New Year's Resolution

What did Metroland, Albany’s weekly newspaper, consider noteworthy in 2010? If you look at the “Year in Pictures 2010” issue, dated December 23-29, you’ll see photos of two guys who set a record for playing dodgeball for more than 31 hours, a guy holding a stick who walked from Troy to Ithaca, a blonde dressed in pink holding cupcakes, and an overweight man with a reddened face patting a cow.

Oh sure, there were pictures of art happenings, of local notables, and of Governor Paterson. Sitarist Veena Chandra had a well-deserved mention and a great picture. There was also a great photo of Taína Asili and La Banda Rebelde. But, as if to make sure that no one would accuse the paper of being too serious or too earnest, there were also photos of a bearded man holding a bunch of orange balloons, one of five guys coming out the back hatch of a small car, and another of a local couple that sells cds and video games.

Um, excuse me, that couple sells used cds and video games. Right, their business is not only small—which is always good—but it is also based on the concept of recycling. Gosh, Mickey! That’s why they made it to the paper! They are so cute and earth-friendly! They even look like they came right out of That 70s Show! (Am I using too many exclamation marks? That should get me into Metroland!! Oh the quirkiness!!!)

I can imagine the rejoinder: “Dr. Cruz failed to mention the pictures that referred to important events such as the Jon Stewart rally in Washington, D.C., of Joanne Epsen’s campaign for the state senate, of the teabaggers rally (yeah, they were important in 2010) in Troy against the Federal Reserve Bank, and of the closing of the Albany YMCA. Yes, our feature juxtaposed scantily-clad women, bare-chested men, and WAMC’s Alan Chartock, but that is precisely what makes Metroland tick: the odd mixture of the ridiculous and the sublime; if we can all agree that “Chartock” and “sublime” in the same sentence is not a crime against nature.”

Right. And you know what I say to that? I say, Hah!; Hah, Hah! And I don’t even have to invoke the Napoleonic code.

Last year, I noted a similar situation in Metroland’s “Year in Review” section. My blog reads:

“From the selections by Metroland’s critics in ‘The Year in Review,’ I cannot help but infer that they review only what’s already prominent commercially and/or what is familiar to them. Thus, unless a Latino artist is well-known and successful in the commercial mainstream he/she will not command their unsolicited attention. It may also be that these critics do not review performances that highlight Latin music and culture because, with the exception of Latin rock, they are not familiar with or do not like other expressions of Latin music and culture such as Latin jazz.”

That blog elicited zero response from Metroland. This leads me to infer that no one there even reads anything other than what they are already familiar with.

I mention my complaint from last year because, if anything, what Metroland did in 2010 is even worse. You don’t need to know anything about Latin music or culture to publish a photo of a Jazz/Latino event, of the Albany Latin Fest, of a Martínez Gallery show, or of the Latino Upstate Summit. In 2010, Jazz/Latino brought to Albany a slew of internationally renowned musicians; the Albany Latin Fest gathered thousands of people from across the state in Washington Park and did for small businesses more in one day than what a couple selling used video games can do in six months; the Martínez Gallery featured the work of prominent Latino and non-Latino artists; and the Latino Upstate Summit generated business for a local hotel and rallied all the major Latino organizations in Upstate New York for a day of analysis of important social issues. Yet, according to Metroland’s review none of this was worth highlighting.

You don’t need to know anything about any of these organizations or about what they do in any kind of detail in order to notice them. No, all you need is to pay attention and to have a little curiosity for the unfamiliar. Of course, there’s much more that Metroland ignores but one guy holding orange balloons is featured and a cultural event featuring ten thousand people doesn’t make it? That kind of omission is simply jarring.

For the past four years Metroland has sponsored the Ahora, Latin/Jazz! concert series. For that I am grateful. But as I said last year:

“The paper has never reviewed any one of the 24 events Jazz/Latino has sponsored in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy since 2007. I do get my shows included in the arts calendar but the calendar will include, in fine print because it is free, anything that is submitted on time. The only prominent coverage my concerts have had in Metroland has been through advertisements but that kind of “coverage” is easy to get as well—all it takes is ability to pay.”

The count goes on: it is now 29 Jazz/Latino events that Metroland has ignored. I’m thinking of standing in front of the paper with the Jazz/Latino banner behind me, holding a sign saying “Please” in one hand, and a bunch of orange balloons in the other. Maybe that’ll get me in the paper. And if I wear a pink tutu, hold a cupcake on my head, and pat a cow, I may increase my chances. But then again, I would need a third hand to pat the cow.

It’s just an idea. A fantasy? Perhaps. This is no fantasy—Until we get some serious coverage, Jazz/Latino will not seek the sponsorship of Metroland and will not buy any advertisements for its events.

I don’t think this will make any difference but I don’t care. In fact, what could happen is that my calendar submissions may get blacklisted. That presupposes that someone at Metroland will read this blog. Fat chance. However, if you don’t see a Jazz/Latino event in Metroland’s calendar ever again, you’ll understand. Happy New Year!