Build It and (Hope) They Will Come Department

The world's first performance center designed uniquely for jazz is in the works at Lincoln Center, here in New York. The first public concert will be in October.

To read more about the programming of the venue, which will be the responsibility of Wynton Marsalis, see this piece.

I'm trying to be optimistic about this. Heaven knows jazz in New York needs a boost. If it weren't for foreigners, there wouldn't hardly be any jazz in this city. Americans just don't give a shit.

But as Jon Pareles points out: "Placed in the middle of the Time Warner Center, just above upscale stores and swank restaurants, the hall could be taken as a symbol that jazz is a luxury."

Continues Pareles: "Mr. Marsalis rejects that notion: 'Since we began, we have done all we can do to reach out into the community to say that this music is here and it's music for the people. And this is the people's hall. It's built with the people's money."

No shit it's built with the people's money. That hardly makes it "for the people." What I want to know is what'll the ticket prices be like. Any info on that in the articles? Nope.

I remain a skeptic.