count 65 10 6 — home percent 37.1% 47.1% count 248 123 7 — internet percent 0.0% 0.0% count 0 0 8 — live performance percent 6.1% 6.1% count 41 16 9 — private music teacher percent 2.1% 1.1% count 14 3 10 — radio percent 7.9% 7.3% count 53 19 11 — recordings percent 7.5% 9.2% count 50 24 12 — relatives percent 3.0% 0.8% count 20 2 13 — school percent 7.3% 7.7% count 49 20 14 — television percent 0.9% 1.5% count 6 4 15 — workshop percent 0.1% 0.4% count 1 1 16 — other percent 4.8% 8.8% count 32 23 Missing 5 3 total # of respondents who answered the question 669 261

Health Coverage
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Sixty-three percent of the aggregate and 59% of the New York area respondents have some health or medical coverage.

81. Do you have health or medical coverage?

Aggregate NY 1 — yes percent 63.3% 58.7% count 398 142 2 — no percent 36.7% 41.3% count 231 100 Missing 45 22 Total # of respondents who answered this question 629 242

Personal Goals
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While reaching a higher level of artistic expression/achievement was the most important goal for the next five years for aggregate musicians at 27%, and getting a record deal was most important for New York area musicians at 18%, a number of the respondents chose 'Other'. Comments here included getting out of music, Gold Record, making more money, world premieres by international orchestras, obtaining local, national, international recognition, making a CD, to "Wow, no one ever asked me this before."

114. What are your 3 most important goals for the next 5 years as a musician?

Choice 1 Aggregate NY 1 — develop artistic competence percent 11.8% 1.5% count 67 3 2 — get a record deal percent 10.5% 17.5% count 60 36 3 — lead my own groups percent 9.1% 9.7% count 52 20 4 — make a living from my music percent 11.2% 6.8% count 64 14 5 — make money from my music percent 3.5% 3.4% count 20 7 6 — obtain critical reviews percent 0.5% 0.0% count 3 0 7 — participate in major concerts percent 4.0% 5.8% count 23 12 8 — play with well-known groups percent 2.3% 2.4% count 13 5 9 — reach higher level of artistic expression/achievement percent 26.8% 12.6% count 153 26 10 — spend more time on music percent 4.0% 3.4% count 23 7 11 — win recognition/award percent 1.2% 2.9% count 7 6 12 — other percent 14.9% 34.0% count 85 70 missing 104 58 total # of respondents who answered this question 570 206

Choice 2 Aggregate NY 1 — develop artistic competence percent 6.2% 2.8% count 33 5 2 — get a record deal percent 7.1% 12.4% count 38 22 3 — lead my own groups percent 9.2% 6.2% count 49 11 4 — make a living from my music percent 10.7% 8.4% count 57 15 5 — make money from my music percent 4.9% 3.9% count 26 7 6 — obtain critical reviews percent 2.1% 1.7% count 11 3 7 — participate in major concerts percent 6.9% 5.6% count 37 10 8 — play with well-known groups percent 7.9% 5.6% count 42 10 9 — reach higher level of artistic expression/achievement percent 19.1% 8.4% count 102 15 10 — spend more time on music percent 9.3% 1.1% count 50 2 11 — win recognition/award percent 2.8% 4.5% count 15 8 12 — other percent 14.0% 39.3% count 75 70 missing 139 86 total # of respondents who answered this question 535 178

Choice 3 Aggregate NY 1 — develop artistic competence percent 4.3% 1.4% count 21 2 2 — get a record deal percent 6.8% 7.6% count 33 11 3 — lead my own groups percent 7.2% 9.7% count 35 14 4 — make a living from my music percent 8.7% 7.6% count 42 11 5 — make money from my music percent 6.0% 5.6% count 29 8 6 — obtain critical reviews percent 0.8% 0.0% count 4 0 7 — participate in major concerts percent 8.7% 13.2% count 42 19 8 — play with well-known groups percent 8.9% 5.6% count 43 8 9 — reach higher level of artistic expression/achievement percent 13.6% 6.9% count 66 10 10 — spend more time on music percent 13.4% 6.9% count 65 10 11 — win recognition/award percent 7.9% 3.5% count 38 5 12 — other percent 13.6% 31.9% count 66 46 missing 190 120 total # of respondents who answered this question 484 144

Download the Executive Summary
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

 

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