2001 jazzfest drops flat

By Michelle Teasley

July 26, 2000 Web posted at: 11:02 AM EDT (1502 GMT)

REDDING, California (Redding Record Searchlight) -- A lack of organization and sponsorships have prompted Shasta Jazz Festival board members to cancel next year's music fete.

But the jazz festival is planned to be resurrected April 4-6 in 2002.

The decision to cancel next year's event was made at a meeting held Monday at KLXR-AM radio station on Market Street in Redding, according to board member and Shasta County Supervisor Irwin Fust.

Of the nine board members who attended the meeting, all "reluctantly agreed" that more organizational help, sponsorships and time are needed to plan a successful festival, he said.

Director Chet Moore, 81, who has played a crucial role in planning the festival since its inception in 1986, has had health problems and resigned last month. He has not been replaced.

"It's clear that from the organization of it, we're not prepared to put out a quality festival in 2001," Fust said. "We've been looking for someone to take (Moore's) job over. We haven't found that person yet."

Although Fust said festival organizers had started getting more sponsor participation, they started late.

"We still had to work out the details on who would be doing what," he said. "Rather than try to scurry, we postponed it until 2002. It will give us time to work on it."

Moore, who attended Monday's meeting, said the decision "was kind of a letdown," but he said the extra time should make for a better festival in 2002.

"I have to cancel all my bands . . . there's a lot of work down the drain. We have to dig almost daily for donations, and I understand that fund-raising is very difficult," Moore said. "I think a year pause is needed to get things straightened out. I think it will go fine."

This is the second time the festival has been canceled. In 1998, it was for financial reasons. The festival was reborn in 1999 and labeled a resounding success by event organizers.

Financial difficulties, however, resurfaced in April when board members held a special meeting to discuss ways to boost ticket sales and sponsorships.

During that meeting, board members said that they had lost between $10,000 and $12,000 putting on the 2000 festival. But that number was amended in May after organizers said they received thousands of dollars in outstanding commitments.

Fust said he and other board members want to see the festival around and doing well in the future, but help is needed.

"We have a tremendous emotional attachment to this (the festival)," Fust said. "We like jazz, but that's not enough. We need more people to help. The festival brings a lot of money into the community. The only drawback is it takes a lot of work to put it on."

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